

Age Range: Baby and up
Paperback: 275 pages
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; 1 edition (May 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0761152768
ISBN-13: 978-0761152767
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (297 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #9,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #10 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Reference #31 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Women's Health > Pregnancy & Childbirth #43 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Women's Health > General

There is some great information in this book. It's an excellent starting point if you want to get a jump on reading up about pre-conception health. It's also a good conversation starter with your partner (it's great for both parents to spend some time reading the book, both the "mom" and "dad" sections). The info on trouble trying to conceive was particularly helpful. However, after hearing all the hype about the "What To Expect" series, I expected it to be a better written book.The book had some continuity problems. It looked like paragraphs and maybe even chapters had been copied and pasted straight out of the other books without checking for continuity. Acronyms would be used over and over and over again and never defined. Meanwhile, the acronym "STD" shows up for the hundredth time around page 200 and is defined. Pretty sure we all know what STDs are, and if we don't, we googled it 150 pages ago. But thanks.Sometimes things would be mentioned in passing, never to be brought up again. "Get your blood tested for your Rh factor, and if you are positive, make sure your partner isn't." WHAT?! This sounds really serious. What does this mean? Yeah, the book totally leaves you hanging. Google it. Again, I expect that if the book is going to bring it up, explain to me why this is so important.Some chapters left me with more question than answers. For example, it encouraged readers to drink lots of milk. Ok great, but more adult women are lactose intolerant than not. Since the book advised moms-to-be to limit soy, what alternatives should we seek for upping calcium intake? The author really didn't have a lot of suggestions. And speaking of soy, the author was very vague. Basically, "don't eat a lot of it." Well, what's "a lot?
WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE YOU'RE EXPECTING is just like the other books in the expecting "series:" Jam packed with information in a good format. There are sections for both the "Mother to Be" and the "Father to Be," but neither are exclusive and should be read by both parties; in fact, there is more for men in this book than What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition. You probably already know what to expect given the monumental success of the previous Expecting books, and this book is no exception. Sections of the book include: Nutrition, Basic Anatomy, Ovulation, Timing of Intimacy, Miscarriage and Infertility, Medications, and tons of other little questions.This book is excellent, but the next few comments should not be taken as criticisms but rather just information.The difference with this installment is that there is more humor woven into the text than the previous books, which helps lighten the load; however, the humor at points is too much of a good thing, and the writing can seem juvenile and uses a lot of immature phrases (i.e. Aunt Flo), which I feel undermines the writing slightly.One other thing is the book takes some of the magic away, providing step by step instructions, hundreds of pages of what to do better. I can totally appreciate how this book may help people who have struggled with conception, and I feel this book will be revered in that case. However, for everyone else be prepared to have the magic of conception possibly ruined as baby making becomes a job, you are forced to follow a specific calendar, and monitoring your diet.
What to Expect Before You're Expecting What to Expect When You're Expecting What to Expect: Eating Well When You're Expecting What to Expect When You're Expecting: Fourth Edition Pregnancy Week by Week: Guide to Healthy Pregnancy of What to Expect When Expecting for First Time Moms What to Expect the Second Year: From 12 to 24 Months (What to Expect (Workman Publishing)) What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby (What to Expect Kids) Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness -- Before, During, and After Pregnancy Eat This, Not That When You're Expecting: The Doctor-Recommended Plan for Baby and You! Your Complete Guide to the Very Best Foods for Every Stage of Pregnancy The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It Things You Should Know Before Modeling Nude: Before Taking off All Those Clothes for Big Money, You Need to Educate Yourself Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know Waiting in Wonder: Growing in Faith While You're Expecting How to Exercise When You're Expecting: For the 9 Months of Pregnancy and the 5 Months It Takes to Get Your Best Body Ba ck When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy, 3rd Edition The Night Dad Went to Jail: What to Expect When Someone You Love Goes to Jail (Life's Challenges) Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before -- and After -- You Marry Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts Workbook for Men Updated: Seven Questions to Ask Before---and After---You Marry Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts Workbook for Women Updated: Seven Questions to Ask Before---and After---You Marry The Change Before the Change: Everything You Need to Know to Stay Healthy in the Decade Before Menopause