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What to Expect Before You're Expecting
Announcing the prequel. From Heidi Murkoff, author of America's bestselling pregnancy and parenting books, comes the must-have guide every expectant couple needs before they even conceive the first step in "What to Expect: What to Expect Before You're Expecting."
An estimated 11 million couples in the U.S. are currently trying to conceive, and medical groups now ...more
An estimated 11 million couples in the U.S. are currently trying to conceive, and medical groups now ...more
Paperback, 275 pages
Published
May 13th 2009
by Workman Publishing
(first published January 1st 2009)
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Completely useless. Most of the info contained within can be easily gleaned from the internet with a few cursory searches. If you don't know it's good for you to eat healthy food, be at a healthy weight and not smoke when you're trying to conceive you shouldn't be contributing to the human race anyway. She also assumes that every woman out there wants to make babies as fast as they can, but what about the people who have misgivings? No advice for them?
The author is not a doctor and ...more
The author is not a doctor and ...more
view all 24 comments
I didn’t totally hate this, even with all the mealy-mouthed cutesy bullshit (I say this solemnly and with purpose: if any of you ever catch me unironically using the phrase “baby dancing” instead of just saying sex, do us all a favor and insert bullet into brain post haste, please and thank you). I didn’t even hate her complete aversion to showing her work and, you know, citing like a fucking professional. I
didn’t even hate the entire 50 words she devoted to noticing that,
ohmygosh, t...more
didn’t even hate the entire 50 words she devoted to noticing that,
ohmygosh, t...more
This book offers only a small section to preconception planning (first 70 pages) and the following 200 are about fertility issues. It would be better named "What to Expect When You Have Fertility Problems, With a Side Note on Preconception Planning." ::sigh::
There is a lot of valuable fertility information in here and I really feel that this was the motivating factor in writing this book. There are several, better books on preconception than this, but this is not a bad plac...more
There is a lot of valuable fertility information in here and I really feel that this was the motivating factor in writing this book. There are several, better books on preconception than this, but this is not a bad plac...more
The first twenty or so pages has a great wealth of information. The chapters after that kind of go over the same stuff in detail and weren't terribly interesting. There are helpful pages in the very back that you can copy and fill out.
Notes:
Get a full checkup-- weight check, thorough physical, medication overview, blood test (hemoglobin or hematocrit, RH factor, rubella titer, varicella titer, urine screen for diseases, TB, HepB, CMV, taxoplasmosis titer, thyroid,...more
Notes:
Get a full checkup-- weight check, thorough physical, medication overview, blood test (hemoglobin or hematocrit, RH factor, rubella titer, varicella titer, urine screen for diseases, TB, HepB, CMV, taxoplasmosis titer, thyroid,...more
Very informative book. Also loved the writing style: down to earth with a good balance of lightheartedness. Has pertinent info for men and women (though, of course, mainly geared towards women). I read Part 1 (Getting Ready to Make a Baby) and Part 2 (Making a Baby). The first section includes preparing yourself physically (losing weight, changing diet). The second section reviews all the basic bio stuff we all learned in middle school (and if you're like me, you'd forgotten a lot of the det...more
This book had some helpful information in it. It talked about BMI and how it can affect your pregnancy and the vitamins you should be taking to get your body in tip top shape. It mentioned how important it is to get any necessary dental work done before getting pregnant, and touched on finances. Then there was a lot of biological information, a lot of which I already knew and a lot of which I didn't. All very helpful, all in the first half of the book. The second half of the book deals mostly wi...more
I only gave this book two stars because it's an informational book in which you have to be a very selective reader. The writing itself is very friendly and everything is done in layman's terms to make it accessible to all readers. I only read a few select portions of the book, however, because most of the information does not relate to me. If I had picked up the book to become knowledgeable about every aspect of getting ready to conceive and trying to conceive then this book would be perfect. Th...more
We’ve been trying to have a baby for a couple of years now, and I thought it was time that I made sure that I was as educated as I thought I was about conception. I definitely learned a few things from this book. This is a book you can skip around in easily, because not all of the topics are going to apply to everyone. It’s informational without being dry and boring. There is also information here for the man you are trying to conceive with. I especially appreciated that the book acknowledged...more
Probably because I've already done a lot of research on preconception preparation, I didn't learn as much from this book as I'd hoped. (It also didn't specifically address my concerns and questions, because it assumes you've got a partner on tap; I was not surprised by this, though. I realize I'm not the norm.)
However, it does offer more wide-ranging advice than many of my other resources -- everything from getting your finances in order to writing a will. So it is a fairly complete ...more
However, it does offer more wide-ranging advice than many of my other resources -- everything from getting your finances in order to writing a will. So it is a fairly complete ...more
First off, let me say I'm far from even expecting to expect. That said, I still love this book. For any woman who wants to get pregnant, thinks she might want to get prenant or is just interested in learning all there is to know about pregnancy, then this is the book for you. WtEBYE covers everything from what vitamins to take and foods to eat to what possible problems you might face and what options there are if you have trouble conceiving. It has an indepth fertility journal in the back so you...more
Well, I'm not expecting, but I wanted a little overview of what I should consider, what I should do if I were to try to become, uh, expecting. This book gave me a little of that, but mostly a lot of random advice that I kind of already know. It also devotes a large section to miscarriage and fertility difficulties, which I think might be better suited for the What to Expect When You're Expecting than in this book, just because you'd probably purchase that book while pregnant or in anticipation o...more
A great book if you are having trouble getting pregnant, or are just super crazy (like myself) and want as much information as you can get upfront. There are a number of things that the book and your doctors suggest you start doing months before you even start trying to conceive, and this book does a great job of laying all of that out. However, this can feel extremely overwhelming and the majority of it is not entirely necessary unless you are under trying circumstances.
Rubbish.
From the ridiculously basic information (if you don't know enough to stop smoking and using recreational drugs while pregnant, you should be forbidden from reproducing), to the cringe-inducing writing style ("baby-dance" = sex; referring to testicles as "the boys" and "the jewels"), this book was a definite flop. It was also heavily geared toward women who are having trouble conceiving, with a long section on fertility problems.
From the ridiculously basic information (if you don't know enough to stop smoking and using recreational drugs while pregnant, you should be forbidden from reproducing), to the cringe-inducing writing style ("baby-dance" = sex; referring to testicles as "the boys" and "the jewels"), this book was a definite flop. It was also heavily geared toward women who are having trouble conceiving, with a long section on fertility problems.
Easy to read, good information. There is a lot of overlap between this book and What To Expect When You Are Expecting's preconception sections, but I suppose Murkoff can't assume everyone is going to read both. There are a few charts and graphics that don't show up so well on the kindle edition, but they are still legible. Just wish that publishers would improve how graphics look when they publish kindle editions.
This is a helpful review of conception and what to do to make it happen. Which is great, since I sure enough could use a refresher of what I learned in freshman Biology! The annoying part is her use of alliteration and irritating peppy quotes to end each mini-section, such as "And while you're at it, stop by the salad bar for a folate fill-up." Aargh. So the style was annoying, but the content was useful.
I got a fourth of the way through this book before I realized there are ABSOLUTELY NO REFERENCES. That's pretty dumb for a reference book that's heavy on health, medicine, diet, and repeatedly says, "Studies show..." She has done her research, and maybe next to nothing she says is wrong, but probably most of it I could look up for myself on the internet. Or better yet, another more reputable reference book that HAS references, written by authors who are certified in some way. After som...more
As my husband and I have decided to start trying to get pregnant at the end of this year, I picked up this book just to see what I could learn in preparation for that time. I can't say there was much that I learned in new information, but there was plenty that I had reinforced. Such as: healthy eating prior to trying to conceive, starting to take prenatal vitamins before you're pregnant, healthy weight ranges for better conception chances.
I liked the set-up of the book as well. Ea...more
I liked the set-up of the book as well. Ea...more
Though parts of this book were informational, most of it seemed like common sense to me. Don't smoke, drink or do drugs when you're trying to get or are already pregnant? Well, no kidding! Also, a good chunk of this book is about difficulty fertility issues. Since I'm currently not trying to get pregnant, I skimmed this section, but I guess it would be valuable info for those applicable.
I didn't find anything in this book that I couldn't find easily online. Maybe it would be good for someone who doesn't live a relatively healthy life, but generally I was VERY happy I had checked this out of the library rather than spent any money on it.
This book had really great information on ways to prepare yourself physically,financially and emotionally for pregnancy and beyond. I really learned a lot about the whole conception process and what things you should consider early on.
I really liked this one. I would have liked it more if I didnt already know everything in this book. but I kept reading that hubby smoking was not a good thing. After the 15th book that said the same he went and got some patches!
This book is excellent for the first time mother-to-be. It actually answers questions before you have them and quiets some of those hidden fears. Great refresher for moms even if it not your first time.
Quick read and not everything applied. Liked the easy format. A lot of information is conflicting or speculative, but I guess that is what is to be expected. Exciting to start thinking about all this stuff.
Didn't necessarily read it for right away, but for a good foundation for future planning. Could skim over several chapters and it probably could have been more succinct, but overall a decent book.
im planning on getting pregnant soon(!!) and have already picked up what to expect when you are expecting. i love that they came out with this,for those of us who want to be in tip top shape. a lot of the book is basic baby making info i already knew, but i also learned some interesting facts. it has a great place to do all of your charting and im using it every day to keep track of my food. a definite must for people who will be trying to conceive in the near future!!
Very basic info. Lots of repeats from the other What to Expects. Summary: Take a multivitamin all the time and get to your ideal weight by eating right and exercising BEFORE you get pregnant.
The information was interesting and useful, but the style was far too cutesy for my taste. There were even a few passages where the cutesy style made it difficult to understand what the author meant. Otherwise, the level of detail appealed to my over-analytic nature and it was an enjoyable read.
Sort of helpful. It confirmed a lot of things i had read online. Tons of information not applicable to me, but they're trying to get everyone's possible scenario in there, I suppose.
Huge breadth and little depth on most everything related to getting pregnant. A lot of topics may not relate to people who do not have, or have not yet discovered, infertility issues.
This book does have a lot of useful information in it, but I just felt it was only okay. There is something missing from what I wanted in a book like this, but I just can't place it.
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Heidi Murkoff is the author of the What to Expect® series and author of Eating Well When You're Expecting, The What to Expect Pregnancy Journal & Organizer, What to Expect the First Year, The What to Expect Baby-Sitter's Handbook, and the What to Expect Kids series from HarperCollins. Her interactive website is www.whattoexpect.com, and she lives with her family in Los Angeles, California.
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