Frankly Pregnant: A Candid, Week-by-Week Guide to the Unexpected Joys, Raging Hormones, and Common Experiences of Pregnancy

by Stacy Quarty, Miriam Greene M.D.

You’re pregnant. It’s exciting, and a little scary, and you are discovering that your body is doing things that you have never heard about or read about in any pregnancy manual. It would be great if your best girlfriend was going through this with you, but if not, Stacy Quarty is here to give you the truth about pregnancy – raging hormones and all.

Stacy takes readers, week-by-week, through what she was experiencing and thinking about her pregnancy, her body, her husband, and more. She discusses the symptoms of the week (morning sickness, hemorrhoids, enormous breasts); experiences of girlfriends; and anecdotes on everything from cravings to c-sections. An extensive Q&A section includes questions from real women that are embarrassing, odd, and unusual and may include just the question you’ve been too nervous to ask yourself. Throughout the book Dr. Miriam Greene provides a dose of a medical perspective on the adventure of pregnancy.

With warmth, humor, and no shame, Frankly Pregnant takes the myth and mystery out of pregnancy and really tells it like it is.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2006

Reviews

[Kris]

This review doesn't actually contain spoilers, just a mention of something grody from the book that people might want to avoid.

I feel the need to review these books I skim, because I deserve credit for enduring them. Anyway, my review isn't fair, because I am crotchety and don't have many symptoms. Thus, the "candid" part of this book wasn't very useful, because I don't need someone to make me feel I'm not alone by listing all their awful problems; it just makes me feel weird about not having problems. Also, I hated the (very frequently used phrase) the "horror-mones of pregnancy" and will be haunted by the phrase "cheeseburger crotch" forever.

[Lori]

So I finally gave up and just read the book, its too much just reading a chapter at a time! She tells the story of her second pregnancy and birth in journal form, so its nice to hear a real woman's account of what you're going through at the time you are going through it. However, she seems to have some more graphic problems that I don't have yet...so I'm not sure if that is reassuring or just scary foreshadowing of things to come! Very quick and fun read.

[Jody]

When I found out I was pregnant I bought a ton of books. As it turned out, this was the one of the only ones that I ever read cover to cover. It is entertaining and informative. Also, while the author talks about complications to be aware of, she doesn't make it sound scary and impossible like some other books out there. It's just like talking to a friend. I highly recommend this book.

[Jeannette]

Fun to read, kind of like sharing pregnancy experiences with a good friend. Not awesome for getting the facts (since this is just one person's experience) but entertaining nevertheless. It helps to know that crazy things happen to someone else's pregnant body and you aren't alone!

[Angela]

Favorite pregnancy book because it gives it to you "real"!

[Amanda]

An enjoyable read, but there were enough detailed descriptions of side effects that I think I'll avoid it while pregnant so I don't get too paranoid and expect the worst.

[Lori]

Reading this book is like talking to the girlfriend you wish you had about pregnancy. She documents her pregnancy week--by-week, the good and the bad. Loved it!