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Knocked Up: Confessions of a Hip Mother-to-be
Rebecca Eckler is a popular newspaper columnist who lives the fabulous life and gets paid to write about it. So when a tipsy romp with her fiancé on the night of their lavish engagement party leaves her unexpectedly expecting, she is utterly at a loss. How will a woman who loves nothing more than a night out on the town sipping cocktails with her fellow party girls survive the pregnant life?
Knocked Up is the witty, engaging and refreshingly frank chronicle of a modern woman’s journey into motherhood. We follow Eckler from the first trimester (a.k.a. the longest three months of her life), through the “fat months” of the second trimester, on to the "even fatter months" of the third. Flipping the pages of this Bridget-Jones-style diary, we share in Eckler’ s discovery of prenatal vitamins and nursing bras, ultrasounds and obstetricians. And we experience her growing horror at the physical symptoms of all-day “morning” sickness, fatigue, varicose veins, and cravings. And the weight gain, oh the weight gain. Who knew the day would come when she could no longer put on her own socks?
Along for the ride is a cast of characters as comical as any met in fiction. There’s the Sexy Young Intern, a Sophia Loren look-a-like with her skinny eyes set on Eckler’s job; the glamorous friends who continue to drink Manhattans, while Eckler sips Perrier; and the Cute Single Man who knows just when she needs a carton of ice cream or a game of Scrabble. And then there’s the fiancé, living in another city, who, thanks to the miracle of long-distance phone lines, appreciates better than anybody the highs and lows of the hormonal rollercoaster pregnant Eckler is on.
Lighthearted, intimate, and very funny, Knocked Up is the diary of a modern mother-to-be determined not to let pregnancy and motherhood change her life. Not. One. Little. Bit.
Knocked Up is the witty, engaging and refreshingly frank chronicle of a modern woman’s journey into motherhood. We follow Eckler from the first trimester (a.k.a. the longest three months of her life), through the “fat months” of the second trimester, on to the "even fatter months" of the third. Flipping the pages of this Bridget-Jones-style diary, we share in Eckler’ s discovery of prenatal vitamins and nursing bras, ultrasounds and obstetricians. And we experience her growing horror at the physical symptoms of all-day “morning” sickness, fatigue, varicose veins, and cravings. And the weight gain, oh the weight gain. Who knew the day would come when she could no longer put on her own socks?
Along for the ride is a cast of characters as comical as any met in fiction. There’s the Sexy Young Intern, a Sophia Loren look-a-like with her skinny eyes set on Eckler’s job; the glamorous friends who continue to drink Manhattans, while Eckler sips Perrier; and the Cute Single Man who knows just when she needs a carton of ice cream or a game of Scrabble. And then there’s the fiancé, living in another city, who, thanks to the miracle of long-distance phone lines, appreciates better than anybody the highs and lows of the hormonal rollercoaster pregnant Eckler is on.
Lighthearted, intimate, and very funny, Knocked Up is the diary of a modern mother-to-be determined not to let pregnancy and motherhood change her life. Not. One. Little. Bit.
373 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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March 2, 2011
this is hands down one of the worst pregnancy-themed books i have ever had the misfortune of reading. i mean, looking at the cover, you know you're not getting into some kind of a memoir of a hippie crunchy pregnancy culminating in devotion to attachment parenting. but i was not prepared for what i did get into.
this is the unfortunately true story of rebecca eckler, a sassy city girl newspaper columnist who became accidentally pregnant on the evening of her engagement party to her long-distance fiance. she panics immediately after they have unprotected sex, tossing & turning all night until it's finally socially acceptable for her to call all her friends & freak out. she insist that she already knows she's pregnant, even though she just had sex like four hours before. she tells one of her friends that she can "feel the baby moving". her friend rightfully laughs at her.
anyway, it turns out that rebecca is right, despite admittedly knowing absolutely nothing about her cycle or the female reproductive system. i was a little surprised that she even had an inkling as to where babies come from. she's seriously that stupid...or mysteriously makes herself appear to be that stupid in her own memoir. i think she's going for a "sex & the city" meets "bridget jones's diary" kind of thing, with extra pregnancy, but it so does not work. she comes across as shallow, spoiled, selfish, inane, superficial, dim-witted, jealous, hypocritical...i could go on.
at no point does she entertain the possibility of having an abortion. once her pregnancy is confirmed (after nearly $100 of pregnancy tests--what a fucking waste of money), she decides she is going to be a mom. she breaks the news to her fiance, who suggests that she move in with him in his city so they can be parents together. she's excited because he happens to have a really nice condo. he says that he thinks they should buy a house. she's kind of sad because she likes his condo. seriously. she does not really consider the fact that condo living may not be ideal for parenting. of course, he also suggests that they run right out & hire a night nurse to help with the baby for the first little while, as well as a full-time nanny. it is very important to rebecca that she continue to work after the baby is born. a significant subplot in the memoir is her loathing of the woman she calls "sexy young intern". she is convinced that sexy young intern is going to move in on rebecca's columnist turf once rebecca is busy being a mom. she HATES sexy young intern & makes no effort to disguise the fact that much of her hatred stems from the fact that sexy young intern is not pregnant, while rebecca is & she claims it's making her "fat".
all the shit about pregnancy making her fat was INCREDIBLY TEDIOUS. rebecca claims that she weighed 100 pounds before pregnancy. she gains about forty pounds over the course of the pregnancy--just a little bit more than the recommended amount, but her obstetrician repeatedly tells her not to sweat it because she was so tiny to begin with. it's probably good for her to gain a little extra. she also eats big mac & mcdonald's fries every single day for nine months & then castigates herself for "getting fat". YOU'RE NOT FAT. YOU'RE PREGNANT. when she discovers that ceasing to work out (after routinely working out twice a day & eschewing all carbs) may have caused her to develop cellulite on her ass, she panics. her fiance is taking her to hawaii for one last pre-baby vacation & she wears cover-ups & walks behind him so he doesn't see her cellulite. &...she intends to marry this dude? she goes on & on & ON a little bit more about how much effort she puts into being completely toned & manicured & waxed & (in her words) "perfect" for him, lest he discover that she is not a human barbie doll & break up with her. i don't know which of the two of them comes out of this looking worse. rebecca repeatedly competes with other pregnant women over who is "skinnier," better-dressed, & carrying a more expensive designer diaper bag. she seems to hate other women in general. she says she hates the nanny her fiance hires because the nanny is slim. she says that a women-only gathering (such as a baby shower) is a "waste of lipstick". she'd rather just stay home if there are no men with whom to flirt. all of this makes it even more tragic that she ends up giving birth to a daughter.
rebecca chooses not to breastfeed because she's afraid it will make her breasts look ugly. because breasts are playthings for men, right, & not conveyances with which to feed babies? she schedules a C-section because she claims the idea of giving birth vaginally gives her panic attacks. she also says that she heard C-section babies come out looking "prettier" because they didn't have their heads squashed in the birth canal. a few extra days of an arguably cuter newborn is DEFINITELY worth major abdominal surgery, right? a mom friend tries to convince rebecca that a C-section is kind of a big deal & that it will be really hard for her to sit up, walk, hold her baby, etc etc, for several weeks during recovery. none of this makes any impact on rebecca. only when the friend points out that rebecca won't be able to work out for about a month & a half after a C-section does rebecca start to perk up & re-consider her choice. she is bound & determined to lose every last pound of her baby weight & get back down to 100 pounds within two months of giving birth, "just like a hollywood actress". even though she is just a regular person whose livelihood does not hinge on having a "perfect" body. she seems to be far more concerned with getting skinny than she is with her baby's health or well-being.
she also smokes throughout her pregnancy. her obstetrician says that smoking has been linked to low birth weights, but rebecca considers this a selling point, since she wants to gain as little weight as possible, & she feels that giving birth a low birth weight baby will be "easier". she even lights up a cigarette the morning she gives birth.
she constantly pesters her fiance over whether or not she's fat, if he still thinks she's "hot," whether or not she'll be a good mom, etc. she has him charge over $3000 worth of baby furniture, toys, & outfits at pottery barn kids & congratulates herself on finishing all of her baby shopping in only half an hour. she strikes up a friendship with a cute, straight, single man behind her fiance's back. nothing romantic ever happens, but rebecca is frank about thinking about kissing him, feeling like he cares more about her because he lives in the same city, etc etc. i wonder what her fiance thought after reading this book? she finally ends her friendship with the cute single man because she feels it's inappropriate. because in rebecca's world, men & women cannot be friends without wanting to fuck each other.
there is absolutely NOTHING remotely funny in this entire book. i think she was going for humor, but she just came across as selfish & spoiled, which i did not find remotely amusing. it's horrifying to me that someone like this is actually parenting a child (& has turned her life as a parent into quite the little publishing cottage industry).
oh, also. when she & the fiance are attempting to choose a baby name, rebecca considers "apple" (gwyneth paltrow's daughter's name) & "maddox" (angelina jolie's son's name), as well as some other celebrity baby names, because she thinks they are "original". right. so original you have to steal them, right? she finally settles on "rowan," which is brooke shields's middle name. very original! wait, no.
but possibly her worst crime is the lie that is the subtitle. this woman is in no way, shape, or form remotely "hip". bragging about how much your clothes cost, your love of cranberry vodkas, & constantly repeating your dress size are not elements that make on "hip". this woman is just a terrible, terrible person. if her book, which, let's remember, IS A MEMOIR, is to be believed. did she let any of her friends read this shit before it was published? why didn't any of them try to stop her, perhaps by pointing out that she is making herself look really, really bad? i fear that the book may actually be an accurate reflection of her personality.
the only good thing about this book was that it didn't take long to read. it's nearly 400 pages but the margins are about six inches wide, so there's barely any text on a page. i implore you to do yourself a favor & give this book a wide berth.
this is the unfortunately true story of rebecca eckler, a sassy city girl newspaper columnist who became accidentally pregnant on the evening of her engagement party to her long-distance fiance. she panics immediately after they have unprotected sex, tossing & turning all night until it's finally socially acceptable for her to call all her friends & freak out. she insist that she already knows she's pregnant, even though she just had sex like four hours before. she tells one of her friends that she can "feel the baby moving". her friend rightfully laughs at her.
anyway, it turns out that rebecca is right, despite admittedly knowing absolutely nothing about her cycle or the female reproductive system. i was a little surprised that she even had an inkling as to where babies come from. she's seriously that stupid...or mysteriously makes herself appear to be that stupid in her own memoir. i think she's going for a "sex & the city" meets "bridget jones's diary" kind of thing, with extra pregnancy, but it so does not work. she comes across as shallow, spoiled, selfish, inane, superficial, dim-witted, jealous, hypocritical...i could go on.
at no point does she entertain the possibility of having an abortion. once her pregnancy is confirmed (after nearly $100 of pregnancy tests--what a fucking waste of money), she decides she is going to be a mom. she breaks the news to her fiance, who suggests that she move in with him in his city so they can be parents together. she's excited because he happens to have a really nice condo. he says that he thinks they should buy a house. she's kind of sad because she likes his condo. seriously. she does not really consider the fact that condo living may not be ideal for parenting. of course, he also suggests that they run right out & hire a night nurse to help with the baby for the first little while, as well as a full-time nanny. it is very important to rebecca that she continue to work after the baby is born. a significant subplot in the memoir is her loathing of the woman she calls "sexy young intern". she is convinced that sexy young intern is going to move in on rebecca's columnist turf once rebecca is busy being a mom. she HATES sexy young intern & makes no effort to disguise the fact that much of her hatred stems from the fact that sexy young intern is not pregnant, while rebecca is & she claims it's making her "fat".
all the shit about pregnancy making her fat was INCREDIBLY TEDIOUS. rebecca claims that she weighed 100 pounds before pregnancy. she gains about forty pounds over the course of the pregnancy--just a little bit more than the recommended amount, but her obstetrician repeatedly tells her not to sweat it because she was so tiny to begin with. it's probably good for her to gain a little extra. she also eats big mac & mcdonald's fries every single day for nine months & then castigates herself for "getting fat". YOU'RE NOT FAT. YOU'RE PREGNANT. when she discovers that ceasing to work out (after routinely working out twice a day & eschewing all carbs) may have caused her to develop cellulite on her ass, she panics. her fiance is taking her to hawaii for one last pre-baby vacation & she wears cover-ups & walks behind him so he doesn't see her cellulite. &...she intends to marry this dude? she goes on & on & ON a little bit more about how much effort she puts into being completely toned & manicured & waxed & (in her words) "perfect" for him, lest he discover that she is not a human barbie doll & break up with her. i don't know which of the two of them comes out of this looking worse. rebecca repeatedly competes with other pregnant women over who is "skinnier," better-dressed, & carrying a more expensive designer diaper bag. she seems to hate other women in general. she says she hates the nanny her fiance hires because the nanny is slim. she says that a women-only gathering (such as a baby shower) is a "waste of lipstick". she'd rather just stay home if there are no men with whom to flirt. all of this makes it even more tragic that she ends up giving birth to a daughter.
rebecca chooses not to breastfeed because she's afraid it will make her breasts look ugly. because breasts are playthings for men, right, & not conveyances with which to feed babies? she schedules a C-section because she claims the idea of giving birth vaginally gives her panic attacks. she also says that she heard C-section babies come out looking "prettier" because they didn't have their heads squashed in the birth canal. a few extra days of an arguably cuter newborn is DEFINITELY worth major abdominal surgery, right? a mom friend tries to convince rebecca that a C-section is kind of a big deal & that it will be really hard for her to sit up, walk, hold her baby, etc etc, for several weeks during recovery. none of this makes any impact on rebecca. only when the friend points out that rebecca won't be able to work out for about a month & a half after a C-section does rebecca start to perk up & re-consider her choice. she is bound & determined to lose every last pound of her baby weight & get back down to 100 pounds within two months of giving birth, "just like a hollywood actress". even though she is just a regular person whose livelihood does not hinge on having a "perfect" body. she seems to be far more concerned with getting skinny than she is with her baby's health or well-being.
she also smokes throughout her pregnancy. her obstetrician says that smoking has been linked to low birth weights, but rebecca considers this a selling point, since she wants to gain as little weight as possible, & she feels that giving birth a low birth weight baby will be "easier". she even lights up a cigarette the morning she gives birth.
she constantly pesters her fiance over whether or not she's fat, if he still thinks she's "hot," whether or not she'll be a good mom, etc. she has him charge over $3000 worth of baby furniture, toys, & outfits at pottery barn kids & congratulates herself on finishing all of her baby shopping in only half an hour. she strikes up a friendship with a cute, straight, single man behind her fiance's back. nothing romantic ever happens, but rebecca is frank about thinking about kissing him, feeling like he cares more about her because he lives in the same city, etc etc. i wonder what her fiance thought after reading this book? she finally ends her friendship with the cute single man because she feels it's inappropriate. because in rebecca's world, men & women cannot be friends without wanting to fuck each other.
there is absolutely NOTHING remotely funny in this entire book. i think she was going for humor, but she just came across as selfish & spoiled, which i did not find remotely amusing. it's horrifying to me that someone like this is actually parenting a child (& has turned her life as a parent into quite the little publishing cottage industry).
oh, also. when she & the fiance are attempting to choose a baby name, rebecca considers "apple" (gwyneth paltrow's daughter's name) & "maddox" (angelina jolie's son's name), as well as some other celebrity baby names, because she thinks they are "original". right. so original you have to steal them, right? she finally settles on "rowan," which is brooke shields's middle name. very original! wait, no.
but possibly her worst crime is the lie that is the subtitle. this woman is in no way, shape, or form remotely "hip". bragging about how much your clothes cost, your love of cranberry vodkas, & constantly repeating your dress size are not elements that make on "hip". this woman is just a terrible, terrible person. if her book, which, let's remember, IS A MEMOIR, is to be believed. did she let any of her friends read this shit before it was published? why didn't any of them try to stop her, perhaps by pointing out that she is making herself look really, really bad? i fear that the book may actually be an accurate reflection of her personality.
the only good thing about this book was that it didn't take long to read. it's nearly 400 pages but the margins are about six inches wide, so there's barely any text on a page. i implore you to do yourself a favor & give this book a wide berth.
January 25, 2011
I read this book many years ago, before I'd ever been pregnant myself. I found it funny at the time, but in retrospect I think that Eckler is just as all the other unfavourable reviews have described her - whiny, annoying and immature.
Even having no experience with childbirth or raising children, I remember rolling my eyes when she scheduled a C-section so as not to be inconvenienced by labour. Christ, honey, you are having a child! You are going to be inconvenienced for the next 18 years! No, for the rest of your life because being a parent doesn't end when they turn 18. If she really wanted to avoid "inconvenience", she should have scheduled an abortion, not a C-section. Or better yet: USE A CONDOM!
I see she has written two more parenting memoirs since this book came out, so maybe her views have changed somewhat. Although the recently publication of her book "How To Raise A Boyfriend" still indicates to me that I have nothing in common with this author. She's great for some people, just not for me.
Even having no experience with childbirth or raising children, I remember rolling my eyes when she scheduled a C-section so as not to be inconvenienced by labour. Christ, honey, you are having a child! You are going to be inconvenienced for the next 18 years! No, for the rest of your life because being a parent doesn't end when they turn 18. If she really wanted to avoid "inconvenience", she should have scheduled an abortion, not a C-section. Or better yet: USE A CONDOM!
I see she has written two more parenting memoirs since this book came out, so maybe her views have changed somewhat. Although the recently publication of her book "How To Raise A Boyfriend" still indicates to me that I have nothing in common with this author. She's great for some people, just not for me.
March 23, 2009
I read this mainly because I wanted to prove the naysayers wrong. I kept reading reviews that said this was horrible, that Eckler is a horrible mom-to-be, etc. I'm thinking that they're just old stick-in-the-muds who lost their sense of humor when they gave birth. Not so. They were right. While I didn't *hate* the book, it was pretty horrible. Short synopsis: Eckler gets knocked up the night of her engagement party and is thrust into pregnancy and motherhood unexpectedly. She's a 29-year-old journalist who is used to partying and writes about the social scene. We are with her as she goes through her pregnancy and (unfortunately) are privy to her thoughts, fears, and neurosis.
Even shorter synopsis: whine whine whine, the baby is making me fat. Whine whine whine, why am I eating so many Big Macs? Whine whine whine, pregnancy is horrible. Whine whine whine, my friends aren't interested in me anymore. While I'm not quite as hard on her about the smoking (she honestly doesn't smoke that much, and as a smoker myself--yes, I know, I'm quitting soon--I can understand how hard it would be to immediately quit due to an unexpected pregnancy) as most others, and I really don't think that getting a nanny is absurd because she primarily works from home (and hell, wouldn't you get one too if you could afford it?). I'm right there with the other readers on a lot of things, though. She's whiny. Oh, so whiny. Self-obsessed. Self-indulgent. Self-centered. I think you're getting the idea. Everything's all about her her her. How the pregnancy is horrible and her ass is so fat. I DON"T CARE. Her whiny "No one is paying enough attention to me" is obnoxious the first time. Then the next 300 times are even worse. Please don't read this book. It will just make you hate her and hate yourself for wasting your time.
Even shorter synopsis: whine whine whine, the baby is making me fat. Whine whine whine, why am I eating so many Big Macs? Whine whine whine, pregnancy is horrible. Whine whine whine, my friends aren't interested in me anymore. While I'm not quite as hard on her about the smoking (she honestly doesn't smoke that much, and as a smoker myself--yes, I know, I'm quitting soon--I can understand how hard it would be to immediately quit due to an unexpected pregnancy) as most others, and I really don't think that getting a nanny is absurd because she primarily works from home (and hell, wouldn't you get one too if you could afford it?). I'm right there with the other readers on a lot of things, though. She's whiny. Oh, so whiny. Self-obsessed. Self-indulgent. Self-centered. I think you're getting the idea. Everything's all about her her her. How the pregnancy is horrible and her ass is so fat. I DON"T CARE. Her whiny "No one is paying enough attention to me" is obnoxious the first time. Then the next 300 times are even worse. Please don't read this book. It will just make you hate her and hate yourself for wasting your time.
July 26, 2012
I found this book when I was pregnant and thought it would be some light, humorous reading that I could relate to...no. No, it wasn't. I couldn't believe someone was being that honest about how much of a shit she didn't give about her baby or the efforts of anyone around her to be there for her during her pregnancy. I gave this book two stars because it's the closest thing to being inside the head of a vapid, body-obsessed, whiny, unappreciative, selfish, and superficial harpy that I will hopefully ever come...thanks, Rebecca Eckler, for outlining exactly what not to do when you're becoming a mom.
March 23, 2011
Wow, what an unlikable person! How Rebecca Eckler got to the age of 29 without drowning in her bathtub amazes me. Her lack of understanding about anything related to human anatomy and refusal to learn was so extremely off-putting that I wanted to throw the book out my window half way through. I only finished this book because I was hoping that she'd have some sort of epiphany and realize that her shallowness was ridiculous. Not so. At the end I was angry with myself for wasting the gas in my car used to go pick up this book from my local library.
August 1, 2014
What an egomaniacal, superficial
twit.
twit.
September 16, 2022
This may be the worst book i've ever read.
November 20, 2015
Deze recensie is als eerste geplaatst op Carpe Libra
Ik kwam Bevrucht tegen tijdens de laatste Boekenbeurs in Maastricht. Als happy single en (nog) jonge vrouw is kinderen krijgen iets waar ik me totaal nog niet mee bezig hou. Het is iets voor later, als ik een vriend heb. Als ik samenwoon en misschien dan niet eens. Het staat nog geheel open ter discussie en is op dit moment een totaal onbelangrijk punt op mijn agenda. Toch trok dit boek over moeder worden me op de een of andere manier aan. Zeker nadat ik de eerste paar hilarische bladzijden had gelezen. Ik wilde meer! Voor de prijs hoefde ik hem niet te laten liggen en hop, ik had weer een nieuw boek voor in mijn boekenkast.
Het duurde toch een tijdje voordat ik het boek uiteindelijk las. Er waren zoals gewoonlijk een boel andere boeken die me iets meer aantrokken, ondanks die eerste, geweldige, bladzijden. Afgelopen week ben ik er toch maar eens voor gaan zitten. Zou de rest net zo leuk zijn als wat ik al gelezen had? Denkend aan het begin begon ik met een glimlach aan dit boek die ik de rest van de avond er niet meer af heb gekregen. Ja, de rest van dit boek is net zo hilarisch :D
Normaal gesproken hou ik helemaal niet zo van zeurderige en niets-zelfkunnende personages. Rebecca Eckler heeft zichzelf in deze autobiografische chicklit echter zo neergezet dat ze in plaats van op mijn zenuwen te werken, ervoor zorgde dat mijn lachspieren overuren maakten! Wat wil je ook anders met iemand die een paar uur na één onveilige vrijpartij in een dronken bui al heilig ervan overtuigd is dat ze zwanger is... Die zelfs haar kind al kan voelen en last heeft van ochtendmisselijkheid? Precies, daar kan je alleen maar om lachen :D
De verloofde, zijn naam wordt niet genoemd, verdient niets dan lof. Hoe hij zijn hoofd koel houdt, ondanks de laatste zwangerschapsuitbarsting heb ik niet anders dan respect voor. Voor het niet zeer geïrriteerd reageren elk keer dat ze hem midden in de nacht of tijdens zijn werk opbelt met de vraag of ze dik is. Of om te vragen welke kinderliedjes hij kent. Engelengeduld die man. Zelf zou ik heeeel anders gereageerd hebben ;) . Af en toe kwam hij wel iets te perfect over, maja Bevrucht is een autobiografische roman en als je verliefd bent zie je de wereld en de persoon die je lief hebt door een roze bril ;)
Bevrucht is een boek dat niet alleen voor (aanstaande) moeders leuk is om te lezen, maar ook voor vrouwen die hier nog mijlenver vanaf staan. Een verhaal dat je hardop aan het lachen maakt en voor de rest van de dag een smile op je gezicht tovert. Zin in een flinke dosis humor? Lees dan dit boek!
December 19, 2008
I thought I should write down quotes that are really making me laugh as I'm reading this book:
1) "Some of the websites suggest that I get to know my basal body temperature. I don't know what basal body temperature is, nor do I own a thermometer. I always thought that basal was an herb."
2) "Who made the decision, I wondered, to place the home pregnancy tests on the same shelf as the condoms? As if I didn't already feel silly enough without a box of condoms mocking me."
I eventually stopped writing down all the parts that were making me laugh because the entire book was making me laugh! I really liked this and thought it was pretty hilarious. The author was flawed but very likable and all the little insights to pregnancy were good. I'm still not sure I want to have kids but if I do, hopefully I will be able to laugh at all my silly pregnancy moments like this woman has.
1) "Some of the websites suggest that I get to know my basal body temperature. I don't know what basal body temperature is, nor do I own a thermometer. I always thought that basal was an herb."
2) "Who made the decision, I wondered, to place the home pregnancy tests on the same shelf as the condoms? As if I didn't already feel silly enough without a box of condoms mocking me."
I eventually stopped writing down all the parts that were making me laugh because the entire book was making me laugh! I really liked this and thought it was pretty hilarious. The author was flawed but very likable and all the little insights to pregnancy were good. I'm still not sure I want to have kids but if I do, hopefully I will be able to laugh at all my silly pregnancy moments like this woman has.
November 13, 2007
Kim also leant me this book so I figured I would try to read it since it looks like it is easy to get through.
This was an easy book to get through and it is always nice to know that people go through similar stuff when they are pregnant. I didn't like that she never gave her fiance or cute single guy a name. I also didn't realize that it was based on a true story until the end. This made it all that much better.
This was an easy book to get through and it is always nice to know that people go through similar stuff when they are pregnant. I didn't like that she never gave her fiance or cute single guy a name. I also didn't realize that it was based on a true story until the end. This made it all that much better.
March 27, 2008
Whiny woman accidentally gets pregnant--memoir. Some very funny parts.
December 5, 2022
Phew I knew I wouldn't be the only one to not like this book. Only the fact that it's is quickly readable and I don't like unfinished books made me complete this.
I cannot believe I spend so much time reading her SICK SICK SICK thoughts! You're reading the confessions of a person with body dismorphia. All she worries about is her weight and her ass getting fat. She didn't even go two full days after having her baby before this was on her mind again. Her fiancé would have gotten a big fat free pass from me to break up with her for her personality. She decides on a planned C-section which is also a highly controversial topic but she doesn't do it for medical reasons but only her uneducated uncomfortableness with giving birth.
This would require therapy but then there's also the irresponsibility. She and her fiancé go baby shopping a few days before the planned C-section. It's in the book description that she will cram the baby books when she starts having contractions. Which due to not giving natural birth never happens. Or from another point of view happens many months before the due date (Braxton Hicks contractions).
And I'm sorry but I have to judge her drinking alcohol, drinking coffee everyday, smoking and taking sleep medication without doctors advice. I hope her baby (with the really sorry names) turned out okay despite this. And having her as a parent.
Just don't read this book.
I cannot believe I spend so much time reading her SICK SICK SICK thoughts! You're reading the confessions of a person with body dismorphia. All she worries about is her weight and her ass getting fat. She didn't even go two full days after having her baby before this was on her mind again. Her fiancé would have gotten a big fat free pass from me to break up with her for her personality. She decides on a planned C-section which is also a highly controversial topic but she doesn't do it for medical reasons but only her uneducated uncomfortableness with giving birth.
This would require therapy but then there's also the irresponsibility. She and her fiancé go baby shopping a few days before the planned C-section. It's in the book description that she will cram the baby books when she starts having contractions. Which due to not giving natural birth never happens. Or from another point of view happens many months before the due date (Braxton Hicks contractions).
And I'm sorry but I have to judge her drinking alcohol, drinking coffee everyday, smoking and taking sleep medication without doctors advice. I hope her baby (with the really sorry names) turned out okay despite this. And having her as a parent.
Just don't read this book.
January 16, 2020
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. However, I feel that the entire journey was just “OMG I’m so fat”. As someone who has struggled with my appearance, I can see a lot of people feel terrible about their weight reading this even if they haven’t had or are having children. I understand being self-conscious when your body is changing and the struggles that you face because of that, but this entire text was SUPER fat-shaming and I found it appalling. I feel that this gives people the wrong ideas of what to think of when they are expecting. Worrying about breastfeeding making your boobs look weird? How is that something to worry about? This book was extraordinarily out of touch with what should be taken priority when pregnant.
February 4, 2022
This is a light and campy story about one woman's journey through pregnancy. I could relate to a lot as my pregnancy was planned but I still had the same emotions. What my experience differed was that when my son entered the world all I wanted was to take care of him while the author had a nanny. I don't think I would have a nanny even if I could afford one as parents should stay home with their kids, get up after minimal hours of sleep, work, etc.
July 3, 2017
Pretty funny book at times...quite accurate to actual pregnancy stories. It was alittle bothersome that the main character was SO clueless about pregnancy and parenthood and SO over obsessed with how the baby will change her social life. But maybe that was just weird to me because it was so different from my personal experience. Would recommend to any mother-to-be or new mother!
December 24, 2021
Unlike many reviews, I actually rather enjoyed this book. It was written in a way that made me want to keep reading, as it was more like a daily journal than chapters. Some parts were redundant and tedious, but other details felt relevant and are parts to pregnancy I have unexpectedly experienced as well (no my “fat ass” doesn’t bother me…)
August 8, 2017
This was generally a funny book,as Eckler discusses adapting to an acidental pregnancy. I disagreedwith some things (such as her obssession with her weight and her refusal to learn anything about babies), but generally it was a lovely read.
January 24, 2018
This book was like watching a bad accident happen. I just couldn't look away. The main character was the very definition of the type of person I hate. It's kind of scary to think there's people out there like that procreating.
July 11, 2025
Just amazing! I read this before kids and I read this while pregnant and laughed even harder than I did the first time I read it. if you're pregnant or have been pregnant, it's a must read
if you like to laugh, it's a must read!
if you like to laugh, it's a must read!
August 11, 2017
Rich white woman gets pregnant. Thinks she's a goddamn martyr.
May 7, 2018
Think I would have enjoyed it more if it were fiction - finding out that a real person had these thoughts made it a lot less amusing.
April 5, 2020
Very funny book
November 13, 2020
Was upset that I actually purchased this book. Heard the movie is pretty good though.
June 8, 2021
Worst fucking book ive ever seen. A simple description. A bitchy mom
November 11, 2022
I have a bad habit of hate-reading "chick-lit".
December 16, 2019
3.5 amusing but constant eye-rolling stars
I think I first read this when I was in my early 20s. I thought it was hilarious, and vaguely remember finding the sense of levity refreshing (even then I knew I didn't want to have kids so looking through an unconventional lens was very entertaining). I re-read this because I'm getting over a cold, and wanted something light, without much of a plot, that I could follow despite napping every few hours.
Anyway, now that I'm in my mid-30s...This book didn't age well.
Self absorbed airhead...behaves like a self absorbed air head. I mean, kudos to the author for monetizing it (which I say without sarcasm as I am still happily married and child-free) but the shtick got old. Really old. And I had to skim through most of it. There were some clever moments, but those were few and far in between. Its kind of what you'd imagine Cher from Clueless being as a grown-up...But with less soul and even more vapid (if you can imagine). I don't regret reading this a second time (not completely anyway) but I do
I think I first read this when I was in my early 20s. I thought it was hilarious, and vaguely remember finding the sense of levity refreshing (even then I knew I didn't want to have kids so looking through an unconventional lens was very entertaining). I re-read this because I'm getting over a cold, and wanted something light, without much of a plot, that I could follow despite napping every few hours.
Anyway, now that I'm in my mid-30s...This book didn't age well.
Self absorbed airhead...behaves like a self absorbed air head. I mean, kudos to the author for monetizing it (which I say without sarcasm as I am still happily married and child-free) but the shtick got old. Really old. And I had to skim through most of it. There were some clever moments, but those were few and far in between. Its kind of what you'd imagine Cher from Clueless being as a grown-up...But with less soul and even more vapid (if you can imagine). I don't regret reading this a second time (not completely anyway) but I do
October 23, 2007
I first saw this book at Chapters three years ago, when it was initially released. I didn't buy it then, because I knew it would creep my then-boyfriend out if I were to read a book about pregnancy. I forgot about it for a year or two, and then finally remembered it when I was making up my wishlist for BookMooch.
I wish it would have remained forgotten.
Celebrating their engagement, Eckler is completely trashed and 'begs' her fiance to 'stay inside her'. She wakes up the next morning, completely panic stricken. She could have possibly ruined her life! It's basically her whining about how if she is pregnant, she doesn't want to get fat. And then when it's confirmed that she is 'knocked up', it seems like her biggest concern is how long it will take for her to get back into her pants that make her ass look like a 'ripe peach'. Ugh, just quoting her makes me want to throw up.
I give this book a big boo-urns.
I wish it would have remained forgotten.
Celebrating their engagement, Eckler is completely trashed and 'begs' her fiance to 'stay inside her'. She wakes up the next morning, completely panic stricken. She could have possibly ruined her life! It's basically her whining about how if she is pregnant, she doesn't want to get fat. And then when it's confirmed that she is 'knocked up', it seems like her biggest concern is how long it will take for her to get back into her pants that make her ass look like a 'ripe peach'. Ugh, just quoting her makes me want to throw up.
I give this book a big boo-urns.
February 27, 2013
Like many others, I read this while pregnant hoping for a light, funny, insightful read that I could relate to. Like many others, I found this to not be the case. The main "character" is pretty unlikeable and clueless. While I'm sure there are some people who live like this, it doesn't strike me as "the norm" or "relatable." As an example, she has no interest in buying baby stuff and ends up walking into Pottery Barn or some such with no plan and dropping $3200 without blinking. Must be nice. She does present pictures of other mothers through her friends who are expecting or had children, I wish we'd spent more time with those characters and less with Rebecca. I can't say this book is bad, per se, it is what it is, but I don't like what it is and wouldn't recommend it to most people I know. You'd be better off taking a yoga class or two in the time it took to read this book.
December 26, 2015
The author tells her version of pregnancy and post-partum experience. She finds herself with an unplanned pregnancy after a drunk night with her husband. She gains an excessive amount of weight, never completely quits smoking, and has a drink on occasion. Her diet is terrible. She suffers most of the bad effects of pregnancy (sickness, back pain, cravings, smell sensitivity, hormonal emotions, etc). She sees a popular doctor who doesn't discourage her lifestyle habits. She decides to elect for c-section surgery because she fears labor and doesn't want her body to go through the physical changes associated with the passage of the baby. She suffers post-partum depression and takes it out on her husband. She finally gets help from a psychologist and gets on some medication, which prevents her from continuing breast feeding, but everyone ends up doing OK in the end.
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