Full of Life: Mom-to-Mom Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Pregnant

by Nancy O'Dell

While Access Hollywood host Nancy O’Dell was pregnant with her now one-year-old daughter, her girlfriends threw her a baby shower. In addition to baby clothes, diaper bags, and blankets, her friends gave her a scrapbook they’d filled with advice for what she should expect during pregnancy and childbirth, based on their own experiences. As Nancy flipped through the pages and read about what she’d already experienced (and panicked over), she thought to herself, “I wish somebody had told me that!” Even the countless books on pregnancy she’d read hadn’t mentioned any of the items in the scrapbook, and, it would turn out, Nancy would experience many more things during her pregnancy that were perfectly normal but came as a shock to her as well. Luckily for future new moms, Nancy realized that every woman could benefit from this straightforward advice on pregnancy and motherhood, and decided to write a book in which she shares her own experiences of the unexpected (and often unspoken) things that happened during her pregnancy and some of her girlfriend’s tips as well. Extraordinarily helpful and filled with sweet, pithy, honest, and candid tips from Nancy on everything from unusual cravings and out-of-the blue leg cramps to sudden pre-baby breast leakage and what really goes on in the delivery room, Full of Life is the perfect gift for every new mom.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2009

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because #1 I am pregnant and #2 Nancy O'Dell has beautiful hair (she is on Access Hollywood).

However, I think this book would be best re-titled as 'Expensive & Obsessive Ways To Be Pregnant', ie making a plaster cast of your gigantic belly. Seriously, where do you keep that? Do you use it as a serving dish? I wish that when I was super skinny that I had made a plaster cast of my teeny waist. Mmmm...that's definitely something worth remembering.

I am just not sentimental about being pregnant. Maybe I will look back someday and regret it, the same way that I yearn so deeply to know what my dear kitty cats were like when they were kittens. But I just cannot bring myself to spend lots of money and time to preserve, memorialize, and obsess over it.

So the book is sweet, but I am cold-hearted. Otherwise I might have given it a higher rating. I guess it is not Nancy's fault that I only gave the book 2 stars.

[Kristie J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was so sweet, encouraging, and heartfelt. The author was so happy to be pregnant, even though it came with challenges and discomforts, and she faced those unexpected issues with grace and style. I found the tips to be very helpful, the kind of tips a girlfriend would share. I would recommend this quick, easy read to any girl who is expecting.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

completely frivolous pregnancy reading.

[Kelly Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read with some good tips and generally positive. Nothing spectacular but it was a short read. I liked that it had a positive birth story.

[Haley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here is my (short) review of Full of Life by Nancy O'Dell. See bottom for final thoughts if reading full reviews is not your jam.

In terms of having a few helpful tips (mainly about birth plans and preparing for baby), this book was good. I am not a mother nor am I pregnant but I am beginning to look into the logistics of having a baby and I feel like this was a good place to start. Solely for the fact that there was a few tips about prepping and being a nervous first time mother.

This is not the best book to get actual advice from, since a lot of her issues were at the lower end of pregnancy struggles and were able to be resolved with money that most people do not have. There is some comedy and the book was very personable but not a good one to pick up if you are looking for genuine advice that goes deeper than being sad about swollen feet and figuring out what to wear to still look cute.

Final Thoughts
The comedy and personable author is there if you are looking for a light fun read. The advice for real pregnancy struggles is not there.


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Thank you for reading my review! You can find my other reviews at the attached link. Feel free to critique any of them! I'm always looking to better my writing. (rayann.reviews@gmail.com)

♡Thank you♡
Haley Rayann's Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, though nothing spectacular, was at least worth the quick read that it was. It's a short, concise book full of tips and information about pregnancy and early motherhood. The tips were seemingly random and in no particular order that I could ascertain, though the book is broken down into sections by trimester. I didn't find all of the information to be relevant to your typical first time mom-to-be such as myself; the author is a Hollywood woman who hired a nurse to come to her house and help her with her baby, which I could never afford to do nor would I really choose to. However, a lot of the information was in fact something I could relate to. There were a few tips that I hadn't considered and found to be useful, though a good deal of it was stuff I already knew. All in all though, I'd say this book was worth the little bit of time that it took to read it because it did have some interesting tips and some cute "mom" moments and would be a good choice for someone early on in their pregnancy.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I have been trying for almost 4 years to conceive and I read this book because I'm doing everying I can to stay confident and positive that it's going to happen soon. I am also a nanny and have been caring for babies and children for 16 years but I don't have much experience with BRAND new babies so I loved this. I absolutely loved Nancy's approach with this book. I appreciate the perspective she conveys as it seems her outlook and mine are very similar, and I learned a lot about what to expect, what to ask, how to plan, and what not to worry about! Also, I think that making a belly cast is amazing...I will be doing that and I will put it on the wall in the nursery, at least for a while. Then it will probably move to our bedroom. This book was easy, lighthearted reading and the stories she shares made me laugh out loud several times, especially when talking about the forgetfulness and things she and her husband would say to each other. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy!

[Debra Pants · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this wasn't a bad book and was quite a quick read, the title suggests there are lots of things women don't know about until they experience them themselves during pregnancy and shortly afterward. I don't know if I just have more open friends or if my knowledge is based on all the online searches and articles I read, but I didn't find much in here I hadn't heard (or experienced now) before. I do admit there was a lot I couldn't relate to, as my pregnancy experience thus far has been very different than how Nancy describes hers, and she only talks about things that she experienced personally. She didn't touch on a lot of uncomfortableness I and my pregnant friends over the years have experienced and discussed, which makes me wonder if she just forgot about some of those things or if she really did have a much easier pregnancy than mine has been so far.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a fun and easy read. Nancy O'Dell writes like a friend talking to you. This book is filled with tips on pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the first few weeks when you take your baby home and Nancy's own experiences. It is a must read for any first time mom (mom-to-be).

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, quick, easy read. Perfect for moms-to-be or couples trying to conceive. The book focuses on Nancy's experiences trying to conceive to bringing her daughter home from the hospital.

I really learned a lot from the book and would highly recommend it.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea who Nancy O'Dell is but she sure is honest when speaking of pregnancy issues. Emotional and physical changes can be embarrassing but O'Dell reveals the truth with sincerity and guidance.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it and enjoyed how short it was. Mostly full of tips I already knew, but learned a few things along the way. I'd much prefer a book like this to something ridiculously long and drawn out.

Separated by trimesters and a small section of the first few days at home with the new baby.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is outdated. I think many of the things she talked about regarding hospital deliveries have changed. Many of her ideas were also for parents that wanted to splurge on unnecessary baby things. Not taking much from the book, but it was a quick, easy read.

[Jamie M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most of it is stuff you already know if you've read what to expect or another detailed book, but I did get a few ideas and since it only took an hour and a half to read....why not. Beware - it's a bit on the mushy side, but then again so are a lot of pregnancy books.

[Keshia Burchette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read.
The title suggests there will be a wealth of information shared when really there was a smidge of information and a lot of her personal experience. Didn't love it or hate it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy when I had my daughter. This is written in a similar style -- just not as much of the nitty gritty.

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cute little book was filled with funny and tender stories of what it's really like to be pregnant.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little read... Lots of great mom-to-mom tips and things I wouldn't have known, otherwise.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Had so much stuff I've never heard of happening during pregnancy before and great tips that she realized after the fact that she wanted to pass on. I made notes lol

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

pretty basic info, but very down to earth

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me about an hour to read. So it was a short, quick read. Everything I read in this book was the same in Belly Laughs.Still very helpful.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant and quick read. Nothing that I didn't think was common knowledge/sense. But still enjoyable.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read with some insighful information for preparing before and after baby's arrival.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick read, raised a lot more questions in my mind, though

[Caty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very light and easy to read. A nice first book to read when pregnant!