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"Probably the best reference book on the market, giving non-judgemental and fairly exhaustive information on [a variety of] hot-button topics....The book lays out as much information as possible and leaves the decision-making to the parents-a surprisingly rare gambit in the bossy world of pregnancy books...."
- Amazon.com Parenting Editor
"Few [pregnancy books] can touch the excellent overview of nearly every pregnancy-related issue this book offers. It should answer all the panicky, late-night questions of most expectant couples."
- Great Expectations
"Whether you are looking for the latest information on high-tech resources or down-to-earth everyday suggestions, this book has it all."
- Valleykids Parents News
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Table of Contents | 1 | 2
We've got plenty of other goodies in store for you, including the following:
- A frank discussion of the pros and cons of having a baby—everything from physical and emotional concerns to financial matters and the potential career fallout (i.e. the truth about the Mommy Track).
- The inside scoop on getting pregnant fast, and tips on coping with the emotional rollercoaster ride that you can find yourself on if you don't conceive as quickly as you'd like. We allow you to step inside the bedrooms of the members of our parents panel and find out what worked for them, and why. We give you valuable information designed to help you find your way through the infertility maze, providing you with clear definitions of the fertility-related lingo you'll need to understand as well as practical advice on choosing a fertility clinic.
- Detailed information on the symptoms of early pregnancy, advice on coping with your partner's reaction (good, bad, or ugly), and tips on breaking the news to your boss. This is where you'll get a crash course on what the Family Leave Act means to you, and what rights you have as a pregnant employee.
- Tips on finding the caregiver and birth environment that's right for you as well as the inside scoop on where midwives, doulas, and other types of caregivers fit into the whole childbirth picture.
- The lowdown on choosing childbirth classes that are actually worth attending--and tips on avoiding the ones that aren't worth attending like the plague.
- The pros and cons of prenatal testing and the facts you need to consider when deciding whether or not you're prepared to hop on this particular medical merry-go-round. (Obviously, this is where we get into such heart-wrenching issues as deciding whether or not to terminate a pregnancy if the news that comes back is less than what you'd hoped for.)
- The facts you need to make healthy choices throughout your pregnancy, especially when it comes to nutrition, medication, homeopathic remedies, sex, exercise, and staying on the job.
- A detailed examination of topics that other books tend to gloss over or ignore completely: coping with a high-risk pregnancy; preparing for a multiple birth; becoming pregnant after years of infertility; being pregnant and single, pregnant and gay, and so on.
- A comprehensive chapter on pregnancy loss, written by someone who's actually lived through the heartbreak of both miscarriage and stillbirth. We give you the facts about miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death—information that no pregnant woman can afford to ignore. This chapter is jam-packed with information that we hope you'll never have to use, like coping with the loss of your baby, making funeral arrangements, and coping with the physical and emotional challenges of a subsequent pregnancy. [Note: For a more detailed discussion of this subject, you might want to look at our other book, Trying Again: A Guide to Pregnancy After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss.]
- The scoop on maternity wear and baby gear: what you need, what you don't need, and where to find the bargains. We even tell you how to obtain the maximum allowable coverage from your HMO or insurance company, and give you the inside track on some of the valuable freebies that may be yours for the asking.
- Comprehensive information on the physical and emotional changes you may experience during your pregnancy, including how your body is changing, how your baby is growing, what you need to be concerned about, and important issues that you might want to think about as your pregnancy progresses. We provide you with helpful tips on coping with such common pregnancy complaints as morning sickness, bachaches, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and more.
- The facts about important decisions you will need to make before, during, or after the birth: whether or not to be induced if you go overdue, the pros and cons of various types of pain relief during labor, and what you need to know about circumcision.
- A sneak preview of labor and delivery (i.e. what labor really feels like, how to distinguish between true and false labor, when to call your caregiver, why you may or may not want to invite others to the birth, and what to expect during both a vaginal and cesarean delivery).
- The truth about life after baby (i.e. what babies are really like, how to cope with a sick baby or a baby who has special needs, how to survive the postpartum period, and how to make breastfeeding or bottle-feeding work for both you and your baby.
- The latest news on contraception and some advice on spacing your family and preparing an older child for the birth of a new baby.
- A set of appendices that are packed with information designed to help you to make the best possible health-related choices for yourself and your baby. You'll find a detailed glossary of fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and baby-related terms; a resource directory packed with leads on the hottest Internet sites and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the pregnancy and parenting-related organizations that every American parent needs to know about; leads on magazine and journal articles, books, and other materials you may wish to consult in order to round out your knowledge; a sample birth plan; a sample contract for hiring a doula; valuable information on emergency childbirth procedures, including tips on what to do while you wait for the ambulance to arrive; and a baby growth chart that you can use to track your baby's development.
As you can see, we've packed a lot of useful information into The Unofficial Guide to Having A Baby. So toss this book in your handbag, put it on your night table, or stash it in your desk drawer at work so that we'll be there when you need us during the exciting months that lie ahead.
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