The Mother of All Pregnancy Books
by Ann Douglas
Second Canadian Edition (2011)
Second American Edition to be released in 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: ARE YOU REALLY READY TO HAVE A BABY?
A Question of Timing
What it really costs to raise children - Career considerations - The age issue
A Baby? Maybe...Protecting Your Fertility
Now or never? The health wild card - I get so emotional, baby
The Truth About Baby Fever - Not Everyone Catches It
When you and your partner don't agree - When mother nature has other plans
CHAPTER 2: YOUR PRE-GAME PLAN
Training for the Big Event
Watch your weight--but not too carefully - Do a nutrient check - Kick your smoking habit - Pass on that glass of wine - Just say no to drugs - Kick your cofffee habit - Don't douch - Keep your stress level down - Delegate the dirty work - Watch out for workplace hazards - Dad's the word: more reproductive issues for fathers-to-be.
Your Preconception Checkup: The Insider's Guide
CHAPTER 3: SPERM, MEET EGG
The Numbers Game
The Science of Conception
A tale of two phases - The sperm connection
What You Can Do to Increase Your Odds of Conceiving Quickly
Know thy cycle - Make love on the right days - Have unbelievably great sex - Don't get too much of a good thing - Create a sperm-friendly vaginal environment.
CHAPTER 4: MISSED CONCEPTIONS
Do You Have a Fertility Problem?
The infertility workup
The Major Causes of Infertility
The Brave New World of Assisted Reproduction
Damned lies and statistics - Reading between the lines
Riding the Infertility Roller Coaster
If you don't manage to conceive - If you do manage to conceive
CHAPTER 5: WINNING AT BABY ROULETTE
A Little Bit Pregnant
Testing one, two three... How you may feel about being pregnant - Sharing your news with the world - Choosing the right caregiver (assuming you have that luxury) - Hospital or home birth?
The First Prenatal Checkup
What your due date really means
Early Pregnancy Worries
I'm worried that I'll experience a miscarriage - I don't feel pregnant anymore
CHAPTER 6: OPERATION HEALTHY MOTHER, HEALTHY BABY
The No-Worry Guide to Eating During Pregnancy
The basics - Dietary fibre - Fruits and vegetables - Healthy fats - Meals and snacks that will go the distance - Water - The big five: the nutrients you need most during pregnancy - The supporting cast: other key nutrients - Vegetarian and vegan diets - Not wanted at the dinner table: avoiding food-borne illness
Your Pregnancy Gain Plan
Wrapping your head around the idea of gaining weight - Canada's new pregnancy weight-gain recommendations - Too much of a good thing - the best-laid plans - Gaining too little
Work It, Baby: Prenatal Fitness
Quitting Time: Smoking, Drinking, and Drugs
Sleeping for Two
Sleep and health
(Don't Get Too) Stressed about Stress
Depression during pregnancy
Staying Healthy during Pregnancy
Take steps to avoid illness - Other steps to staying healthy
Staying Safe at Home
Medications - Herbal products - Toxins - Diseases carried by pets and other animals - Accidents and falls - Domestic violence
Staying Healthy at Work
CHAPTER 7: THE PREGNANCY ROAD MAP
The Complaint Department
What's normal and what's not
Pregnancy Complaints from A to Z
Abdominal muscle separation - Acne - Backache - Belly button soreness - Bleeding gums - Bleeding and spotting, vaginal - Braxton Hicks contractions - Breast tenderness and enlargement - Breathlessness - Carpal tunnel syndrome - Constipation - Cramping - Cravings - Ear changes - Eye changes - Faintness and dizziness - Fatigue - Food aversions - Gassiness and bloating - Headaches - Heartburn (a.k.a. reflux) - Hernia, hiatal - Hemorrhoids - Hip soreness - Insomnia - Itchiness (abdominal) - Laryngitis, pregnancy-induced, and voice changes - Leg cramps - Morning sickness (a.k.a. nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) - Nasal changes - Perineal aching - Public bone pain (osteitis pubis) Rashes - Restless leg syndrome (RLS) - Round ligament pain - Saliva, excessive (ptyalism) - Sciatica - Skin changes - Smell, heightened sense of - Stretch marks - Sweating - Swelling and fluid retention - Thristiness - Urinary incontinence - Urination, increased frequency of - Vagina, changes to the - Vaginal secretions, increased - Varicose veins - Weepiness - Yeast infections
CHAPTER 8: YOUR INCREDIBLE GROWING BABY
The First Trimester: The Beginnings of Life and the Start of a Whole New Way of Life
Before ovulation - Pre-embryonic stage: the first three weeks of development - Embryonic stage: Your baby beins to develop human characteristics - Fetal stage: Your baby's body systems mature
The Second Trimester: Goodbye Nausea, Hello Maternity Jeans
The Third Trimester: Your Incredible Growing Baby
CHAPTER 9: THIS IS YOUR (SOON-TO-BE) LIFE
Decisions, Decisions
Pregnant and chic - Prenatal classes: who needs them? Umbilical cord blood banking - The circumcision decision - Deciding to breastfeed - The name game - Planning for your maternity leave - Planning your "babymoon"
Other Things You Can Do to Make the Early Weeks Less Stressful
Put your support team in place - Consider hiring a postpartum doula - Stock your home with healthy, easy-to-prepare foods - Keep on top of chores on the home front - Get the rest of your life in order
Sex and Relationships: Top Worries
Sex during pregnancy
The Last Hurrah
Oops, we did it again... The stuff of which pregnancy nightmares are made
CHAPTER 10: WHEN PREGNANCY ISN'T PERFECT
To Test or Not to Test?
What prenatal testing can - and can't - tell you - Is prenatal genetic testing the right choice for you? Screening tests vs diagnostic tests
What to Do if The Test Brings Bad News
What Does the Term "High Risk Pregnancy" Really Mean?
The Unique Challenges of a Multiple Pregnancy
Preterm Labour
Possible health problems - Risk factors - Prevention - Welcoming a premature baby or a baby with special needs
When a Baby Dies
What can go wrong - Miscarriage - Ectopic pregnancy - Molar pregnancy - Stillbirth - Intrapartum death - Neonatal and infant death
Grieving the Loss of Your Baby
Preparing for Another Pregnancy
CHAPTER 11: LABOUR DAY
Eight Months and Counting
Pre-labour symptoms
Decision Time
Pre-birth planning - Why doulas are a mom's best friend - Writing a birth plan - What's up down there? Pain relief during labour
The Top Labour-Related Worries
Going Overdue
Is my baby at risk? To induce or not to induce? What to expect during an induction
What Labour is Really Like
The three stages of labour - What other mothers want you to know - The great caesarean debate - Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) - How you may feel about meeting your baby
Parting Words
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Planning for Your Birth
Appendix C: Emergency Childbirth Procedures
Appendix D: Online Resources
Appendix E: Prenatal Record
Book description and more about other books by Ann Douglas