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Parenting & Families |
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The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Revised)
written by Sheila Kitzinger
Studio : Knopf
by Knopf
Release Date : 2003-12-30
Publisher : Knopf
Released : 2003-12-30
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780375710476
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 61 reviews)
List Price : $19.95
Our Price : $11.30
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Product Description |
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This new edition of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth has been extensively revised to reflect scientific advances and cultural trends. Here, candidly and reasonably presented, is all the information expectant parents need to make their own decisions about everything--from which tests to allow to how to handle pain to where to give birth. 300 photos, drawings & diagrams. |
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great book for pregnant mothers |
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I got this book when I was pregnant almost two years ago. It saved me. I had so many questions about what my body was going through and I wanted to know. This book goes into great detail and has great pictures. I suggest htis book for all pregnant women. |
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Good book |
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If this is your first pregnancy, you will find this information very helpful. However, this is my second pregnancy. I thought I would try a different book this time. While it's good info, I already knew most of this. |
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very biased against modern medicine |
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I thought this book was really agenda-heavy (as pregnancy guides unfortunately can be!). This one preaches the earth-mother agenda. There is a lot of scaremongering around medical interventions... one of them being the CVS genetic test. The author's info is really outdated and ill-informed. I started to read the part on C-sections and I realized where it was going (very negative, scary) and just stopped as I don't want to develop resistance to that should it be necessary for the baby. I believe in being informed, but in an even-handed way! I wish I had figured this book out in the bookstore-- I wouldn't have bought it. I am giving it 2 stars for the illustrations and photos, which is why I bought it. |
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Opinionated, rather than informative |
This book is disappointing: while it contains many useful diagrams and pictorials about fetal development, excercises, and childbirth, the content tends to be opinionated rather than informative.
For example, the section titled "The Question of Circumcision" (p. 379) is completely one-sided. It gives no information for parents to make an actual decision (or answer the "question," as Kitzinger puts it) because it speaks only from an anti-circumcision point of view. The section shames parents into avoiding circumcision rather than presenting both sides of the issue. Even the religiously-based reasons for circumcision are dismissed.
It is irresponsible for an author to represent only one side of an issue in a book marketed as a "complete" guide. Yet, in the section about smoking during pregnancy, Kitzinger presents both sides of the issue. She makes the recommendation that "smoking each cigarette only halfway down... helps you enough to be able to 'unwind.' This is where your own judgment of the relative importance to you of smoking or not smoking in pregnancy is essential." (p. 105) It is disappointing that Kitzinger does not present a balanced view of all topics in her book.
Expecting parents may not find that a single pregnancy book will fit their needs. As a librarian, I encourage parents to look through several books by different authors in order to find truly complete information about pregnancy and childbirth. |
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19 years and two healthy children later... |
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hindsight being what it is I would have to say that Sheila's book gave me the courage of my convictions and the reassurance that we are born to do this baby rearing. I spend time on both continents and see very little problem with moms having a little wine or beer while pregnant or nursing~heck, some of the most incredible people I can think of that are between 40-60 had moms that held their cocktail glass in the same hand as their cigarette. NOT that I think either is really a great idea but really, we've gone overboard again in our reactions. Most moms don't have any interest in either alcohol or coffee for that matter when they are pregnant and given the confidence to trust and believe in that is really important. Many european women are brought a beer after childbirth to relax them and help their milk let down. For some it works for some it doesn't but the real issue in my mind is why young moms are being badgered into thinking that there are all of these taboos about something that is as old as we are~think about it! Short of dropping the little darlings on their heads and other really stupid things we do without thinking they really do turn out just fine, healthy and happy and well adjusted if we are. I believe that Sheila gives us a way to look at pregnancy and childbirth in a very wholesome practical manner and it remains my favorite book to give to young moms to be. |
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