Before Your Pregnancy: A 90-Day Guide for Couples on How to Prepare for a Healthy Conception Review

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(More customer reviews)I really wanted to like this book. I wasn't even expecting it to have lots of information that I didn't already know, having done a ton of research myself in my role as fertility counselor, but thought that it would be slightly helpful at least. It was not. It was instead incomplete and incorrect.
Conclusions made are inconsistent - thing A is to be treated with caution because its safety for pregnant women is unproven, whereas thing B is considered safe because it has never been shown to cause problems. Where is the logic here? There is no difference between "never been shown to cause problems" and "safety unproven". And if there is a difference in the proven safety of these two things, it should be stated explicitly rather than left at these two vague comments.
Some statements are just plain incorrect. For example, it is stated that ovulation is the day of the basal body temperature rise, when in fact the temperature rise usually occurs the day following ovulation. Also, intercourse on this day is stated to give the best chance of conception. This is incorrect whichever way you look at it - intercourse on the day of the temperature rise is usually too late (being the day after ovulation, the egg is often dead by then), and intercourse on the day of ovulation is still not the best timing (for those who are interested, intercourse the day before ovulation is best, although difficult to time). I have to wonder what other "facts" in this book are downright wrong.
Finally, conclusions are drawn without sharing the information used to make them. It is claimed that a woman who has no immunity to rubella must get vaccinated, stating that the potential risks of the vaccine far outweigh the benefits. Nowhere is it mentioned that an adult woman receiving the rubella vaccine has much higher risk of serious medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and thrombocytopenia, and that according to the CDC the incidence of rubella in the US is extremely low. Whether or not the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the risks is something for women to decide for themselves, with all pertinent information.
Now, I would expect a book written by two doctors to side more often with medical gospel than not, but I was very surprised by the lack of portrayal of the other side of the issues. Or more to the point, that some things were treated as complete non-issues: women are encouraged to run right out and get the flu and chicken pox shots, with no mention of their risks or efficacy.
I should say that I did find the information on weight, diet, and exercise to be very thorough and mostly consistent with other reading I have done. Still, I simply cannot recommend this book.

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The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about Foods You Should be Eating During Pregnancy but Probably Aren't Review

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(More customer reviews)When you are expecting, there is an overwhelming amount of rules: you can do this, you can't do that, eat this/not that... and there is an equally overwhelming number of books to read.
When I was pregnant with my daughter I bought and quickly returned many-a books. There was only 1 pregnancy book that I kept and if this below was released when I was pregnant, this would have been a book that I kept as well.
Jonny Bowden and Allison Tannis have put together a reference for moms-to-be to help you figure out what foods are best to eat during your pregnancy. Broken down into trimester, this book is very well organized and does not require you to read it cover-to-cover. Rather, you can read it on a need-to-know basis.
Not only do the authors fill you in on foods that you probably never thought of eating during your pregnancy that will make a difference in your baby's life, but they tell you why. They don't just say eat this and not that- they give you the medical reasons (in layman's terms) of why you should eat this or that and what good it will do for you and your baby.
The book includes "fast fact" boxes that will give you helpful and sometimes fun information such as:
* Vitamin B6 helps alleviate morning sickness.
* Anemia can show up during your second trimester if you're not getting enough iron.
* Iron supplementts commonly cause constipation. You may find them less of a problem if you take them on a full stomach and dink plenty of fluids.
Another helpful box you will find throughout the book is "Jonny's Tasty Tips." Here, the co-author highlights tasty ways for you to enjoy the foods that he is recommending. Some of these foods include:
* Chives, Leeks & Lamb during the first trimester.
* Figs, Chia Seeds & Watercress during the second trimester.
* Cranberries, Herring & Rhubarb during the third trimester.
The remaining chapters in the book cover pre- and post-natal days from fertility to breast feeding and everything in between. Giving you the knowledge about the best foods that you can eat
* to help with the aches, pains and complaints of pregnancy
* while breastfeeding your newest arrival
* during the post-partum period that may even help alleviate the symptoms of post-partum depression. According to the authors, there area foods that have "depression-fighting power"
* to help with your fertility and start you off with a healthy pregnancy before you even conceive.
A very important chapter, in my opinion, contains information on what the authors call "tricky foods and herbs." We have all heard of certain herbs, foods and/or activities that we should avoid while pregnant- especially during the first 12 weeks of a baby's development. Things like alcohol/caffeine consumption, artificial sweeteners, hot dogs (yum!), herbal supplements and more. The authors tackle these topics and give you the information that you need to make informed decisions regarding your lifestyle while pregnant.
To me, the book reads like an encyclopedia, not too overwhelming, easy to find the information you need and very well organized/broken down into sub-sections. I can open it up, find what I need and move on. Complete with color photos, nutritional information, fact boxes and more- I think this is a perfect addition to any pregnant woman's bookshelf- just to have as a reference. It would probably make a good gift for someone that you know is pregnant.

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Eat the best foods for your baby's development!

Nutrition is never more critical than during pregnancy. What you choose to put on your plate affects you and your baby's health not just in utero but for years to come. However, many nutritional guidelines for pregnancy are complex, confusing, and offer an uninspiring list of things to eat for the next nine months.

Backed up by the latest nutritional research, this guide debunks pregnancy food myths and uncovers a number of surprising food choices that are superfoods for expectant mothers.



This one-of-a-kind nutrition reference guide is also packed with helpful quick-reference charts and sidebars, highlighting healthy (but no less delicious!) substitutes for commonly craved foods like ice cream and potato chips. You'll also discover the most up-to-date research regarding pregnancy dilemmas, such as how to get more omega-3s from fish in your diet while avoiding mercury. It's pregnancy nutrition made easy!

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