Healthy Living Books Books

Rating: - Great Book For First Time Expectant Mommy!
I have just finished this book and it was a really great read. I thought I knew lots about BB's since I am the last of 5 girls in the family to have a Baby. But this book is really informative and relates to Canadian Statistics & information. It also has information and input from real expectant women and women with children already. It makes you feel like you are not alone in what you are thinking as far as pregnancy and beyond. This is a great book for a first time mom & dad. Definatley worth the read that is for sure!!!!

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Rating: - Exactly what I needed
Ann Douglas starts out by telling you what this book will not be-- not one of those overly preachy, doom-and-gloom books that make you feel guilty for having a can of Diet Coke, and not one of those fluffy, girlfriend-style books that are light on substance and heavy on personal anecdotes that may or may not have any relevance to the reader (and may in fact be terribly misleading-- one such book I just read advises a woman not to exercise while pregnant). On both counts, she's right. This book had (most of) the factual information I was looking for, while still maintaining a light and easy tone. She presents some of the unpleasant aspects of pregnancy and post-pregnancy without managing to scare the reader or make her dread the next nine months. She also continually emphasizes that every woman and every pregnancy is different, which is a helpful reminder so you don't start to worry when your pregnancy doesn't match up to the "textbook" version of what it should be (it's also a good reminder when you read the list of the not-so-fun "side effects" pregnancy brings with it-- you'll get some of them, but not all). I also was extremely happy to have a Canadian perspective, since every other pregnancy book I own is American. The only downside to the book is that because it's so comprehensive, it doesn't have the space to delve too deeply into each topic: it tells you the basics, but if you have specific concerns, you'll have to turn to a more thorough medical guide. Despite that, I'd recommend it to any of my friends-- a worthwhile purchase.

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Rating: - Canadian parents: Amazon.ca is once again listing the American and the Canadian editions
I've reported the problem to my publisher (after reading some of the reviews below, which made it obvious that some people inadvertently ordered the U.S. edition rather than the Canadian edition, and were understandably disappointed by the lack of Canadian content in the U.S. edition).

Until my publisher can arrange for Amazon.ca to de-list the American edition again, you'll have to be careful about which edition it is you're ordering: the Canadian edition or the American edition.

I apologize for the confusion. (Unfortunately, this problem occurs every once in a while. It's frustrating for all of us.)

Ann Douglas, author

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Rating: - Why Canadian?
As I live in Canada & have only been here four years I specifically bought this book because I expected some very Canadian specific information and point of views. What there is along these lines seemed very minimal and as your reading this review online you might be better off visiting Canadian websites for information on health care, rights and benefits, employment issues etc than buying this book.

Don't get me wrong it is not a terrible pregnancy book in the general stuff it covers, it is in fact pretty much like every other pregnancy book- full of advice on caring for yourself, your relationship, your diet, your wardrobe etc. It has a friendly tone, it is a little light on detail, what to expect is a better if drier book for the practicalities & from the hips is better if you really at the hmmm... maybe baby I don't know stage

There is NO real Canadian insights in the information provided and the general information that is provided is okay compared to any of the American books I bought which is why a give it two stars. However if you are Canadian or have lived in Canada for many years the Canadian perspective I sought may not be top of mind for you.

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Rating: - Good but not great
This was the main pregnancy book I bought for my pregnancy (I'm currently fast approaching my due date). While it does cover a lot of information in a very readable way, and I really liked the top worries for each trimester, I found the book less detailed and all encompassing once I did some outside research on a few things. The coverage of symptoms is good, as is the drug chart, but coverage of basic medical problems is lacking. I don't mean the comphrehensive stuff some books go into (like What to expect..., though I prefer the Mayo Clinic Guide), but breech and tranverse positioning aren't even discussed. Things like this, and what you can do about it, would be helpful. I bought the book once pregnant so the info on getting pregnant was excessive for me - maybe helpful for others.

I think this book definite asset for Canadian parents, but don't let it be your only one. I think this book combined with a slightly more medical or "dry" book would serve one well.