The Pregnancy Book is an excellent all-in-one guide to pregnancy from William and Martha Sears, creators of the concept of "attachment parenting." Each of the book's chapters represents a month, and deals with physical and emotional changes, describes the growth of the fetus, and discusses common concerns. The authors also focus on nutrition, exercise, information and support for home births and birthing centers, traveling while pregnant, how to avoid episiotomy, and so on. The approach is gentle, thorough, and includes more information than some month-by-month guides, which makes The Pregnancy Book an excellent choice for pregnant couples.

From Library Journal
The Searses, popular childcare experts and authors (e.g., Parenting the Fussy Baby and High-Need Child, LJ 8/96), have teamed up with obstetrician Holt to give us this work. Using a month-by-month format with nice illustrations that show normal fetal development, they discuss a wide range of pregnancy options without judgmental bias. Scattered throughout are helpful hints and stories from other pregnant mothers that give the book a comfortable feel. Unfortunately, adequate information on possible problems is missing from the text itself, though the preface does note that rare conditions are covered in an appendix (not available for review). A nice supplement to Arlene Eisenberg and Heidi Merkoff's What To Expect When You're Expecting (Workman, 1995. rev. ed.) and The Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year (LJ 1/95). Given the popularity of the authors, expect requests.?KellyJo Houtz Griffin, Auburn, Wash.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Card catalog description
In this definitive month-by-month guide, baby experts Bill and Martha Sears team up with one of America's leading obstetricians to bring you the most comprehensive book on pregnancy of all time. The book presents the changes occurring in the womb step-by-step, so that you can better appreciate why your body behaves the way it does, why you feel the way you do, and how you can take an active role in your own comfort and well-being as well as that of your child. For each stage of pregnancy, the Searses and Dr. Holt take you through questions you may have, key decisions you will face, and other important issues to keep in mind.

ANNOTATION

"...the definitive guide for expectant mothers everywhere... spells out everything that's going on at each stage, including how women may feel emotionally as well as physically, how the baby is growing, and doctor's visits."

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this uniquely authoritative and comprehensive guide, Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, the pediatrics specialists whose books on birth, babies, and parenting have become widely praised bestsellers, team up with one of America's leading obstetricians. The result: the definitive book on pregnancy for expectant parents today.

The Pregnancy Book explains what is occurring in the womb step by step, so that you can better appreciate why your body behaves the way it does and why you feel the way you do. The topics covered include:

With a detailed special section on labor and delivery, a glossary of obstetrical terms, and a chapter covering "the tenth month"--postpartum--The Pregnancy Book is an unrivaled source of information, counsel, and comfort for every prospective parent.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal