For pregnancy questions this book is the answer (The Pregnancy Questions and Answers Book - Dorling Kindersley)

Member Name: mumto3

Product:	The Pregnancy Questions and Answers Book - Dorling Kindersley
Date:	23/08/09 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read - clear sections - covers every aspect of pregnancy including benefits

Disadvantages: Not much information for more difficult or problematic pregnancies and births

The first time I bought The Dorling Kindersley Pregnancy Questions and Answers book was about 10 years ago when my then 17 year old sister discovered she was pregnant.

Obviously we all wanted to support my sister in any way that we could and I went to our local book shop to find a book that would tell her what to expect and answer any questions that she may have. I chose the Dorling Kindersley Pregnancy Question and Answer book because it seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. I didn't want a text book type information book or something written in a long winded boring way. My sister isn't daft but I just felt that something that was informative but to the point was better than a boring great thick text book that she would have to trawl through to get any information.

The book is split up into clearly defined sections:
1) Preparing for Pregnancy
2) Your Antenatal Care
3) Your developing baby
4) Your changing body
5) Keeping Fit and Healthy
6) Problems in Pregnancy
7) Labour and Birth
8) The First Six Weeks.

Each section of the book is filled with photographs drawing and diagrams that are relevant to the chapter being read. In the Your Developing Baby section there are drawings of various stages of growth that show what your baby looks like and what size they are in relation to your hand. In the Your changing body section there are photos of a woman at various stages through her pregnancy showing the changes to her stomach and breast and the way she stands.

The book is set out in a series of questions and answers. Each question is clear and precise and the answers and straightforward and easy to understand. For example: I don't feel or look at all pregnant yet, Is this normal? This is perfectly normal. Some women breeze through the early weeks of pregnancy.......

My sister found this book very helpful and she used it quite a lot. Not only did it answer questions that she had but also told her what to expect physically from each stage of her pregnancy and what type of care she should receive. A first pregnancy can be quite daunting especially in such a young woman so to have a book like this was very beneficial.

The second time I bought this book was during my own first pregnancy. The copy I bought had been 'expanded and updated' but essentially it was the same book. I remembered how helpful the book had been to my sister and although I could have borrowed her copy I was still keeping fairly quiet about my news because of some early bleeding so bought myself a copy.
Luckily my pregnancy progressed without further incident and I found the book very useful along the way. I found that it helped me to understand the types of tests that I could have and also the shorthand used by midwifes and doctor in my maternity notes. I particularly liked the pictures of the developing baby as I could imagine my own baby at each stage. I am now in my fourth pregnancy and still find the book useful as a refresher of what to expect and also to look up symptoms of feelings that I haven't experienced in previous pregnancies.

At the back of the book there is a glossary of terms which is very useful for first time mum's and their partners and the index is also helpful when you are looking for something in particular.

This book is currently available from www.play.com for £14.99 which is the cover price. I couldn't find it new on www.amazon.co.uk but through the Amazon marketplace it is from £9.99 new or from £0.01 used. I would suggest looking on ebay to try and find yourself a bargain.

I found the book very informative for a straightforward pregnancy but found that it did lack information when I experienced problems. Obviously it is best to speak to a medical professional like your midwife or doctor if you do have any problems and so this may be why these things have not been covered in any depth. Plus problems only arise in a relatively small number of pregnancies so it probably best not to scare people into thinking it's very common.

I would recommend this book to anyone planning or experiencing their first pregnancy or to those who have had a big gap between babies as the book is full of useful information and even covers your rights and benefits and how to register your baby's birth.

Summary: A must for anyone experiencing their first pregnancy