Customer Reviews

Body, Soul, and Baby: A Doctor's Guide to the Complete Pregnancy Experience, From Preconception to Postpartum

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My mom sent me this book as a gift (thanks mom!) and it was just what I was looking for....something to help guide me through my pregnancy without "telling" me what I should be doing or feeling. It helps me to figure out my own feelings about what is going on with my body. The suggestions and exercises make your transition into motherhood more real and make you more aware of the changes that will come about. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for all of their options when it comes to fertility and pregnancy and finding their own way through this magnificent and amazing time!

As a health care writer and a future mother, this is currently my favorite book on pregnancy. There are a few excellent books from years ago that address the emotional journey of pregnancy and give the reader psychological exercises to try, such as "Pregnant Feelings" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy and "An Easier Childbirth" by Gayle Peterson, but this is one of the only recent books on the topic that I'm aware of. I love this approach -- and we need this book in a climate that neglects the central importance of emotions in pregnancy.

Mothers who use midwives and doulas are often drawn to the extra psychological support offered by their caregivers, and will probably respond well to this book. Also, mothers who see obstetricians would also find this book an important complement to their care, since doctors typically spend significantly less time on prenatal emotional support. Those who are familiar with the book "Birthing From Within" may appreciate "Body, Soul, and Baby" for its similar approach to pregnancy (the former is more solely focused on birth).

My complaints are few, but I was disappointed in the following recommendations made by author and physician Tracy Gaudet. When she writes about midwives, she ignores Certified Professional Midwives, the most common type of home birth midwife in the U.S. She speaks only of "lay" midwives who are uncertified, and she is not supportive -- but she doesn't base her comments on scientific evidence or have experience working in a home setting (research amply demonstrates that CPMs and home birth, which can be attended by doctors as well as midwives, are as safe or safer than hospital birth). Home birth families may be especially drawn to a personalized, emotionally-based approach to pregnancy, so it is unfortunate that Gaudet might alienate these readers.

She also writes that in cases of stillbirth, she supports the option of elective cesarean section (as an alternative to expecting the mother to birth vaginally). She means to spare the mother the sadness of laboring with a stillborn. However, I find the recommendation troubling and lacking in evidence, as it adds the potential risks of major surgery, such as depression, hemorrage or infection, and possible future infertility, to an already very painful situation.

Overall, as a childbirth professional I love this book for filling a great need among pregnancy books -- and hope to meet the author someday, since we share a publisher.

This is a great book because it's written more to give the reader a different perspective of the entire pregnancy process than a typical Mayo Clinic type pregnancy book. It makes you look a little deeper at things like how the you feel, etc. versus just the medical facts.

This is the best book I read (and I read a lot of book in this pregnancy :)

It covers anything you can think of...the before pregnancy, during, after... also it goes over what happens in your body, what happens for your baby and what happens in your soul! Very detailed and gives advice too! The author is also an ob/gyn and speaks from experience. She is great and also writes a column in Whole Body & Soul magazine! I highly recommend this book!!!

I bought 6 pregnancy books and almost didn't get this one because it sounded a little too out there for me. I am so glad I purchased it because it is by far my favorite. This book took me on a totally new pathway through pregnancy. It contains some statistics, but the main focus of the book is to make you more aware of your body and the changes it experiences, physically and emotionally, as you travel down the pregnancy path.

The author is a OB/GYN who strongly believes in coupling modern medicine with holistic practices. She guides the reader through numerous self meditative exercises to check in with her body and relax. In the past I'd never been a fan of these techniques, but now I do not go a day without doing them. The book really teaches you how to be more in tune with your body through your journey from preconception to postpardum, an important skill to have when another life depends so much on yours.

The book gives an overview for each trimester for your body, your developing little one, and the medical care involved at each step. There is also a really good section on preconception health.

An excellent book! I will be giving it to all of my girlfriends.

I agree with the other three reviews wholeheartedly. When I became pregnant for the first time I was VERY surprised by the lack of spiritual material out there. Most books only focus on the physical aspects of pregnancy, which to me is only half of the picture.

This book not only focuses on every stage of pregnancy but it does so in an unbiased way. Most books are either written from a strong medical reference (in support of hospital birth and intervention) or a midwifery model (in support of homebirth and the "natural" experience). This book is neutral and draws the answers from within you. It also was the only source that I read about the link between the flu or it's vaccine and development of schizophrenia. Thank goodness because that research made me decide NOT to have the flu vaccination while pregnant.

I plan to buy this book for all of my friends when they become pregnant. Shame it's not more well known but I have a feeling it will be : )

During my pregnancy I wanted a book that would allow me to explore my emotions and spirtuality along with the growth of my body & baby. This book provides that hands down. I feel so much more connected to my baby and aware of every moment of my pregnancy which is exactly what I had hoped for. I am grateful to have been able to use this book as a guide.