Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies?: The Surprising Science of Pregnancy [Paperback]

Jena Pincott (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 11, 2011

Brain Candy for expectant parents!

Pregnancy is an adventure.

Lots of books tell you the basics—“the baby is the size of [insert fruit here].” But pregnant science writer Jena Pincott began to wonder just how a baby might tinker with her body—and vice versa—and chased down answers to the questions she wouldn’t ask her doctor, such as:

• Does stress sharpen your baby’s mind—or dull it?

• Can you predict your baby’s temperament?

• Why are babies born in the darker months of the year more likely to grow up to be novelty-loving risk takers?

• Are bossy, dominant women more likely to have boys?

• How can the cells left behind by your baby affect you years later?

This is a different kind of pregnancy book—thoughtful, fun, and filled with information you won’t find anywhere else.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A lively, accessible romp through the science of pregnancy...with wit, personal anecdotes and playful humor.  -- Kirkus  (starred review)

What a charm!...Enjoyable, insightful, and fascinating...This winning title deserves some talking up. -- Library Journal (starred review)

Pincott writes with humor and vibrancy, bringing science to life. -- Publishers Weekly

“Do Chocolate Lovers have Sweeter Babies is utterly fascinating … and a great read.”

—Christiane Northrup, M.D., ob/gyn physician and author of the New York Times bestsellers: Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

“Having delivered many babies in Africa and raised one of my own, I was thrilled to find plenty of old-fashioned common sense suffusing Pincott’s survey of cutting-edge research. Casual, but never careless, her light style is a fine complement to her balanced, informed scholarship. Covering everything from martinis to Mozart, Pincott’s book is full of useful thinking that will inform and comfort expectant mothers (and fathers) everywhere.”

—Cacilda Jethá, M.D., co-author (with Christopher Ryan) of Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality

"In Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies?, Jena Pincott takes us on a fascinating tour through the science of pregnancy. She answers questions, shares stories, and passes on insights gleaned from her exhaustive research. Reading it is like having a friend—an extraordinarily wise, funny, and well-informed friend—walk you through the nine months before birth. Pincott tells you everything you wanted to know about pregnancy but were afraid to ask."

—Annie Murphy Paul, author of Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives

"Delightful! This book is destined to become everywoman's --and man's --secret guide to pregnancy. A must read."

—Louann Brizendine, M.D. neuropsychiatrist author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain

From the Author

Science writer Jena Pincott spent her pregnancy and postpartum months asking the questions that doctors don't answer, and finding answers that expectant mothers will not expect. In this curiosity-led exploration into the "hidden side" of pregnancy, learn how amniotic fluid carries flavors and genes can play favorites, semen can be a fetus's friend or foe, the brain shrinks then grows, and what mind-control chemicals are doing in breast milk, sweat, and tears.

Drawing on studies in evolutionary psychology, biology, social science, neuroscience, reproductive genetics, endocrinology, and epigenetics, the influence of environment on the behavior of genes, Pincott explores questions such as:


* Why are your dreams more vivid?
* Why do skinny chicks have more daughters?
* Is the fetus tinkering with your brain?
* What does the baby's birth season predict about her personality?
* What do fetuses learn when they eavesdrop?
* Do boys really give you basketball bumps?
* Do fidgety fetuses become feisty babies?
* Where does maternal instinct come from?
* Does your stress sharpen your baby's mind -- or dull it?
* Can men breastfeed?
* Do mommies have better brains?
* How could Grandma's diet affect your child?

And could eating chocolate really make your baby sweeter?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; Original edition (October 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439183341
• ISBN-13: 978-1439183342
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jena Pincott writes about the quirky, hidden side of science -- the shocking, subconscious, under-the-radar stuff. She is the author of Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? Exploring the Surprising Science of Pregnancy, which received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal. Her previous book, Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes? is about the science of love and attraction. Translated in 17 languages, the book received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Her writing and interviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Redbook, and other publications.

Jena has a background in biology. Formerly a senior editor at Random House, she blogs at Psychology Today and Huffington Post. Jena's other books run the gamut from self-help and motivation (Healing and the bestselling Success) to science, technology, and history (Technomanifestos, Making the Cisco Connection). She also writes science fiction.

Jena lives in New York City with her husband, Peter, and baby daughter.

Read her blog at www.jenapincott.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Questions Answered December 27, 2011

By Mimi

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The question here is why would a grandmother read a book about pregnancy? For starters, the title, Do Chocolate Lovers have Sweeter Babies? is captivating. As I was not a chocolate lover when I had my children, I was curious to find out if the absence of chocolate in my diet had any effect on my children's disposition. After finding out that answer, other topics, such as, do bossy broads have more sons, do skinny chicks have more daughters, does the way a pregnant woman carries the baby indicate the baby's gender, what does a baby's birth season predict, and why are babies born in the darker months of the year more likely to be risk takers continued to capture my attention. Ms. Pincott presents myths and legends from my generation, plus questions arising from her own curiosity and digests them using peer reviewed research or explains them from an evolutionary scientific perspective. What makes this book stand apart from other books on pregnancy is that the author wrote the book while she was pregnant with her own daughter, giving the book a memoir format accompanied by documented scientific research. That combination gives the book scientific credibility in a readable format. An easy, enjoyable read for an inquisitive grandmother.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for yourself, and buy it for all your pregnant friends! January 4, 2013

By L. J. FINE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm an NPR dork -- I can't get enough of random information -- so this book was right up my alley. I bought several copies and when I find out a friend is expecting, if she's anywhere as near to my nerd level, I give them as gifts. Great great book!

Update: I've given this book to 3 pregnant friends now. One posted a public thank you to me on Facebook last night: "Thank you so much for recommending this book! I'm not even done with it yet and I love it!" and another texted me at 1am. "I can't put this book down. You are the best!".

I AM OFFICIALLY THE COOLEST FRIEND EVER. ;-)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A break from the usual pregnancy babble. May 27, 2012

By Syrican

Format:Paperback

Finally, a pregnancy book that goes beyond the typical, "today, your baby is an apricot and has eyes - make sure you're taking your Omega-3's!". Very fun, informative and fascinating without resorting to scare tactics, pushing an agenda, or assuming the reader is wholly new to the concept of pregnancy. Also, as the author mentions, the book is structured so you can skip straight to any question and read in short, digestible standalone chapters. I'll be gifting this to every newly pregnant friend I have.