Customer Reviews

Pregnancy Sucks: What to Do When Your Miracle Makes You Miserable

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Author Joanne Kimes is not afraid to be blunt, and she has a sardonic wit that makes you realize that, yes, pregnancy can suck, but you will still be smiling. It seems that most women possess a convenient amnesia about their pregnancies. You will seldom get a straight answer about the discomfort of pregnancy from a woman who has a child over the age of two. The pregnancy has been forgotten by then, replaced by the child and its ensuing responsibilities. Little things like morning sickness, cramps, and constipation are left behind. But, when a woman is pregnant, and everyone is implying that she shouldn't be feeling as bad as she does, it tends to make a woman feel like she's over-reacting.

Well, Joanne Kimes doesn't think you're over-reacting. She shares the bad and the good of pregnancy, and lets you know it's perfectly alright to be uncomfortable, sick, and grumpy while pregnant. The joys will eventually outweigh the negative aspects, but you are given permission to complain. And, with the tongue-in-cheek wit of her writing, it's a true joy to read. I felt so much better after reading this book, because it's fine if your pregnancy sucks. We are not bad mothers or bad women, we're just facing the facts! I highly recommend this book to all pregnant women.

This book is just what a miserable, exhausted pregnant woman needs. It's tone is humorous. The author presents facts in a light manner, all the time using herself and others as an example. She is not afraid to poke fun at herself, and that gives the book the right mood right away.

As a pregnant woman going through horrible morning sickness, I was so tired of hearing stories of all the women who feel fine and happy, work like nothing is wrong, while I can't take a hike away from a toilet -- I was so relieved to read that there are others who feel the same way and want to complain! Plus the humorous tone made me laugh at my own misery, and thus make me feel better. For example, it is rather tough to smell everything miles around (which makes you wanna throw up), but when you put it in the context of "my superhero nose" -- it gives you a whole new perspective.

I find that the book covers all the basics. It has a month by month sections discussing what you are probably experiencing at the time. It talks about emotional and physical changes a woman undergoes. It is cowritten with an obstetrician, so the scientific facts are on target.

However, this book is not a specific medical guide. It's more of a sympathizer book, sort of like: here are difficult things that happen to you, happened to me too, happens to other women, life is unfair, let us all collectively complain and we'll make it through.

If there are any gaps in information, don't worry. As any pregnant woman, you are probably also a "pregnancy junkie", reading tons of books, internet info, talking to people etc. The information you'll find in many places, but a better sympasizer -- not likely...

After weeks of relentless nausea and vomiting, I needed something to make me feel human again. I really enjoyed Kime's wicked sense of humor and frankness. I know people have criticized this book as being too negative, but I don't agree. If youre as miserable as I've been, you don't want yet another book telling you to just eat some crackers and develop a beautific maternal sense of inner peace. Kime's book really made me feel better, and I highly recommend it to any pregnant woman and the guy made her so sick.

If you've been having a difficult time with your pregnancy like I have, you will enjoy this book. After months of nausea and more aches and pains to look forward to, Joanne Kimes gave me a good laugh and made me feel less alone. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of everyone asking me, "Aren't you just so excited?!" I smile meekly while holding in a gag and let them know that yes, I'm very excited. Truthfully I'm miserable. This book reminds you that it's okay to feel less than excited about dry heaving every day.

With a refreshing sense of humor, Kimes mixes personal stories with quotes from fellow mothers and helpful suggestions for common ailments. While Kimes does portray her bias toward hospital births, epidurals, and episiotomies, I didn't find it as distracting as Vicki Iovine's biases in The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy. So, if you need a laugh and some comfort pick this one up along with Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy and The Morning Sickness Companion by Elizabeth Kaledin.

I work with a bunch of women who swear they loved being pregnant, and it made me feel like there must be something fundamentally wrong with me as a woman. This book, while not as comprehensive as the Girlfriend's Guide, is helpful for those women who despite wanting the baby, wish they could just find it under a cabbage leaf.

This book had it moments, but beneath the humor lurks the same misplaced preachiness that makes most books on pregnancy almost unbearable to read. The author's list of forbidden activities is illustrative-- she claims you must stay away from microwaves (!), hair dye, coffee, chocolate, air travel, and all soft cheeses (including, presumably, even pasteurized cheese). I confirmed with my doctor that none of this is true (microwaves fine; moderate coffee fine; chocolate fine; air travel fine up to the last couple weeks; pasteurized soft cheese fine). It's this kind of widespread misinformation from non-experts, urging women to unnecessary self-abnegation, that makes pregnancy suck! Save yourself the undeserved guilt, and skip this one in favor of the more sensible Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy.

I LOVED this book. Although I love being pregnant, and my personal experience hasn't sucked, this book gives you the low-down dirt on what you REALLY go through. It has even relieved my fears of "pooping" during labor. It touches on the topics that everyone is either too embarassed or to uptight to talk about, but that we all wonder in the back of our heads. Joanne Kimes is so hilarious and she puts everything out on the table in a girlfriend to girlfriend type of way, which is a pleasant break from the "textbook" type pregnancy books that I have recently read. Her great sense of humor about the subject has helped put me at ease. Her honesty lets me know that I'm not the only one worried about "pooping" on the doctor. And I sincerely thank her for such a great book.

The most hilarious book I've read since Bridget Jones' Diary! A must read if you are pregnant, have been, plan to be, know someone who is or just feel like a good read! It was witty, honest, informative & all around good fun. I could relate to so many feelings, anecdotes, scenarios, etc. that the author shared. I've already sent it to three of my pregnant friends! I was so delighted to find a book that was helpful, yet not dry & clinical, as so many pregnancy books are out there. Do yourself a favor & read Pregnancy Sucks! You'll definitely not be disappointed.

After reading all the pregnancy books that people tell you to read I was frustrated. I had lost hope that there was one out there for me. I am 11 weeks along and have had the worst morning sickness. This book didn't sugar coat things for me, it told me how things were. Those "other" books just made me feel like something was wrong with me and that I should just eat a cracker! I would like to chuck a cracker at the authors of those other books. After reading many different books, this would be the only one that I would recommend, because at times pregnancy really does suck!

Loved this book! Laugh out loud funny - my husband is now reading it because he wanted to know what I have been laughing at for the past three days. We are hoping to start a family this summer and was getting conflicting info from other books (I have read 8) and Polly Anna type friends (I gave a slight cough and out he came) to the hell and back stories from other friends. This book gives you the straight dope with a good belly laugh - have to admit, there were several times during the reading that I questioned our sanity for wanting a baby, but its all good in the end - and I really feel like we are making a well informed (or forewarned?) decision opposed to just jumping in ill prepared. There were so many things covered that I just didn't know about, girlfriends were just too mortified to talk about, or just plain hadn't thought of. Because of this book, we are now talking of contingency plans to try to make the most important transition in our lives! Really liked the sleep depravation portion of the book (made my husband read - it was short, funny, and to the point - now it won't be a surprise for him when I go postal) and the great resource list in back of book. THANKS JOANNES KIMES!!!!!