The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy (Paperback)

~ (Author) "One day I was expertly powering through my busy-girl life..." (more)
Key Phrases: menagerie member, ask your practitioner, birthing plan, Mommy Menagerie, Old Navy, Japanese Weekend (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An alternative to the now 10-year-old Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, this upbeat and cleverly written resource is packed with must- have information and couched in everyday practicality for the newly pregnant woman. The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy opens with quick answers to the most-asked questions ("Can I still have my hair highlighted?" "Is it true that hot tubs are off limits?" "What about the champagne I guzzled last week?") and moves into a unique organization of chapters by topic rather than trimester. Each chapter opens with the author's own true-life anecdote, and then eases into clearly laid-out, hardworking information, with tip and fact boxes scattered throughout. The author interviewed 115 moms across the world, of all ages, and includes their experiences herein as well, for the most well-rounded information available on the market today. Finally, the book has been vetted by a professional OB/GYN to ensure the medical know-how is up-to-date and safe. Not only is this book for the four million women that have a baby each year in the United States, but for friends who will buy it for their pregnant friends, and first-time moms looking for quick answers.

Q&A with Erika Lenkert, author of The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy

What's the best piece of advice you learned from the Mommy Menagerie?
The 111 women who make up the Mommy Menagerie—and have had nearly 200 children between them—offered so many diverse experiences and nuggets of wisdom I can’t say there is merely one "best" piece of advice. But one of my greatest discoveries in learning of their experiences was that no matter where you live or what you do, every pregnant woman or mother has easy access to an incredible support system if she reaches out to other pregnant women or mothers. As mothers, we have a shared experience and understanding that gives us the confidence to be amazingly candid about the trials and tribulations of pregnancy and parenting. The secret to gaining this support from those around you is simply to open up to and be honest with someone you trust who has been there.

Did you notice a big difference in the experiences between the younger mothers and the older mothers that you surveyed?
Not so much in younger versus older mothers. Where I saw a much bigger difference was between first-time moms and veterans. The second time around women tend to be less fearful of what can go wrong, more relaxed with weight gain and what they eat and do, and more exhausted since their existing children don’t allow them the opportunity to become one with the couch whenever the spirit moves them.

You have a background as a lifestyle writer. How did that background inform your work on this book?
Pregnancy is not just a temporary situation. It’s a lifestyle, albeit a short-lived one. A lot of books out there take a clinical stance on understanding what goes on during the three trimesters. The Real Deal Guide is a proactive primer on how to make the most of all aspects of your life as a pregnant person, including health, pampering, sleeping, socializing, shopping, saving money, having sex, and experiencing your emotions. I’d say every single word in the book is about how to live the pregnant lifestyle to the best of your ability.

What was your weirdest moment as a pregnant woman?
By far, the weirdest moment was during my unplanned C-section. I was very doped up and completely numb, but could feel the surgeons rifling around in my innards to pull out my girl. That was weird enough, but what put it over the top was when I realized the group of doctors, draped in scrubs and masks, were talking about the best ways to prepare fish! As a lifestyle writer and an extreme extrovert, I couldn’t help but chime in that I develop recipes for magazines and books. Before I knew it, we were all bantering about great fish recipes while they completed the surgery. I later emailed the head surgeon a fantastic recipe for salmon with sherry vinaigrette.

What was your favorite thing about being pregnant?
Being in my body. While I can’t say I was quite as fond of my rotund figure as I was my pre-pregnancy body, I was completely enthralled with all of the changes my body went through while producing a human from scratch. There’s absolutely nothing like it, and it’s a truly magical experience.

What's the one piece of advice you wish you'd known before you were pregnant?
Travel like crazy with your partner before you have kids. I’ve been a travel junkie forever, and hit most of my adventure goals before I had my daughter. But my husband had never been out of the country before we went to Thailand—and that’s where I got pregnant. I would have liked to have gone on more adventures with him as a twosome. Now that I’m a mom I’m less cavalier about what I do and where I go because my purpose in life is about more than just me. And I’m also not one to leave my girl for any extended period of time, so heading to Morocco to take cooking classes and play on the beach is out of the question—at least for the next decade or so.

What's your favorite piece of advice to give new moms-to-be?
Do whatever you have to do to take time for yourself and try not to overextend yourself in other areas, such as work (as I did). Becoming a mother takes some getting used to and the less stress you integrate into the picture, the easier the transition for you. Creating a smooth transition also allows you to see beyond the sleep deprivation and anxiety and appreciate your baby and how amazing and deeply moving new motherhood is.

From Publishers Weekly

Unsatisfied with the pregnancy books out there, Lenkert (The Last Minute Party Girl) decided to write her own. Light, humorous and accessible, Lenkert's guide offers facts on important topics like nutrition, exercise and doctor's appointments, and also includes her own thoughts and experiences concerning everything from maternity fashion, coping with moodiness, and her relationship with her husband during her pregnancy. Lenkert's writing style—along with her Cheat Sheets on essential vitamins needed in each trimester and lists of healthy snacks for pregnancy hunger pains—make this guide fun and accessible. Quotes from more than 100 pregnant women and moms, whom Lenkert calls the Mommy Menagerie appear throughout the book and shed light on pregnancy cravings, sleep and nausea to name a few. Lenkert utilizes her fashion savvy by including her favorite Web sites for baby clothing, furniture and gear, and also includes helpful and practical lists of what to bring to the hospital with you and newborn essentials for when you arrive home. (Mar.)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; 1 edition (March 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756633869
• ISBN-13: 978-0756633868
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #151,638 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good all-around general advice, July 6, 2009

By	J. Salmon (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just as funny as *The Girlfriend's Guide* with a little bit better organization. Ms. Lenkert manages to be pretty unbiased about most of the information that she presents. I like both Iovine & Lenkert for the simple reason that they answer questions that most women are too embarrassed to ask their MD's. This book is especially helpful for first-time moms who may or may not have a "Mommy Menagerie" of their own to ask questions. As a first-timer myself, as well as an Labor & Delivery nurse, I found that the informal nature of the book was very comforting. All of my medical knowledge (including that found in many pregnancy books) has a tendency to make the entire process of pregnancy terrifying. This book was well-organized - you can flip through it to find the inforemation you need without having to read straight through. I especially liked the various lists that she had - like "what to pack in your hospital bag". All together, this has been one of my favorite books, and will recommend/gift to all of my friends.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like hearing the real deal from a friend, April 24, 2008

By	Whitney E. Moss "Rookie Mom" (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This entire book is in author Erika Lenkert's friendly voice as she fills the reader in on all the important things a pregnant woman needs to know, adding a dash of her own experiences and down-to-earth perspectives.

I love that she suggests traveling. (Can't dwell on it because for me traveling right now includes a 50% potty trained three year old and an eight-month old who doesn't sleep through the night.) I am grateful, however, that I didn't miss out on page 226, where we get the real deal:

(excerpt)

The first six months are really hard. Women who were born to be mommies will disagree, but those of us who have enjoyed being self-indulgent rulers of our own domains and defined ourselves through professional or social achievements accomplishments might beg to differ.

... In conjunction with moments of parental glory is the relentless and all-consuming task of navigating new parenthood, caring for a newborn, and realizing that you and your desires are no longer the first priorities in your own life.

(end excerpt)

I LOVE to hear other women spell this out for soon-to-be-mamas. It's such an important message.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could have saved reading 14 other books, June 8, 2009

By	John S. Fanguy (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We wish we'd read this book first, and we could have saved a lot of money and time on other books. My favorite part is the middle-of-the-road, practical advise on every topic you really need to worry about, and just a bit on the 1/10,000 oddities that other books fill the pages with.

I also like the layout, with creative visual graphics that made it a lot easier as a guy to keep visually interested.

Hope she writes a book on surviving toddlers!