Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your email address or mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader

Surprise Motherhood: A Guide to Unexpected Adult Pregnancy

by
Ophelia Austin-Small (Author)
› Visit Amazon's Ophelia Austin-Small Page
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
Are you an author? Learn about Author Central
Ophelia Austin-Small (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars 7 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-1430321477
ISBN-10: 1430321474
Why is ISBN important?
ISBN
This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work.
Scan an ISBN with your phone
Use the Amazon App to scan ISBNs and compare prices.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
$5.95 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
$20.95 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open
More Buying Choices
17 New from $18.26 15 Used from $5.81
32 used & new from $5.81
See All Buying Options
Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Amazon Student Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

Best Books of the Month
See the Best Books of the Month
Want to know our Editors' picks for the best books of the month? Browse Best Books of the Month, featuring our favorite new books in more than a dozen categories.
$20.95 FREE Shipping on orders with at least $25 of books. In stock but may require an extra 1-2 days to process. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Product Details

  • Paperback: 196 pages
  • Publisher: Lulu.com (May 8, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1430321474
  • ISBN-13: 978-1430321477
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.4 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,579,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested In These Sponsored Links

  (What's this?)

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsNot really applicable to most pregnancies, planned or otherwise
By Silea VINE VOICE on July 8, 2008
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I really like the premise of this book. Not all pregnancies are planned, and not all unplanned pregnancies are the sort of thing that happen to teenagers in the back seat of a car. Sometimes the pill fails, or the condom breaks, and people who never intended to be pregnant suddenly have a whole lot of decisions to make.

I also really like that the first section of the book is an open and blunt discussion of the first decision: to keep the baby or not. If you're staunchly pro-life, it may be useless, but for the rest of us who don't have that unwavering moral imperative, a little guidance from an unbiased source can go a long way.

Beyond those two points, though, the book is of questionable utility.

The chapters on financial concerns and friend loss are incredibly valuable. If you didn't mean to be an expectant parent, you probably haven't done the budgeting to accommodate the vast expense of pregnancy and parenting. And if you're pregnant while all of your friends are still leading their independent and child-free lives, you'll suddenly find yourself with a lot more free time (which you'll probably spend sleeping anyway, but that's not the point). What To Expect and its ilk, while so very useful, don't cover these concerns.

Then there are the chapters that cover the author's own experiences with symptoms or complications that are extremely rare. The digression regarding what i'll rename in this venue to 'raccoon posterior' was functionally useless. The chapter on Diastasis Symphysis Pubis would only be relevant to the 1 in 30,000 women who suffer through it while pregnant (a statistic she provides in the book).Read more ›
Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsEntertaining & Useful
By Anneal on September 2, 2007
Format: Paperback
I'm a mom of two kids in my mid-thirties. I picked up this book during my second pregnancy, which was a surprise. I thought I had a pretty good handle on stuff, since I'd already had a child, but Surprise Motherhood had a *lot* of great information that I wished I'd had the first time around.

The section on the FMLA and maternity leave really helped. Every other book gives you the same standard stuff- contact HR, tell your boss, be flexible, etc. Surprise Motherhood told me about the laws in my state, how to keep good boundaries while I was off work, and how to tactfully and professionally deal with my pushy boss. It was great knowing exactly what I was entitled to, and how to get it without seeming rude.

The postpartum depression part was also really helpful for me. I'd struggled after my older child was born and had been worried about having issues again. This book taught me the difference between normal mood swings and actual postpartum depression, and gave me a lot of info about postpartum OCD, which I'd never heard of before. I passed it on to my husband, which helped him understand.

The other great section was the birth control, which you wouldn't expect from a pregnancy book. My God, I never knew I had so many options. It was a great help because I was sick of the pill but wasn't sure about alternatives beyond condoms. Now I know about a huge number of choices, and I eventually went with the cervical cap (which I like).

Overall, this book is really helpful, both in regards to a sudden pregnancy and general girly issues like sex and birth control. Even if your pregnancy was planned, this is probably still a good book for those reasons alone.
Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsAn uplifting look into the not-so-pretty side of pregnancy and parenthood
By Armin B. on May 16, 2007
Format: Paperback
I read this book cover to cover in almost one sitting and loved it. I'm a brand new dad but I connected with the "mommy" in this book over and over again.

The author dispenses with needless formatting of concepts and expectations and simply gives the nitty-gritty facts and details that one needs to expect and be weary of while pregnant and during the first months/years of parenthood. Ophelia Austin-Small incorporates her own life experiences and those of others into a feel-good storytelling format that allows the reader to lower their guard and feel okay about themselves while also being given insight and tactics to be empowered to deal with life-bearing and life-altering decisions.

Although language and topic can be coarse at points in the book, it helps emphasize that the author is not trying to sell a false, "PC" image but focuses on the often overlooked low-points and uncomfortable topics of motherhood, and parenthood in general.

I picked this book up 10 months after my first child was born, and I'm the father, yet it still held useful information for me and gave me solace knowing others have had similar experiences. Had this book been available two years ago, I would have worn the pages thin by now.

Kudos to this first time author and two time mother in being able to take her own daunting life-bearing experiences and produce a piece of literature that can help others make it through their own experiences with a bit more hope and self-respect.
Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
4.0 out of 5 starsFunny, differnt view point. I needed this!
By E. Anderson on May 26, 2009
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed reading this book. As the author points out, it is hard to find books for adult women who are not so thrilled about their pregnancy. Every book I found at the bookstore was about the joys of pregnancy and motherhood. Well, my pregnancy was unexpected and not quite a joy at first. I felt very alone, so it was nice to find reading material that pertained to the way I feel. Ophelia added a humerous touch to my circumstance, and it was nice to be able to laugh out loud a few times.
Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Surprise Motherhood: A Guide to Unexpected Adult Pregnancy
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more
This item: Surprise Motherhood: A Guide to Unexpected Adult Pregnancy
Set up a giveaway

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.