The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy: Or everything your doctor won't tell you (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Quite often nature provides us with physical clues that might make us suspect we are pregnant even before modern science confirms it..." (more)
Key Phrases: core outfit, pregnancy business, maternity underwear, Pregnancy Police, Pregnancy Insanity, Girlfriend Amy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Beginning with the "10 Greatest Lies About Pregnancy" (number 10: Lamaze works), and ending with postpartum dementia, Vicki Iovine's Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy has fast become the laywoman's mouthpiece for the American pregnancy experience. Iovine is irreverent, sassy, and incredibly reassuring as she exposes the "truths" of pregnancy and childbirth, from sex to cellulite to cesareans. Iovine birthed four kids in six years, none of them twins, which certainly qualifies her as an expert. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy does reveal Iovine's particular cultural biases (pregnant or not, most of us don't have record-producer husbands, hang out with supermodels, or wear size-four pants) and philosophical beliefs (she's not a particularly strong proponent of natural childbirth or nursing), but, taken with a grain or two of salt, she provides many hilarious moments, acres of advice, and honest reassurance readers will find nowhere else. --Ericka Lutz

From Publishers Weekly

For first-time mothers-to-be, this candid, funny and very reassuring guide to pregnancy is just what the doctor ordered?or would if he/she knew about it. Iovine, who has had four babies and who seemingly has girlfriends with many more, believes that women learn the really valuable things about pregnancy from other women. Since too few women in today's mobile society have a close circle of experienced female friends to turn to, Iovine's sharing of her own and her friends' experiences and knowledge fills a genuine need for comforting, straightforward, non-euphemistic woman-talk. Without stepping on any medical toes, and in language that is neither technical nor cutesy, she tackles morning sickness, swollen breasts, exercises, stretch marks, sex during and after pregnancy, delivery and just about everything else, from maternity clothing to bladder behavior. Iovine anticipates every conceivable question, and her responses are warm, wise and witty.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 262 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671524313
• ISBN-13: 978-0671524319
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,094 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #155,443 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #37 in

  Books > Entertainment > Humor > Doctors & Medicine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

249 of 305 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous --- relax, everybody!, December 13, 1999

By A Customer

I thought this book was great! How refreshing to hear that it's ok if you eat refined sugar a few times while you're pregnant! What a plus to know you're not the only one who feels fat and unattractive because you're bloated, etc!

A couple of things I disagree with other reviewers about:

1) Some reviewers felt that Vicki hated being pregnant. I didn't get that feeling at all. I just felt she was being realistic that pregnancy is sometimes very hard on your body. It probably won't be the nine months of your life when you feel the healthiest and most relaxed.

2) She never said not to exercise! Folks, if you actually read the whole book (unlike some people who read one or two paragraphs), you'll realize that she does recommend walking and things like water aerobics. What she doesn't recommend (and which she felt may have endangered two of her own pregnancies) is strenuous weight lifting. Based on what I've read, many ob's agree with that.

I feel that alot of the reviewers may be basing negative comments on a couple of paragraphs read in a bookstore (some even say as much), which isn't quite fair.

Overall, I thought it was a great book, and while I may not agree with her on every little point, Vicki has certainly provided me with alot of laughs and alot of starting points for discussions with my obstetrician, my husband, etc.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Read it for the humor and little else!, February 12, 2003

By	Nikol Le Vine "poet17" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is not for women who want reliable information about pregnancy and birth choices. The author has poor and dangerous advice. Some of her claims are absolutely ludicrous. She actually says that C-sections are great, and that pregnancy is a time when you have an excuse not to exercise. She focuses a great deal on your pregnancy appearance. She's almost obsessive about how gaining weight and getting fat make you ugly. She even goes so far as to say she sympathizes with her husband for not finding her attractive when she's pregnant. (And this from a woman who was a pre-preganncy size 4, and the biggest she got was size 10!) This information is completely detrimental. Don't believe it. She's also completely dismissive of women who seek more natural childbirth, claiming they're "frontier women with something to prove." Again, her claims are ridiculous, close-minded, and ignorant.

The book isn't a total waste. You just have to know that you're buying a book for HUMOR and not for information. Her discussion about the wild mood swings of pregnancy will have you laughing out loud. However, I have to say that for the laughs this book may give you, I doubt it's worth the money. Borrow a copy from a "girlfriend" instead. And while you're at it, read The Birth Book by Dr. Sears.

40 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars WARNING!!!, November 17, 2002

By A Customer

If you are overweight, or even sensitive about your weight, don't read this book! Iovine can't resist saying "fat" without adding "and ugly" and she states in the beginning that overweight couch potatoes are not welcome in her circle of "girlfriends." Towards the end of the book, she discusses the pregnant waddle, and reasons that all fat people waddle a bit anyway. She sympathizes with her husband for not being attracted to her. After all, you wouldn't want to sleep with someone as fat as you, right? And she confides that her maternity wardrobe ran all the way up to a (gasp) size ten! The horror!
Although this book was very entertaining and had some good information, I got tired of being slapped every couple of pages. The author simply can't resist seperating her temporarily round self from those of us who struggle with our weight all the time. Does she not realize that the average American woman is a size 14? I really felt like I was reading this book as an outsider, so I waited until a skinny friend got pregnant and gave it to her.
And by the way, Ms. Iovine, I am a size 16 and my husband can't keep his hands off me. It would take a lot more than pregnancy and dark roots to push him away. If your husband is that picky about your looks, I feel sorry for you.