Mayo Clinic Complete Book of Pregnancy & Baby's First Year (Hardcover)

by Mayo Clinic (Author) "This chapter begins at the very beginning, even before pregnancy starts..." (more)
Key Phrases: amount your baby, obstetrical caregiver, labor companion, United States, Weeks Since Conception Gestational Age, Food Guide Pyramid (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The 9 months preceding and the 12 months following child birth are exciting, trying, confusing times; they are the months of many questions. You wonder about your itchy palms, morning sickness, fetus development, home midwife or hospital doctor choices, what to eat, amniocentesis, miscarriages, labor painkillers, maintaining your physical and emotional health after childbirth, and, not least, how to care for your growing, developing baby. A live-in pediatrician would be nice; a 750-page comprehensive reference guide is the next best solution. It won't eliminate anxiety, but it's a reassuring presence, and a soothing source of answers and explanations.

From Publishers Weekly
Summoning information from the Mayo Clinic's expert staffs in obstetrics, pediatrics, family medicine and parent education, this detailed companion for prospective parents and the parents of very young children offers more than ample guidance on what seems an almost infinite range of subjects and important decisions facing parents. Though focusing for the most part on basic prenatal, birthing and developmental counseling, the book goes well beyond the minimum standard expected. For example, in the chapter "Pregnancy and Ongoing Medical Conditions," the contributors discuss the effects of AIDS and herpes on pregnancy; an entire chapter is devoted to the medical, psychological and bureaucratic aspects of adoption; another counsels mothers on when and how to return to their jobs after childbirth. The tone throughout is refreshingly sober and unhyped, an antidote to the pushy cosiness of some child care tomes; readers with time to spare and a need to learn will relish this. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 768 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (December 8, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688117619
• ISBN-13: 978-0688117610
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,586 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent pregnancy reference book that's not too cutesy., October 8, 1999

By A Customer

I'm a 32-year-old woman planning to get pregnant. When I looked at other pregnancy books, I found them too cutesy for my taste. I'd rather have a book that provides solid and comprehensive information in a straight-forward and unsentimental manner. This book was the closest I could find in matching that criteria, and of course, the Mayo is well-respected as a healthcare institution. Perhaps because this book is not so cutesy is why it can appeal to fathers.

I found the book to be a bargain since it also offers information on the baby's first year. Very well-priced for a large hard-cover reference book.

As a person of color, I appreciated that the photos and drawings of parents and babies were diverse in ethnic/racial representation (seemed to be proportionate to the population).

64 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS ONE BOOK COVERS EVERYTHING! IT'S ALL YOU NEED!, January 17, 2001

By	Soaring Heart - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I am a mother of a two-year old. While I was pregnant with her I had countless questions and so I searched for the ultimate preganancy book; this is it. This book continued to help me after delivery and through her first year. I still use it now occasionally! I am never parting with this book! Who knows? I may just need it a second time!

Below are all the chapters which are catagorized into four parts: Pregnancy, Childbirth, Living With and Understanding Your Baby, and From Partners to Parents: A Family Is Born. I found 95% of the book very helpful. One asterisk (*) means I found it somewhat helpful, two (**) means I found the chapter very helpful and three (***) means I found the chapter extremely helpful. This book is simply a must-own for pregnant women especially but even if you have already given birth, Parts Two through Four will be invaluable to you. Make sure you have a highlighter while reading for future reference. This book is extremely well organized and enjoyable to read, plus the Glossary and Index are fantastic!

PART ONE--PREGNANCY: 1) *You're Planning to Start a Family 2) ***Your Body During Pregnancy 3) ***How Your Baby Develops: The Inside Story 4) * Selecting an Obstetrical Caregiver 5) *Prenatal Care: Your First Visit 6) ***Prenatal Tests: Why They Are Used and How They Are Done 7) ***Nutrition During Pregnancy 8) ***Lifestyle During Pregancy 9) **Pregnancy and Work 10) ***The First Trimester: First 12 Weeks 11) ***The Second Trimester: 13 to 27 Weeks 12) ***The Third Trimester: 28-40 Weeks and Beyond 13) Expecting Twins, Triplets or More 14) ***Pregnancy and Ongoing Medical Conditions 15) Stopping or Delaying Preterm Birth. ***ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.

PART TWO--CHILDBIRTH: 16) ***Preparing for Childbirth 17) ***Labor 18) ***Birth 19) * Complications of Childbirth 20) Cesarean Birth 21) *Your Baby's First Hours 22) If Your Baby Arrives Early 23) When a Baby Arrives With Problems 24) Adoption: One Way to Build a Family 25) ***Your Physical and Emotional Health: The First Year After Childbirth

PART THREE--LIVING WITH AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR BABY: 26) ***Your Newborn Baby 27) ***The Basics of Baby Care 28) ***Feeding Your Baby: Getting Started 29) ***Your Baby's First Two Weeks 30) ***Baby From Two Weeks to Two Months 31) ***Baby from Two Months to Four Months 32) ***Baby From Four to Six Months 33) ***Baby From Six to Nine Months 34) ***Baby From Nine to Twelve Months 35) Returning to Work 36) ***Common Illnesses, Medical Problems and Emergencies.

PART FOUR--FROM PARTNERS TO PARENTS: A BABY IS BORN: 37) ***Motherhood 38) **Becoming a Father 39) ***Couples and New Parenthood 40) Grandparenting 41) Sisters and Brothers (not ready for those last two there! Ha!) EPILOGUE, ***GLOSSARY, APPENDIX, and ***INDEX.

So reading all this you can understand my title! Buy this book now! Especially if you are in early pregancy!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heavy Reading, January 11, 2002

By	FLmom9000 (FL USA) - See all my reviews

This is my favorite of all the popular pregnancy books because it is scientifically based. It is written by a panel of doctors, and that means a lot.
When you start cramping, aching or bleeding, you won't care about the sense of humor of some woman obsessed with her manicure and her hair color. You'll want the best medical information.
Highlights of this book:
- A table of dates shows you when you're due and when you'll reach the first, second and third-trimester milestones.
- Illustrations and photos show you what baby looks like at various points.
- A chapter on breastfeeding offers great tips and advice. Did you know, for example, that your breasts will be ready to make milk by the fifth or sixth month?
- Guidelines for when to call the doctor and when not to worry.
- Useful tips on coping with morning sickness, exercising, nutrition, etc.
My only advice to the publishers: Please make this in a soft-cover edition with lighter-weight paper. In hard cover, it easily weighs 5 pounds, and cannot realistically be read while you lie back and put your feet up. It won't even rest on your belly while you sit up. You'll need to sit at a desk to go through it, which is inconvenient.
A minor complaint.