Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth (Hardcover)

~ Jenny McCarthy (Author) "Though as a warning we were always told that getting pregnant was an easy thing to do, most of you know that trying to get..." (more)
Key Phrases: naked truth about pregnancy, pregnant lady, Psycho Chick, The Naked Truth

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

McCarthy, 1994 Playmate of the Year, actress (Scream 3; Baywatch; etc.) and former host of MTV's Singled Out, gave birth to her first child in 2002. Her pregnancy wasn't pretty—and she wants to tell readers all about it. At the outset, she tells them, "If you bought this book, you are already aware of my frankness when it comes to certain things—anatomy and bodily functions among them. If someone gave this book to you as a gift and you've never heard of me, apologies to you!" She goes on to recount the nitty-gritty of pregnancy in all its gory detail, covering morning sickness, hormonal rage, cravings, hemorrhoids, "engorged" breasts, gas, hot flashes, fainting spells, weight gain, acne, water retention and, finally, labor. McCarthy is undeniably crass but funny, and her candor and self-deprecation are refreshing. Each brief, chatty chapter focuses on a different—and awful—facet of pregnancy, with McCarthy relating personal anecdotes and usually winding down by reassuring women they're not alone. McCarthy's tales are, for the most part, a hoot, though they may offend more uptight readers. For example, in the beginning of McCarthy's pregnancy, she was constipated, so she visited a specialist. In the waiting room, the assistant called her name, and "everyone... looked up in surprise, and I knew what they were thinking: 'Jenny McCarthy has butt hole problems?' I was so embarrassed, until I realized that they had no right to be smirking: Those assholes were also there because of their own assholes. I felt better already."
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From Booklist

McCarthy applies her in-your-face manner and blue humor to the subject of pregnancy and childbirth in this little piece of fun. The former Playboy centerfold and all-around bad girl recounts her journey to motherhood with utter abandon, discussing topics that those other wholesome books tend to treat too gently, such as enemas, pubic hair growth, and sex in the ninth month. What's noble about this book (yes, noble) is that women who find these topics too embarrassing to bring up now have a place to read about them in a frank and open discussion.^B After all, they're as real as morning sickness, and McCarthy treats them with a candor that borders on crude but that is refreshing, and, ultimately, necessary. Not to mention funny. Like a gossipy girlfriend, McCarthy brings you in and makes you laugh; there's a certain comfort in knowing that even a sex symbol gets stretch marks and balloons to 200 pounds during pregnancy. A must-have for any childbirth collection. An aggressive marketing campaign suggests libraries ought to stock up. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 165 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (April 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073820949X
• ISBN-13: 978-0738209494
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (472 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,413 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny!!!, June 30, 2009

By	Heidi Dexter (Sunny Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth (Paperback)

There are a lot of pregnancy books out there that just, in my option, want to just give you the facts, overlooking the fact that pregnant women need to laugh a little, too. Well, thankfully, there is Belly Laughs and while it is filled with the trials and tribulations of pregnancy, Ms. Mccarthy never fails to poke a little fun at it, too, and at herself. It's just a great read all pregnant women should read. I also liked and would suggest Really Pregnant! Confessions of a New Mom-To-Be or Why I Couldn't Stop Eating Brownies.

101 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is hilarious!!!!, April 6, 2005

By	S. M. Anderson "sma331" (Lithia Springs, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm not expecting, but one of my best friends is expecting her first child. My coworker brought this book into work, and she said we had to read this book. I had tears running down my face. This book is a quick read and you can finish it easy in 1 - 2 days. This book takes a light hearted look at pregnancy. Pregnancy is a beautiful experience, but it was fun to read her frank and funny views on gas, the belly expanding, and the all so quiet topic of pooping on the delivery table. There were so many moments when I laughed out loud and had to look around to make sure no one was looking at me all strange.

Some of her other funny stories includes; craving mustard, when she hated mustard. Jenny liking mumus because nothing else fit. Jenny having strange dreams while pregnant. Dealing with hemorrhoids, weighing her breast. Her trying to keep her boobs from hanging off the sides of the mattress due to their size. Surrender to the maternity bra. A pregnant woman's fart can truly bring a man to his knees. I had to find tissue after reading that line. I had so many laughing tears running down my face. The different changes the body go through. Crying for no reason due to hormonal changes, and pregnancy stupids. Skin changes, pregnant head, bad headaches and wanting to saw the head off. Premature labor. Hating skinny women. How she panicked when the epidural wore off and her concerns was still "Am I pooping on the table." Don't make a pregnant woman want to pee.

This book is not meant to be a pregnancy guide, it's meant to take a light hearted comical look at going through the pregnancy experience. I mean the book is after all called Belly Laughs. If you are expecting this book to have some new insight on pregnancy then you will be mistaken. If you have a great sense of humor you will find yourself enjoying this book a lot.

This book will make you laugh and laugh some more. I bought a copy for my best friend, and she loved it. This book is hilarious!!!!!!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tons of Fun, October 5, 2006

By	miscellany78 (Lincoln, NE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. Jenny McCarthy is very up-front and detailed about her pregnancy experience. Which is a good thing - she has an excellent, irreverent sense of humor. Reading this book feels like a conversation with a close friend. McCarthy has been through all the good and bad sides of pregnancy. When you read this book, you know that she understands what it's all like, and that makes you feel a little less scared about the whole thing.

My only real complaints are the length and the editing. This book is way too short, and it also reads like it was written in a rush. The tone is more like an email (lots of capital letters, poor grammar, clumsy sentences) than a professionally published book. Still, at least it is genuine. There is no doubt that this is what Jenny McCarthy really felt during her pregnancy.

Also, you may think that a blonde TV star and former Playboy Playmate cannot possibly understand how fat you feel during pregnancy. But in Jenny McCarthy's case, you'd be wrong. She started out skinny, sure, but she gained sixty pounds. So she does really know what it's like to be horrified by the number on the scale. That helps.