For the past decade, Parenting magazine has gained the loyal readership of smart, involved parents by getting to the heart of what moms and dads need to know about raising a child. Now Parenting, with an advisory board of leading experts, have created a comprehensive sourcebook to give parents-to-be--and their newborns--the best start possible. The Parenting Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth takes you from conception through the first weeks of a baby's life. Here is up-to-the minute information on:
What's Going on in Your Body: Common changes
• Tips for a good night's sleep • When to call the doctor • Pregnancy and sex
What's Going on in Your Head: Mood swings
• Miscarriage fears • Ways to feel your best
How Baby Grows: Trimester-by-trimester look at fetal development
• First flutters and kicks • Prematurity
Checkups and Tests: Choosing a caregiver
• All about prenatal tests • Genetic counseling • Eating and fitness: sensible weight gain • Sneaking in nutrients • Foods to avoid • Exercise basics • Getting your body back after pregnancy
Special Situations: Multiple births
• Placenta problems • Gestational diabetes • Older mom • Bed rest • The breech baby
The Big Day: Why every labor is different
• Pain management • Stage of labor • Epidural pros and cons • Cesarean birth
Paula Spencer is a freelance journalist and editor whose published works include The V BookandMomfidence!: An Oreo Never Killed Anybody and Other Secrets of Happier Parenting. She wrote the “Momfidence!” column in Woman’s Day from 2001 to 2010 and was a contributing editor to Parenting and Baby Talk. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.