The Mother of all Pregnancy Books (Mother of All, 8) Paperback – January 1, 2002

This book reads like a magazine which means that it is able to capture and sustain the reader's interest through the entire book. Given the easy format -- lots of charts, large text, good white space, anecdotal exerpts -- you can learn a lot in a very short period of time. The 488 pages of actual body text (excluding appendices) can be consumed in just a couple days. Its' success at getting readers from beginning to end may very well mean that expecting moms will read about issues early and thus provide them with the ability to approach issues unemotionally and pragmatically.The book has a good organizational flow. I also enjoyed the first few chapters on pre-pregnancy topics. It helps to dispell the myth that having a child is predominantly an accidental act. Conceiving a child arises from decisions and this book allows this important decision to be grounded in a broad base of knowledge. If people plan their gardens, their careers, or the watching of sunrise while on vacation, why would these same people approach the life-changing event of pregnancy in a haphazard way? Of course, taking a haphazard approach is a choice in itself and if that's the course taken, then this book isn't very good as a general reference since there is no Table of Charts (and you won't find Tylenol in the index even though it's in a chart).I only wish that the editors would remove the slang (e.g. "guff"); the cliches that made me physically flinch; the inferiority complex displayed in vague references to some other bestselling pregnancy book (I think the average person buys more than one book on any given topic); and other minor typographical mistakes. I also wonder why they can't get impartial reviewers to provide acclaim for the book. A good number of the quoted authors had their books recommended within later chapters!On technical merits alone, I'd give this book 3 stars but given its good "bedside manner", I'm sure that women past the planning stage could easily see it as a 4 out of 5.This is probably not the ONLY book that one should read on the topic of pregnancies. It certainly doesn't have the largest word count, it doesn't have the wondrous educational illustrations of other books, and some of the theories presented are just theories -- you may want to compare and contrast discussions on specific topics between different books.

I have picked up and read several books trying to get specific information about the fertilization process. Alot of books just have the same generalized, generic information that you would get in an average text book, but didn't clearly clarify whether it was best time to try before you ovulate or right after. This is the only book I found so far that really gave me down to earth and very practical information about the most effective timing for getting pregnant and why. I loved that it was both readable and scientifically detailed in its delivery of information. I wish I'd read this two months ago. Alot of pregnancy books including What To Expect When you Are Expecting and The Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy didn't even touch on the specifics of trying to get pregnant. In fact the first chapter of the Mayo book just spends a lot of time scaring women over 35, like me, of how risky and statistically challenged our pregancies might be. These two books might be fine once you get pregnant, but they weren't helpful for getting pregnant.This book in my opinion bridges the gap between a general info baby book and an infertility book. In fact the book points out that a lot of couples who think they are infertile just don't know when to start trying and how to properly calculate their fertility window. My friend and I are trying to get pregnant and the same time, and when I read her the section on getting pregnant, she was like....this is fascinating. This book is great for people who want specific scientific information in a down to earth delivery.

Like so many of the other reviewers, I was a little perplexed by the disjointed organization of "What to Expect...". I was also a bit put off by the occasionally preachy tone."Mother of All Pregnancy Books", however, is an honest, candid, approachable overview of all stages of conception. One of its greatest strengths is the early chapters entirely dedicated to conception and preparing oneself physically, emotionally, and financially for the upcoming changes. Ann Douglas is realistic about the fact that not every couple conceives as quickly as they would like to, and she is both helpful and reassuring, which helps greatly in feeling that there are steps that one can do to reach this goal in the meantime.Ms. Douglas includes very helpful charts from recommended supplements, to pregnancy symptoms (as well as their causes), to common discomforts and ways to alleviate them. She also addresses health issues for men as well as steps they can take to ensure their own health during the conception process (e.g. nutrition and supplements). And unlike most other books I've browsed, she includes very sensitively written chapters on miscarriage and difficulties in pregnancy.Since even before becoming pregnant, and continually throughout my pregnancy, this has been the book I reach for most frequently to answer my questions. The book has already paid for itself with the list of common early pregnancy symptoms and the reassurance that menstrual-like cramps are very common and very normal. Because of her "wiser woman with a cup of coffee" approach and thorough coverage of topics that concern women, I've been able to sleep soundly so far.