Marcie Jones Brennan - Pregnancy & Childbirth

GREAT
EXPECTATIONS

Pregnancy
& Childbirth

Marcie Jones & Sandy Jones

with Peter S. Bernstein, MD, MPH, FACOG and
Claire McCamman Westdahl, CNM, MPH, IBCLC, FACNM

An Imprint of Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016

STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

2004, 2012 by Marcie Jones and Sandy Jones
Illustrations by Stephen Tulk and Nicole Kaufman
Illustrations by Laura Hartman Maestro, p.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-4027-9092-8

For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com.

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This book and the information contained in this book are for general educational and informational uses only. Nothing contained in this book should be construed as or intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. Users are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other sources and review the information carefully with their physicians or qualified healthcare providers. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians or health-care providers. Should you have any health-care-related questions related to yourself or your child, please call or see your physician or other qualified health-care provider. The author and publisher will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages arising therefrom.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Peter Bernstein, MD, MPH, FACOG and Claire McCamman Westdahl, CNM, MPH, IBCLC, FACNM, Katherine Gallo, and Miriam Schecter, MD, who ensured the book was accurate and provided valuable insights. And to the hundreds of pregnant women and new moms who took the time to share their hopes, their dreams, and their day-to-day realities with us.

Contents

Its been almost a decade since the first Great Expectations: Pregnancy & Childbirth came out, and a lotand yet littlehas changed. Screening and diagnostic test technology have leapt forward, with crisper images and more precise results, but pregnant women still worry. Parenting roles have shifted slowly but surely1 in 5 babies with a stay-at-home parent are now home with dad. Fewer parents are opting to be married, too, with nearly 40 percent of babies born to single moms.

On the health front, understanding of the roles of certain vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and fatty acids has grown, and so has the average moms weight at conception, along with increases in related health conditions. In happier news, we grow ever closer to unraveling some health mysteries, like the genetic origins of traits and abnormalities, the causes of SIDS, and the impact of prenatal exposures on a childs life. For better or worse, it becomes increasingly more apparent that what a mom-to-be eats, the chemicals shes exposed to, and even her moods during pregnancy can have a lifelong effect on a babys health and temperament.

In between editions, weve also had the opportunity to add research on the physiology of baby sleep, the economics of child care, and, because readers requested it, expand on detailed weekly fetal-development information, so you can come as close as possible to knowing what your little peanut is doing every second. And we worked hard to arrange everything in a comprehensive way to make the information easy to access. We hope you enjoy this new edition.

CONGRATULATIONS-YOURE PREGNANT!

Three little words, or a line on a little wand, and youll find yourself in a strange new world. Theres no way to be prepared for carrying another person inside of your body, someone you are responsible for, body and soul, as long as you both shall liveeven if this isnt your first pregnancy. While the changes in your body may be easy to see and feel, the changes that happen to you as a person, in your heart, mind, and hormones are just as momentous.

We wrote this book as a travel guide to this journey. A lot of pregnancy books seem to be written by people who have never been pregnant before, or who have forgotten what its really like.

The books we studied seemed to go no deeper than the message dont worry, youre normal. While you probably shouldnt worry, and chances are you are normal, we wanted to give you more than simple reassurances. We assumed that, like us, you want to know why and how things happen.

Equally as important, we wanted you to have a book that would give you information without being judgmental about it. We know all too well theres nothing more annoying than the chorus of people telling pregnant women what they should do. The truth about being pregnant (or being a parent) is that no matter what choice you make, there will always be someone who thinks your choice is wrong.

You cant please everyone, try as you might to be the perfect pregnant woman with the right kind of delivery. But if youve done your research, you can separate real risks from imagined ones and make choices based on evidence, not opinion.

Finally, we have tried to create a book that would present pregnancy as realistically as possible. Theres a lot more to pregnancy than just glowing! Sure, its a miracle and everything, and youre probably excited about having a baby, but sometimes, frankly, pregnancy can be uncomfortable, undignified, and yucky. It can feel like a boot camp of learning how to surrender to discomfort and unpredictability, and finding balance between self-caring and self-sacrifice. No matter what other books tell you, its okay to not enjoy the experience all of the time.

Even when pregnancy isnt fun, or even when things dont go as planned, it is always meaningful. You will never be the same after this. It may feel like an endless sacrifice, but in the final analysis, what you will have lost in muscle tone, youll gain tenfold in heart, courage, and humanity. You can do it, you will do it, and were rooting for you, no matter how you do it!

INSIDE OUR BOOK

Our first chapter, , is an easy-to-navigate map that says you are here and carries you from the first day you discover youre pregnant through your final weeks until labor. It shows you how you and your baby change and grow and directs you to all the information youll need when youre most likely to need it.

The second chapter, formerly Managing Your Pregnancy, lists alphabetically womens most common concerns, from Age over 35 to Yoga, and offers practical, evidence-based solutions for practical problems during pregnancy.

, Managing Your Nutrition, helps you untangle the many vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, and dietary recommendations for pregnant women, and offers information on weight gain and food safety.

The fourth chapter, , kicks off with frequently asked questions about going into labor. what are the odds of your water breaking spontaneously? How do you know when youre really in labor?

Youll learn all about the process of labor, what your pain relief options are, and the latest research on the most commonly used medical interventions. We offer you both the benefits and the risks of routine procedures such as epidurals, induction, labor augmentation, and cesarean sections, and tell you how they feel.

, You and Your Baby, will help you in recovering physically and emotionally from pregnancy and childbirth. It also offers hundreds of practical suggestions for taking care of your newborn during the first 6 months.