mommymedia

If You Give A Mom A Martini…

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:47:00 GMT

Silence is golden, but for moms on-the-go, 10 glorious minutes to yourself might be the next best thing. If you’re wondering what to do during your next breather, Julie Klappas and Lyss Stern co-authored a charming book entitled If You Give A Mom A Martini: 100 ways to find 10 blissful minutes for yourself. Activities range from sweet to satirical, and your much needed mommy time-outs include anything from attempting a handstand to a good old “Stitch ‘n ***” (catching up with old knitting pals, of course).

This clever book is also sprinkled with tips from celebrity moms like talk show host Kelly Ripa and Melissa Joan Hart, fashion designers such as Catherine Malandrino and other mommy authors like Sophie Uliano.

Our favorite 10 minute time-out: Park It

“Arrive early to pick up your child at school, and watch the other mothers passive-aggressively vie for the good spots in the car-pool lane. It’s a relatively new sport – as competitive as NASCAR – and just as entertaining.”

This sassy book makes a great gift for the upcoming holiday season or new moms-to-be who will appreciate this comedic take on being a mom.

Purchase your copy here.

Your Developing Baby: Conception to Birth

Satya — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT

By Peter M. Doubilet, MD, PhD, Carol B. Benson, MD and Roanne Weisman

Your Developing Baby is filled with pictures of 3D, 2D, color Doppler, and spectral Doppler ultrasound images. Authors Doubilet and Benson are both parents as well as professors of radiology at Harvard Medical School and their book is written with a sweet and personal tone. The information is reminiscent of a beginner’s guide to reading ultrasounds and once you read through the book, you will be able to look at ultrasound pictures and point to the kidneys, heart chambers, umbilical cord, and many more parts of a developing baby.

The book features images from every stage of pregnancy. You’ll be fascinated to learn the exact week the brain begins developing and to see photos of babies showing emotions in the womb. The book also covers twin and other multiple pregnancies and gives the reader a good lesson on how to identify them on an ultrasound. Lastly, the book covers pregnancies that were saved through ultrasound technology, such as one baby who was found to be anemic through ultrasound and given blood transfusions while still in the womb. Unfortunately, information about the risks associated with many procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling are completely absent.

Every expectant parent who reads this will feel confident looking at ultrasound pictures and have a general idea of what is what. Even before an ultrasound, the book provides a mental image of how your unborn child is growing, providing a great bonding experience in the earliest weeks. Pick up a copy here.

Frommer’s 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up by Holly Hughes

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:13:00 GMT

This book may be more appropriately titled Frommer’s 500 Places You Won’t Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up. Unless you’ve won the lottery or you’re filthy rich, you won’t be going to 500 places before your children grow up. In fact, you might not even go to 10 of these places—the selected vacation spots will cost you a hefty fee. A walk in Versailles, scuba diving in a tropical oasis or flying to Hiroshima are places we all aspire to go to and require many of us to save for months. For a family of four, these places will undoubtedly cost the average household more than just an arm and leg; these vacations might break the bank.

However, readers enjoy the book’s selection of places, arguing that instead of listing theme parks like Disney World, the book offers vacation ideas that help children gain an understanding of the world. This book will also give you an introduction to interesting places you may have never heard of. Overall, you can scour the internet for free.

Pick up a copy here.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Getting Pregnant

Satya — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:59:00 GMT

For couples struggling to conceive this book might be all that you need to read. Raymond Chang combines eastern and western medicine to provide a variety ways to treat infertility. The writing is not too complicated, as many fertility books tend to be, and it is pleasurable to read.

He begins by teaching the reader how to chart their cycles and explains in detail how conception occurs. The book continues with a run down of physical, mental and physiological causes of male and female infertility complete with natural and synthetic options for treatment. The author advises when surgery is needed, and discusses a hormone-balancing diet, herbs, vitamins, exercise and emotional balance. He suggests physical exercises such as yoga and great meditations to help relieve stress in the mind and body. The most striking thing about this book is how much it is centered on the idea that our modern lifestyle is a cause of infertility. The doctor explains how running every day, listening to the news every day, or high stress environments send signals to the body that the environment is not hospitable to a baby. He also shares his idea that living in a densely populated area sends similar signals to the body.

The book will give you an entirely new, holistic view, on fertility and your body. It is a refreshing text, complete with a sympathetic voice rather than the cold, calculated tone that is common to many fertility books. For women or men struggling with infertility, this is a must read! Pick up a copy here.

Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:05:00 GMT

“People often compliment me on my accomplishments—my master’s degree in communications, my successful relations career, the children’s book I wrote—but I can’t allow myself the credit I probably deserve…” (Evelyn, 35)

Years of study and clinical work showed Karyl McBride a symptom that many women share—narcissistic personality disorder. McBride’s study concludes that this personality disorder often spawns from the mother-daughter relationship where the, “mother never approves of her daughter for simply being herself.” Without a mother’s approval, McBride claims, the daughter is unable to develop into a confident woman.

McBride also focuses on mothers and daughters because of their unique relationship: a mother is her daughter’s role model when developing as an individual, lover, wife, and mother. Most importantly, this book helps daughters on their road to recovery without blaming narcissistic mothers along the way.

Chapters range from “How Narcissistic Mothering Affects Your Entire Life” to “Filling the Empty Mirror: Ending the Narcissistic Legacy.” The book approaches the subject with a very nurturing and polite tone, making it easy to accept McBride’s advice. This book might be a very validating experience for a woman who suffers from a narcissistic mother.

Order a copy here.

From Boys to Men: A Woman’s Guide to the Health of Husbands, Partners, Sons, Fathers, and Brothers

Satya — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:29:00 GMT

Emily Senay contributes her medical expertise and journalistic voice to provide information for which most women have long been clamoring. Certainly, we’ve all felt that frustration or confusion when our father, son, or significant other encounters a health problem and ignores it. It is the male epidemic of proving their manliness that has created an average shorter lifespan for males. Interestingly, men who are married live longer and stay healthier. When a man has a dedicated woman in his life, she unknowingly or unwittingly takes on the role as Dr. Mom. It’s this phenomenon that is at the center of Dr. Senay’s book.

As a daughter, wife and mother to a son, she gives the reader a very personal breakdown of each medical issue that the men in your life could face. The areas that were the most informative were the ones on cancer, depression, anger, circumcision, infections of the penis, obesity, sports and heart disease. The first chunk of the book makes the point that men rely on the women in their life to take care of their health. Statistics pointing to the responsible nature of women’s habits will have the female reader feeling pretty smug.

The section dedicated to young sons isn’t very comprehensive, but becomes more involved when discussing the teenage years. It’s really the information geared towards dealing with adult males that is the most exhaustive and valuable. Any woman will be able to get a better grasp on typical male issues and how to approach the possibly fragile male ego that avoids attention and treatment. This book is a great reference book to have in the house; although it is just slightly outdated because gender research moves so quickly.

For a mainstream guide to dealing with various male issues, this book is probably all you would need to get started. Reading it cover to cover is only for the truly ambitious, but it is valuable for a woman looking for a well-rounded understanding of men’s health. Pick up a copy here.

Screamfree Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:40:00 GMT

Learn how to communicate effectively with your children without raising your voice. Author Hal Edward Runkel asks his readers to take away one idea from his book if nothing else:

“Our biggest struggle as parents is with our own emotional reactivity…Instead of anxiously trying to control our kids, let’s concentrate on what we can control—calming our own emotional, knee-jerk reactions.”

Runkel, a licensed marriage and family therapist, explains to his readers that parents cannot be in charge if they are not in control of their anxieties and insecurities. The more parents try to control their kids, he says, the more out of control parents become. So instead of reading about the latest parenting trends and techniques, this book will teach you how to “keep your cool” and stay calm.

Readers rant and rave about the techniques outlined in Runkel’s book. Some say they worked even on their teenagers, while others profess, “How you act, react, or fail to react affects your children, their behavior and your relationship.” However, whether or not Runkel’s revolution will work on every child will be for the reader to decide.

Have you read this book? Tell us your thoughts by posting a comment!

Pick up a copy here.

Painless Childbirth

Satya — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:56:00 GMT

Painless Childbirth sounds very alluring but it might not be what you think. The books’ author, Giuditta Tornetta mostly encourages the reader to sort through their issues and find a spiritual center. While Tornetta emphasizes that no belief in God is needed for her techniques, her strong sense of God fills the pages. Tornetta is a doula and clinical hypnotherapist and her book is a strong reflection of herself. At times, her writing will make you feel like you’re being hypnotized or meditating. She tells stories of spiritual births, of pregnant women working out issues under hypnosis, and shares her own pregnancy and painless birthing experiences.

At no time, however, will you get a step-by-step guide to a painless childbirth. You will find a couple techniques for hypnotism, ideas for dealing with subconscious issues, and some techniques for enduring childbirth, but she focuses primarily on advocating that a painless childbirth has more to do with mindset and involves a strong sense of spirituality. For example, she refers to contractions as “hugging” the child out.

The book contains very little information about fetal development and almost no information about problems you might encounter. Each chapter is devoted to a month of pregnancy, but the writings in each chapter are not necessarily based on that specific month; in other words, the information can seem scattered. Tornetta begins each chapter with a description of the ruling chakra for that month and closes the chapters with a prayer. If you’re looking for a practical, medical book to accompany you throughout your pregnancy then this is not it. However, if you are looking to deepen the spiritual experience of having a child or sorting through personal issues while pregnant, you would get a lot out of this book. Pick up a copy here.

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:52:00 GMT

Combining their medical expertise with the input of their two sons, William and Martha Sears co-authored a comprehensive resource guide for raising your newborn through the terrible two’s. Amazon readers swear by the parenting techniques and advice, and after a whopping 878 customer reviews, this book ranks a commendable 4 out of 5 stars.

More specifically, this book focuses on the essential needs of babies and “The Seven Baby B’s of Attachment Parenting.” Is your baby constantly crying at night? This book reassures your natural instinct to respond to your baby’s cries. “A baby whose cries are not answered does not become a ‘good baby’ (though he may become quiet); he does become a discouraged baby,” explain William and Martha Sears.

Other topics range from the art of carrying your baby to feeding your toddler, and this contemporary guide will help you find a happy medium between your own parenting style and professional advice.

Pick up a copy here.

Inconsolable - How I Threw My Mental Health Out with the Diapers

Satya — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:04:00 GMT

Marrit Ingman writes with candor about her experience with postpartum depression. She curses and shares disturbing fantasies about suicide. Her heart is as open as can be in this book, making it both shocking and sweet. She does not offer a plan to recover from PPD, and she doesn’t give you methods to regain your mental health. What she does is share the darkest parts of motherhood with the world, so that mothers like her can feel at peace knowing they are not alone.

As you are led through Ingman’s frustrations with attempting to pinpoint allergies and treat eczema, you become intimate with a life that many moms might never know. She gives no answers, only pain and frustration with a quick wit and a dirty mouth. Towards the end, however, it is a different story. This book will give you strength, help you to shake the feeling that you are being judged for this or that (as most mothers feel) and it will help you to stop judging other moms. You’ll feel comradery with each and every mother out there, no matter what their style or situation. This book is for the desperate, the lonely and the frustrated. It fills a void in parenting books that direly needed to be filled. There are no pink flowers and rainbows here, just the cold truth about the difficulties raising a child. Pick up a copy here.

Baby and Toddler Yoga DVD

Madelyn8278 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:51:00 GMT

Baby yoga is such a great idea but it’s not just for improving your baby’s flexibility. The exercises and gentle movements included in this DVD can help with digestion, promote sleep and encourage muscle development (theoretically helping your baby gain the strength to lift his or her head and sit up earlier). In addition, you and your baby will learn to communicate subtly with each other through practice. However, the beginning of this DVD seems to offer the mother very little in the way of exercise, which seemed odd. In addition, there were no accommodations for women who have had c-sections. Only a few of the movements for the infants seemed beneficial and enjoyable for the baby, but the few that were made the baby’s eyes light up with delight and their bodies seemed relieved afterwards. It was interesting to see how certain exercises visibly energized each part of the baby’s body.

The first part of this DVD had an ad-lib nature of teaching, making it seem unorganized and hard to follow. The toddler yoga on this DVD, however, is a completely different story. Some of the teachers were absolutely wonderful, the toddlers were so happy to take part in yoga and the parents got good exercise too. Even if you don’t like yoga, this section of the DVD will provide you with creative ways to interact with your toddler and the children’s antics while they do yoga will bring a smile to your face. That yoga “high” that you feel through practice is obviously a benefit children can feel too.

While this DVD is satisfactory and easily accessible even if you haven’t done yoga before, there are undoubtedly better ones on the market.

Pick up a copy here.

How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby

Satya — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:16:00 GMT

The most recent version of How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby was released in 2006. Since that time, sex selection has come much further than they predicted in the final section of the book. Now couples can pay to choose the sex of their child with 100 percent accuracy.

For couples who won’t pay money for sex selection and would like to take a more natural approach, co-authors Dr. Landrum Shettles and David M. Rorvik offer a cheap alternative. Granted, many doctors will refute the accuracy of “The Shettles Method” but the authors themselves only purport a 75 percent success rate for girls and an 80 percent success rate for boys. If you don’t believe it’s possible, the science may convince you. Coming from a doctor who has been preaching this practice for decades, Shettles not only has experience and expertise but he has confirmation from millions of couples that his methods have worked for them.

Each copy of the book contains a questionnaire that the authors ask couples to send in. The method requires a commitment to meticulously monitor the woman’s ovulation each month. For those who are seriously committed to conceiving a particular gender, they should definitely give this method a try. It is noninvasive and only requires timed intercourse and awareness of a few factors. For example: letting the woman orgasm first creates a more alkaline environment which increases your chance of conceiving a boy. As for the book itself, the first half is spent proving the accuracy of Shettles’ method through science and testimonials. The second half delves into how to monitor a woman’s cycle and the particulars of sex selection. Even if you are just trying to conceive, this book can be of great assistance. It is very clear, concise and informative. Pick up a copy here.

Vaccines: What You Should Know

Madelyn8278 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:42:00 GMT

This book really covers a lot, but is still a quick read. Doctors Paul Offit and Louis Bell provide a clear understanding of vaccines, the diseases they treat, the origin of each vaccine, and how they are developed. The result is a clear-cut, factual representation of precisely what is being injected in us when we get vaccinated.

The information is extremely helpful in determining which vaccines are necessary. In addition to the bulk of the content on childhood immunizations, it also covers teenage, adult and elderly vaccinations as well. Quite honestly, while they claim to provide scientific evidence against theories that vaccines can cause certain disorders, they fail miserably and it’s obvious how biased their views are. However, that problem does not take away from the very basic and necessary information that they do provide.

If you are looking to solve the vaccine-disease debates, then look elsewhere. This book does, however, provide you with enough information to pursue further research with a solid understanding of the basics of vaccines.

Pick up your copy here.

Fat Daddy/Fit Daddy: A Man’s Guide to Balancing Fitness and Family

Satya — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:35:00 GMT

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and easy to read. Lawrence Schwartz writes as a normal guy – full of football analogies, playful insults and sexual innuendos. The bulk of the book is focused on fitness and nutrition for dads, with a decent portion devoted to fitness involving the whole family and lots of tips for keeping the marriage together. It’s ironic coming from a divorced father, but perhaps that’s why the advice is so good. You can blow through this book and then keep it for reference as the information is fairly straight forward.

The best parts of this book are the creative ways to incorporate fitness in the family, his marriage tips, and of course, the jokes. The fitness information is valuable and pretty much right on, although since its release in 2003, new health and nutritional data have been discovered making it a bit dated. It’s astonishing to learn in this book that the average person gains at least one pound a year, or that over 90 percent of married couples that exercise together stay together. If you’re looking for how to keep the pounds off, then Schwartz has the advice you need. He provides an exhaustive list of nutrients and their importance, and plenty of ways to burn calories and build muscle, as well as sound fitness advice. He does not make it easy for dad though. In fact, he pretty much tells you to not make excuses and exercise for one hour everyday.

This book is very funny and a pleasure to read. Moms looking to buy their “fat daddy” a book would do well with this one; in the midst of all the fitness talk, he gives fathering and relationship advice that would go a long way in any family. Pick up a copy here.

The Business of Being Born- DVD

Satya — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:03:00 GMT

The Business of Being Born turns society’s expectation of birth on its head by refuting the common belief that birth must be done in a hospital with an OB-GYN. Any industry knows that gaining new customers is the key to flourishing and the medical industry is no exception. The c-section epidemic in this country has become the poster child for a more fundamental issue in the birthing industry.

The DVD features talk show host Rikki Lake and renowned midwife Ina May Gaskin who shine a spotlight on the unfortunate state of childbirth in the United States today. The US has the second highest infant mortality rate in the world and the most medicalized birth process. As the film reveals, more interventions during birth bring more risks. The film uses facts and figures to back up their opinion that women are treated like a commodity in a hospital; to be serviced in the quickest manner and then sent on her way.

While the producers do the viewer a disservice by making such blanket statements that herald homebirths and demonize OB-GYNs as such a wide-range of experiences is possible, even in the hospital, the real message of the movie is one that all women in America should hear: play an active role in your child’s birth. According to the film, childbirth is an experience, not a medical emergency. After watching the videos of homebirths included in the film, you will surely see how powerful an experience it can be (and might even find yourself in tears). The film is truly convincing and well made, but one wonders if it is overly dramatized and exaggerated for shock value or really accurate. Either way, it is one strong view that many women hold and the general message is a good one. Overall, it is a strong case for women to empower themselves and take control of the most life-changing event of their life: the day they give birth. Pick up a copy here.