mommymedia : authors

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.

Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism

Satya — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:54:00 GMT

Louder Than Words is about a mother’s determination to heal her child. Jenny McCarthy has done it again with another book you can’t put down. She writes like she’s talking to her best friend, inspiring the reader with stories of strong maternal instincts during the most trying time of her life.

Similar to her other books, you can read it in a couple hours and it will make you laugh and cry at times. However, this book has a much different tone; this one is like watching an action film where the frantic mother is in a race against time to save her son. You don’t need to have an autistic child to appreciate this book; you just need to be a mom.

Her book reveals another world that most people are not aware of: a world in which moms are essentially abandoned by the medical community as they frantically search for answers to their child’s illness, where conventional doctors lead them nowhere and they must rely on each other for help. McCarthy strives to reveal to the world what life with autism is like and she does an incredible job. Despite the controversy surrounding her stance on vaccines and their possible link to autism, she says very little on the subject and instead educates the reader on autism, its increasing frequency, theories of its origin and most importantly, how to treat it when possible. No doubt, she will have you questioning the medical industry and autism’s link to vaccines, but she doesn’t dwell on these things. A group of mothers with autistic children asked her to be their voice and she has, with an unforgettable book that educates and provides the information that she prayed she had when her son was diagnosed. Pick up a copy here.

The Pregnancy Cookbook

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:49:00 GMT

Married couple and co-authors Doctor Hope Ricciotti and Chef Vincent Connelly offer a logistical balance of fact and flavor in “The Pregnancy Cookbook,” a practical guide to nutritious-but-delicious meals for any mommy-to-be. Combining professional experience and personal insight, the authors give expectant moms sound advice on how to eat nutritiously for two.

In addition, “The Pregnancy Cookbook” offers dozens of delectable dishes made from ingredients bursting with the most important nutrients you and your baby need. The book’s clear, informative chapters are chock-full of health and nutritional information, as well as nearly 150 creative recipes for meals that are both quick and easy to prepare.

Nancy E. Oriol, associate dean for student affairs at Harvard Medical School, says of the book, “I wish I had had access to such a simple and complete guide when I was a busy young pregnant doctor.” Other moms have called “The Pregnancy Cookbook” a must-have, saying the recipes are so good that even though they’re no longer pregnant, they continue to use it!

Pick up a copy here.

Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy: Beauty, Health, and Lifestyle Advice for the Modern Mother-to-Be

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:29:00 GMT

From the moment you announce that you’re pregnant, everyone’s attention is on your baby. But what about you? Not only is your body changing, everything about your lifestyle is turning upside down! With her book, “Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy,” author and award-winning health reporter Colette Bouchez offers a self-help guide that puts you in the spotlight with hundreds of tips on how to have the happiest, healthiest, most comfortable pregnancy possible.

In addition to helpful beauty, hair and skin advice, Bouchez gives a reassuring sense of what you can expect from pregnancy and advice for taking care of yourself at the same time, so try not to let the somewhat-frivolous title fool you. One reader says, “The title makes it sounds like this is a fluffy book when, in fact, it does a great job of discussing a range of important health and beauty topics that many moms-to-be worry a lot about,” such as which beauty products are safe or not-so-safe to use, how to beat stress and overcome sleep problems, how to balance career obligations with impending motherhood, and more.

Sidebars throughout the book offer both down-to-earth advice from the author and quotations from other experts. Written in the caring, one-on-one tone of a best friend, Bouchez writes, “Be kind to yourself, stay in touch with who you are, and treat yourself with the loving care and respect that you deserve.”

“Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy” offers sound medical advice as well as beauty and lifestyle tips to keep you happy and healthy, ensuring your baby will be healthier and happier, too.

Get yourself a copy here.

Inconceivable: A Woman’s Triumph Over Despair & Statistics

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:06:00 GMT

A book that has been described as “a memoir of hope for the thousands of women struggling with infertility,” Julia Indichova’s “Inconceivable” is the inspirational story of one woman who beat the odds by mustering up some real determination and tuning into her body.

Indichova’s story is not uncommon: Unable to conceive a child, she made the rounds of medical doctors and nontraditional healers, but still came out unsuccessful. It wasn’t until she decided to change direction and turn her focus inward that her wish finally came true. “Inconceivable” recounts her personal journey from hopeless diagnosis to overjoyed motherhood.

Any woman who faces or has faced the challenge of infertility will be able to relate to Indichova’s story. Today, as more and more women are trying to conceive at increasingly older ages, fertility options of all kinds are advertised left and right. After hearing from five different fertility specialists and reproductive endocrinologists that there was no physical possibility of getting pregnant, and taking often desperate measures including undergoing acupuncture, ingesting herb soup, strange-smelling fruit and unidentifiable black-and-white pellets, Indichova embarked on an internal mission all her own.

In the end, it wasn’t the years of financially and emotionally draining advice that finally helped her conceive, but her own will, drive and determination. After eight months without caffeine, plenty of nutrients, yoga, and visualization exercises, Indichova found out she was pregnant with a perfectly healthy baby girl.

One of the reasons we love this book so much is because rather than taking a clinical “how to” approach like so many others, it focuses on the amazing power of self-discovery. One reader says, “[Indichova’s] story of hope has touched me like no other book I’ve read on this subject … I have found [it] to be an invaluable resource on this difficult journey.”

Get yourself a copy here.

The Caveman’s Pregnancy Companion: A Survival Guide for Expectant Fathers

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:51:00 GMT

With a five-star rating on Amazon.com, “The Caveman’s Pregnancy Companion” by David Port and John Ralston is a favorite among readers who fall under the category of daddy-to-be.

Both engaging and instructive, this guide was written under the assumption that most men are “twenty-first-century Cro-Magnons” when it comes to pregnancy, most noticeably during those moments when an expectant father “stops, scratches his head, and mutters to his woman, ‘I don’t get it.’”

Coined a must-read by book-loving dads and a “perennial gift book for expectant fathers” by Publishers Weekly, “The Caveman’s Pregnancy Companion” provides a detailed overview of the birthing experience and is the perfect companion to a classic pregnancy book like “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.”

First-time authors Port and Ralston serve as mentors to modern Cro-Magnon men, teaching them how to support their partners during each trimester, how to understand their own feelings, and how to do everything right during labor and delivery. They manage to do all of this in expert detail while using a large dose of humor to keep guys entertained, since even the most enlightened male might not initially be interested in learning about prenatal massages, amniocentesis and the placenta.

After reading this book, guys will be well-versed in baby-related information and prepared to embrace their new responsibilities.

Get yourself (or your partner!) a copy here.

The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy (Or Everything Your Doctor Won't Tell You)

Madelyn8278 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:26:00 GMT

Your mother buys you baby clothes. Your doctor gives you medical advice. But who can you trust to give you the real skinny when you're pregnant? Your girlfriends, of course!

“A breath of fresh air,” as one mom calls it, Vicki Iovine’s “The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy” is a long-standing favorite of mommies-to-be. A four-time delivery room veteran, Iovine believes women learn the really valuable things about pregnancy from other women. She speaks to you the way only a best friend can – straight talk about the things you’re too embarrassed to share with your mom or doctor.

In a voice that is both sassy and reassuring, she exposes the "truths" of pregnancy and childbirth, from sex to cesareans to cellulite.

“The Girlfriends’ Guide” doesn’t take the place of "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" but it isn’t meant to. When you need a break from your collection of serious, clinical books, this book offers a candid, witty and humorous take on all things pregnant.

Get yourself a copy here.

Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth

Satya — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:15:00 GMT

You remember Jenny McCarthy: actress, television star, typical blonde bombshell. But it was more than just good looks that made the former Playboy centerfold memorable.

McCarthy established herself in the entertainment industry as a pretty girl with a nasty mouth, and aside from becoming a mom, not much about her has changed since she came on the scene. After giving birth to her first child in 2002, McCarthy thought she’d share the not-so-pretty details of her pregnancy with readers in a book called “Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth.”

At the outset, she writes, "If you bought this book, you are already aware of my frankness when it comes to certain things – anatomy and bodily functions among them.” She goes on to share the details of her bouts of morning sickness, hormonal rage, gas, hemorrhoids, weight gain, hot flashes, fainting spells and more.

Throughout “Belly Laughs,” McCarthy is undeniably crass but funny, self-deprecating but honest, repulsive but reassuring, all at the same time. In the end, a refreshing read that promises a good laugh for any mommy-to-be.

Get yourself a copy here.