Biology of Women Book

I read at least eight pregnancy books when we became pregnant with our first child last April. Out of all of them, this was in my top three. If you're a visual learner, like me, the drawings in this book will help a lot with understanding what's happening with your baby. The information provided is really informative, and quite different, in some ways, from what you'd get with, say, What to Expect When You're Expecting. They talk a lot about epigenetics (how the way your pregnancy goes can affect the ways genes are turned on or off), which is interesting and informative. The section on vaccines is especially well done and balanced, as the two doctors found themselves on opposite sides of the fence. They provide some really good information, options for those in either camp (to vaccinate or not), and good resources to follow up and learn more. I also felt that the section about labor does a great job of emphasizing that there are many, many paths to delivery. They helped show the aspects of all of them, which is good. However, the book is incredibly long; for those who chose to read it cover to cover like me, it might be overwhelming. In addition, the organization feels a bit wonky to me. I felt like there were things I needed to know early in my pregnancy that didn't show up until much later in the book. Sometimes it felt like we were going backwards, as if we'd already discussed labor, but then we were talking about things to do in the first trimester. Overall, though, I think this book is quite useful and deserves a place in each new parent's reading list.