Parenting

March 2, 1998
Spencer, a contributing editor of Parenting magazine, was pregnant during the nine months she wrote this cheery, comforting guide for new moms-to-be. A three-time mother, she loves being pregnant, and her enthusiasm shows. Vetted by experts from the UCLA Center for Healthy Children, Families, and Communities, and presented in short, accessible segments that reflect its magazine ancestry, this illustrated sourcebook is divided into five parts: one on each trimester of pregnancy; one on labor and delivery; and one on recovery and care of the newborn. Each is filled with practical tips on everything from what to eat and how to exercise to choosing office-worthy maternity clothes or a childbirth class. Checklists (when to call the doctor, what to pack for the hospital, what to bring home) abound, as do handy resource lists and frequently asked questions, which are followed by straightforward, reassuring answers. For young women who prefer getting their information packaged in easy-to-read chunks, this is a handy, encouraging guide.

February 1, 1998
Spencer, a contributing editor of Parenting magazine, has written what she hopes will be "a real person's guide to having a baby," drawing on recent medical research, old wives' tales, her own pregnancies (she wrote this during her third), and the experiences of many other mothers. Attempting to look at the whole person during pregnancy, she gives first-time mothers some idea of what to expect. Spencer covers each week of pregnancy and the common problems or issues that arise, also discussing labor, delivery, recovery, and newborn care. Spencer's writing style is very readable, and the chapters progress quite logically. This will be a complementary addition to such books as Nancy Evans's The A to Z of Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Concise Encyclopedia (Hunter House, 1993). For consumer health/patient education collections.--Mary J. Jarvis, Methodist Hosp. Medical Lib., Lubbock, Tex.