Joy of Pregnancy 2nd Edition: The Complete, Candid, and Reassuring Companion for Parents-to-Be

by Tori Kropp

Overview

Perinatal registered nurse Tori Kropp covers every aspect of pregnancy—all the medical facts, but also the magic, humor, and joy of this very special time—month by month in this fully revised and updated edition of The Joy of Pregnancy, including recent medical advances and changes in typical hospital procedures.
 
As you move through every month of pregnancy, learn how your baby is developing, how your body is changing, how to prepare for birth and baby, and the pros and cons of various pregnancy and childbirth-related choices. The first month after birth is also covered, including breastfeeding tips and newborn care.
 
Tori’s tone is reassuring and authoritative, but also non-judgmental and often humorous. Questions and answers from her online community Stork Site®, highlighted tips, and quick-reference facts make the informative text accessible and fun to read. A Dad’s Corner section at the end of each chapter provides advice and support to your partner through every stage. You’ll learn:

• What foods, substances, and activities to limit or avoid
• What medications are safe to take
• The range of available diagnostic tests
• What to expect at each prenatal checkup
• Details of every stage of labor, with illustrations of labor positions

Four appendices condense the advice from the chapters into easy-to-access references. You’ll find lists of questions to ask when choosing a birth facility, a practitioner, and childbirth class; advice for caring for your body, like ways to survive morning sickness and cope with labor; a packing list for your hospital bag; shopping list for the nursery and baby equipment; month-by-month to-do checklists; as well as suggestions for further reading.
 
With this book by your side, you and your partner will be prepared to take an active role in ensuring a healthy, happy, and truly joyful pregnancy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781558329201
Publisher:	Harvard Common Press
Publication date:	07/03/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	432
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Tori Kropp, R.N., has delivered thousands of babies at the prestigious California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where she has worked for two decades. The birth process has been a fascination of Tori’s since childhood, and even as an experienced nurse, she still considers pregnancy care to be more of a passion than a career. After studying anthropology and psychology as an undergraduate at Michigan State University, she earned her nursing degree from Manatee College in Florida. Tori chose to work in perinatal nursing because it allows her to have a hands-on role in childbirth. An active member of the health care community, Tori is a member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, and the California Nurses Association. In 1990, after observing that pregnant women were coming into the hospital more and more worried and anxious about labor, Tori founded a unique pre- and post-natal teaching program: PillowTalk, Modern Childbirth Education. Her strategy in these classes—teaching women not to overwhelm themselves with information and to focus instead on trusting their bodies and enjoying their pregnancies—was an instant success. In the mid 1990s, Tori used this same evenhanded, positive approach to pregnancy in founding Stork Site®, a community website for expectant and new parents. Bursting with activity, this site became one of the Internet’s first successful communities and later became a part of ivillage.com. Tori has been interviewed on national television and radio and in national print publications, including CNN, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Washington Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Chicago Sun-Times. She lives in Marin County, California, with her family. Her website is TheJoyOfPregnancy.com.

Tori Kropp, R.N., has delivered thousands of babies at the prestigious California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where she has worked for two decades. The birth process has been a fascination of Tori's since childhood, and even as an experienced nurse, she still considers pregnancy care to be more of a passion than a career. After studying anthropology and psychology as an undergraduate at Michigan State University, she earned her nursing degree from Manatee College in Florida. Tori chose to work in perinatal nursing because it allows her to have a hands-on role in childbirth. An active member of the health care community, Tori is a member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, and the California Nurses Association. In 1990, after observing that pregnant women were coming into the hospital more and more worried and anxious about labor, Tori founded a unique pre- and post-natal teaching program: PillowTalk, Modern Childbirth Education. Her strategy in these classes—teaching women not to overwhelm themselves with information and to focus instead on trusting their bodies and enjoying their pregnancies—was an instant success. In the mid 1990s, Tori used this same evenhanded, positive approach to pregnancy in founding Stork Site®, a community website for expectant and new parents. Bursting with activity, this site became one of the Internet's first successful communities and later became a part of ivillage.com. Tori has been interviewed on national television and radio and in national print publications, including CNN, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Washington Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Chicago Sun-Times. She lives in Marin County, California, with her family. Her website is TheJoyOfPregnancy.com.

Table of Contents

Preface 11

Acknowledgments 15

Foreword Michael Scott, M.D. 17

How To Use The Joy of Pregnancy 19

Becoming Pregnant 24

The First Trimester Enter Your Amazing Pregnancy! Your First Month; Weeks 4 through 7 30

Choices and Cravings Your Second Month: Weeks 8 through 11 66

Turning The Corner Your Third Month: Weeks 12 through 15 90

The Second Trimester Growing and Glowing Your Fourth Month: Weeks 16 through 19 118

Beginning The Carefree Months Your Fifth Month: Weeks 20 through 23 138

Planning For Birth Your Sixth Month: Weeks 24 through 27 160

The Third Trimester Planning For Life With Baby Your Seventh Month: Weeks 28 through 31 186

Are We There Yet? Your Eighth Month: Weeks 32 through 35 228

All About Labor Your Ninth Month: Weeks 36 through 40 (or 41 and counting…) 256

The Fourth Trimester Welcome To Motherhood The First Month After Birth 324

Afterword 369

Glossary 375

Appendix A Lists, Lists, and More Lists 385

Appendix B A Month-by-Month Checklist of Things to Do 402

Appendix C For Further Reading 406

Appendix D Helpful Organizations for Parents and Parents-to-Be 410

Index 412