When you are expecting, there is an overwhelming amount of rules: you can do this, you can’t do that, eat this/not that… and there is an equally overwhelming number of books to read.
When I was pregnant with my daughter I bought and quickly returned many-a books. There was only 1 pregnancy book that I kept and if the book below was released when I was pregnant, this would have been a book that I kept as well.
About the Book:
Description taken from Amazon.com
“Eat the best foods for your baby’s development!
Nutrition is never more critical than during pregnancy. What you choose to put on your plate affects you and your baby’s health not just in utero but for years to come. However, many nutritional guidelines for pregnancy are complex, confusing, and offer an uninspiring list of things to eat for the next nine months.
Backed up by the latest nutritional research, this guide debunks pregnancy food myths and uncovers a number of surprising food choices that are superfoods for expectant mothers.
This one-of-a-kind nutrition reference guide is also packed with helpful quick-reference charts and sidebars, highlighting healthy (but no less delicious!) substitutes for commonly craved foods like ice cream and potato chips. You’ll also discover the most up-to-date research regarding pregnancy dilemmas, such as how to get more omega-3s from fish in your diet while avoiding mercury. It’s pregnancy nutrition made easy!”
My Thoughts:
Jonny Bowden and Allison Tannis have put together a reference for moms-to-be to help you figure out what foods are best to eat during your pregnancy. Broken down into trimester, this book is very well organized and does not require you to read it cover-to-cover. Rather, you can read it on a need-to-know basis.
Not only do the authors fill you in on foods that you probably never thought of eating during your pregnancy that will make a difference in your baby’s life, but they tell you why. They don’t just say eat this and not that- they give you the medical reasons (in layman’s terms) of why you should eat this or that and what good it will do for you and your baby.
The book includes “fast fact” boxes that will give you helpful and sometimes fun information such as:
- Vitamin B6 helps alleviate morning sickness.
- Anemia can show up during your second trimester if you’re not getting enough iron.
- Iron supplementts commonly cause constipation. You may find them less of a problem if you take them on a full stomach and dink plenty of fluids.
Another helpful box you will find throughout the book is “Jonny’s Tasty Tips.” Here, the co-author highlights tasty ways for you to enjoy the foods that he is recommending. Some of these foods include:
- Chives, Leeks & Lamb during the first trimester.
- Figs, Chia Seeds & Watercress during the second trimester.
- Cranberries, Herring & Rhubarb during the third trimester.
The remaining chapters in the book cover pre- and post-natal days from fertility to breast feeding and everything in between. Giving you the knowledge about the best foods that you can eat
- to help with the aches, pains and complaints of pregnancy
- while breastfeeding your newest arrival
- during the post-partum period that may even help alleviate the symptoms of post-partum depression. According to the authors, there area foods that have “depression-fighting power”
- to help with your fertility and start you off with a healthy pregnancy before you even conceive.
A very important chapter, in my opinion, contains information on what the authors call “tricky foods and herbs.” We have all heard of certain herbs, foods and/or activities that we should avoid while pregnant- especially during the first 12 weeks of a baby’s development. Things like alcohol/caffeine consumption, artificial sweeteners, hot dogs (yum!), herbal supplements and more. The authors tackle these topics and give you the information that you need to make informed decisions regarding your lifestyle while pregnant.
To me, the book reads like an encyclopedia, not too overwhelming, easy to find the information you need and very well organized/broken down into sub-sections. I can open it up, find what I need and move on. Complete with color photos, nutritional information, fact boxes and more- I think this is a perfect addition to any pregnant woman’s bookshelf- just to have as a reference. It would probably make a good gift for someone that you know is pregnant.
Buy It!
You can purchase The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy by Jonny Bowden & Allison Tannis at bookstores across the country.
The book retails for $24.99, but can be purchased on Amazon.com for $16.49. If you have an Amazon.com account, you can take a look inside of the book (a cool feature Amazon offers) and decide if it is right for you.
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