What to Expect: Before You're Expecting
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- £8.99
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- £8.99
Publisher Description
Announcing the prequel! From Heidi Murkoff, author of the world's bestselling pregnancy and parenting books, comes the must-have guide every expectant couple needs before they even conceive - the first step in What to Expect: What to Expect Before You're Expecting.
Medical groups now recommend that all hopeful parents plan for baby-making at least three months before they begin trying. And who better to guide want-to-be mums and dads step-by-step through the preconception (and conception) process than Heidi Murkoff?
It's all here. Everything couples need to know before sperm and egg meet. Packed with the same kind of reassuring, empathic and practical information and advice that readers have come to expect from What to Expect, only sooner. Which baby-friendly foods to order up (say yes to yams) and which fertility-busters to avoid (see you later, saturated fat); lifestyle adjustments that you'll want to make (cut back on cocktails and caffeine) and those you can probably skip (that switch to boxer shorts). How to pinpoint ovulation, keep on-demand sex sexy, and separate conception fact from myth. Plus, when to seek help and the latest on fertility treatments - from IVF to surrogacy and more. Complete with a fill-in fertility journal to keep track of the baby-making adventure and special tips throughout for hopeful dads.
Next step? What to Expect When You're Expecting, of course.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pregnancy guru Murkoff (What to Expect When You're Expecting) explains that a healthy pregnancy actually begins long before sperm and egg meet. In fact, she suggests that couples add at least three months to the requisite nine in order to prepare both their bodies for the best outcome. Backed by research and expert advice, Murkoff and Mazel present a preconception program that includes tips on what to eat (and not eat), how to maintain a healthy weight and advice about preconception medical care, such as having a physical and dental checkup. The text points out that dads are vitally important to pre-pregnancy health, with warnings that heavy drinking and smoking can damage or reduce sperm, as can certain sports such as spinning, cycling or heavy workouts. (Shaded boxes throughout the text address the ways in which men can contribute to baby-to-be's successful arrival.) The text also covers fertility issues, clearly explaining "the biology of baby making" and outlining the options available to couples who are facing conception problems. Readers who like to think ahead will also benefit from a detailed fertility planner, which includes a fertility chart to track ovulation and space to record various pre-baby appointments and information. Couples who are trying to conceive will find plenty of useful ideas to consider and implement in the months preceding their baby's debut.