Pregnancy Self Help Book Review

The Single Woman's Guide to a Happy Pregnancy
by Mari Gallion
ISBN-10: 1419633287

If there was a time when I needed a friend the very most in my life, it was during my pregnancy and after the birth of my first child. We can't all have Mari Gallion for a friend, but through her book "The Single Woman's Guide to a Happy Pregnancy," we can learn to feel better and to be our own best friends.

Mari shares her own story, as a single mother, right from the start. She doesn't hold back and lets the world know how it was and is. She shares what she did to get through some tough things, and like a great friend, puts herself in the position to understand what her readers are going through. Her most imperative message is to feel confident and do what you feel is right and not to worry about what friends, family, or society have to say about your decisions if they are not in agreement. Offering a plethora of information, on all topics from breast-feeding to diaper changing, organic foods to dark chocolate, bassinets to WIC, the book reads like letters from a gal-pal you can't live without. Her advice is down to earth, honest and well researched (as well as lived out by the author herself).

Not just a guide for Singles, or those boasting a baby on board sign, the advice holds true for all women in many aspects of life. Meditation, healthful eating, exercise, finding companionship or not, financial interests, and emotional well being are all topics we all can relate to. Buy this book for a friend, read a copy yourself, and pass it on. Mari may live in Alaska but she is right there in the peace of mind of every one of her readers.

Non-Fiction Review

The Miracle Within
by Jack McCubbin
ISBN-10: 0978633601

The beauty of developing life is captured eloquently in the book, "The Miracle Within" by Jack McCubbin, M.D. and Cathy Schaffer. For every woman who is now pregnant or is considering having a baby, this beautiful book will be an inspiration.

Photography, artist's depictions, loving quotations, and a gentle, guiding narration will carry the reader through nine months of the gestation process. Straightforward, easy to understand, text portrays every step of the development of a baby. Guidance in the way of taking care of yourself as an expectant mother is given, regarding what you eat, what you partake of, the exercise you need, and tests you might have performed. The emotional side of pregnancy is also discussed, in a caring, loving manner.

The authors are well versed in their guidance. Jack H. McCubbin, M.D. has delivered thousands of babies and Cathy Schaffer, PA-C, has worked extensively with women suffering from high-risk medical problems during pregnancy. Together, they offer a book that is a helpful tool and resource for information, but is also an awe-inspiring collection of photographs of every stage of fetal development. This book should make an appearance at every baby shower and ought to be on the list of things to buy, right along with those prenatal vitamins.