I enjoyed having comfort in a book while going through my 1st and 2nd trimester. I also enjoyed that this updated version showed more than just one opinion, not that one way is the right way. The right way is what is best for you and your child.

Very informative. It's a classic.

Too alarmist for my taste. According to this book pretty much everything you do while pregnant will hurt your baby. Not for me!

There's much better out there, and I didn't appreciate the condescending tones present some of the time. Perhaps it was meant as reassuring. I was also annoyed by the author making sure to let you know it's called labor because it's hard work. Actually, labor isn't always about work. Mine wasn't until about 30 minutes of it. They said it was a mild discomfort (not in every case certainly) Labor isn't hard work, it's sometimes hard pain but there's nothing to be condescending about. Also, almost everything was about just go to your doctor, even over doing your own health research and nutrition. I dislike these generic copouts in health books.

La "Biblia" del embarazo. Todo lo que siempre has querido saber sobre los embarazos y el parto está en este libro. Una guía estupenda e indispensable para personas que esperan un bebé o interesadas por el tema. Responde a todas las preguntas que uno pueda tener (incluso a las que ni siquiera se había planteado). Me parece súper útil para estar informado y preparado. Es muy completo y detallado. Contiene todo lo indispensable y además muy bien estructurado, gracias a las diferentes secciones, incluyendo mes a mes.
La única pega que le pondría es que se repite un poquito en algunas partes. No estoy de acuerdo con algunas opiniones que dicen que su contenido puede provocar ansiedad o miedos innecesarios... en mi opinión, es mejor estar informado también de las cosas negativas, no hay que tomárselo así.
Me he leído la 5ª edición, que es la más actualizada hasta la fecha. Cuando llegue 'el momento' me compraré la última versión, por ahora solo sentía curiosidad (no estoy 'esperando' ni buscando). Lo recomiendo a todas las personas que desean o que esperan un bebé.

Preachy, harping, self-righteous. I hated this book. Every other page has some guilt-tripping admonishment not to eat white flour ("Push the bread basket away at a restaurant if the bread isn't whole wheat," it said once, and oh, count the calories in the butter you do spread on your whole wheat bread). And avoid white sugar like the plauge - in favor of "juice-sweetened" cookies or desserts, which the authors seem to think is the ticket to health in every occasion. News flash: sugar is sugar, whether it comes from fruit or sugar cane, and the human body physiologically can't tell a difference. As a hypoglycemic, I'll get just as nauseated if I eat grapes or a candy bar on an empty stomach.

Give me a break. I'm as healthy as they come. I make my own whole wheat bread and yogurt and eat very little sugar, but to tell a hungry pregnant woman to "push the bread basket away" at a restaurant just because the bread isn't whole-wheat? Even licensed nutritionists will tell you that the overall fiber count in a meal is what is important - not necessarily the fiber count in a particular food. And I don't need to hear about it every other page, ad infinitum. I started to think that if I heard the term "juice-sweetened cookie" one more time, I'd throw the book out the window.

The rest of the book is spread thickly with admonishments not to gain too much weight, not to eat dessert except "fresh fruit," and on and on and on. One "question" (which was probably self-written and planted in order for the author to do more harping) said, "I've gained 13 pounds in my first trimester. What can I do now?" The author's harsh and judgmental answer, in a nutshell: "It is TOO LATE. You've done what you've done, and it can't be fixed now." And then they goes on to guilt-trip the supposed "questioner" and rant about "healthy" weight gain (according to their own limited views of "healthy" eating).

What a ridiculous answer! Is the author a doctor who knows this particular patient and is licensed to dispense medical advice to her and all other readers? Of course not! A suitable and appropriate answer would have been something along these lines: "IT DEPENDS. Each woman is different, and your ob/gyn can tell you more about what's healthy for you and what's out of range." Guess what? I HAVE gained 13 pounds, and I'm not even done with my first trimester! AND my doc says I'm totally healthy! Before my pregnancy I was very underweight, barely 95 or 96 pounds, and my metabolism has always been through the roof. Getting myself up to 109 pounds - on, yes, a very healthy diet - was a wonderful victory, and I'm not sorry in the least.

Oh, and the "raid your husband's closet" clothing advice didn't help much, either. Maybe that's because the author thinks we're all whales who eat too much and can't fit into anything else?

If you want a book that talks about real issues and gets off a soapbox for five minutes, this is not the one.

By the way, here's a shocking revelation - I occasionally eat dessert and white bread, and I don't count the calories in my butter. Shh!!

Doctor gave this to me at the first appointment. Reading through it scared the hell out of me, what with all the possible complications. But in the end I'm really glad I read it because I felt way more informed when the weirder, less talked about parts of pregnancy started hitting.

I have been going back to this book lately, now that I am expecting our second baby. This time around, I am not reading it from cover to cover but am dipping in and out depending on whatever I am thinking about at that time. And this is why I really like it. It's a great little pregnancy bible that literally covers every subject/issue/problem/topic you could ever wonder about while pregnant. There is an element of humour to Murkoff's writing too, which I love! Pregnancy can be serious and stressful enough so I always welcome a bit of lightness!

I would recommend this to any pregnant Mon-to-be (or Dad!).

Хороша корисна книжка, добре доповнення до попередньої. Менш серйозна і менш вимоглива, простіший стиль, натомість також менше дуже "медичних" чи повчальних рекомендацій.

Зі спектру того що видавалось в Україні, раджу її також. Як і Сірсів, можна читати щомісяця потрохи, як ми і робили.

Avoid this book at all costs!

It infantilizes pregnant women and tells them to just go along with whatever the doctor says they should do. I also remember it being very hetero-normative.

A much better book is The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger.

The only thing What to Expect When You're Expecting is good for is starting a fire to keep the expectant mother warm.

I personally enjoyed this book, contrary to the negative reviews. Maybe the editions have changed the book dramatically overtime. I read the 5th Edition and found the information to be very comforting and helpful.

This book was outstanding! One of the rare instances where something is very much worth the hype. I read this through my entire pregnancy and it was spot on. This was such a comfort whenever i I had questions and I’m shocked by how much ground the book covers. I especially like the “For Dads” sections and that this covers postpartum and the fourth trimester. I know this book has been around a long time, but I can attest that it’s benefited by continuously updating the material.