Belly Laughs

To misquote Monty Python, this is not a book for reading, it's a book for lying down and
avoiding. Sample paraphrased deep thought: Pregnant women get hemorrhoids! Even celebrity pregnant women! They were the size of cantaloupes! Nobody told me! (Let me repeat: Nobody ever told her pregnant women get hemorrhoids.)

The capper was when she airily confesses to planning a c-section because she didn't want her vagina to get all flappy. (I stopped reading.) One word, sweetie: Kegels. I imagine you could even get a personal trainer to help with that. And if you're that concerned about it, next time plan a VBAC with a nice episiotomy and have the doc take a couple extra stitches, you're so worried.

The main problem with the book (besides all this "who knew?!" stuff about hemorrhoids, morning sickness and the size of one's breasts that anyone who's ever known a pregnant woman or picked up even the most rudimentary pregnancy book knows) is that it thinks simply mentioning bodily functions is somehow refreshing candor. You want refreshing candor, pick up any of the "momoirs" out there by Ariel Gore, Andi Buchanan, Faulkner Fox, Anne LaMott...there are lots of them, many listed here (under both Parenting and Making Connections).

I even like Jenny McCarthy, she's a talented and underappreciated comediennne. But this is a book for a very limited audience: Willfully ignorant, navel-gazing pregnant Hollywood celebrities with personal stylists--and who have never spoken with a pregnant woman ever in their lives.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

the book is getting on amazon.com. Young moms- and dads-to-be are eating this up. Hope they don't do a C Section because of what Jenny said, that'd be a shame--her book is supposed to be informative about pregnancy.

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May The Hair On Your Toes Never Fall Out

--Traditional Hobbit Blessing

It's very discouraging for us non-celebrity mama writers to see the relentless parade of 5-star reviews for a book like this but what are ya gonna do. It's the culture.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Well, obviously someone did not read the book in its entirety. If it was read, someone would have known that she did NOT have a planned c-section, and did NOT want to have one. Someone would have read that she was in labor all night, the baby's heartrate dropped significantly, and she had to have an emergency c-section. Her baby's cord was wrapped around his neck. So, before you post something that is not true, maybe you should have actually read the entire book. This was a wonderful, funny book to read, and the only thing I asked for on Mother's Day. ***** stars from me.

I objected to her praising the C-section because it meant she didn't get all "flappy down there", which is what she actually said on the Late Late Show when she was promoting her book (saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears). It's simply not true that vaginal birth makes you "all flappy." Especially not if you're informed about your own organs and how to exercise them and keep them healthy.

So my objection is that she's misinforming people about C-sections and vaginal births out of ignorance. Which is a shame.
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"If you want yor children to be bright, read them fairytales-- if you want them to be brilliant, read them even more fairytales" Albert Einstein

I LOVED this book!! I like really crude humor. And I like Jenny McCarthy. It's not an information kind of pregnancy book. It's HER experiences of pregnancy in her own crude humor. Don't forget, she was a Playboy Playmate (early 90's. Would have to ask DH to be sure of the date. LOL!). Those girls aren't exactly saints. Just remember, she is crude, doesn't mind talking about her body and their functions, and likes to cuss alot. I could be good friends with this gal! LOL!

I want to read her book after this one and see how the first year was.

Jenny

Countdown to baby!!!