Book Review: Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Dr. Glade B. Curtis

I have just reached the 32nd week of pregnancy. During the sixth week, I picked up several books relating to pregnancy, so that I could track the growth and development of my baby, and understand why I felt all of the strange things I felt, most of which were constantly changing.

One of these books, Your Pregnancy Week by Week, was written by an OB-GYN named Glade B. Curtis. Of all the books that I picked up this day, this has proven to be one of my favorite pregnancy information resources. Unlike many of the other books I read, it is written simply but effectively, making it easy to find and understand what is happening during pregnancy, which is great during a period of time where you're undergoing a lot of rapid changes in both body and lifestyle.

As the title suggests, the book is broken down week by week, starting with a chapter on planning for pregnancy, which provides tips on how to prepare body for a healthy pregnancy. The second chapter is devoted to weeks one and two, where you are technically not pregnant yet, but gives you an understanding of how and when pregnancy begins. The remaining chapters are related to individual weeks, going from 3 to 40, which is normally the last week of a full-term pregnancy (though it is possible to go longer).

Once you get to chapter 3 (week three of pregnancy), almost every chapter is broken down into the same subheadings:
How Big is Your Baby - This lets you know what your baby's size is. Once the baby is developed enough, this is measured in crown-to-rump length, then later in pregnancy you'll get the full head-to-toe length. This is often accompanied by a drawing or ultrasound picture showing the baby's development.

How Big Are You - This describes the size of your uterus, and how far it has stretched.

How Your Baby is Growing and Developing - This section talks about changes in the embryo or fetus - how their brain is developing, when their fingers and toes develop, when they might start taking practice breaths, so on and so forth.

Changes in You - This section covers your pregnancy symptoms - why you feel the way you do, why something hurts, when the morning sickness might be subsiding.

How Your Actions Affect Your Baby's Development - This covers all of the random things that may hinder your baby's development during pregnancy. Each chapter has a different tip, and subjects include car accidents, drug use, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, temperature, which over-the-counter drugs are safe.

Your Nutrition - This section covers the basics of pregnancy nutrition and exercise, including prenatal vitamins.

You Should Also Know - This section covers other random questions and concerns that might come up during pregnancy, such as preexisting conditions, work policies, FMLA, and military policies.

Each chapter of Your Pregnancy Week by Week provides a variety of informative tips, under each of these subheadings, so you always feel like you understand how your baby is growing and developing. The only suggestion I would make as an improvement for the book is that some of the tips presented in each chapter are out of place. For example, week 32 has a discussion of multiples, which is something I feel would be relevant earlier on, so unless you read ahead you might miss some valuable information.

Aside from that, if I could go back and buy only one book, this one would be it. If you're looking for a complement for the dad-to-be, there is a sister book titled Your Pregnancy Week by Week for the Father to Be. Post-pregnancy, you can also continue to get week-to-week updates in Your Baby's First Year Week by Week.