Perhaps the first popular guide to pregnancy and childbirth to qualify as a coffee-table book, this text combines glossy paper and lavish illustrations with lists of practical tips and a comprehensive text. Contents include preparing for pregnancy, conceiving, fitness, managing labor, and sensuality during pregnancy, in addition to standard topics such as nutrition, prenatal care, common complaints, birthing choices, and medical emergencies. How to care for a newborn and adjusting to parenthood is also covered. Stoppard, author of many books, including Dr. Miriam Stoppard’s Pregnancy & Birth Book (Ballantine, 1987), emphasizes throughout the impact of pregnancy on the mother and the effects of her behavior on the developing child. Illustrations include attractive line drawings, photographs of culturally diverse parents and infants, and even ultrasound reproductions.
Our Recommendation:  Dr. Miriam Stoppard has been a household name in Australia for years, and her popularity has also spread to New Zealand. Dr. Stoppard’s book is comprehensive and professional, and yet very easy to read for the average (non-technical!) mum.
