[.ca] Carrying A Little Extra (ISBN 0425188345)

Let's induce panic in overweight pregnant women:
I just finished reading this book. I borrowed it from the library thank goodness! Anyhow, I just recently found myself unexpectedly pregnant and am obese. I am very concerned about my health and was looking for a supportive book to help reassure me, and to provide tips on helping me improve my outcome. This book does provide tips--by using scare tactics! The first half of the book is filled with statistics on all the horrible things that can happen to overweight women who get pregnant---how much more likely they are to have their babies die, how much more likely they are to end up with a C-section, how much more likely they are to end up diabetic or hypertensive, have a baby with birth defects, etc, etc. One section even alluded to pregnancy termination as an alternative (and believe me I am very pro-choice, but I felt like anyone reading this book would be intimidated into believing an abortion was better than facing pregnancy while overweight). So the first half of the book was the "pit of terror". The 2nd half of the book was all about minimizing weight gain, and how obese women need to watch what they eat and exercise because too much weight gain will lead to (re-read first half of the book *rolling my eyes*). The entire book read like some scare tactic to frighten fat women into having abortions, starving themselves while pregnant, or scaring the ... out of them so they spend the entire 9 mos obsessing about whether or not they are going to give birth to a deformed baby, have a C-section, or die. Please do NOT get this book unless you are a masochist and enjoy being upset. I was looking for a book that would be supportive, because after all I already am pregnant and don't need to be reminded about how terrible it is that I got pregnant in the first place. To anyone looking for support, there are some very plus-sized friendly websites out there. I was over 300 lbs when I delivered my last 2 babies and had perfectly normal pregnancies and deliveries with no complications. My skinny sister on the other hand suffered from severe pre-eclampsia with all 3 of her pregnancies. It is possible to have good outcomes, and what women need is support and not to be terrified. This book is very fat-phobic in my opinion.

Scares without balance:
Most of the book is devoted to all the things that the authors suggest are likely to go wrong, with all kinds of scary statistics about an increased risk of birth defects. The book mentions that even taking folic acid might not help a large mom prevent spina bifida in her baby. I don't think this is helpful, especially since nowhere do they point out that even if you face increased risks, the odds are still overwhelmingly in your favor that you will have a healthy baby. I would not recommend this book to anyone since all it seems to offer are reasons to be scared, and doesn't provide any better nutrition advice than you could get from any number of other, much less panic-inducing, pregnancy books.

For when worrying about pregnancy and obesity isn't enough:
What a disappointment! I bought this book seeking some reassurance that, yes, while there's higher risk for large pregnant women, a normal pregnancy with a healthy baby *IS* possible. I didn't receive this reassurance--rather the worst case scenario version of why large women shouldn't breed, with case studies and anecdotal stories about women who have had problems--never once do they tell a story about a woman who was plus-sized who followed some basic care guidelines and had a healthy baby. I think I'm more worried now than when I picked up the book. Please don't spend money on this. There are better resources out there for larger pregnant women. And you're already paying your doctor--talk to them.

A Well-Meaning But Very Disappointing Book:
I think the authors meant well, but as a woman of size, I was very disappointed with this book. Although they paid brief lip service to the idea that a plus-sized woman can have a normal pregnancy and birth, the book spends most of its time on all the possible complications of pregnancy at larger sizes. Complications should be covered, of course, but kept within perspective, and that balance was missing here. This book overemphasized possible risks and presented ONLY stories of complications and cesareans. If I were a first-time mom reading this, I would never have believed that I could have a normal pregnancy at my size. But of course I did, despite the fear-mongering of this book. The nutrition section is fairly good, but the tone is a bit patronizing. I truly believe the authors meant well, but their own mixed feelings and bias about size show through, and the end results are disappointing. This could have been such a valuable addition to pregnancy literature if it had been more well-balanced. Frankly, there are more positive resources available.

Clinical and condescending:
I borrowed this book from my local library, expecting to find a supportive and informative book about being pregnant and plus-size. After all, I consider myself an intelligent woman, and I already know that being obese is a detriment to my health and any future pregnancies. That is why I already follow my dietician's eating guides and exercise regularly. I picked up this book to get practical information that I might need if I decide to become pregnant. Instead, I was left with guilt, fear, and a sense of unworthiness, not just if I become pregnant, but as the plus sized woman that I already am. The first half of the book explains the physical impacts of being obese, both for pregnant and non-pregnant women. It is very dry and clinical, like a medical journal, and is full of citations and clinical study statisics. This section was thorough but very cold, explaining in medical terms the numerous, negative perils that overweight women face with pregnancy. There is no concern for the emotions or needs of the reader, without any practical tips such as symptoms to watch for or questions to ask your doctor. The second half of the book focuses on nutrition and exercise. Although there are many practical suggestions here, such as sample menus and fast food tips, the authors are still very impersonal and even commanding and condescending. If you want a thorough, medical explanation of the effects of obesity on your pregnancy, or want some nutrition tips and sample menus, this book provides them. Just be prepared to face a tide of self-doubt, fear, and hopelessness. If you are already pregnant, perhaps you should take the author's veiled suggestion to reevaluate your decision once you've "gained perspective" of the risks that you and your unborn child are facing.