Review + Giveaway: What to Expect When You’re Expecting

A few weeks ago, the What To Expect team sent me a copy of the What to Expect Series of books: What to Expect When You’re Expecting, What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Second Year by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  In addition to sending me copies of the books to review, they also generously offered two printed sets of books for me to giveaway to two lucky readers!  Details for the giveaway are the end of this post.

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t have children of my own and I’ve never been pregnant (yet), but the beauty of these books is that they are great for all stages of pregnancy, even preconception.  There’s a whole section of what to do before you conceive!  Now, most everyone knows you should quit smoking, drinking, etc before trying for a baby, but did you know you should update your immunizations and go to the dentist before you get pregnant to help you have a healthier pregnancy?  Me neither, but I know it now and can make sure I schedule those appointments before my sweet husband and I decide to start our family.  There’s even a preconception prep section for Dads!

I love the way the What to Expect books are organized.  The table of contents is divided into months and each section tells you how your baby is growing, what you might be feeling as your body changes, what tests to expect at the doctor and even answers to frequently asked questions and concerns.  The layout of the sections makes it easy to find the information you are looking for and quickly read through the section that applies to you right now.  You can also read ahead to see what’s coming up.

Now, some people might think that too much information can make you worry too much about what-ifs, but I’m one of those people who finds comfort in facts – the more facts at my fingertips, the better I feel about my decisions.  You might feel the same way or different, but the What to Expect series makes it easy to read what is relevant to your personal experience and skip the info that doesn’t apply to you.  For example, if you’re having a normal pregnancy, the section relating to complications isn’t for you.  But for someone who has a pre-existing medical condition, this section contains vital information.

I don’t have enough space here to tell you all the interesting tidbits I learned while reading through these books, but I can tell you that I feel much better prepared for my own future pregnancy when the time comes.  And I feel much more comfortable knowing these books are on my bookshelf as a ready resource any time I have questions.

Since I haven’t experienced what it’s like to be pregnant yet, I took an informal poll around the office, asking all the Moms what they found most helpful about this series.  Without fail, they all said the books helped them communicate better with their doctors and ask questions that they wouldn’t otherwise have known to ask.  I’m a big fan of anything that helps open up a dialogue between you and your doctor and for that, I gave this series 5 Sunshines!

Want to win a printed copy of all three books for yourself or a friend?

TWO lucky winners will each receive:

• What to Expect When You’re Expecting
• What to Expect the First Year
• What to Expect the Second Year

The easiest way to enter for your chance to win is by visiting our Facebook fan page and clicking the sweepstakes tab at www.facebook.com/LazyDayBooks.

If you are not on Facebook and would like to enter for a chance to win, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post that says “I want a chance to win the What to Expect Series.” OR send us an email to read(at)lazydaybooks(dot)com.  When emailing us, make sure you include your name, age (must be 18 or older), city and state where you live.

Since we will use email to notify the winner, all entries must include a valid email address.  If you are chosen as a winner, we will also ask you for your mailing address so we know where to send your books.

The winner will be determined by random drawing on Monday, May 14, at 8p CST.

Happy Reading and Good Luck to All!
Kimberly

If you’re into instant gratification, you can purchase and download eBook copies of the books from us by clicking the title: What to Expect When You’re Expecting, What to Expect the First Year, What to Expect the Second Year.

UPDATE 5/14/2012 8pm: Congratulations to Lindsey T. and Colleen J., winners of the WHAT TO EXPECT Series Giveaway! Please check your email for instructions on how to claim your books.  Thank you to all our participants, we hope you’ll check back for more giveaways coming soon.