The Complete Organic Pregnancy
by Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu
Harper Collins, 2006
ISBN 0-06-088745-1
The Complete Organic Pregnancy sums up its mission on the cover with its subtitle: "What you need to know--from the nail polish you wear to the bed you sleep in to the water you drink". The authors cover everything I researched for my own pregnancy and then many more things that never crossed my mind. Their thoroughness is evident in the lists of common products, their ingredients, and the effects of those ingredients on people.
The book is divided into three sections: Transforming, what to change before becoming pregnant; Growing, what to watch out for during the nine months; and Living, what to do once the baby is here. Each section is further broken down into manageable subsections: food, home and work environments, wellness, fitness and play, and beauty. Special subsections focus on situations unique to each time. For example, the subsection titled "Getting a Late Start" in the Transforming section offers a list of ten actions to take if you found out you or your significant other were pregnant before transforming.
Charts, lists, and sidebars organize information in an easy-to-reference fashion. Personal anecdotes from the authors, their friends and family, and well-known health and environment writers round out the presentation of information. The appendix includes several yummy and nutritious recipes, ranging from downhome to trendy.
The authors stay sane about every topic, no matter how potentially dreadful. They do not suggest that you replace all the furniture in your home if you find out the padding is toxic, or the stain contains a dangerous chemical; they do suggest steps to take to reduce any possible risks from the substances. This is not a book that would have scared me when I was pregnant, as some pregnancy books are well-known to do (and did). Rather it would have comforted me, knowing that I was doing as much as humanly possible to ensure my baby's best start in this world. And it would have filled in the gaps in my knowledge with simple recommendations for action.
The Complete Organic Pregnancy is thorough and touches on every topic imaginable. If there was one thing I would change about it, that would be to add citations for the studies and facts they quote. The copy I have is an uncorrected proof copy, so there may be plans to include a citations section before publication. I recommend this book for anyone pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
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