MotherTalk Blog Tour: "From the Hips"

Go ahead and read to the end. There are prizes this time.

Because I possess a larger pregnancy-childbirth-and-infant collection than most medium-sized city libraries, and because it is no secret that the subject of reproduction is a favorite conversational topic, particularly in, say, the line at the DMV or at a family brunch, people, particularly pregnant people, are always asking me for book recommendations.

And often I have to think before recommending. Is Dr. Sears too sanctimonious for a single working mother? Is Ina May Gaskin too potent for the newbie? Is the Girlfriend's Guide packed too full of regrettable fashion tips?* Henci Goer too technical for a woman who just got her second pink line and feels a million years away from labor? What can I pick that will inform without being off-putting in either direction? And why are there no books with cool illustrations?

Well. Guess what? I now have a new favorite overall pregnancy book, and it does not suggest I don stirrup pants. From the Hips by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morris is what I wish I'd had when I was pregnant and despite several years' worth of fairly technical reading on the subject just wanted somebody who could speak comfortingly but not condescendingly, and who didn't seem to be a relic of the days when pubic shaving was a regular feature of hospital birth, and it wasn't a homebirth without a bush like a blackberry bramble. It's what will go on top of the box o' books I ship off to every pregnant friend; it's the one I'll be able to suggest to pretty much anybody who asks for a recommendation, without racking my brain for every possible point of contention that might turn somebody off to an otherwise good resource.

Which brings me to another point: From the Hips is loaded with resource recommendations, both print and online, handily located by topic in little shaded boxes. The authors did a thorough job here -- every book in my library appears here, in addition to about fifty I'd love to read. (History of breastfeeding! Books for fathers!)

I think it's the first postmodern pregnancy book I've seen. There are colors in here! Separated by topic, so that when your baby is two days old and you hear some scary radio story about toxins in breastmilk you can just thumb through to the TURQUOISE pages and there you go! ("We need to let people know that while breast milk is still the healthiest food fo our babies, continuing to pollute our milk is not okay." Swoon.)"The layout is really pretty, designed for easy jumping around but thanks to the different colorblocks used not distracting. There are indeed illustrations, but of the ambient arty-comic variety rather than the true-to-anatomical-detail instructional variety. (How often do you get to see scrawly depictions of a woman using a breastpump? Or stick figures of positions for pregnant sex? Not often enough.)

The design reflects the tone of the book: funky, modern, and very very now. Up-to-date information on the peculiarities of childbearing in the twenty-first century makes this book a little unique among its peers -- the authors cover the latest prenatal tests, birthing options, postpartum support, cloth-vs.-disposable, what to do about work, and the aforementioned toxins in breastmilk issue. And then there's my personal favorite, the guide to mercury in sushi -- fish safety with English and Japanese names (yay unagi! Boo ahi!).

I'm a sucker for books that feel hip without being off-puttingly so, but I am also a bona-fide obsessive-compulsive stickler for accuracy, especially in the realm of childbearing which is so often packed with terrible advice and baseless medical customs. So it was with a critical eye that I approached the chapters on childbirth and breastfeeding. Lo and behold, the information checked out -- so not only is the book fun to read, it's good for you! Kind of like a chai-flavored Luna bar. WIthout the processed soy. Really, if you wanted to read only one book, and it had to cover pregnancy, birth, and newborn weeks, From the Hips would do you right. Everything is there, everything is solid, and everything is just so darned friendly to read. It's one-stop shopping.

In that spirit I would like to offer up two copies of the book (proof copies, so minus page numbers and some of the coloration, but still very much awesome, and FREE TO YOU so quit yer complainin') to YOU, loyal readers. I would like to give these to the first person from each of these two categories to email me saying "Me! Pick me!" The categories are as follows:

1) Someone who is newly pregnant (well, "newly" enough to want a pregnancy book) after at least three years of trying, and has not already committed to memory every single book, magazine article, and web page on the subject.

And in the interest of karmic balance:

2) Someone who is newly pregnant either totally by accident/surprise, or who hit the jackpot first month trying, and who doesn't know where to start with books.

Email me (linky up near the top of the page) and I will send the first responder from each category one copy, with the proviso that you must report back to the blog in the future with your opinion. I'll put your responses in a post.

Thanks as always to MotherTalk. Rock on, ladies.

*Stirrup pants. Also, What to Expect recommends brightly colored sneakers for a fashion lift.

Comments

[Jess]

Dammit. At 27 weeks pregnant after 5 months of trying I guess I don't fall into either category. I did put the book on my wishlist though. Thanks for alerting me!

[Jesse]

geez, I'm posting after a Jess. Weird.
Anyway, this sounds great, as I have very similar beefs to the ones you describe about all the afore-mentioned books.
But! You left out a key demographic-my own that is, the lesbian mom demographic. Is it lesbian mom friendly? ART friendly? As biomom to one lovely daughter (homebirth, still nursing at 2, blahblah) and hoping soon to be not-biomom to kid #2 (we're on IUI #5 this month, wish us luck!) I want to know if this is something my honey & I can snuggle up to together without being too put off. Thanks in advance!

[Andrea]

I wish I were newly pregnant, but at 34.5 weeks with #2 (in category 2), I think I don't count. However, having only read What to Expect (and not having taken the advice re. brightly coloured sneakers...!), I'm intrigued by this book. I'll be checking out my local bookstore for sure just out of curiosity - thanks for a really interesting review!

[birdie]

Hi! Total accident/suprise here! I was on the pill for the love of pete! But at 23 weeks, not sure if I'm 'newly pregnant' enough...Besides, our mutual friend Mamarama has already thrown a couple books my way...

[Jo]

Jesse, good point. In rereading the book with an eye toward lesbian motherhood, I discovered the following:

-Except in the case of actual people talking about their actual spouses, the book refers to "partners" and is gender-neutral except where specifics warrant. When the issue arises of fathers being potentially freaked out by seeing a vagina transform from Love Palace to Baby Chute, the possibility that this could be an issue with lesbian couples gets mentioned.

-There are resource sections scattered throughout, as well as at the back, for LGBT parenting, as well as "parenting outside the norm" and parenting when you are not the biological parent of the child.

-In other words, LGBT parenting=normal in this book. Postmodern!

[jenny]

I am newly pregnant - but it didn't quite take us three years, unless you count the months I was charting before we did our first home insem. But after hearing that it appears to be nice and same sex friendly I think we'll have to go pick it up this weekend.

[Mamarama]

Jo- Birdie up there is my friend Janean...send her the book.

XOXOXO

[ozma]

I'm neither of those--still trying...but thanks for the recommendation! I hope I will have the need to read it soon-ish.

[Sam]

How about the category of "going to start trying at the end of the year and previously was VERY fertile but 11 years after last birth not so sure about fertility and currently late on period but on the pill and HOW could I be pregnant?" I'm not even sure that is a sentence in any sense of the word. /sigh

[Stephanie]

I got pregnant about 36 seconds after starting to try (the first month), but am no longer newly pregnant (i'm 32 weeks now). but this book sounds great as a reference for delivery and everything that follows!

[Leslie]

Thanks for the book tip from someone who feels like she's read every pregnancy book out there.

[Jo]

Mamarama -- I know who Janean is! But sadly, both copies were about immediately taken!

However, I wonder if she knows anyone who works in a bookstore...

[Lilian]

My copies were claimed already too... :) or I'd offer it to your other reader.

I'm glad and relieved that you liked the book. After I read Katie Allison Granju's review (I'd already written mine) I started thinking -- am I really not critical enough about books? I love it how you refer to it as postmodern, that's exactly why I liked it so much! YAY!!

[BOSSY]

Bossy is relieved that she no longer needs this book in her library collection. But anyone got any free Menopause manuals?

[Kelly]

Cool! Good to know there's a great book out there that isn't too....anything...

Anything, that is, but helpful and informative and accurate.

[-Blue]

Great. A fab pregnancy book comes out three months AFTER I have my last kid.

Blimey, I could have used it, too.

[zarqa]

Hey, I'm not "newly" pregnant (33 weeks), but I have been trying for four years, with plenty of loss along the way. Pick me?

[Kirsten]

Delurking here...
It sounds like a great book- I'm at 31 weeks, conceived first time, and will keep an eye out for it at my bookshop.
My favourite fashion tip comes from an old copy of Australian Pregnancy & Parenting: "To distract attention from your belly, wear a big hat."
I have a mexican straw number, but even if I put a flashing light on it, people are still going to notice my belly...

[Kirsten]

Delurking here...
It sounds like a great book- I'm at 31 weeks, conceived first time, and will keep an eye out for it at my bookshop.
My favourite pregnancy fashion tip comes from an old copy of Australian Pregnancy & Parenting: "To distract attention from your belly, wear a big hat."
I have a mexican straw number, but even if I put a flashing light on it, people are still going to notice my belly...

[Mandy]

That sounds like a great book; I'll recommend it to my pregnant friends. Dr. Sears is too sanctimonious for ANY mother, in my opinion...

[Matthew M. F. Miller]

I'm guessing my maleness disqualifies me from this competition, yes?

Stupid penis …