A gift edition, with a new letter to the reader from Emily—perfect for baby showers and special moments “Emily Oster is the non-judgmental girlfriend holding our hand and guiding us through pregnancy and motherhood. She has done the work to get us the hard facts in a soft, understandable way.” —Amy Schumer What to Expect When You're Expecting meets Freakonomics: an award-winning economist and author of Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected disproves standard recommendations about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting. Pregnancy—unquestionably one of the most pro­found, meaningful experiences of adulthood—can reduce otherwise intelligent women to, well, babies. Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices. When award-winning economist Emily Oster was a mom-to-be herself, she evaluated the data behind the accepted rules of pregnancy, and discovered that most are often misguided and some are just flat-out wrong. Debunking myths and explaining everything from the real effects of caffeine to the surprising dangers of gardening, Expecting Better is the book for every pregnant woman who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy—and the occasional glass of wine.

There is nothing more magical in this world than the moment when life begins its new story. This is the moment when a small miracle awakens in the arms of mother and father, and the whole world reveals its miracles in new colors. Like the pages of a magic book, the life of a pregnant woman is filled with mysteries and surprises. Every moment is a chapter, every movement is an art, and the beating of a small heart is a magic that cannot be described in words. This book is the key to this magical book of life. She invites you on a journey full of mystery and wonder, into a world where the smallest touches become the most important. This is a journey into the world of motherhood and fatherhood, where every day is a new chapter, every minute is an encounter with magic. Here you will find stories about how dreams and hopes are born, about how love and happiness are born. This book is a colorful picture of life, where every color, every note is part of this magical symphony. Let's open the first page of this magical book together and go on an incredible journey, where every moment is filled with the magic of a New Life. In this world, where every step leads to a new beginning, and every beginning carries with it the eternal circle of life, conceiving a child is one of the most magical and mysterious moments. It is like a quiet whisper of nature, a promise of new life, gently emerging in the secret depths of existence. This act of creating new life is the moment when love transcends the visible and becomes a force that can change the world. Conceiving a child is not just a biological process, it is an act of love and hope. This is the moment when two hearts work together to create a miracle, giving the world a new soul. This is the beginning of a journey full of excitement, joy, sometimes fear and uncertainty, but always full of love. And then comes the moment of birth - a solemn and magical event when new life meets the light for the first time. This is the moment when time stops, and the entire universe seems concentrated in this small creature that lies so helplessly in the arms of its mother. The birth of a child is the fulfillment of the meaning of life, the embodiment of love and hope that were inherent at the moment of conception. With this event comes a new responsibility - responsibility for a new life, for this little miracle, which now depends on its parents. This is a responsibility not only for the physical well-being of the child, but also for his emotional and spiritual development. Parents become the first teachers, the first mentors and the first support in this world for their child. And, of course, with the birth of a child comes incredible love - love that knows no boundaries, knows no fatigue and knows no fear. This is love that is stronger than anything in the world, love that is capable of the greatest sacrifices and deeds. This is love that stays with parents for life, grows and develops with the child. Conceiving and giving birth to a child are not just natural stages of life, they are sacred acts full of deep meaning and grandeur. They remind us of the miracle of life, the power of love and how important it is to cherish every moment spent with our children. This is a journey that changes us, makes us better, wiser and happier. In a world where every breath and every step carries the invisible magic of the beginning, the psychological education of a child, starting from the moment of conception and especially in the first year of life, is one of the most significant and subtle threads with which we, adults, weave the fabric of the future. From the moment of conception, when new life barely begins to pulsate in the womb, it already absorbs the essence of the surrounding world through the senses of the mother. The emotional state, thoughts, sensations of the mother become the first colors with which she, perhaps unknown, paints the first images in the mind of her child. Love, calm and harmony surrounding the mother become the basis for the development of a sense of security in the child. When a baby is born, his psychological development takes on a new round. Every touch, every look, every word of the parents is imprinted in the child’s tender memory, forming his ideas about the world, about himself and about those who surround him. In the first year of life, when the baby cannot yet speak, he actively learns to understand the world through emotions and tactile sensations. This is the time when the foundation of trust in the world is laid through the warmth of hands, the tenderness of hugs and the confidence that parents are always there. Mom’s smile, dad’s gentle voice, their calmness and confidence are transmitted to the baby, giving him a feeling of security and anticipation of good things. The importance of psychological education during this period cannot be overestimated. This is the time when the foundations of self-esteem, adaptability, and first social skills are laid. Parents are the first teachers and mentors through whom the child learns to understand himself and others, learns to feel and express his emotions. The love and attention, respect and understanding that a child receives in the first year of his life become the cornerstone of his psychological health and well-being for the rest of his life. This is the foundation on which all his future relationships, his self-confidence and his ability to face difficulties will be built. Thus, psychological education begins long before the first word, the first step, it begins with the first heartbeat in the womb and continues with every moment of the first year of life. It is a mysterious and majestic task to fill this world with love, raising a new soul that will one day make it a better place.

The complete guide to pregnancy, day-by-day No other pregnancy book provides this level of detail, allied with such extraordinary photographs, 3D scans and illustrations which reveal in unprecedented clarity exactly what is happening to you and your baby every single day. From early fetal development to how your hormones prepare you for birth, learn from world-class experts. Plus, obstetricians, midwives and parents advise on your baby's development, medical matters, your changing body, diet, fitness and much more. A special hour-by-hour rundown of what to expect during and immediately after birth, plus further reassurance for the first two weeks of your baby's life, will give a helping hand through the culmination of your pregnancy, from pain relief to those first intimate and unique moments between you and your child.

Book description to come.

The complete illustrated guide from conception to birth. The Pregnant Body Book is a comprehensive visual guide to every aspect of conception, pregnancy and birth exploring the important changes that take place in a completely revolutionary way. State-of-the-art images, extraordinary photography and accessible text track each stage of both the mother and baby's development from fertilisation to birth week-by-week. This unprecedented guide covers everything you could possibly want to know from the science behind sex and conception to the intricacies of genetics and includes a detailed look at the anatomy and physiology of both the male and female reproductive systems and the groundbreaking medical advances that define the 21st-century understanding of pregnancy. The Pregnant Body Book is the first of its kind and an ideal reference for prospective parents, as well as both medical and midwifery students.

Feel informed and empowered with this thoroughly updated, full-color pregnancy guide, which recognizes that “one size fits all” doesn’t apply to maternity care. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn provides the comprehensive guidance you need to make informed decisions about having a safe and satisfying pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period–decisions that reflect your preferences, priorities, and values. This sixth edition includes: -CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 -Updated dietary guides and breastfeeding and surrogacy information -Birth plans including doulas and caesarians when necessary -Tips on how to reduce stress -And so much more Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn is inclusive, reflecting today's various family configurations such as single-parent families, blended families formed by second marriages, families with gay and lesbian parents, and families formed by open adoption or surrogacy. This pregnancy guide speaks to today's parents-to-be like no other.

The delivery of high quality and equitable care for both mothers and newborns is complex and requires efforts across many sectors. The United States spends more on childbirth than any other country in the world, yet outcomes are worse than other high-resource countries, and even worse for Black and Native American women. There are a variety of factors that influence childbirth, including social determinants such as income, educational levels, access to care, financing, transportation, structural racism and geographic variability in birth settings. It is important to reevaluate the United States' approach to maternal and newborn care through the lens of these factors across multiple disciplines. Birth Settings in America: Outcomes, Quality, Access, and Choice reviews and evaluates maternal and newborn care in the United States, the epidemiology of social and clinical risks in pregnancy and childbirth, birth settings research, and access to and choice of birth settings.