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Family & Relationships. Health & Fitness. Nonfiction. HTML:�??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 *Fully Revised and Updated for 2021* What to Expect When You're Expecting meets Freakonomics: an award-winning economist disproves standard recommendations about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting. From the author of Cribsheet and The Family Firm, a data-driven decision making guide to the early years of parenting 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 occas… (more)
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LibraryThing member nomadreader
The basics: The subtitle of Expecting Better really says it all: why the conventional pregnancy wisdom is wrong--and what you really need to know. Emily Oster is a health economist, and in this book she offers up her analysis of what the data behind the pregnancy rules (the good, bad and
My thoughts: Expecting Better made headlines when it came out last August. I vividly recall the NPR headline "Pregnant? It's okay to have a glass of wine*" with the asterisk indicating "according to an economist." Which is true, but also according to doctors across Western Europe and Australia, but I'm getting ahead of myself. In August, we were still in that very frustrating stage of trying to get pregnant, so I purchased the book for my Kindle and impatiently waited until I was actually pregnant, which blessedly finally happened in December 2013, to start reading. Then I discovered the first section is about getting pregnant. Live and learn.
I'm not a fan of arbitrary rules, and being pregnant is no exception. Some are obvious, of course, but before I blindly follow rules, I want to understand the why, and that's what Oster does in Expecting Better. When I talk about being pregnant with women 20-30 years older than I am, they are quick to tell you all the things they were allowed to do that are forbidden now (soft cheese, steak cooked less than well-done, cold cuts, etc.) And as they're always quick to point out, my kids turned out okay. Admittedly, as much as I wanted a baby, I was never looking forward to actually being pregnant. I'm a sushi-eating, rare-steak loving, blue cheese devouring, wine-drinking fool. Nine months without them? It sounded unpleasant. I won't go as far to say I'm happy to do it, but if it's really putting my baby in danger, of course I will avoid things. If, however, there isn't a good answer to the "why?" question, then why make myself even more miserable if it's not helping my baby?
I'll let the data in Expecting Better speak for itself. I didn't make all the same choices as Oster did, but that's the beauty of this book: it's not about the advice; it's about the data. It's about equipping yourself with the right information so you (and your partner) can make informed decisions about your pregnancy. Oster distills it for you, but she also features extensive citations so you can read the actual data for yourself when you're so inclined.
As hard as it is, I avoid red meat that isn't well done (and that one is getting harder as grilling out season gears up.) I avoid unpasteurized cheeses (I did thankfully find a great pasteurized Stilton to satisfy my blue cheese craving.) I eat sushi. I eat runny eggs. I drink a glass of wine most nights (only twice a week in the first trimester.) I even have one glass with lunch and one with dinner on occasion. I cut back on caffeine in the first trimester, but I never cut it out. We opted not to do first trimester prenatal screening, which surprised me. I'm opting for an epidural.
The verdict: Expecting Better is a must-read for pregnant women, women trying to get pregnant, and anyone interested in the science of pregnancy. As an economist, Oster brings a Freakonomics-style approach to analyzing pregnancy data. She also brings her personal experience of being pregnant (plus many stories from her sister and friends, who often received different information from their different doctors.) I read it in a single day (the day I found out I was pregnant), but I've continued to refer to it throughout my pregnancy, particularly when people try to tell me not to eat cold cuts or enjoy my pregnancy-portion of wine. It's a book I'll keep giving to my pregnant friends for years to come.
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unnecessary). While she offers her decisions, she also leaves room for the reader to make her own informed decisions about her pregnancy.My thoughts: Expecting Better made headlines when it came out last August. I vividly recall the NPR headline "Pregnant? It's okay to have a glass of wine*" with the asterisk indicating "according to an economist." Which is true, but also according to doctors across Western Europe and Australia, but I'm getting ahead of myself. In August, we were still in that very frustrating stage of trying to get pregnant, so I purchased the book for my Kindle and impatiently waited until I was actually pregnant, which blessedly finally happened in December 2013, to start reading. Then I discovered the first section is about getting pregnant. Live and learn.
I'm not a fan of arbitrary rules, and being pregnant is no exception. Some are obvious, of course, but before I blindly follow rules, I want to understand the why, and that's what Oster does in Expecting Better. When I talk about being pregnant with women 20-30 years older than I am, they are quick to tell you all the things they were allowed to do that are forbidden now (soft cheese, steak cooked less than well-done, cold cuts, etc.) And as they're always quick to point out, my kids turned out okay. Admittedly, as much as I wanted a baby, I was never looking forward to actually being pregnant. I'm a sushi-eating, rare-steak loving, blue cheese devouring, wine-drinking fool. Nine months without them? It sounded unpleasant. I won't go as far to say I'm happy to do it, but if it's really putting my baby in danger, of course I will avoid things. If, however, there isn't a good answer to the "why?" question, then why make myself even more miserable if it's not helping my baby?
I'll let the data in Expecting Better speak for itself. I didn't make all the same choices as Oster did, but that's the beauty of this book: it's not about the advice; it's about the data. It's about equipping yourself with the right information so you (and your partner) can make informed decisions about your pregnancy. Oster distills it for you, but she also features extensive citations so you can read the actual data for yourself when you're so inclined.
As hard as it is, I avoid red meat that isn't well done (and that one is getting harder as grilling out season gears up.) I avoid unpasteurized cheeses (I did thankfully find a great pasteurized Stilton to satisfy my blue cheese craving.) I eat sushi. I eat runny eggs. I drink a glass of wine most nights (only twice a week in the first trimester.) I even have one glass with lunch and one with dinner on occasion. I cut back on caffeine in the first trimester, but I never cut it out. We opted not to do first trimester prenatal screening, which surprised me. I'm opting for an epidural.
The verdict: Expecting Better is a must-read for pregnant women, women trying to get pregnant, and anyone interested in the science of pregnancy. As an economist, Oster brings a Freakonomics-style approach to analyzing pregnancy data. She also brings her personal experience of being pregnant (plus many stories from her sister and friends, who often received different information from their different doctors.) I read it in a single day (the day I found out I was pregnant), but I've continued to refer to it throughout my pregnancy, particularly when people try to tell me not to eat cold cuts or enjoy my pregnancy-portion of wine. It's a book I'll keep giving to my pregnant friends for years to come.
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LibraryThing member being_b
As a social scientist and newly pregnant woman, I really appreciated this evidence-based approach to managing health and decision-making during pregnancy. And the author didn't once refer to me as "Mommy." Many thumbs up, highly recommended.
LibraryThing member brakketh
A bit heavy handed on how great economists are at understanding research evidence. Useful book for those who want to understand the evidence underpinning many of the recommendations provided around pregnancy.
LibraryThing member mcelhra
When economist Emily Oster became pregnant with her first child, she soon found herself frustrated with the lack of and quality of data behind the pregnancy rules her obstetrician gave her to follow. For example, who decided pregnant women shouldn’t eat deli meat and why? Emily set out to find
Oster explains in layman’s terms how to interpret study results without talking down to the reader. She addresses things like sample size and correlation versus causality.
I liked that she framed her conclusions in terms of risks verses benefits and recognized that what is an acceptable level of risk for her may not be an acceptable level of risk for the reader and vice versa, for a variety of reasons. It was surprising how many pregnancy don’ts are based on either outdated research or studies with very small sample sizes.
I appreciated Oster’s logical approach to issues that come up in pregnancy and that she didn’t present her conclusions as black and white. She has a new book out called Cribsheet about the early years of parenting that I am very much looking forward to reading as I am due to have my fourth child in a few weeks. My youngest is almost nine so the early years of raising a baby are a distant blur in my memory! I highly recommend Expecting Better for anyone who is pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant in the future.
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the answers.Oster explains in layman’s terms how to interpret study results without talking down to the reader. She addresses things like sample size and correlation versus causality.
I liked that she framed her conclusions in terms of risks verses benefits and recognized that what is an acceptable level of risk for her may not be an acceptable level of risk for the reader and vice versa, for a variety of reasons. It was surprising how many pregnancy don’ts are based on either outdated research or studies with very small sample sizes.
I appreciated Oster’s logical approach to issues that come up in pregnancy and that she didn’t present her conclusions as black and white. She has a new book out called Cribsheet about the early years of parenting that I am very much looking forward to reading as I am due to have my fourth child in a few weeks. My youngest is almost nine so the early years of raising a baby are a distant blur in my memory! I highly recommend Expecting Better for anyone who is pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant in the future.
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LibraryThing member VictoriaBrodersen
Finally an opinion free, data driven look at everything you've ever heard about pregnancy but never got an explanation of. Beginning with conception and following the development of new life through delivery, Oster offers an easy to understand take on academically sound studies and distills
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overwhelming research into bite sized sentences at the end of each chapter that guide one to making their own, well informed decisions around how to shepherd forward a new life. Questions about how much coffee is safe to whether one drink in 9 months is going to have an impact are all answered. A much anticipated relief of a read. Show Less
LibraryThing member arosoff
After 2 moderately complicated pregnancies and multiple thrown pregnancy books, I wanted to like this. I was attracted to the concept of applying decision-making principles to pregnancy. It's a great concept, and not enough pregnancy literature emphasizes the risk-and-tradeoff model (or if it does,
Unfortunately, the book itself doesn't measure up to the concept. A full treatment of the problem would be a weighty tome, more akin to Henci Goer's Obstetric Myths and Research Realities (only less biased and more up to date). To her credit, Oster doesn't even pretend to have attempted that. Even so, the treatment verges on the cursory and would have benefited from closer collaboration with an OB/GYN.
The book is structured as a journey through pregnancy, using Oster's own pregnancy (low risk, with an unmedicated vaginal delivery) as a base narrative. This makes the book easy to follow, but also has its pitfalls. Given that a large number of women will have a relatively low risk pregnancy and delivery, this isn't entirely invalid. Many of the things she covers--especially in early pregnancy--are common to all (the true risks of cat litter and tuna, and the probabilities used in prenatal screening, have widespread relevance). However, it also means she completely ignores almost anything outside of her experience. Rightly, she decided that most of the complications of pregnancy are between you and your doctor, although she provides some bullet points, but this also means that C sections get no discussion at all. Strangely, VBACs do, and her discussion is surprisingly skewed. She leans towards VBACs being "too risky" while not mentioning the most frequently discussed concern, uterine rupture, and doesn't mention the downsides of planned repeats at all.
At times it comes off as actually slapdash. There's a short discussion of non-stress testing in the section about later pregnancy, and the potential value for delivery, but never mentions the possibility that a biophysical profile will be done. There's no discussion of the actual risks involved of routine induction at 40 vs 41 vs 42 weeks, which is a fairly common topic of discussion and a natural fit for the chapter. Her treatment of home birth is sure to rise some hackles. (Nor is it helped by a throwaway comment about higher home birth rates and lower infant mortality rates in Europe--although on the next page she discusses the difference between perinatal and neonatal mortality. Wherefore art thou, editor?) The section on drug classifications is helpful but not entirely so--the potential benefits of Category D medications aren't really mentioned.
It's a short, breezy read and provides some interesting food for thought, particularly with the early pregnancy risks, but is of limited practical use.
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presents inaccurate risks). The book has already gotten a backlash for daring to suggest that the zero-tolerance approach to alcohol in pregnancy is not backed by evidence, prompting 1-star Amazon reviews accusing the author of not caring about FASD. This particular criticism is, in my opinion, overblown. Unfortunately, the book itself doesn't measure up to the concept. A full treatment of the problem would be a weighty tome, more akin to Henci Goer's Obstetric Myths and Research Realities (only less biased and more up to date). To her credit, Oster doesn't even pretend to have attempted that. Even so, the treatment verges on the cursory and would have benefited from closer collaboration with an OB/GYN.
The book is structured as a journey through pregnancy, using Oster's own pregnancy (low risk, with an unmedicated vaginal delivery) as a base narrative. This makes the book easy to follow, but also has its pitfalls. Given that a large number of women will have a relatively low risk pregnancy and delivery, this isn't entirely invalid. Many of the things she covers--especially in early pregnancy--are common to all (the true risks of cat litter and tuna, and the probabilities used in prenatal screening, have widespread relevance). However, it also means she completely ignores almost anything outside of her experience. Rightly, she decided that most of the complications of pregnancy are between you and your doctor, although she provides some bullet points, but this also means that C sections get no discussion at all. Strangely, VBACs do, and her discussion is surprisingly skewed. She leans towards VBACs being "too risky" while not mentioning the most frequently discussed concern, uterine rupture, and doesn't mention the downsides of planned repeats at all.
At times it comes off as actually slapdash. There's a short discussion of non-stress testing in the section about later pregnancy, and the potential value for delivery, but never mentions the possibility that a biophysical profile will be done. There's no discussion of the actual risks involved of routine induction at 40 vs 41 vs 42 weeks, which is a fairly common topic of discussion and a natural fit for the chapter. Her treatment of home birth is sure to rise some hackles. (Nor is it helped by a throwaway comment about higher home birth rates and lower infant mortality rates in Europe--although on the next page she discusses the difference between perinatal and neonatal mortality. Wherefore art thou, editor?) The section on drug classifications is helpful but not entirely so--the potential benefits of Category D medications aren't really mentioned.
It's a short, breezy read and provides some interesting food for thought, particularly with the early pregnancy risks, but is of limited practical use.
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LibraryThing member sanyamakadi
Extremely user friendly...I finished the whole book in less than 24 hours. A lot of the information was already known to me (as probably there is more information available to the general public than when she first started writing, plus I am a public health professional), but there were some
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definite ah-ha moments, which made the book worthwhile. Though I have to say, I read the whole labor and delivery chapter with eyes-wide horror. I appreciate the frankness, particularly about the interventionist pressures of the medical system, but at the end of the day childbirth is terrifying no matter how you slice it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Andjhostet
Simply put, this book is Freakonomics but for pregnancy, and it's fantastic. This book is what happens when an Economics professor from the University of Chicago gets pregnant, gets conflicting information about pregnancy, and researches it herself and draws conclusions from the data.
I'd recommend
I'd recommend
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to anyone considering having kids, I sure feel a lot more prepared for this aspect of it, whenever that day may come. There's also "sequels" for babies and toddlers that I'll probably check out. Show Less