As anyone who’s been pregnant can tell you, every visit to the doctor is one fraught with potential peril as the mother-to-be is poked, prodded and inspected for every possible defect from Down’s Syndrome to gestational diabetes and warned to avoid everything from caffeine to Mexican cheese dip. In the process it’s easy to forget that billions of women have successfully given birth to healthy babies since time immemorial. Thankfully, there’s The Smart Mother’s Guide to a Better Pregnancy: How to Minimize Risks, Avoid Complications and Have a Healthy Baby ($15.95). Linda Burke-Galloway, MD, has put together a common-sense manual that goes over complications pregnant women could encounter and explains how to avoid or minimize those risks in a way that sheds a lot of light on the intimidating gauntlet of tests and screenings new mothers face during their 40 weeks of gestation. —Kristi Casey Sanders
Check it out: Find it in the Health & Fitness (Pregnancy & Childbirth) section of your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.
