The Pregnancy Bible
...ided to refer to the book for information first. I looked up “Cramping” in the books index and was pleased to see several pages referenced. I started with the lowest page number listed, as the book was in chronological order and I was only in the first trimester. Each chapter of the book includes a question and answer section. “I’ve been having occasional cramping. Could I have an ectopic pregnancy without knowing it? . . . Occasional cramping, probably the result of ligaments stretching as the uterus grows, is not one of [the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy]. But any or all of the following [symptoms] might be, and do require immediate evaluation by a physician . . . ” (110). Although the quote did not pertain to my situation exactly, I was still able to receive some guidance that I found helpful. I spoke to my Obstetrician and he reassured me that this feeling was probably normal. He told me to call him back if things persisted. The pain never worsened and ended up passing over a short period of time. In another, less severe incident, my husband and I were taking one of the first steps to prepare our home for our new addition. We were painting the walls inside our entire house. The paint fumes were terrible. We didn’t think about that before we began this project. It wasn’t until the fumes became so intense that I thought it could be harmful to the baby. Again, it was a weekend, so I referred to my pregnancy bible (as many other pregnant women also call this book). Sure enough, there was a section on “Paint fumes” and it was recommended that I leave the house until the painting was complete. “While the painting is being done, try to arrange to be out of the house” (70). When I mentioned the situation to my doctor later, once again he had agreed with the advice I received from the book. Reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting was also valuable to me emotionally and physically. There were many times that my husband and I would sit and read it together, which were some of the most sentimental moments I thought we had ever experienced up until then. With the illustrations it provided, it helped us visualize the development of the life we had created, before my body actually started making any changes. Suddenly I had a new appreciation for my body. At that point in my life, I had never really thought about what it would mean to carry a child. I just knew that I wanted to be a mother. Imme...