I Know the Baby is Important. But So Am I.

I spent my entire pregnancy with my daughter determined to learn as much as I could about labor and delivery. I could pick out a cervix and tell you how far it was dilated with my eyes closed. And I knew every breathing exercise that was every created.

I can even do a mean Bill Cosby impression. You know that one right?

But what I did not prepare for was the transition in my own personhood -- the move from woman to mother. No classes and no book prepared me for that.

What is it like to suddenly care for a tiny infant who can't talk and doesn't like to sleep? What does having a terrible time breastfeeding and changing green poopy diapers do to your psyche? And how does leaving a job where you were very important for a job where you're important to a baby and not too many other people really feel?

Those are only a few of the questions I asked myself daily as I tried to figure out my new persona as mother. And when I read Dr. Tracy Gaudet's book Body, Soul, & Baby, all of those questions were answered. If only I had found the book sooner.

It's clearly not just another baby book. It's a book for women about babies and motherhood.

If you're familiar with Dr. Andrew Weil, then you'll be tickled to know that Dr. Gaudet worked with him at the University of Arizona before taking over Duke Medical School's Department of Integrative Medicine. This approach, a wholistic approach to medicine, is one that is making huge strides in medical care and hopefully in women's care as well.

The book covers all the basics in friendly language. Don't think sugar coated -- think like a smart friend (who happens to be a doctor) talking to you about what you need to know and putting her hand on your shoulder when you start to freak out.

She offers reality checks, myth busters, and my favorite part, soul checks. Dr. Gaudet gets that it's not just about your vagina stretching and your fear of pooping on the table. It's about the changes to your total existence, your role in your marriage, your job, and your life as well.

I appreciate that Dr. Gaudet respects and recommends multi-disciplinary care for the pregnant woman. She discusses doulas, lactation consultants, and midwives, all with respect. 

If you're looking for a month-by-month pregnancy book with hordes of helpful, medically sound information, then this is the book. But don't be fooled.

You'll actually read this one.

You can find more reviews about this book here. And it can be purchased here.