Title: Green Mama-To-Be: Creating a Happy, Healthy, and Toxin Free Pregnancy
Author: Manda Aufochs Gillespie
Publisher: Dundurn Group
Publication Date: 2017
ISBN: 9781459736283
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Swollen ankles? Difficult birth? Postpartum depression? Most expectant parents think, It won’t happen to me! But from conception through to birth, families today aren’t getting what they expect — or expecting what they get. The Green Mama explores a variety of sources, from the latest scientific and medical research and advice to traditional wisdom, to find out what issues, decisions, and avoidable dangers have the greatest impact on our children’s health. She brings together this combined wisdom to demystify epigenetics, the microbiome, a healthy pregnancy diet, toxin-free living, pregnancy exercises, herbal remedies, natural birth, healthy postpartum care, and many of the other mysteries of modern birth and parenting.
For those of you who may not have seen or heard, Mr. Worn Pages and I are thrilled to be expecting our first baby, and with this exciting news comes the new territory of pregnancy and parenting books. I’ve started my prenatal education with not only the traditional What to Expect When You’re Expecting, but also with this insightful series by Gillespie. Green Mama-To-Be is rooted in a desire to experience pregnancy and prepare this new tiny human in as clean, healthy, and green of an environment as possible. The author walks readers through the steps of taking care of one’s body and health as the fetus grows and as one prepares to give birth and welcome their child into the world.
Gillespie’s writing style is engaging and accessible. She tackles each concept through anecdotes and scientific research to explain her thoughts in a succinct and straightforward manner. Her focus is on organic and natural living that gives baby a great chance at starting life in a strong and healthy position. While I can’t say I totally agreed with everything Gillespie presented–I think every perspective should be taking with a grain of salt–I still learned quite a bit from her. There’s a lot of useful and interesting information in this book. Gillespie points out that there is a lot that mothers-to-be are able to control throughout their pregnancy, a time when there is so much outside of one’s control.
I did have to curse a bit at the chapters that discussed eating all of the healthy and organic fruits and vegetables during the first trimester, as I was eating only dry toast and crackers. However things are looking up now, and Gillespie’s recommendations have become much more appealing options. I’ve got Gillespie’s other book, Green Mama, in my TBR and I can’t wait to see what else she’s got to say.
Happy reading!
Worn Pages and Ink 