Perinatal registered nurse Tori Kropp covers every aspect of pregnancy--all the medical facts, but also the magic, humor, and joy of this very special time--month by month in this fully revised and updated edition of The Joy of Pregnancy, including recent medical advances and changes in typical hospital procedures.

As you move through every month of pregnancy, learn how your baby is developing, how your body is changing, how to prepare for birth and baby, and the pros and cons of various pregnancy and childbirth-related choices. The first month after birth is also covered, including breastfeeding tips and newborn care.

Tori's tone is reassuring and authoritative, but also non-judgmental and often humorous. Questions and answers from her online community Stork Site(R), highlighted tips, and quick-reference facts make the informative text accessible and fun to read. A Dad's Corner section at the end of each chapter provides advice and support to your partner through every stage. You'll learn:

• What foods, substances, and activities to limit or avoid
• What medications are safe to take
• The range of available diagnostic tests
• What to expect at each prenatal checkup
• Details of every stage of labor, with illustrations of labor positions

With this book by your side, you and your partner will be prepared to take an active role in ensuring a healthy, happy, and truly joyful pregnancy.
About the Author:

Tori Kropp, R.N., has delivered thousands of babies at the prestigious California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where she has worked for two decades. The birth process has been a fascination of Tori's since childhood, and even as an experienced nurse, she still considers pregnancy care to be more of a passion than a career. After studying anthropology and psychology as an undergraduate at Michigan State University, she earned her nursing degree from Manatee College in Florida. Tori chose to work in perinatal nursing because it allows her to have a hands-on role in childbirth. An active member of the health care community, Tori is a member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, and the California Nurses Association. In 1990, after observing that pregnant women were coming into the hospital more and more worried and anxious about labor, Tori founded a unique pre- and post-natal teaching program: PillowTalk, Modern Childbirth Education. Her strategy in these classes--teaching women not to overwhelm themselves with information and to focus instead on trusting their bodies and enjoying their pregnancies--was an instant success. In the mid 1990s, Tori used this same evenhanded, positive approach to pregnancy in founding Stork Site(R), a community website for expectant and new parents. Bursting with activity, this site became one of the Internet's first successful communities and later became a part of ivillage.com. Tori has been interviewed on national television and radio and in national print publications, including CNN, Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Washington Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Chicago Sun-Times. She lives in Marin County, California, with her family. Her website is TheJoyOfPregnancy.com.