Diabetes-and-Pregnancy Books

I found this book to be chock full of interesting and invaluable information. It explains so much about the ways this disease affects you and how important your eating habits are. It also explains in detail how the different types of medications work. I would recommend this book to any woman who has Type 2 diabetes.

I've been a nurse for 20 years and thought I knew enough about diabetes. Then I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and found myself asking alot of the same questions that I've heard other patients ask. This book was a big help to me and will be a big help for my family in understanding how to live with and control this condition.

Yes, there are some good things in this book, you probably already know them.

Avoid refined grains during pregnancy
Avoid smoking during pregnancy
Avoid alcohol during pregnancy

The typical diet advice seems to be parroted everywhere including this book.

*Low fat diet
*Pasteurized dairy only
*Eat lots of grains

This is a diet designed to create weak and poorly nourished children. While it is better than eating junk food, it isn't going to be nourishing.

The chapter about how prenatal nutrition is vital is definitely interesting, but the nutritional guidelines laid forth are not going to accomplish the best results. The author talks about mercury in fish being a concern and sites FDA evidence that 8 percent of women have high levels of mercury in their blood. But are we to believe this is from them eating pounds of tuna every week? Or is this from mercury laden drugs, pollution, food additives and fillings as the cause? Huge studies such as one recently published in Lancet, have shown that naturally occurring mercury in fish, even if it raises the mercury in the mother's blood stream, shows NO DANGER for pregnancy.

People need healthy fats from whole foods to be healthy. Pregnant women get essential vitamins from healthy fats, that's why even this book recommends fish, and eggs for pregnancy. But then it goes on to say that saturated fats are unhealthy, which doesn't make sense.

Diets of indigenous groups across the planet, who had healthy babies, and uncomplicated births knew what to eat during pregnancy. Special foods included raw grassfed dairy, sea foods which included the organs, and fatty foods from the land and sea. Healthy people never had refined flour, or "organic" breakfast cereals or soy milk. By returning to a whole foods diet based upon generations of healthy people, we can reclaim our pregnancy health. Learn how to do it in Healing Our Children: Because Your New Baby Matters! Sacred Wisdom for Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting (ages 0-6).

I found this book full with tips and information on what to expect through pregnancy. I think it's worth the read to understand exactly why you need to eat healthy throug pregnancy.

Kudos to Dr. Walker on the second publication (although I wish I had this one first!) on health and wellness for mothers and their babies.

This 'easy-to-ingest' book is an excellent resource for information on what to eat, what to avoid, and even includes tips on exercise and creative recipes for snack and mealtimes.

Take care of yourself, and take care of your baby!

I liked this book because it was the only book I could find with real information about artificial sweeteners. It seemed to be up to date and it gave the info understood from the most current research.

I read this book cover to cover and to be honest, I don't think I learned anything new. In fact there is surprisingly little time devoted to actually how/what to eat! It seems like most of the book is devoted to the idea that how you eat during pregnancy will affect your child's health later in life. So if you need motivation to reach for the veggies everyday, this would be a great book to read. But overall it's the same tips about what to avoid, eat from the food pyramid, etc. Having said that, I gave it four stars because even though the information isn't new, it feels good to get it from a reputable source since half the stuff you read, it's hard to tell if you can trust it. Additionally, there are some wonderful, easy, healthy recipes at the end of the book!

While the book provided some good information, I was expecting more judging by the title. (I was also surprised at how small the book was given its cost.) Bottom line? There is much more specific and far more up-to-date information available for free on the internet. A quick search under "diabetes mellitus and pregnancy" will provide a wealth of it, including specific (and current) rates of birth defects at what blood sugar levels and which tests should be conducted during which trimester.

I think the problem may be that it's trying to do too much. The introduction states that the book is designed to "present to the clinician a complete package of protocols." Given some of the very basic information, I hope there are no clinicians who don't know some of this stuff.

The first chapter discusses the fact that it's a good idea to talk to women before conception about the importance of good blood sugar control (does anyone not know that?) and lists the doctors one should see and some of the tests that should be conducted. It basicaly suggests a thorough exam for all the diabetic trouble spots--eyes, kidneys, A1c levels, thyroid, etc. All good sense. However, the second chapter is on contraception, which seems unecessary and out of place. Worse, the first chapter boldly states that if the woman has "clinically proven" cardiac disease, she should not only be counseled against pregnancy, but "should be asked to consider permanent sterilization"(!). No discussion about risk factors or degrees of severity--just any cardiac disease equals sterilization. If the book is only geared toward "clinicians," perhaps that's acceptable. But a discussion of birth control, and a list of what kinds of insulin exist and their duration seems geared toward the completely uninitiated. I found it shocking.

A large problem I had was with the graph of birth defect rates, something I was very, very concerned with. It doesn't seem to be labeled accurately. It says it measures number of spontaneous abortions, major malformations and no major malformations in conjunction with HA1c levels in the first trimester. However, above the HA1c levels it says "Mean + SD (standard deviation)." You can't tell what the SD refers to, and it reports some pretty high numbers. I contacted the ADA (publisher) about this since it suggests that an A1c between 7.7 and 9.3 has fewer incidents of major malformation than an A1c below 7.7. The person I corresponded with was very nice, and told me a few times they would get back to me. They finally said I should check with my doctor if I'm pregnant, which did NOT answer the question. I checked the source material listed at the end of the chapter--this graph is based on information from "reference 13," which was an article published in 1979. I found much more current info on my own with a simple internet check.

There was information about the fact that insulin requirements will increase as the pregnancy progresses, but my doctor has a chart that shows you the typical increases. Further, the book Pumping Insulin has a good chapter on pregnancy and what to expect in dosage increases, diet breakdowns and blood sugar goals pre- and post-meal.

Much of the rest of the book seems like common sense, things you could find in almost any book on pregnancy or in some other book designed for the lay person written from the diabetic's point of view rather than the clinician's.

Overall, I wish someone had steered me toward better information. Given the title, I was expecting it to be sort of a "one-stop shop" where I could get all the factual information I would need. Perhaps I expected too much.

I am a pregnant diabetic woman with no medical training, and I highly recommend this book to others like me who want some good information on pregnancy and diabetes. It is appropriate for type I, type II, and gestational diabetes.

It has great facts such as a graph of 1st trimester HbA1c's vs. number of congenital malformations and a table with each congenital malformation and the associated factor of increased risk. Those two things right there were worth the price of the book for me. It also serves as a guide for your entire pregnancy from pre-conception through breastfeeding. It explains the tests that should be performed throughout your pregnancy, how your diabetes should be treated during labor and delivery, and how your baby should be treated after he/she is born.

There were a few small downsides to this book. I did not understand about 5% of it, although I was almost always able to get the gist of it. Another 5% was just more information than I needed or wanted. Also, it sometimes gave perfect-world recommendations that didn't seem practical given the real-world limitations of time, money, and the fact that pregnant diabetic women are humans, not machines!

If you want an informational book on pregnancy and diabetes and you aren't scared off by medical terminology, this is the one to get.

This is a book for diabetic women planning or in pregnancy. It is very detailed and some of the language may be difficult for the lay person. However it goes into great detail about diabetes managment and reducing the risks of complications in the pregnancy. You will learn more here than in any doctor's office. If you are not medically inclined, get the book, read it then ask your doctor or nurse to explain questions that the book evokes about your situation.

This book is quite useful, if perhaps overly full of information that is not of interest to the average person.

It is good because it provides a straightforward summary of what gestational diabetes (GD) is, and answers a number of the basic questions in clear, reassuring terms.

The only significant problem I did not see addressed was the question about whether having GD implies that the woman should be induced early in order to counter the leading danger from GD, which is an overweight baby.

There is, however, a ton of material here if you want a sourcebook for a whole array of studies, material and related info on GD.

Although this book was helpful, it really didn't answer all of the questions we had and we have yet to find the definitive book on the subject.

Karen Hargrave-Nykaza responded as you'd hope a mother of a child with a chronic illness would, by focusing all her energy on responding to her son's diagnosis of juvenile diabetes. She has collected her experiences into a book that helps parents in her situation get through the day without reinventing the wheel, giving examples of tip sheets, procedures, and her responses to the many crises that occur from the moment you receive a diagnosis. Karen now leads groups counseling new families with how to cope.

This book is written by a world famous authority who is THE west coast specialist. It has been a huge help to our family. Guidance and answers are what a suddenly diabetic, pregnant mom-to-be really craves. The book was recommended by our dietician and we have been so greatful!

The book does not give you any more information than your diabetic counselor will. There is more filler in this book that is unrelated to gestational diabetes. There also is some contradiction in it as well. Don't buy it.

The book pushed the usual medical establishment line about gestational diabetes which might work for some, but really is by no means a definitive work on the subject. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you should read everything on the subject including this book but be skeptical. The medical establishment is pushing insulin on pregnant women when diet should be the first approach and be careful...low carb foods are NOT always better than regular. This is caused by hormones and the normal rules of diabetes do not always apply.

I bought 3 books when I was diagnosed with Gestational diabetes: 101 tips for Healthy Pregnancy w/ Gestational diabetes, Gestational Diabetes: what to Expect & this one. This one was the best I thought. It had a real food guide (my main questions were how do I control my diabetes with diet), the others just wouldn't come out & say "eat this" "don't eat that". Plus the author writes to the women with the diabetes, very direct & personable. I am giving this book to my midwife so she can share it with her patients instead of just Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect.

When you have Gestational Diabetes, you are basically going to find all your information from your Doctor and Diabetic Counseling, there really isn't any one book that tells you anything more than you already know. I thought this books Chapter 5 on Food, Food, Food was helpful. It allowed me to make up my own menus following their guidelines on what to eat. It was pretty much the same guidelines I got from my nutritionist but my nutrionist never gave me as many choices. I would recommend this book to someone with Gestational Diabetes, because of that chapter, and it does give the same information as your Doctor.

I agree with the other comments that Ms. Loring is an obviously caring mom who is writing from experience and with compassion, but I find the information in the book very dated.

The book does not mention the insulin pump, which many kids now use, and has been a wonderful alternative to shots for many people with Diabetes. Also, the philopsophy that kids with Diabetes are "forbidden" to ever have sugar is extremely dated. Children and adults with Type 1 Diabetes can certainly enjoy the occasional treat (birthday parties, etc), with prior planning, and careful monitoring. If you work with your healthcare provider closely, children with Type 1 Diabetes no longer have to be the "odd kids out".

For more current information, check out Understanding Diabetes, published by the Children's Diabetes Foundation. While it doesn't have the "Mom Who Has Been There" angle, it does have a ton of very helpful and easily searchable information.

I appreciate the fact that this book was written by someone who "has been there." But, Ms Loring wrote this book in 1991 and apparently updated some of the mateial in 1999. Given today's advances in diabetic treatment much of the information is sadly out of date.
If you want to read a book about the old days of diabetic treatment or a book written by a compassionate mother, then go ahead. I personally find it difficult to relate to the expriences of a Hollywood actress from over a decade ago.
If you want to know about today's treatment alternatives and how to deal with Type 1 diabetes in today's world, find a book with a more recent publication date, written by someone with the proper medical credentials. I'm not a medical professional, but I'm quickly becoming an expert on juvenile diabetes by reading and studying timely publications.

I was given this book by another parent of a diabetic child and I read it and reread it. It is so honest about all the things that can happen to your child as well as encouragement. It has been a referance guide for our family. Her cookbook is wonderful too!

Poorly written and horribly, horribly edited. That aside, it is an easy read. But her message is so convoluted. There is no logical progression of thought or information and she often contradicts herself from one chapter to the next. 75% of the book is filled with diet mentality "tricks" and "Don't" and "No's" and "Control" and "Discipline", then the rest of the book claims there are no "bad" foods, diets are bad and we all just need to get in touch with our natural hunger, and feed it.

I would highly recommend "Outsmarting the female fat cell" by Debra Waterhouse. Not only is the message clear, logical and healthy but she explains the physiology behind it. She lays out a reasonable program. And, it's about $15 cheaper.

Finally a book that speaks my language! It has information and advice that's easy to understand. Info that I can put to use right away. Read a chapter every day or two and you'll see that learning to eat better does not require something that resembles a college text book with boring data charts and scientific language. This book explains what you can do right away, right now, as soon as you have the book. As soon as you apply what's in the book, it goes beyond the book as you take action and make changes to get healthier.

This book was not helpful at all. I am a Type I Diabetic in the process of trying to start a family and I was looking forward to reading this book. It told me the same exact thing that "what to expect" pregnancy book does, barely mentioning diabetes topics. It did not ease my mind or give me any information on how my diabetes would be affected by pregnancy. The only thing they kept repeating was that diabetes NEEDS TO BE CONTROLLED DURING PREGNANCY. No kidding.

I bought this book in hope of gaining an insight to the increased insulin demands of a diabetic pregnancy due to hormonal fluctuations. This book only describes what insulin is/does. There should be a line on the cover stating that this book is only recommended for uninformed/newly diagnosed diabetics.

I was very disappointed by this book. It seems to have been written for children. It has some information that seems wildly inappropriate for a book that purports to be about pregnancy -- a section on birth control, with an explanation of what a condom is and how it works, for example. It also takes pains to explain terms such as "trimester." It doesn't get very deep into what a diabetic woman can expect and encounter during pregnancy, and that's what I need. I agree with another reviewer that someone needs to write a good book about diabetes and pregnancy.

I am the editor of Diabetic Mommy Online Magazine - DiabeticMommy.com

I am a type 2 diabetic, and had to start insulin when I got pregnant with my son. At that time I felt there was little information on pregnancy and diabetes and this little book was a God-send.

I was not a diabetes expert by any means, so this booklet was great for giving me a frame of reference for all the new information that was suddently being shoved in my direction. When you are a newly pregnant diabetic, many times you can find yourself overwhelmed by all the information they want you to learn NOW. As time passed, I realized much of the information I was getting in kits, booklets, pamphlets and information sheets was just the same information rehashed over and over. The reason why I was able to mentally organize the information and stop feeling like I was in another country when it came to diabetes terms was because of this book.

I've looked at the other reviews and see that many of the negative reviews came from type 1 diabetics. And, I can understand why they would feel this way. They most likely have lived most of their life with this disease, and this little booklet goes over a lot of stuff they already know.

This is a little book, about 75 pages. It contains 10 brief chapters and sections with the following titles:

Diabetes, Pregnancy & You
How Your Baby Develops
What to Expect in Nine Months
Diabetes During Pregnancy
Insulin Therapy
Nutrition, Diabetes, and Pregnancy
Exercise, Diabetes, and Pregnancy
Monitoring Your Diabetes
Problems Associated with Diabetes
More About Pregnancy
Tests to Expect During Your Pregnancy
Labor and Delivery
Birth Control
Making the Choice

Hope that was helpful! Do you agree or disagree? Give me some feedback at DiabeticMommy.com

I have been a diabetic for 10 years. I just expected this book to add something to my existing knowledge. It so introductory.. and does not give any additional information, then what diabetics already know

This book does explain alot about the history of how the medical establishment came up with gestational diabetes but it really doesn't help much for women that have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. "Discuss with your doctor" is not helpful. I would have preferred a more helpful book than this from the source.

This book was written for those without a high school education. It did not contain any relevant information that you couldn't get from a basic pamplet, and included some condescending sections on stopping hard drug abuse and contraception.