Gestational-Diabetes Books

DIABETES AMONG THE PIMA: STORIES OF SURVIVAL could've been featured in our Health Section, but is reviewed here for its narrowed focus on Native health and health care in this country. While the Pima community receives the primary focus, DIABETES AMONG THE PIMA offering the first in-depth ethnographic analysis of all causes of diabetes in this community, the book holds wider recommendation for examining Pima core values, health attitudes, and attitudes toward treatment, making it a 'must' for any college-level Native American collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.