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by Emily Oster (2014)

2025 reads, 16/25

In reality, pregnancy medical care seemed to be one long list of rules. In fact, being pregnant was a lot like being a child again. There was always someone telling you what to do. It started right away.

In Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong - and What You Really Need to Know, Oster has taken many of the common "rules" and "myths" of pregnancy and has broken them down using a data-based approach on why these things are said. She breaks down these topics by going through the stages of pregnancy, offering information that, to me, was essentially brand new.

I can kind of see why this book has been "controversial" on certain threads, people shaming Oster for saying drinking during pregnancy is safe. But it's a bit unfair; I think the point of this book is just to present the facts, what is known and unknown. Explain risks and give reasonings, such that the informed woman can make a decision during her own pregnancy. I had always known that women should not have alcohol, lunch meat, and sushi. But why are there these blanket rules? What is it about the raw fish or the deli meat that make them risky? That's what this book dives into. There is complexity when it comes to these topics, and understanding the process of growing another human being is essential.