I bought this book when one of my friends became pregnant and, after reading it, I told my husband there was no way I was ever going to be pregnant. The demands that this book puts upon a pregnant woman are unbearable, and the guilt that is not-so-subtly applied if you don't follow the rules in the book is immense. After reading many other books (that were happier, and much truer to life, like, believe it or not, "Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy") and feeling better prepared for what it was like for "real" people, we did decide we were prepared to have a baby. While I was pregnant, I used the "What to Expect" book when I wanted to look up something specifically, but I refused to use it as any sort of a holistic guide and would really not recommend it at all. If you are looking for a much more empowering alternative, you should really consider "The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Sheila Kitzinger.