The Girlfriends' Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood, Packaging May Vary

Wish I had found this book while pregnant with my first baby - luckily I found it after having my 2nd baby and although I've experienced much of what she talks about, I'm so glad I'm reading it. If I would have read it prior to having my first baby I think it would have been a very "real" what-to-expect book, but reading now it's more like therapy. I say therapy because it reaffirms that I'm not the only woman/mom experiencing these feelings - which is desperately needed some days. I love the book and plan on getting more books by her. She's flat out honest on all the things that everyone else puts flowers and rainbows upon.

Many years ago when I was expecting, I came across and bought the two Girlfriends' Guide that were available at that time. It was a great change of pace from the other books that I had gotten. It quickly became a favorite. Since then, it is has become of my go-to gifts for baby showers. I can only imagine the surprise when the recipient starts to read the book, likely expecting another cookie-cutter reference book!

I read The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy and absolutely loved it. The witty humor, the honesty and the information were all amazing. Because of how much I enjoyed it I decided to try Guide to Surviving the First Year. The only thing I can think of to explain the difference in the two is that the author loved being pregnant and hated the first year of babies life.In the first book Vicki is witty and actually made me laugh out loud on many occasions while reading her book. Her second book I found a sort of dark humor that maybe only another woman who just competed her first year could understand. And even that woman would have to be a little unhappy with her experience of that first year.There were so many gruesome parts that I started taking notes. At my baby shower I asked my girlfriends, who are very honest women and mom's all, about their experiences in these areas. Did it really take 6 months till you were ready to have sex again? Did it really hurt that bad the first time you went back to it? Were you really in that much pain after labor (non c-section birth) and that swollen? Was your first bowel movement really that bad? Did you really miss that much sleep the first year? Were you really like a zombie? It was almost unanimous with my girlfriends on all questions, no she is really exaggerating... Or she's giving you the worst case scenario. My girlfriends told me that a great deal of these things that Vicki said are more psychological than physical. If you expect it to bad, it will. That kind of mentality.I guess my final comment on the book is that it didn't seem to have quite as much information in it as the first one did. I really only found one area of it helpful, weird things that baby does or has happen that are normal.What I would say to any who decide to buy this book. Please don't treat it like the bible of the first year. Every first year is different for everyone. That is one thing Vicki does stress to her readers. Your recovery will probably be different than the recovery of every woman you know. Just keep that in mind.

I love her books so far. She writes in a way that makes it not a chore to read. She also tells you what you need to know without all the medical jumble and statistics that some books like to throw at you.

If you shook with mirth while reading "Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy," you'll get a few similar chortles from this book -- but the fact remains, as other reviewers have noted, that Vicki is not quite as on top of her game in this, her sophomore effort. Also, it's not exactly funny (or refreshing) to read about bone crunching exhaustion when you're bone-crunchingly exhausted. The truly funny bits (and they're in there, though there are fewer of them) can get lost amid the reminders of how hard it is to have an infant around.Assuming you have the time and energy, I think it's a fine read if your baby is still small (I read it when mine was 3-4 weeks) -- just go in with lower expectations and remember that your own sleep deprivation and hormones may impact your enjoyment of it.

Bought this for my niece who is expecting. I loved these books when I was pregnant a LONG time ago. Still the best! Had to share.

After reading numerous baby books and motherhood advice manuals (which all glow with the joys of motherhood), I was really looking for a no-nonsense, authentic expectation of motherhood and what I can really expect after the baby is born. This book is it! It is such a refreshing read, covers a variety of post-birth issues and addresses those questions you might be too embarrassed to ask your OB or best friend. I would recommend this to any new mom.

I, being of sound mind and body, strongly urge the reader of this book to take her comments about weight and your body lightly. She is NOT a doctor. I don't recommend reading this unless you have already gone through birth. I do find her sense of humor enjoyable and the reading to be fairly easy. I was concerned with her "spin" on postpartum depression. She seems to think every woman suffered from it but there is a difference. Depression is a medical disorder where intervention should be sought, not just normal changes in your thought processes. DUH, you just had a baby. She insinuates that this big change in a woman's life is a less than awe-inspiring event. I personally wouldn't change a thing about mine.

I loved Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy-which had me laughing through my pregnancy. This one just made me cringe, and embarrassed for her. I couldn't even finish reading it, it was so bad!

The Girlfriends Guide del embarazo y del primer ano son libros muy divertidos y muy honestos. Me ha resulto muchas dudas con un poco de humor. Ya he regalado estos libros a muchas amigas. Lo recomiendo mucho!