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The Girlfriends' Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood: Wise and Witty Advice on Everything from Coping with Postpartum Moodswings to Salvaging ... Pair of Jeans (Girlfriends' Guides) Kindle Edition

by Vicki Iovine (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 252 ratings
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When it comes to your new baby, everyone from Dr. Spock to Dr. Brazleton has an armful of advice. But no one's delivering any tips on how you can care for yourself. Now, four-time delivery room veteran Vicki Iovine answers your questions, calms your fears, and cracks you up as only a girlfriend can, with straight advice and hilarious observations on...

"Baby euphoria": Is it a mind-altering drug?

"Husband? What Husband?": Taking care of the big baby, as well as the little baby

"I Want My Old Body Back!": What you can fix and what you can't

"The Droning Phenomenon": The inability to discuss anything but your baby for more than thirty seconds

"Do I Have to Become Carol Brady?": Conquering your fear of being a less-than-perfect mother

"Competitive Mothering": Coping with know-it-alls, finger-pointers, and others who try to "Out-Mom" you

NOTE: Pausing to read this book may be the only selfish thing you do all year, since you'll have time for nothing else!

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    290 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    TarcherPerigee
  5. Publication date
    October 1, 1997
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. File size
    1636 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Just had a baby? Lie down, rest your weary womb, and muster up a rousing cheer! (Shh! Don't wake the baby!) Now, from the author of The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, comes the book all new moms have been waiting for, whether they know it or not. Vicki Iovine talks turkey ... and stitches, and weight loss, and depression, and sex (trying it for the first time after labor and delivery? "Inebriate and Lubricate"). Vicki--yeah, I know I'm calling her by her first name but after reading this book you'll be on a first-name basis with her, too--is funny, informative, and utterly (udderly?) irreverent. New mothers have never had it so good.

From Library Journal

Iovine follows up her successful The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy (Pocket, 1995) with this breezy, irreverent guide to the first year of motherhood. She covers everything from labor (when you feel "like you've swallowed a bucking bronco") to "poo-poo that smells like roses" to nursing, sleeping (or not), postpartum depression, and more. The idea here is to provide insider information (girlfriends share and share alike, right?), but the tone is more often flippant than confidential. There's not much new material that is not already found in classics like Arlene Eisenberg's What To Expect the First Year (Workman, 1988), and nervous first-timers may not respond well to Iovine's approach. Not a priority purchase.?Barbara Hoffert, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000PDYVIY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TarcherPerigee; 1st edition (October 1, 1997)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 1, 1997
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1636 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 290 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

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Vicki Iovine

Vicki Iovine

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
252 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LA Rosen
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Hunting Down These Helpful Out of Print New Parent Books
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
When my sister was expecting I ran out to buy 5 of the top rated pregnancy and baby books. Yhey each had something of value but some where ponderous to read or didn't have as much endless, real world sharing of tips, tricks, and hacks from real moms. Very readable. I've gifted this and other books by Vicki Iovine. Someone should update and reprint but these books from the 90s are still relevant today. Read while pregnant because once baby arrives your free minutes will be spent trying to sleep or grab a shower. Babysitters and extended family should read these, as well.
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K. Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars So important
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2023
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I’m not a self-help book reader, but a friend who knew I was struggling with the first few months sent me this. It made me see that I wasn’t crazy and other people felt like me—and experienced some of the really hard things of post-part i’m in a fairly light manner. To the woman and all of her friends above who said it’s all exaggerated — I’m very glad you had such an easy experience. Please believe other people don’t. Anyway… not sure if it’ll help you or not, but if it does—it’ll make you feel better. :)
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Shannon M. Worthington
4.0 out of 5 stars Motherhood Guides
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2007
Verified Purchase
This book is great. It's written in a to the point, overly blunt matter of speaking. It has great information you truly would only hear from your girlfriends and if you are like me...a pioneer amongst your friends in childbearing, you will greatly appreciate advice from "your honorary girlfriends".
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Renee
5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift for any expectant parents
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2020
Verified Purchase
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!
One person found this helpful
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Dorothy E. Shearer
3.0 out of 5 stars Not like guide to Pregnancy
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2009
Verified Purchase
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.
5 people found this helpful
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Dawn
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read and informative!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
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.
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Joanne Harkness
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a new mom!
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2009
Verified Purchase
I loved reading this book throughout the first couple months of my son's life. Vicki Iovine is unassuming and completely not judgemental and has alot of perspectives to offer (hers and her girlfriends). However rewarding it is being a new mom, it can also be difficult. I felt like Vicki not only recognized that, but made light of it. I really appreciated this book... Thank you Vicki!
One person found this helpful
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Jai
2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
Not the greatest read. Her attitude bothered me. I wouldn't recommend it.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Sharon Warner
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read!
Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Great author, this and the girlfriends guide to pregnancy are so on point and infused with great humour! Nice to know you’re not the only one experiencing things!
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Nitika vishal
2.0 out of 5 stars Okayish.
Reviewed in India on September 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
It’s irrelevant for Indian Set up. We have families to support initially so things are better here .
The book is all about struggles, hardly any solution for the same. She is just telling it is ALL miserable- or maybe it is not ? Who knows ? I found the tone to be really negative. This is the time the person might need something to cheer up or maybe some solutions- problems everyone knows. The role of husband is missing, husband is talked only as a ‘mate’ v weird. He is the “father”. I started skipping irrelevant parts. Like food- In india we eat fresh food so we don’t need any suggestions there we are already having the healthiest n best food. Sometimes the book gave me headaches. She is also claiming her advice not work for you (so why did u write the book ? 😂)
I did enjoy the initial part which was funny, hospital segment is ok- again not sure from Indian point of view but some good information.
The social set up is different but some relatable things are there. Mostly it’s a costly book & not even very great at info. It seems interesting initially, gradually becomes so heavy and headache to finish. She is telling her own experience at things, maybe if we call up any lady on this planet with kids, she will tell u the same things. Why to spend money on the same narrative you can hear for free around you.
Also the first edition came in 90’s so remember it is an old narrative too. Things have changed now.
Also, one has to be part of solution not the problem.
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Triximom
5.0 out of 5 stars Para la embarazada SUPER!
Reviewed in Spain on February 4, 2013
Verified Purchase
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!
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible!!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
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!
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