'The Complete Organic Pregnancy'
A Guide to Creating the Healthiest Environment for the Unborn Child
This book informs the pregnant woman of everything she needs to know about achieving an organic lifestyle so her baby can be as healthy as possible.
In an age of product recalls and carcinogen discoveries, pregnant women and new mothers can feel anxious about the safety of their food, their household cleaners, and their work environment. The Complete Organic Pregnancy by Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu distills an overwhelming amount of information into an indispensable guide that a woman can use before she conceives and throughout her baby’s pregnancy and infancy.
Pre-Conception
The authors approach the time before conception as a time in which the future mother is “transforming” her life. For the authors, “transforming” means that the reader must give up habits that contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle, such as highly processed foods and hazardous household cleaners. The pre-conception period is also a time when a woman can undergo a mind shift, to switch from automatically making lifestyle choices for convenience and pleasure instead of considering possible long-term health risks for the mother and baby.
The reader will appreciate the inclusion of tables and “top ten” lists that make mundane information, such as the description of common toxic chemicals found in the home, easier to digest. Other reader-friendly formatting like bulleted points make the text easy to skim, so the reader can quickly assimilate tips to minimize her exposure to toxins in the home and office.
During Pregnancy
The section on “growing” covers important advice any pregnant woman must follow regarding food safety so that she can avoid high-mercury fish and reduce her risk of food poisoning from Listeria. The authors also discuss the “dirty dozen” produce items that contain the highest levels of pesticide.
This section of the book shines in that it leaves no stone unturned in the quest to purge toxins from the mother’s life. Readers can expand their organic endeavors to include organic gardening, natural beauty treatments, organic cotton clothing, and natural wellness remedies safe for pregnant women. The authors cover the spectrum of organic choices without sounding preachy or judgmental: the authors recognize that few women are in a position to replace their mattresses with a $1500 organic alternative. Nevertheless, the information provides a reference for making future buying decisions.
After Baby Arrives
As in the rest of the book, the “living” section includes diaries from writers and organically minded women experiencing the challenges of new motherhood. Perhaps the reader will cling to the wisdom expressed in those essays here more than in the other chapters, as nothing is as isolating as navigating the first weeks of motherhood. Kate Porterfield’s essay ‘Chest Pains: What No One Tells You About Breastfeeding’ stands out as an example of the emotions a new mom feels in the early weeks, when she is unsure whether that bubble welling up in the throat contains hysterical laughter or tears.
Other helpful information in this section includes discussions on environmentally safe diapering, organic baby formula, and the controversial plastic-or-glass baby bottle issue.
Recipes and Resources
In spite of the proliferation of the “organic” label on every product from lipstick to laundry detergent, most people still associate the term “organic” with the foods we eat. Although The Complete Organic Pregnancy isn’t a cookbook, the authors don’t disappoint the reader by glossing over the gastronomical concerns of the pregnant mother. An appendix includes recipes from well-known organic chefs like Alice Waters of Chez Panisse for both sweet and savory treats, including the quintessential pregnancy craving of pickles and ice cream.
This book contains dozens of internet sites that guide the reader to resources for shopping and further research. Although the dynamic nature of the internet means that many of the websites could be inactive in five years, it’s helpful for the reader to have a springboard from which to launch from when looking for nontoxic paints or for more information about food safety.
Source:
Dolan, Deidre and Zissu, Alexandra. (2006). The Complete Organic Pregnancy. Collins: New York.
