The double whammy of successful infertility treatments and an increase in the number of women having children later in life has resulted in a staggering--but perhaps not surprising--phenomenon: a tremendous increase in twin, triple, and quadruple births. When You¹re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads is an outstanding, much-needed addition to the pregnancy genre for women who face the alternating joy, terror, and ambivalence associated with carrying, delivering, and coping with young multiples.

Subjects like nutrition, mom's changing body and emotions, fetal development, potential complications, and labor and delivery take on new meaning when you add another baby or two to the standard equation. With the goal of minimizing risk factors associated with multiple births, Dr. Barbara Luke and her team of writers cover each subject with a buoyant determination to tell it all and tell it well--avoiding the typical "how to name and dress your twins" issues. Accompanying the detailed medical perspective of Dr. Luke are personal experiences gathered from the journals of a few articulate moms, making each subject as real as it is educational. Simple illustrations, valuable charts (including one to plot and monitor fetal growth in grams or pounds), specific menu examples (like how can you consume 4,500 calories if you're expecting quads???), and lots of reassurance make this book a winner. --Liane Thomas


Book Description

A Clinically Proven Program for Women Pregnant with Multiples

Completely Updated, with 50 Recipes for Optimal Birth Weight

You're expecting more than one baby? Congratulations! In When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Dr. Barbara Luke's practical, nutrition-based program has been proven to lower complications, resulting in much healthier babies. This revision offers more nutritional information, 50 recipes to maximize birth weight, and new guidelines on nutritional needs and vegetarian options. It also includes updated information that reflects the most current obstetric and pediatric practices, such as expanded safety information on exercise and reducing your risk for complications.

ANNOTATION

"...offers special medical and nutritional guidelines for prenatal care, detailed information on what to expect during pregnancy, and anecdotal stories from mothers."

FROM THE PUBLISHER

You're expecting more than one baby? Congratulations! Like all mothers-to-be, you're experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions; joy, fear, confusion, and excitement; maybe all at once. As a woman pregnant with more than one baby, you're feeling all these things... only more so!

In When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Dr. Barbara Luke, a renowned expert on the prenatal care of multiples, outlines a practical, nutrition-based program to keep you and your babies healthy and offers a comprehensive tour of what you can expect during your unique pregnancy and childbirth experience. Women who follow this program experience significantly fewer complications during pregnancy - and their babies are born weighing 20 to 35 percent more than the average twin, triplet, or quad! Included is crucial information on:

finding a qualified maternal/fetal medicine specialist

dietary guidelines for maximizing birth weight

safe limits on exercise and physical activity

taking a leave from work and negotiating your best deal

reducing your risk for pregnancy complications

recognizing signs of preterm labor and what to do about