Review: You and your bump

I was recently sent a copy of You and Your Bump to review. I had never heard of the author, Emma Cannon, but she is a leading complementary fertility specialist. You and Your Bump has been written as a companion for pre-conception, pregnancy and the postnatal period. It differs from other pregnancy guides as it blends the ancient wisdom of Chinese medicine with conventional Western medical practice. There is plenty of advice to help mums-to-be prepare for labour and post-birth and solutions to pregnancy-related conditions.

You and Your Bump gently takes you through each stage of your pregnancy with advice on:

* Your general health and lifestyle, good nutrition and the link between emotions and physical health

* Baby development and changes to your body

* Common pregnancy conditions and treatments, with both Eastern and Western approaches

* Preparing for labour and motherhood

* How dads can help at each stage

I really enjoyed reading this book, mainly due to the fusion of ideas it contains and introduces. Instead of focusing on one area in suggests many and offers different ways of thinking about pregnancy. It even has celebrity endorsement from  Sophie Dahl, who said ‘A brilliant book from a woman who knows what she’s talking about. I adore Emma Cannon’.

Although I’m on my second pregnancy I’ve read the book from cover to cover and will be re-reading the relevant sections during the rest of my pregnancy. It’s really refreshing to read a different type of pregnancy book that discusses physical and emotional well-being. I’ll definitely be trying some of the recipes too!