The Single Woman's Guide to a Happy Pregnancy

by Mari Gallion

Book Overview

When Mari Gallion, an unmarried tour guide in Alaska, discovered she was pregnant, she immediately made the decision to have the baby. What she never expected was the hypocrisy of the movement that condemns a woman's right to choose while witholding information that could empower single women who had chosen to continue with unplanned pregnancies. In response, Gallion set out to write a guide that offers unconditional assistance to the women who have...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1419633287
• ISBN13: 9781419633287
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
• Length: 166 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 0.5" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

an absolute must read!

If there was a time when I needed a friend the very most in my life, it was during my pregnancy and after the birth of my first child. We can't all have Mari Gallion for a friend, but through her book "The Single Woman's Guide to a Happy Pregnancy," we can learn to feel better and to be our own best friends. Mari shares her own story, as a single mother, right from the start. She doesn't hold back and lets the world know how it was and is. She shares what she did to get through some tough things, and like a great friend, puts herself in the position to understand what her readers are going through. Her most imperative message is to feel confident and do what you feel is right and not to worry about what friends, family, or society have to say about your decisions if they are not in agreement. Offering a plethora of information, on all topics from breast-feeding to diaper changing, organic foods to dark chocolate, bassinets to WIC, the book reads like letters from a gal-pal you can't live without. Her advice is down to earth, honest and well researched (as well as lived out by the author herself). Not just a guide for Singles, or those boasting a baby on board sign, the advice holds true for all women in many aspects of life. Meditation, healthful eating, exercise, finding companionship or not, financial interests, and emotional well being are all topics we all can relate to. Buy this book for a friend, read a copy yourself, and pass it on. Mari may live in Alaska but she is right there in the peace of mind of every one of her readers. Review by Heather Froeschl.

The book we've been waiting for!

So many people don't understand the dilemma of single pregnant women who want to keep our babies and become parents. We're always being told that our choices are wrong. We can't find a pregnancy book that doesn't mention the role of a child's father when having a father for our child is beyond our control, and if we go to pregnancy centers for help, it seems that we just have to examine and re-examine our views on reproductive rights again and again, only to be led down a line of thinking that we aren't doing the "right thing" unless we give our children up for adoption! Even books that claim to be feminist often have a subtle message of pity and too much discussion about abortion and too much mention of adoption as a possibility. Abortion is not the issue when you've already decided to have a baby, and adoption is not everybody's path. But this book is like having your own personal support group right in your own home. This book focuses mostly on your own happiness, and gives you real down-to-earth ways to keep yourself happy. It also helps you to prepare for the baby, but this author knows that the most important piece of baby gear is your own happiness and stability. She doesn't go on much about what you should do, but what has worked for her, understanding that we're all different. She encourages us to make our own educated decisions about personal things: naming the baby, whether to opt for a hospital birth or home birth, to exercise caution while we follow our own hearts and instincts. She talks about God, but it's in a loving and inclusive way rather than an "I know God better than you do" way. Finally, some respect! I guess the wait is over.

Read This One First -

There are other books that delve deeper into the financial and logistical aspects of single parenting, but this is a very good place to begin and she gives a reading list in the back to help you know where to go next. The writing is enjoyable, direct, empowering, and not at all patronizing. Being early in my decision-making process about my unplanned pregnancy, I found the candid nature of Gallion's advice very encouraging. My only complaint is the length of time it takes to get the book, but it is worth the wait.

Empowering Reading

When I first picked up this book, I was undecided as to whether or not I was going to keep my baby. I was afraid that I would be barraged with scare tactic, or that the author would have a detectable personal or political agenda with my life, making my decision all the more difficult. To my relief, her only agenda was empowerment! I put this book down with an understanding of what I was soon to face, and equipped with all that I needed to face my decision like a true matriarch. The thing that I appreciated most about this book is that the author didn't pretend to be an authority on the many emotional and personal issues that women in our position will undoubtedly face. Single pregnant women are often exploited for their emotions by those who want to inflict their will. The author of this book doesn't encourage us to wallow in self-pity, which is an easy trap for single pregnant women to fall into, and it is a trap used all too frequently by those with a personal interest in the area of reproductive rights. Instead she gives us constructive sympathy, helping us future single mothers to see our glasses as full rathr than empty. Reading this book made me feel strong and confident in my abilities as a mother, a woman, and an important member of society. My child is wanted, loved, well cared for, and has a strong, confident and independent mother.

Just what I needed

This book really kept me from going over the edge. Most everyone I came into contact with asked me, "How is it that you are keeping your head on straight with all that's going on in your life?" I felt like I had an answer to just about every question, and if I couldn't find the answer in this book, I could find a way to get it. After reading practically every book on pregnancy and childbirth, I was pleased to finally find something that addressed my particular situation rather than assuming that my pregnancy involved the efforts of two people instead of one. I feel positive and hopeful about my decisions, and I'm confident in my ability to do it on my own.