If you’re got a mama-to-be friend, you could do a lot worse than treat her to a copy of 40ish Weeks: A Pregnancy Journal by Kate Pocrass (Chronicle, RRP £10.99). It’s a contemporary way to record your nine-ish months from the moment of finding out to the birth with plenty of space for notes and observations along the way. There are pages for checklists, friendly advice and milestones such as ultrasound pictures and counting kicks, plus quirky illustrations and fun facts and myths. Completed, it would be a lovely record to share with a child when older. It does have a few Americanisms, but it doesn’t sugar coat the experience (‘Someone just touched my belly without asking’, ‘Quietly freaking out about parenting while watching a three year old for the afternoon’, ‘Even watching the TV takes too much energy’) but the overall tone is upbeat. My one criticism is that I think, given the title, it should go past Week 40 – Kitty was born in Week 42, as are many babies, and, believe you me, having something like writing a journal to do in those last two weeks would be a godsend! #huge
Leave a Reply