sammykay25's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Such an informative memoir about pregnancy and childbirth. Even though my birth and pregnancy weren’t quite as eventful as Lucy’s I was still able to relate so much her words and drawings. I felt so seen and heard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Vomit, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
miayukino's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Always delightful to read Knisley’s work. I’ve been a fan since I was probably a bit young to read her work but I’m thankful to my mom for introducing me to her. Met her at a signing once (Dark Tower Comics), she drew me some sushi (so cool). I would’ve appreciated a nod of context to Black women’s influence on midwifery and the context of misogynoir in the creation of gynecology and I’m glad she included a detail about Black maternal mortality rates. All in all, a lovely blend of reproductive history and experience which felt like a reassuring hug after a fruitful venting session.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Vomit, Medical content, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Misogyny, Blood, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cancer, Death, and Excrement
rachelleahdorn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Wow, yeah, this was really good and I apparently still have some strong feelings about doctors and lactation consultants who misled me. I had some strong feelings at the end.
Near the end she says “Breastfeeding was pretty much the hardest thing I’ve ever learned how to do.”
How much I wish someone had said that to me before I had a kid and failed at breastfeeding. Maybe if it hadn’t been presented as a freakin’ peaceful gift of love and happiness, I might have felt like I could learn it instead of feeling like a worthless failure who wasn’t a good enough woman/mother to find it easy and natural!!
Also, freakin’ doctors. Damn. When they ignore your obvious (in retrospect) symptoms and you believe them. My experience was cancer, not pregnancy, but Knisley’s presentation of the experience is spot on.
As for the book, I LOVED the inclusion of history and background (pregnancy research) and the superstitions and misconceptions around pregnancy.
Her experience was different than mine (hers: brutal pregnancy/birth, apparently easy babyhood; mine: easy pregnancy, fast birth, brutal first 6 months with the baby), but I really enjoyed (that feels like the wrong word) reading this
Near the end she says “Breastfeeding was pretty much the hardest thing I’ve ever learned how to do.”
How much I wish someone had said that to me before I had a kid and failed at breastfeeding. Maybe if it hadn’t been presented as a freakin’ peaceful gift of love and happiness, I might have felt like I could learn it instead of feeling like a worthless failure who wasn’t a good enough woman/mother to find it easy and natural!!
Spoiler
Also, freakin’ doctors. Damn. When they ignore your obvious (in retrospect) symptoms and you believe them. My experience was cancer, not pregnancy, but Knisley’s presentation of the experience is spot on.
As for the book, I LOVED the inclusion of history and background (pregnancy research) and the superstitions and misconceptions around pregnancy.
Spoiler
Her experience was different than mine (hers: brutal pregnancy/birth, apparently easy babyhood; mine: easy pregnancy, fast birth, brutal first 6 months with the baby), but I really enjoyed (that feels like the wrong word) reading this
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy and Miscarriage
Minor: Misogyny
bi_n_large's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Misogyny, and Death of parent
kayciedoom's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
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