October 18, 2008
Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven
sex and romance, I fell in love with the blatantly unapologetic tone with which these two bitches shelled out their straightforward advice on how to have a healthy (and therefore probably happier) pregnancy, as per the tagline of the book: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot and Healthy Mother. Yes, yes, I know that some people without a sense of humor don’t see or would rather not acknowledge the irony of the title, but isn’t that part of the allure? The title alone is so incongruous to, well, pregnancy, that you’re enticed to find out more. As the authors do explain in the book, that was pretty much the point.
Alright, so on to the meat, or shall I say, organic tofu-based meatless patty of the matter. Most of this book is a nutritional guide for pregnant mothers and their extremely detailed and diligently researched reasons as to why they say the things they do. For example, after reading chapter five, you’ll never look a glass of milk the same way again. Once you’re done with chapter six you might be rethinking that burger you had planned on scarfing down. Once you’re done with chapter ten, you might be convinced to go completely vegan and organic, or at the very least you’ll start really thinking about why South Koreans think American beef is über nasty or why PETA says milk is cruel and unhealthy.
This book will give you lots of tips and pointers and advice on how to to be a healthy mommy by making smart decisions with your food choices as well as other products you buy. The bitches teach you that it’s not crazy or over the top to pay attention to what’s on food and product labels (like baby wash and lotion), because, repeat after me, “you (and you baby) are what you eat” and drink and breathe and otherwise ingest.
- Does the book give me pointers on how to be supermodel thin while pregnant? Absolutely NOT!
- Does the book push towards a vegan diet? Yes.
- Can you get anything out of the book if you don’t feel like going gung ho vegan? Of course! Come on, it’s a book, and nobody’s going to force you to strictly adhere to any dietary guidelines you glean from reading it.
- Is there anything ELSE besides preggo nutrition info in this book? Yeah-huh, but that does take up most of the book.
Overall, the information provided is monumentally more helpful and insightful than much of the nutrition and product safety information, facts and advice (pregnancy related or otherwise) I’ve found from other sources. Plus, Freedman and Barnouin back up their facts, figures an claims with a very long, detailed works cited so you can go straight to the source if you’re skeptical.
I for one don’t mind the foul language, and while it isn’t something you’d want to read to your toddler during story time, I don’t think that it’s as full of curse words as some would like us to believe. But hey, that’s all relative.
Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven gets a big, loud hell yes! from me. Read more about the authors and the Skinny Bitch books at SkinnyBitch.net.
Buy Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven at Amazon.com or at BarnesandNoble.com.
Technorati Tags: Skinny Bitch, Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven, pregnancy, prenatal, parenting, books, health, vegan, diet, pregnancy book, pregnant, Rory Freedman, Kim Barnouin
Here’s an excerpt from the book:
Chapter Seventeen
What Makes a M.I.L.F.?There’s a term that young, single guys use for sexy moms: M.I.L.F. It’s an acronym for Mother I’d Like to #$%@. Don’t be insulted; it’s the highest compliment a stupid man can pay you. (And don’t be frightened. It’s always muttered behind your back. No man would ever be so bold as to tell you to your face.) You can pretend to be shocked, appalled, and offended, but you’re not fooling anyone. There will come a time when you’re feeling unattractive and loathsome–you’ll be wearing your fat pants for the tenth consecutive week, you’ll be covered in spit-up, and you’ll have likely gone weeks without so much as a nod from your husband. One day, when you take the pains to doll yourself up and you catch an appreciative glance from a hot young buck, you’ll remember: "I’ve still got it." It’ll put a spring in your step. And it’ll raise the bar for you to get it together on a more regular basis.
Not just in the looks department, though. (A woman who overvalues her appearance is a bimbo–mother or not.) You’ll be inspired to be a whole person again, and not just a mommy. Remember what it was like before you became a mom? When you had ideas, thoughts, and opinions about things other than your child? Having outside interests or personal needs doesn’t make you a bad mom. It makes you human. Nurturing those needs and interests will make you a better mom. If you’re feeling resentful or unfulfilled or bored, you’re of no use to your baby. In fact, you suck for your baby. She never asked you to become a single-minded, lame-ass bore. So quit blaming her. She’d prefer to have a happy mom with a rich, layered life. She can survive without you for an hour a day, or for as many hours as you need to feet happy and whole. Don’t use motherhood as an excuse to give up on your own life. It’s an easy trap to fall into. So be strong.
