A Guide to Surviving Your Baby's First Year - The Sh!t No One Tells You

Humorous and realistic, this book talks about the good and the bad...and gives hope throughout. When the sh!t hits the fan with your child this book helps put it in perspective and let's you know that others have dealt with similar stuff.

This book has definitely kept my humor up while going through a difficult pregnancy. Something all pregnant women need in their lives is more laughter, especially about a subject you’re already obsessed with at the moment. This was my nightly read in the bubble bath and definitely is one I’d recommend to other pregnant ladies.

I bought this book because I am a realist and was hoping to get some "straight talk" about the realities of childbirth and child rearing. That said, this book falls into the meta category - which is all over social media these days - of "having a kid ruins your life". It gave me so much anxiety while reading it that I literally had to put it down and walk away (and not finish it). Essentially, the thesis is that after you have a child you'll never sleep again, not be covering in spit up again, feel like yourself again, and so on. I don't personally think that that narrative is helpful to soon to be or very new parents; it's one thing to be realistic about how challenging having a child can be, it's another to just tell horror stories and freak people out. I picked up "Bringing Up Bebe" after putting this one down and that book restored my faith in my ability to achieve a sense of (new) normalcy after having a child (yea!). I have since had my first baby and feel even stronger about how unnecessarily scary this book makes that process seem.

Hilarious and totally true book. I read this when my son was 11 month old. Totally wish I had read this when he was first born - made me feel so much better about those hard early days with a newborn!

Love this book! An awesome way to start out being a parent, it's the real deal! The blunt and honest opinions of other mom's really helps you cope with being a new mom with all of your mixed emotions!

If you enjoy books like "Belly Laughs" by Jenny McCarthy, you will LOVE this book. This book is honest, lighthearted, and well written. The chapters allow you to either skip around to what most applies to you at the time or read through the book effortlessly.

This book is spot on! So true and so funny. Suprisingly accurate on some more serious notes as well, particularly about post partum depression as well as your connection with your baby immediately after birth. It made me think back on some things and I found myself saying out loud, "Yes, that!". Easy to read and so worth it. I bought a copy for my sister-in-law's baby shower gift.

I am 8 months pregnant with our first, and after spending my whole pregnancy thus far reading serious books on baby care, plus classes and the internet, I was starting to get overwhelmed and just needed to laugh and realize the baby's first year would be a mess, but we would get through it. This book was perfect. I read it in three days and it made me feel much better. Several times I was laughing so hard I could not stop! Can't wait for our own crazy adventure to start. :)

Until reading this book, I realized that pregnancy and parenting contained many surprises to come; after reading this book, I feel like I have finally been told the secrets that so many women who I know have kept from me. Thank you for the good, the bad, and the ugly details of parenting. I feel more prepared for months 6-9 of pregnancy and the first year.

I read it through the 50 first pages of this book and wondering" do i really need to keep reading?" Since there was not much to learn for me as a soon to be be mom, i stoped and find something more helpful to read.

After reading so many parenting/baby books that are so structured and extreme, this book was a refreshing reprieve from all those opinions. I have a 4 month old and could relate to so much. I laughed the whole way through and the author made all of my crazy new mom feelings feel so much more normalized. I picked up some great little pieces of advice along the way too.

I get that this is supposed to be the "bad and the ugly" but it's really a bit of a downer. I was reading before I had my baby and stopped because of how negative it was. There is humor in the book and I suppose it is true!

This books contains so much advise new and seasoned moms need to hear. It encourages, teaches and supports. It discusses fears we have, things we didn't know about and how to accept, we as moms are all in this together!

I would totally recommend this book to any mom!

This woman practically worships the medical industry. She will make you feel like a bad mom if you aren't worried about your baby EVERY SINGLE SECOND YOU ARE PREGNANT I just could not identify with this author's tone of voice or attitude towards pregnancy and motherhood. If you're an independent, strong, and educated woman this book is NOT for you.

I ordered this book while pregnant - last summer and i could not wait to get it. A friend of mine was on vacation in my house and she started reading the book and after 2 pages she told me that this is the "most stupid book ever, do you really want to read this s***?". I though that she is completely off the cut the book just after 2 pages reading…. However when i started to read it i was asking myself does people really need to read that nonsense. I could not stand the book and after may be less than 1 chapter of it i gave up on it.
This book is a complete waste of time. We all know that the 1st pregnancy is the most exiting, we have not a clue what's knocking on the door and we all have a big mouth talking what kind of parents we will be. You don't need a book to realize that and you don't need a book to tell you stories about it.That is not the reality being a new born mom. We are all different and so do our babies.

This book is just stressing me out. I know I can handle the challenges when they arrive. Reading about how I my relationship will be challenged and my life will be turned upside down is giving me unnecessary anxiety. If one that dwells like me not a good read.

I didn't really care for this book at all. I read some if the other reviews and thought it would be funny but it's basically just a long rant about how awful having a baby is. Not encouraging. Very annoying...

I have been reading this book during night feedings and enjoying it greatly. It makes me feel like i'm not alone and helps me to laugh at the day to day events that I'm going through having a baby (and a toddler) at home.

A funny and entertaining book about the your babies first year. Sometimes hilarious, at other times anxiety inducing.
I'd definitely recommend this book to expecting parents. Read before baby comes.

A hilarious gem in the genre of "bad mommy" books - this is a must-read for anyone who is expecting a child, but is completely burned out on the silly puns and goofy grammar of the What to Expect books.

This book is a great read for those the endless hours spent nursing. Light and funny, a much needed laugh for sleep deprived Mom's. It helps to know you're not alone when you find out motherhood isn't exactly how you pictured it would be.

First off if you want an educational book go buy What To Expect's line of books, this isn't as informative. This is for a mom WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR. The author is clever, sarcastic and witty...it really is the stuff people will not tell you about your first year.

Do I think you need to buy this book to learn all of the ins and outs of the first year no, and if you bought it for that reason because it is a small book then well you get what you pay for. Do I think you need to buy this book to keep your sanity and to realize being a mom is not all rainbows and butterflies, yes because you will gret puked on, you will get pooped on, and no matter what side of the vaccination disagreement you're on you're wrong to someone. Having said that being a mom is the most greatest blessing and you learn to laugh through all the poop and spit up and smelling like sour milk, because seeing your baby laugh/smile and be happy is worth anything and everything

This book was honest and straightforward I am four months pregnant and I feel more prepared because I read this book. I hate the idea of living on a fairy tale belief that somehow parenting, labor, and birth and the rest will all be this peaceful little journey. Thank you for preparing moms for the sh!t that comes with parenting.

I wanted a laugh with this book, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a comedy book or a self help one.
The author describes her own experiences and I'm sure it's interesting for her family and friends. I didn't think it was interesting enough. I skipped a lot of pages and was bored out of my mind. Also I couldn't relate to most of the situations described and was outraged when the author treats vaccination as "optional", since it's a public health issue and yes, she should feel like a s***ty mother for not vaccintating her kid.
I hated the book and returned it.

Having read several "serious" books (Cherish the First Six Weeks, Happiest Baby on the Block, Babywise, etc), I was excited to hear about this book. I read most of while breast feeding my 3 week old. It made me laugh out loud. I would definitely recommend it to new first time moms!! She approaches the challenges of the first year with a new born from a perspective that most professional women with a sense of humor will appreciate.

Apparently this author knew literally nothing before becoming pregnant and giving birth. Because this is all stuff that friends have told me/ I already knew. I was expecting it to be different "tricks" about getting them to feed or whatever. Not just anecdotes saying "feeding will be hard". It was humorous so I read the whole thing but definitely didn't learn anything.

While this book is mildly entertaining, it serves as little more than a bitch blog. Being a first time mom with very little experience with babies, I was hoping for more advise and how-tos as was advertised. I'm halfway through the book and all that I've taken away is that I should steal everything I can from the hospital before I leave ad that motherhood will all but ruin my life. It's good that I can recognize that this book is not to be taken seriously.

I will give the author kudos for talking honestly about post partum depression and baby blues. This has been the only helpful or remotely insightful chapter in the book.

It's a cute and easy read. A nice break from the uber serious baby books out there. When reading take it for what it is worth, a mother talking to others about anything and everything that could go wrong. Laugh at it, it is meant to be funny. I can see someone getting frustrated with all of the "complaining" going on in this book but once you take it as a lighter read it is quite fun. If someone is looking for a serious and informative read I would recumbent the Mayo Clinic's book.

this book saved me and made me realize im not the only mother who did not know what the hell i was doing. forget what to expect when your expecting that book is a big fat lie, but this one the s*** they dont tell you really really is the truth. if your thinking about having a baby or are pregnant i beg you to read this!!!!!!!it also was very comforting to read especially for me im a new mom and to read the stories of veteran moms and other new moms it made me feel home. Dawn Dais sheds light on the ACTUAL truth about newborns.

-Alma

I picked up this book about a week after coming home from the hospital with my adorable and completely overwhelming little bundle. I couldn't believe taking care of her was SO DAMN HARD. "Why didn't anyone warn us?" I asked my husband, over and over again. I was angry with all those people who jumped up and down with joy when we told them we were expecting, because what I'd really needed was a heart-to-heart about how difficult this was going to be, not a goofy grin and a pat on the head on my way out. Although this book didn't answer all my questions, it did set my mind at ease just a little that what I was feeling was completely normal -- and more importantly, that it would get better. I appreciated the author's lighthearted take on the topic of bringing a baby into your life. I think the book is especially well suited to first time moms used to a professional identity; women who suddenly find themselves knee-deep in diapers, spit up and mountains of laundry.

I found this book to be more on the whiny side than helpful. Starting with an admittedly bad birth story that sets the tone, but the birth story sounds more like an unprepared mother with poorly set expectations than something that will happen to all mothers. Tried to read past that, but couldn't get past the negative nancy tone...

My wife and I recently had a baby and we wished we had read this before she was born. Regardless, we read this a few weeks after she was born and we thought it was not only hilarious, but informative, and totally true. It gives a candid honest outlook to obstacles that new parents will face. The author is open, honest, and funny. She tells it like it is and at the same time, gives several different perspectives on the same scenarios by including interviews/stories from her friends. It should be on the must read list for every new parent.

This book is definitely no guide as it is proclaimed in the title. It is a personal story of the author's own adventure and her personal opinion on things which I did not find useful or wise due to the fact that the other is not a baby expert or certified baby specialist. If you look at the chapters: "Your life is officially over", "Your newborn is not cute", "You'll never sleep again", "You can't have it all", "Your body is ruined" and so on, you can pretty easily understand the perspective this author has on having children. And you don't need to spend $10 on someone who will tell you that your life is over, you will never sleep, you will never get back to being in the before-the-baby state, etc.
This book offers no solid advice, no research, no helpful information. It is just 250 pages of complaint with a hint of humor but it is so plain that it is never funny. Being a first-time mom and educating myself on caring for the baby and its development, I found no valuable information.

I should have listened to the reviews. Such a terribly depressing book, even if you have a sense of humor. Hell, I'm a comedian and it wasn't even funny-- just depressing. I threw it in the trash-- didn't want anyone to even have to get their hands on it at Goodwill.

The "information" provided in this book shouldn't come as much of surprise to anyone with any prior experience with infants, and seems to be geared toward the mother who unexpectedly found herself expecting..or possibly someone with absolutely no prior knowledge. I personally didn't find it useful in my efforts to inform myself on respectfully caring for infants or myself, making a smooth transition into being both a mother and a wife, and life moving forward. This book is full of complaints and "forewarnings" about natural parental/developmental struggles that are common place in parenting.

The book loosely implies that vaccinations and autism are related, basically saying "they may not be, but they might be so it's up to you to decide."

No, they aren't. They're not related, there is no link, the study which kicked off this whole stupid thing was largely fabricated, and even if there was a link (which there is NOT), how is a dead, unvaccinated child preferable to a vaccinated child with autism?

I don't normally write reviews, but this book was fantastic!! As a new mom of 2 boys (with no extra time) I couldn't put the book down. This is a very accurate and humerous look at a baby's first year! Well written.
I recommend ALL moms buy this!!!!

This might be good if you were reading it before your child was born. But then again it would probably be super depressing. I have a three week old. I'm half way through the book and it's still talking about labor and delivery and coming home. I don't need that info. I'm already home. I will say that it's a funny book and a quick read. But there is not any helpful information in this book. The author makes motherhood out to be a horrible life ending experience.

I was ordering Christmas gifts and saw this book for new parents. I ordered this and sent it to my daughter who is expecting her first child. Well, I have learned a horrible lesson- I did not research this book at all- just kinda looked at the cover- BIG MISTAKE. She started reading it and couldn't finish because all it caused her was a lot of anxiety!!! I feel badly and have learned not to be sending books out as gifts without reading more about them. I will be returning this book and purchasing a book that has helpful hints for new parents along with encouragement.

This is the book I wish I had read when my daughter was first born. Except that I could barely keep my eyes open and I was still convinced that my precious free moments were best spent scrapbooking the precious memories of my baby's new life into an adorable hardcover book that I would proudly show off for an entire week and then never look at again. I was a sleep deprived idiot.

But had I been able to formulate cohesive thoughts during those first few months, let alone process complex sentences, I could have really benefited from this book, with such reassuring chapters as:
* "Breastfeeding is F'n Hard" (it really is);
* "No One is Loving This as Much as Their Facebook Posts Would Have You Believe" (soooo true...if you don't believe me, go back and look at your own Facebook posts from when your child was first born--if your child was born after 2007 of course--and notice the lack of posts that say "that little @#!$ woke me up every 30 minutes for no good reason and I'm starting to suspect it's some sort of personal infant vendetta");
* "Your Newborn is Not Cute" (screw this, mine was adorable! ...sort of);
* "Who Needs a Health Plan When You Have the Internet?" (the internet is hella dangerous to new parents--just ask the very nice nurses at my local emergency room when I brought in my five-week-old because when I took her temperature I thought it was half a degree higher than the other eight times I had taken it that day, and is it possible that she has malaria or scarlet fever or something?); and
* "It Does Not Go By 'Soooo Fast'" (especially those first three or four months...those are like the longest night that never ends...I mean awesome, but also awful...both)

It was just nice to know that I wasn't the only one who thought it was nutball bananas that everyone expected me to love having a living creature attached to my body and feeding from me for eighteen hours a day (give or take) while everyone screamed at me that I was doing it all wrong and I should really be better at this because it's "soooo natural." Okay, maybe that didn't happen, but that's what it felt like at the time. It got better. It all got better. But not until I relaxed and gave myself permission to admit that some of it sucked. I only wish this book had been written sooner!

P.S. For the record, I love my child (obviously) and I love being a mother (like, 99% of the time). But I also love that books like this make it easier to admit that you don't HAVE to love every single aspect of having a newborn because some of it is hard--CRAZY HARD--and that's okay. Loving your kid and being a good mom doesn't mean you have to love round-the-clock feedings and having someone else's poop all over your clothes. It means you hate all that stuff and you do it anyway. So thank-you, Dawn Dais!

Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

For those that don’t have friends who've recently had children this is a great little warming gift. Its meant to be fun and educational. Enjoy this book but might want to put it away before the kids could read. Just don’t forget the essentials after reading the book. You must take prenatal supplements and I recommend these Vitamiss Prenatal - Optimal Women's Supplement for Healthy Pre and Post Pregnancy! from Vitamiss . These are an awesome value compared with everything else and these vitamins also have the most in them (some don't have iron, etc). Will order more!

I didn't read all of it but bought as a gag gift!!! She seemed to like it though, first time pregnancy they don't always tell you everything you need to know. This book tells you everything your too afraid or embarrassed to ask..

this book does not provide any information that really matters. I thought it was going to be useful, as it suggests 'honest' tips for dealing wit the first year of our baby. Given the title, I thought it was going to provide practical but informed tips on dealing with the rough things of a newborn. However, it is just the story of a woman who didn't know anything about babies before having one and only then reached out to a group of friends whose only experience is being moms. The book is filled with cursing, mediocre humor, and not-well documented advise. If you want an entertaining book about babies, go for it. However, if you need a book to learn about parenting and be prepared (and have little time for it), read something like What to Expect the first year or the Baby Book. Those books are very well documented and practical. The Sh!t no one tells you is just a wast of time and it does not really provide any guidance.

This book was awful. Not a single positive thing about having a child. She makes herself sound like an angry selfish lesbian, not that sexuality has anything to do with it. I get pregnancy and motherhood isnt all giggles and butterflies, but come on. Her sarcasm isn't funny. She literally states a few times how much she hates babies too. I feel bad for her kid. I recommend this book to couples where one partner doesn't want childen. This is what your partner will be like.

This book is terrible. The author complains the entire time and is negative about basically everything. I stopped reading after she started describing what she put on Facebook regarding her birth experience. Can't return this book fast enough.

I found this book obnoxious, not funny. It also contains anti vaccination opinions, so I threw it in the trash. Diseases that once killed babies have been eradicated due to medicine and science and you have this woman scaring the “sh!t” out of new mom’s by telling them she has read countless “stories online” of the light in kids eyes going out after receiving vaccinations... total garbage.

This normally isn't my style of books. I'm not a fan of the idea of a book where a group of upper middle-class women are drinking wine and telling each other stories... However, the fact that my birthing story almost mirrored the narrator's to a tee (except I'm not a lesbian), the up front and personal way postpartum depression is talked about, the funny (and by funny, I mean you want to cry while it's happening, but once you realize these things happen to a lot to parents, makes it easier to laugh about) anecdotes about parenting in general and that it gives straight out advice on occasion, really helped me through a rough time. I downloaded a bunch of baby book trials through my kindle. This was the last trial I downloaded before my son was born, and it was only because it kept popping up in recommended reading. I downloaded it fully once my son was born. It has been almost 2 years since then and I'm now giving it to my sister-in-law, in book form, for her baby shower.

I'm not a fan of this type of humor. Yeah it's negative like a lot of people are saying but even negativity can be amusing. I quite enjoy pessimism when there is a silver lining and this may be what the author was going for bit to be honest, it's for a specific type of female.. a very common type. The type that likes brunch and mimosas and girls nights out and all that crap. The kind that watches sex and the city. This book reeks of it... not my thang. I finished it and there was no payoff for me. And no it wasn't informative really. It's not useful info, it's just explaining what turmoils you might go through in the first stages of parenthood.

I could see experienced moms enjoying the sarcastic humor in this book, but as a soon-to-be new mom (with what I think is generally a good sense of humor), I didn't find it funny. I bought the audio version of the book and listened to it on my commute home, and most days arrived home in a depressed dark cloud of despair about what was soon to come in my life. While I appreciate getting the information, and am admittedly probably extra sensitive right now, I could have done without all the sensationalism. I think the author was trying to be funny with chapters like, "Your life is over," "Your body is ruined," "You will want to divorce your partner," etc., but they didn't make me laugh. Instead, I just felt more worried and scared than I already was. I wish this book would have been filled with more helpful tips (there were a few, but hard to find), rather than basically being full of complaints and warnings.

I cringe every time I remember that I spent $18 to listen to this in audiobook format. A wasted $18 to listen to a woman complain about motherhood the WHOLE TIME. Her humor just wasn’t funny to me. I wanted to listen to a pregnancy book that was light hearted and funny but I maybe chuckled only twice throughout the entirety of the book. If you want to read or listen to a book about a Mom complaining the whole time about being a parent, this is for you. (Oh, and I would be very skeptical about these “great” reviews on here...)

I was really excited to read this book. Things nobody tells you? Sign me up. However. As a first time mom it didn’t take me long to become discouraged reading this. I did finish it, and was able to take away some important nuggets. But it honestly felt like she was bashing motherhood with the “you’ll never sleep again, think again, or have a life again...you’ll cry all the time, and also hate breast feeding and your partner” I guess from where I’m sitting as a new expecting mommy, who’s surrounded by friends that have children, it was too negative. It seems everything about the first year is terrible when baby is awake. I mean, I’m already pregnant-no turning back! So why be so harsh. My suggestion, if you have tough skin or want to be terrified of having a baby go for it. If you’d rather ease into motherhood choose another book.

I bought this book on an impulse buy from the 'customers also viewed' section. I'm 5 months into an unplanned pregnancy, and was unemployed briefly when we found out. My stress was at an all time high and overall had just been dealing with pretty serious 'pregnancy blues'. This book has provided me with relief from those feelings. It's reality with a great sense of humor. Many books I've read so far seem to be infused with too much BS...sugar coated stories of pregnancy, delivery and parenthood. I also appreciate the heads up the author gives on routine baby care tasks to make life easier. Additionally she provides input from her friends and fellow Mother's who all have varying opionions and experiences. This is the most thoughtful and unbiased pregnancy/mom book I've read so far (5th one). Thank you for helping me mostly overcome my first time pregnancy fears and anxietys. (And for giving me new ones). I will recommend/gift this book forever.

I bought this for my nieces baby shower. She's going to be a first time mom. I didn't buy it for guidance or anything else like that. I bought it because I wanted her to feel like her feelings were normal when the baby arrived and not guilt ridden like I did when my first was born. I think this book is perfect for the millennial generation and a fun read for us veterans. Being a new mom means rolling with the punches. Some of the reviews mentioned that they bought it and thought it was an actual guide because the book had "guide" on the cover. If that were true of all books, then I would be hitchhiking all over the galaxy by now!!! ;)

Ok. Some parts are funny and entertaining and well done. Other parts only seem to emphasize the authors utter cluelessness about child development and complete lack of experience with any baby/ child contact before becoming a parent herself.

If you don’t know much about kids going into parenting, it may be a better fit for you. If you have loads of experienced with kids going into parenting before having kids, a lot will just irritate you rather than finding the authors learning curve humorous.

Coming from a brand new mom, this is, HANDS DOWN, the best parenting book I've read so far. It is so completely honest, relatable, and even funny. I seriously felt like I could have written much of this book myself because I was nodding my head and thinking "me too!" throughout most of it.

My favorite thing about this book is the author's total honesty and fearless nature in that she touches on subjects that are often left out of parenting books such as baby blues / postpartum depression and a host of other difficulties new parents experience. A lot of things she discusses are things that I was afraid to admit as a new mom, so I really felt better after realizing I wasn't the only one experiencing these things. This book seriously made me feel so much less alone and so much more normal. If I could recommend only one book to new mothers or expectant mothers, this would be it. For new moms, you will definitely relate and feel less alone, and for expectant moms, you'll get an honest idea of what things will really be like after your baby arrives!

As the mother of an almost 19 month old son, I wish I had read this book while I was gigantic and pregnant. Or right before labor because I would have laughed my son out. This book is spot on with all the awesome, gross, and groaningly stressful highs/lows of being a new parent. One of the aspects of this book I really enjoyed was the various view points from different mommies the author included in her short chapters. Being a new parent is totally awesome and freaking crazy, and I appreciate that the author doesn't balk in her honesty. I come from a different perspective, being a married and practicing Christian, but I could still identify with the struggles, grumbles, and laughs that this book presented. (Small word of caution if you're squeamish with cursing).

I received this EBook via Netgalley in return from my honest review. This in no way affected my opinion.

I loved this book, but I understood what I was buying before I bought it. It is not a how-to guide for raising a child. It's a funny book meant to present challenges that pregnant women may face when the baby comes. These challenges aren't often talked about, and if they are, people sugar coat them. It is not like What to Expect where they tell you (paraphrasing) "if this happens, then your child is going to die," but it will let you know some serious challenges that YOU can face (not your child) and makes light of them by using humor. If knowing how things can go wrong without presenting cut-and-dry solutions makes you anxious, do not buy this book. Personally, I like knowing what I'm getting into and I enjoyed knowing that other mothers went through things that will probably be worse than what I face. Anything that can calm me down while I'm stressed out wins my stamp of approval.

As a first time mom, I personally fell in love with the humor of this book. It's the ugly truth made bearable by comic relief! The panel of mother's who also chime in with their personal stories gave a great perspective on everything from negative to Chipper Jen's radiant positivity.

Personally, this book was purchased as entertainment - not informative, but a good laugh. Don't open this book expecting to have an expert opinion, you won't find it here, but you will find comfort amongst a few friends as they tell you everything from horror stories to amazing tactics that worked for them along the way.

The book stands as is saying YOU ARE NOT ALONE, we have been there too.

Let me start off by saying that I am an avid the store purchaser yet I barely write reviews for anything. I also never read which means a lot since I read this book cover to cover in just a few days because it was that good and written extremely well.

My husband got this book for me right after our baby was born. I would sit and read while feeding our baby. I thanked him a million times for finding it for me. Not only did I laugh my butt off throughout the book, I also used burp cloths to dry my tears while reading because every chapter explained such relatable new parent topics. It was very refreshing to know other moms went through what I was going through. I highly recommend this to new moms that spend a lot of time sitting, feeding and holding their newborn. Thank you, Dawn Dais for writing such an awesome book! I was super sad when I finished reading so I ordered the toddler book by Dawn Dais to read next :)

My wife and I bought this after we found out that she was pregnant with our first child. We picked up a lot of the classics, and thought this would be a good one to break the monotony with. First time mom shares her hilarious yet informative experiences with her oh-so-relate-able masses? Sure.

What it actually boils down to is a cliche, over dramatic, seemingly never ending tale about one woman's desire to sell books through her experience as a mother. That's really it. It is one overly extended birthing story with little to offer other than near constant reminders that yes, this is difficult. Yes, giving birth hurts. Yes, babies tend to cry a lot. And on, and on.

Near the middle or end of every chapter she does refer to her MOFL's (mothers-on-the-front-lines), because remember, it's a literal war between you and your newborn, and that honestly was the most helpful part of the book. It was refreshing to have even a paragraph where someone other than the author was contributing.

Do yourself a favor and stay away from The Shit No One Tells You. Read any of the other 10,000,000 birthing stories posted all over the internet and get exactly the same thing.

This book covers a wide range of topics on raising a newborn. It includes countless stories from Dawn as well as other mothers that left me literally laughing out loud. They were able to capture the reality that raising a baby is not easy and yet comfort new moms that what they are going through is absolutely normal and that they will get through all of the challenges. This was an easy, laid-back read, and I would highly recommended it to all who are thinking about getting pregnant, curious about pregnancy and raising a baby, currently pregnant, or even parents. But then my kids are in their late 20's so maybe it is easier to find humor in these things.

An excellent and truthful read that depicts what it’s like to enter into motherhood. All of the stories and experiences rang true to me in so many ways. I said to myself throughout the book: “that’s exactly how I feel” or “so I’m not alone after all?!”. I related to this book and Dawn’s words so much, whether it was a lighthearted experience to do with diaper changes or a more serious issue about post partum emotions. She writes so well about the realities of pregnancy and motherhood that it makes you feel like you’re not alone in this world and you can get through each and every hurdle your baby throws at you. I wish I would have read this book before having my baby but it was just as useful after. Funny, clever, truthful, helpful, and overall a wonderful read. I will be recommending to all of my friends (and strangers if they’ll let me).

So I read this before I gave birth. It scared the crap out of me. What the $@?! Did I sign up for?! Then I read it again after I gave birth. And it was very funny. Because it's freaking true. All of it. It's just a lot easier to read after you've been through it and can find the funny.

And to any pregnant women reading this: it's not that bad. Yes, it's all true and it's hard, but your kid makes everything worth it and more.

I would not recommend this book to first-time moms. I only found it terrifying and it made me wonder--at 8 1/2 months pregnant--what the F I've gotten myself into.

The author tries to be funny about everything that's going to change in your life once a baby comes along, but she doesn't get into any of the good stuff. The only "good" thing she says from time-to-time is, "But don't worry, it'll all be worth it because you'll love your baby so, so much,"--even though she has a chapter that talks about how you actually might NOT love your baby right away. Great.

I finished the book yesterday and I just cried and cried and cried.

Quote from the book:
"...in general, babies are really hard. While they are a wonderful and beautiful addition to the family, they actually SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROY YOUR LIFE, ONE ASPECT AT A TIME (please see Chapter 11, 'Your Life is Officially Over.')."

My husband told me to burn the book. I might do just that.

The title is your first clue: while Dais clearly tries to be factual in recounting her baby’s first year, do NOT mistake Sh!t for a parenting facts book, ala What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Sh!t is humorous with an exhausted mom’s attitude, written as though Dais is sharing baby stories with her girlfriends over a glass of wine.Dawn Dais tells a funny yet informative look at your 1st year living with your newborn.

Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby's First Year is front to back filled with truthful facts of childbirth and life with a newborn:

· "another shocking new baby discovery: They cry. A lot."

· "You may think you’re doing pregnant women a favor by answering their birthing questions truthfully. But really, they probably don’t actually want to know the truth."

But rather than using sarcasm, preaching or lecturing, author Dawn Dais shares stories about her experiences, and those of her friends. Be prepared: if you’re about to become a first-time mom or deciding if childrearing is in your future, this book has the facts. No excuses that “no one ever told you.” This book delivers the true story If your kids are walking, driving or even raising their own kids, Sh!t will bring it all back to you, but you’ll have a smile on your face as you relive your own newborn’s 1st year.

Some of the real-world Mommyhood Dais talks about:

• Drugless delivery - accidental or scheduled

• Lactation Nazis - if you’re breastfeeding, you’ll relate

• Rectal botox - TMI

• Poop shows - think puppet show, but with poop

• Benefits of owning a pet before owning a child

Dais challenges and reveals all our parenting stereotypes and secret thoughts:

• You have no idea what you are doing, but thankfully your baby doesn’t know any better

• Your newborn is not cute. They’re scary

• Unconscious (I personally think its conscious) competition among women and parents on social media

What makes The Sh!t No One Tells you work is Dais herself: the content is accurate and informative, but Dais personality as an intelligent, real-life new mom who’s just trying to figure it all out shines through the book and turns what could be just another parenting book into a book you’ll want to read, and give to a new mom you really care about: "My intention is not to frighten you or to scare you off having children", says Dais.

visit www.healthpod.ca/blog for our monthly parenting book review!

I'm currently pregnant for the first time. I'm not even halfway there yet, but already I've amassed quite the collection of (rather unfortunate) experience-based factoids about the uncomfortable realities of pregnant life. The constant stream of bizarre (but apparently normal) new pregnancy symptoms and challenges, to which other women nod knowingly whenever I inquire got me wondering...... What else aren't people telling me? What exactly have I gotten myself into here? Most of all, when do I get my own super shiny pair of rose-colored glasses???

Enter this wonderful, sarcastic, genuine book by Dawn Dais. I admit, reading it at first I was depressed - really, really depressed. Woo, boy, it's exactly as I feared: there's a lot of unpleasantness I can expect from my baby's first year. This book makes that very clear in its many short chapters. I spent some time wondering how I could possibly withstand the difficulties ahead. I got scared. But I kept with it. I kept reading, because I recognized that regardless of whether I was ready for this information, I needed to know the truth. I needed to know exactly what I was in for, no punches pulled, in order to prepare - so I pushed on. It worked! About halfway through the book, I entered a zen-like state where I could take in each new topic calmly, and then eventually I finished the book. I legitimately feel more grounded and prepared to enter this new parenthood thing now.

So lets get down to brass tacks here. Why is this book worth reading, if indeed it may scare and/or depress you? The answer is that while disillusionment hurts at first, it will allow you to be more realistic and kind to yourself down the road. Reality is out there, looming, no matter how far down you have got your head in the sand. Think of this book as a tiny practice gauntlet for having your baby, a slice of what it will be like to be a new parent. If you can come to grips with what you find in these pages and keep soldiering on, you are proving to yourself that you are going to be able to handle all the madness it describes, just as the author has.

For some concrete examples of what I am talking about here... For one, I had no idea prior to reading this book that sometimes one or both parents does not feel an instantaneous connection with their offspring. I would have been so incredibly down on myself if I had experienced this without any preparation - without knowing it is one of many normal reactions to meeting your child for the first time. I was also relieved to find out the see-sawing between good times and bad is also common in parenthood, and that the teething situation might disrupt any calm and routine we may have attained by that point. I am glad to know to savor the good times and I suspect the peaks and valleys will feel a little less jagged and chaotic if I know to expect them. Plus, it was great to hear from this author in particular that there were enjoyable, smooth sailing moments even for someone like her (and me!) who just aren't really baby people. Finally, the commentary on the pressures of social media was very helpful. It gave me perspective on something that has been nagging at me - the pressure to put a perfect face on my pregnancy and eventually on my child-rearing experience. It's kind of ridiculous, when I really sat down and thought about it.

What i described above are the nuggets of info that really stuck out to me on my first reading, but there were many other good points mixed in that I am sure I will remember when they become especially pertinent (unless the author is right and I am going to lose my memory capabilities after having Baby!!).

Overall, what this book reminded me is that despite the fact that I am entering motherhood (with all its cultural expectations of sainthood, endless patience, and super powers), I am, in fact, still human. And humans struggle with things. I am allowed to struggle. You are allowed to struggle. It's ok to feel overwhelmed and to complain frankly, bitterly even, in the right venue (i.e. not around Baby!). There will be people who question your parenting, judge you for being honest if you share your challenges. But then there will also be people like Dawn Dais, who get it, and other parents who will offer support and advice. And those are the relationships you will want to nurture!

5 stars!

P.S. To those who read this book and question whether the author loves her child.... I think you have to trust that she does to be able to get the most out of this book. She tells you how much she does throughout the text. It doesn't get any kind of word count in comparison to the bitching, but fact of the matter is that this is not an apologetic book. This book is empowering and frank. She is not wincing her way through the retelling of her stories and the hard won conclusions she's drawn, saying "I know I'm a bad mom for thinking this". No, she is owning her experience and reactions, including the hard stuff. I think that's pretty admirable. Seeing as she decided to have another baby (and has since written a book about toddlers I will definitely be reading too!), it seems pretty evident that she does indeed love her kids and that the experience is worthwhile to her.

When I announced my pregnancy, my coworker said, "Everyone will tell you their horror stories, don't worry, it's not all bad my dear". This book is a compilation of horror stories with limited advice albeit the portions on depression & social media. I read the first half of the book and skimmed the second half. Spoiler alert! Your lady bits are ruined, your baby isn't cute, you'll never sleep again, your house is too small and you'll hate your spouse. No thanks.

This was definitely funny. It has four stars for writing quality and for amount of times it really did make me laugh out loud. On the other hand, I would NEVER EVER EVER give this to a mother who is expecting or whose baby is a newborn still.

I picked it up while still pregnant and read through it before my daughter arrived. I think if I read it now I would like it more, eight months on, than I did then.

Don't get me wrong - I laughed, and I finished it. But I couldn't bring myself to reread or pick it up again, because it was just. so. unrelentingly. negative. Despite the author's intentions of kind of pulling back from the negativity in order to reassure you that she really does love being a mother, the book is just a parade of negative, depressing stories about how awful it's all going to be. It's not really a "breath of fresh air", it's more like being told that 'fresh air' it just the cold air of a dark tunnel you'll never get out of. I couldn't enjoy it after a while, not really, and I haven't been able to pick it up again.

That said, I think moms of older babies and young toddlers are bound to like this quite a bit more and find more funny about it. As a pregnant mom-to-be and then as a new mother, it was just too much negativity and pain and it really paints motherhood as a miserable slog with no end in sight and you'll never get to be happy again.

I think the book would have been improved by a few more hints of positive thinking. I'm not saying to take the negatives and erase them or to turn motherhood into rainbows and butterflies or anything, but just some hints of hope. What the book lacked was anything bright to ease the dark humor.

I would only give this book to moms of older babies or toddlers. Maybe if you picked up a super-happy motherhood book to give alongside this for balance, it would be better for newer moms. But man, was this an incredibly depressing humor book.

This is the most negative book I have ever read. I get that the author is trying to be funny and light-hearted but it seems like she completely takes parenting for granted and has nothing positive to say. She makes everything sound horrible. I would NOT recommend.

Semi entertaining read. I agree with another reviewer that it’s not well researched, but reads more like a random conversation you would have with a mom about her own personal experiences.

The vaccine chapter is idiotic! It supports the RIDICULOUS anti-vaccine movement, and at one point suggests moms just go with their gut feeling on the subject.

Bought this recently for my sister who is serving in the Army. She is a tough cookie and is nervous about her pregnancy. I wanted to find a book that was to the point and would give her a heads up on what she can expect while letting her know that what she is going through (will be going through) is completely normal. This book did it. She finished the entire book within about a week. She said it was exactly what she needed.

It is a cute book, but it is more of a straight forward read with some humor thrown in. I was looking for more humor and something that did not require too much attention. (It is for a gift for a Baby Shower... Along with a hand made blanket and a bottle of "Prisoner" wine). The book wasn't quite what I was looking for, so I had to find a different one.
*This review is for the content of the book only. I received my book in great condition and on time.

This book is perfect for moms in the thick of it all...having a new baby or moms that have a good memory of what it was like to have a new baby...between feeding, changing and napping my little one it is great to relax and read this book because it is hilarious and on point to everything going on in your life with a new baby...its Great to have someone relate to the madness and make light of it all since we are all in the same boat...I will def be sharing this book with my new Mom friends.

I absolutely love this book! I am due this month. Two different friends sent me this book in my first trimester, and I
truly wish I would have read it before I got pregnant so I knew what expect. Each pregnancy and woman is different, but
I came into pregnancy without knowing the not so fun facts about pregnancy and childbirth that for some reason many women don't talk about or are ashamed to express it out loud. But this author isn't afraid to share and talk about it and for that I will be always be thankful to her. I loved this and I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to have a child or is expecting!

I got the audio book and find it boring. She droned on about trivial stuff and focuses on how you're never going to have time for yourself ever again. She tries to be hilarious but often misses the mark and offers very little useful information. The only thing I found remotely helpful were the comments from her friend interviews. The book is 90% filler, 10% useful. I would recommend Expecting Better or Bumpology for more useful and educational but entertaining reads.

For reference, I'm a first-time mom, expecting him to arrive any day now, and age 34. I'm well-aware that motherhood will be hard, but aren't all life changes difficult as you learn to adjust to them?

I received this as a gift, and it couldn't be farther than the mindset that I want to have. The tone is so incredibly negative. I know that sarcasm and humor can sometimes get lost in writing, but an editor should have stepped in to recognize that some positive notes were also needed. A quick scan of some of the chapter titles is truly frightening --

"Your life is officially over"
"You'll never sleep again"
"You can't afford this"
"You'll be blamed in therapy one day"
"Your body is ruined"
"You'll probably want a divorce"

I figured I'd give it a try to see if the humor shines through what seemed like awful topics, but it really doesn't. It baffles me how so many people like to tell you how awful this life event is, and now there's a book in my house that will tell me the same thing!

If you find this type of humor funny, then I encourage you to purchase it for yourself. But please don't gift it to anyone you care about. If someone who is mentally in a bad place reads this book, it will only make their fears worse.

Being a mother of two young children, I remember thinking before my daughter was born, “This parenting thing can’t be that hard,” and going into it feeling (almost) fully prepare to tackle an eight pound weakling. Instead, I was knocked on my ear by a pink, bawling wonder and still continue to be six and a half years later. I knew that Dais’ account would make me laugh, but what I also found was a guide that encouraged honesty, solidarity and support. Over and over Dais’ message is clear: It’s okay to be honest and say I don’t really have any idea of what I’m doing. That’s a message we mothers can never get enough.

The book is broken up into chapters ranging chronologically from pregnancy to birth to infancy and so on. Dais tells her own hoary gory stories, but enlists other mom friends to share those as well. The combination of those stories helps to tell a well-rounded story of what motherhood can be. And, although each story is different, that central message always comes back around: No matter what your experience, we’re all in this together.

...read more at UndergroundBookReviews (dot) com

I am glad we were already pregnant when I decided to read this book as after reading it I am not sure I would have wanted to have a child. This book is just a b*tch fest for the author, there was about 2 pages in the entire book that gave decent information, other then that it was just trash. I wish I could get paid to write a book complaining the whole time. DO NOT BUY!

Some books seek to entertain, some to enlighten. Then there’s one like THE S*** NO ONE TELLS YOU that can do both at the same time while scaring the heck out of pre-teens who need the warning that motherhood isn’t all clean diapers and cuddles.

Ms. Dais’s tell-all is a refreshing, comprehensive, brutally honest look at the pain, discomfort and ickiness associated with childbirth and the first few months of human life, wrapped in a cheerful package by someone who’s been in the trenches. I can easily envision a new mommy reading this book, mixing laughter with intermittent glares at the guy who put her to this, and I wonder why there was no chapter on gun control.

While this isn’t a book I would normally pick up to read, I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Dais’ wit and candor, and there is stuff for guys here, for example the chapter accurately titled, “Poop, Puke and Pee,” and it’s a must for partners who need to appreciate the effort expended in manufacturing a new person from scratch.

Ms Dais employs a deft comedic touch, keeping things light with fun comics, graphics and phrases like ‘pre-poppage pregnancy,’ and with words like ‘mucus plug,’ which is and isn’t funny at the same time. . And while the truth sometimes hurts (like babies aren’t really cute), the humor tells you it’s going to be okay, and the occasional sweet moments show it’s all worthwhile.

If I could fault this book anywhere it would be that the focus is almost entirely on the mothers, with very little on the partners or babies.

I have a sense there will be another book coming out soon that will tell us the Terrible Two’s aren’t as bad as we think.

Norm Cowie
Humor Writers of America
[...]

I absolutely loved this book. So many truths spoken. So many things I agree with. Parenting today is so competitive. People love to brag about this and that about their kid. The author tells it like it is. I applaud her for her chapter on working and the lean in movement. I completely agree with her that not everyone wants to be an executive. Some people value success as having a balance and not necessarily climbing the ladder. As a working mom it really spoke to me.

This is the book I needed. It's hard to be honest about your feelings or be confident as a parent when everyone around you sugarcoats motherhood. The truth is, newborns are hard, and being a new parent is a physical and emotional rollercoaster. I found comfort in reading the author's candid and hilarious stories.

My husband bought this book for me for my birthday, we're expecting our first. Out of all the pregnancy books I could get my hands on, this one is by far my favorite. I'm not a reader, but I couldn't put this book down! It's to the point and hilarious! I'm still freaked out to be a parent, but this book helped me realize I'm not the only one! Great read!

I can't believe this is getting four stars... don't waste your time. It's incredibly negative, has very little helpful information, and perpetuates--dare I say exaggerates?--fears and worries that new moms don't need to exhaust themselves worrying about. Considering the author dedicated a chapter to the reality and severity of postpartum depression, I find it surprising that she would write an entire book about how miserable the birth and newborn stages are; it promotes bad feelings and a 'Debbie downer' mentality. Do yourself a favor and read a comic book, something escapist and uplifting, anything but this book.

I kept laughing out loud when reading this book. Everything she says is true, but it's told in a way that let's you laugh about the hard times. And sometimes it helps to know that others are having the same struggles you are. Really a good read for anyone who just had a baby (if you can find the time.) I would not recommend reading this book before having a baby. It's a little too real, and it's something you have to experience to appreciate this book. I am eager to read other books by this author.

I received this book free to review from Goodreads. I have three children, who are well past the baby years, but I remember thinking that I wish someone had told me about some of the things that I went through when they were infants. This book covers a variety of topics about pregnacy, childbirth and your baby's first year. As evidenced by the title, there is foul language in the book, so if that bothers you, then this is not the book for you. If that does not bother you, then I think you will enjoy this book. It brings up some important topics and helps you to realize that you are not the only mom who struggles with those issues and it gives some helpful advice.

Had I read this around the time I just gave birth I may have saved myself some of the anxiety that ensued. Misery does love company, but I would have been saying, "This terribly incompetent first-time-mom feeling that envelops me every fifteen minutes...Dawn just nailed it!"

I'm on the fence about this book. I am currently pregnant with my first and I absolutely I needed to hear a lot of this information. That being said, I wish it wasn't so negative. It really depressed me in some parts and took some of the excitement out of the whole experience for me. There were definitely parts that made me laugh out loud, but there were other parts that didn't need to make baby's first year sound like hell froze over. For example, the chapter titled, "Your life is completely over"? Unnecessary. Still worth a read, as it is my opinion that you can never have too much information. But have a mom-friend ready to console you and tell you it's all worth it!

Best book I have ever read about preparing for motherhood. The best part is the humor. I have shared it with four other women who were first time mothers and they loved it. I hope she write a book about being a mom of a toddler and a newborn.

Absolutely hilarious. As new parents we get overwhelmed and this book just makes you feel like you are not crazy. Becoming a parent is a beautiful thing but we are also learning as we go and this book adds comedy to a new, beautiful and interesting journey we all take as new parents.

I'm expecting my first child this July. While I do appreciate some of the straightforward "tell it like it is" advice I can't even begin to describe how depressed this book made me. This book is NOT for first time moms. If I had read this book before we conceived I'd probably have decided not to start a family. This book makes everything sound like hell, your body is ruined, you will have no life, you will want a divorce, you will be covered in sh!t, but at least you can look forward to your baby's laugh. Seriously it is THAT negative and depressing a book. I got through a third of the book staying optimistic before it started to wear down on me.. And down and down.. It has funny moments don't get me wrong, but a book shouldn't make you dread being a parent and that's the problem- I'm now second guessing myself and dreading my due date because apparently life will suck forever after that. My girlfriends who were first time expecting moms and read this say the same thing as me. Fortunately my friends who have had kids assure me it's not as bad as the book implies. We'll see. No pregnancy/new parentiny book should make you regret you choice to start a family.

OMG! I've been berating myself for not writing all that transpired over the last 5 years and here comes Dawn Dais' book to save the day.

THANK YOU for keeping it real. Laughed till tears flowed like the potty #2 I caught (more than once) with my hands so it wouldn't stain the carpet. Sigh.

easy reading, but basically common sense. you dont need to buy this book to know you're going to be busy after the baby is born.

the only good thing is the early chapter on hospital - it tells you what to expect at hospital, what they will let you take home, and what you should keep an eye out for/look for.

So funny and informative! Talked about a pot of things that usually aren't discussed . It prepares you for the struggles of parenthood but in a funny way. Which is good because if she didn't everyone would probably be too scared to have any kids.

Hilarious! This book is a down to earth funny read about honest parenting. I would highly recommend it to any new parent. You have to have a sense of humor through all the sleep deprivation and this book makes that easy!!

This book is entertaining, I laughed out loud several times. I read it while nursing during the night. It gave me comfort as a new mom to know other moms have had similar struggles. Also, it had some good advice (refer to chapter on how to raid the hospital). I would recommend it to any mom.

I was given this book as a Mother's Day gift. I read the chapter on vaccinations, which is positively dripping in mealy-mouthed, unintelligent, poorly-worded anti-vax apologia. NOPE. This Dawn Dais is an irresponsible cretin. She's a talentless hack peddler of non-information and should not have a book deal. I threw this stinking load of crap book in the trash where it belongs.

I do NOT recommend this book. It is VERY negative & depressing. I was given it as a gift by someone who is not a parent, so she didn't know any better. I started reading it hours before my water broke, so it was pour timing to hear about how no babies are cute & that my life was over now that I was having a child. After my son was born, people kept telling me how adorable he was, but what I had just read in the book really tarnished that experience for me since the book says that everyone who says that is lying. The author does not help new parents. She just wants to complain about her own experiences in a "misery loves company" kind of way. The only group of people that I would recommend read this book are teenagers that parents fear will end up/get someone pregnant as all that negatively could make for good birth control.

I'm a huge fan of Dais' running book, which made me laugh up until race day. Her new one is absolutely hilarious and points out all the details I know my mom friends wish someone would be honest about. I've planned to include it as a present- it's the perfect baby shower gift! She excels at the art of survival guides. First she took on extreme athletics (marathons, centuries), and it seems fair to say motherhood should be right up there. Bravo!

I stopped reading half way through, because this book has no useful information on parenting. Instead, this book is basically a rant from a mother, not an expert, about how hard being a mother is. In my opinion, I don't think the author really had that hard of a time as a mother, but she needed to exaggerate everything to sell this book. It is basically a book full of rants, negativity, and exaggerations! It has no useful information on how to be a mother, it has no advice. Let me sum this book up for you: “Waaahhhh!! Being a mother is hard! waahhhh! Oh sh!t I have to wipe poop?! Wahhhh I don't get enough sleep. Waahh....waahh..waahhhh!!! The end."

This book reminds me a lot of Jenny McCathy's book on pregnancy (which I also never finished") Full of exaggerations, negativities, and complaints. And no useful information. They aren't experts, have no credentials, they are just mothers trying to sell books, and writing a book about how easy being a mother is or pregnancy is just won't sell.

Having your first child should be a positive experience, despite the challenges, there is no need to read this crap. It prepares you for nothing, especially not the challenges.

I definitely was disappointed with this poor excuse of a "guide". Not one freaking positive thing this lady had to say. All I got from it was that I was going to be depressed, it was gonna suck so bad, and that nothing was going to prepare me for the s***show I was about to endure. I thought this was supposed to be an "encouraging" guide but I found it to be completely ridiculous. I've only gotten through half of the book and I was so annoyed with the negative repetition that I refuse to finish it. I've read a lot of baby books to gather some insight and this is the WORST!

As we prepare to try to conceive, I really enjoyed this book. It doesn't try to scare you, but it doesn't sugar-coat the rough parts either. I sympathized with a lot of the scenarios just from my personal experiences with newborns, but there was a lot of great advice.

Funny and kinda scarey informative book highlightin so many of the true things that is going to happen once my baby arrives. It sound slike it is not going to be roses and candy!! At least i feel somewhat better prepared.

Got this book as a gift- I'm 4months pregnant and now am terrified. I appreciate realism and dry humor, but this book is soooo negative... the "Your life is basically over" theme is too overwhelming for this pregnant lady full of hormones. I'm fully aware parenting will be hard but I really didn't need someone telling me everything I love about my life will be gone when the baby comes (but oh, you'll really love your kid...when they're asleep). I wish i would've thrown it out after chapter one- I'd have far less anxiety right now.

Thanks Heavens for this book. My due date is just around the corner and I found this book to be hilarious, informative, and comforting. Such a great find! Plus I will now have it for future times when I'm in need if some humor, comfort, and info.!!!

My husband purchased this book for me for Christmas, thinking that it would be fun to read prior to the birth of our baby. However, I would not recommend the book for those of you who are currently expecting your first child. I'm aware of many of the issues of childbirth, breastfeeding, lack of sleep, and social life, BUT the constant complaining and tales being told of how terrible the experience is from labor and delivery through the first 18 months can be terrifying for an expectant mom. I am a well educated person, yet this book some-what freaked me out about the upcoming birth and first year of my child. The first couple of chapters were funny and I was able to get through more than half of the book, but I'm putting it down until after the baby arrives.

As a 25 year old soon to be mom I don't think this is a well written book that includes women of all ages all the moms mentions in the introduction were over 30 it is hard to relate to a lot of the stress of having a baby while being my age . Also this book is very negative and filled with lies .

I was going through some baby blues/ weepies/whatever and was given this book. It was so helpful for me as a first time mom because it normalized a lot. Also it wasn't just her experiences, she draws on what her friends went through as well. I gave my copy to a friend who was experiencing the same issues that I was emotionally and she said it really helped her. I've recommended the book to several people.

I've been following this author since her first book on running marathons and love her honestly and irreverent voice, so when I saw she had a parenting book coming out, I knew I had to read it. I've since recommended it to friends. Dawn Dais' book is one of the few parenting books that reinforce for women: it's okay to love your baby, but not particularly love breast feeding, losing sleep, or anything in particular, really, when you're in the trenches of the first year of your baby's life.

I'm pregnant with my first child and didn't appreciate the anxiety that this book created for me. The author sounds miserable. I imagine she isn't and there are aspects of parenthood she appreciates, but it certainly wasn't conveyed in the book. I wouldn't recommend this at all.

In all honesty, I did not finish this book because it is SOOO negative. I read the introduction and a few pages of the first chapter and couldn't believe what I was reading. So I took a look at the names of the chapters and was blown away once again by the negativity. There are many more useful books regarding parenting such as anything by William Sears.

I could not put this book down once I started reading it! As a mother of two small children it was extremely helpful and made me laugh! It's just nice to know I'm not the only one who has a lot of the same problems other mothers do! Especially the topics nobody wants to talk about! It's fun, funny and definitely worth the buy!

Funny read, but it's unfortunate that a lesbian author glaringly contributes to heteronormative gender stereotypes. The author makes it clear that this book is for "mothers," and leaves no room for the rest of us who are raising children. :(

I wish you would have done this book 10 years ago, before I was tricked into having a child or three. Your insight is clear and accurate. If all my friends were having babies instead of menopause right now, I'd buy a copy for each of them.

This book is incredibly pessimistic and cynical, but not in an entertaining way.. basically it is a pregnancy book about all of the terrible and soul-crushing things that come with having a baby.. I would not recommend it, unless you want to find yourself doubting whether you really want to be a Mother after all.

The title of this book seems to promote candor and truth, but the author's first bit of advice is to not be truthful with new moms about childbirth. She goes on to repeatedly lament the lack of drugs in her birth due to the quickness of her labor. Later, she says she had wanted an epidural because she was afraid of prolonged labor. (Um, if she had looked at all at the effects of epidurals, one is that it can drastically slow down labor.) What is really clear to me from the first half of this book is that she would really have benefited from a bit of research, a birth doula, and a post-partum doula. One of the things "they" truly don't tell you is how affordable and available doulas are.

Another thing I found disturbing was her willingness to devote an entire chapter to poop and puke, but treated the names of other bodily fluids (and parts) like they were bad words. (Cervical mucus? Gasp! And don't even think the word "placenta"!)

Anyway, she goes on through the rest of the book to complain. And complain. And complain. (And I'm pretty sure the fact that you'll never sleep again is one of the things EVERYONE tells you, from the moment you get that big fat positive.)

I was pleased with a few things in this book- things that don't actually get a lot of mention elsewhere. Post-partum mood disorder is frankly discussed as normal, how a new baby can stress the relationship of the parents, and some practical advice on how to not overspend on baby items.

Overall, it seemed the author was trying to be funny, and failed. It comes off as extremely negative, and it was a difficult book to get through.

I have read all three of Dawn's books, and found this to be just as funny as the previous; and more applicable to myself and where my life is right now! Dawn's stories and insight are honest, informative and keeps one wanting to read more. Unlike many baby books, this book tells it like it is and gives practical guidelines for some taboo but very real life situations. Coupled with being a fun and easy read, when many of these kinds of books are VERY slow and difficult to get through; this book has now become my gift to all prospective mothers! Great job.

The premise of this book is good and certainly there is some truth in the author's depiction of motherhood (probably more truth than Renoir). That said the book is badly written and far les funny than the author imagines herself to be. Yes, new motherhood is hard, yes there are often things new mothers wish they had been told but seriously new mothers while sleep deprived are not stupid. I read the first chapter, ok funny, the second well maybe funny and then it becomes all too much of the same--will the book ever end. Don't buy this one, don't give it to anyone, if you feel compelled check it out of the library and return it early.

This book is a Knock-off of another book, entitled, "What You Wont Expect When You're Expecting Because This is The CRAP They Dont Tell You: ABC's of a Sucky Pregnancy" that was published a year before this one. As a fellow artist, it upsets me when unoriginal people steal another person's material. Its really sad, and I plan to email that author (TR Ipleac) and let her know she's being ripped off.

We're expecting our 3rd child in 7 weeks, so I wanted to get the new born parental juices flowing again. I made it a quarter through the book. Nothing could have led me to run back to the arms of the classics faster.
* Swearing isn't funny in itself, though what did I expect with the title.
* Echo chamber of a half dozen 30 something mothers.
* Doesn't lead with her parenting philosophies, tones and styles that resonate with the author.
* There are many almost insights drowned in this "I'm an expert now" memoir.
* As is no surprise with the no research, there are no references, no jumping off points to learn more about a topic if you have questions.
* As another reviewer describes this is the Sh!t People Told You But You Have To Experience It book, making it one more girlfriend telling you how it will be.

I couldn't get beyond the shallow chapter "You Newborn Is Not Cute". At least the author could have described some of the trauma and conditions that newborns quickly heal from. Or provided some research that backs what could be the interesting psychology of parental instincts.

I had already endured the "steal from the hospital" chapter. What if you have different morals or later needs to source alternatives to the products?

The author was fortunate that adjusting her own diet allowed her daughter to feed. It probably would have improved the book if she term dropped acid reflux, GERDS, colic, and the expensive lactose free and even milk protein free formula.

The depression chapter is depressing. How can such a chapter not speak to one of the most significant symptoms, unreasonable fear. A tell tale sign of postpartum depression is fixated fears on improbable events -- seeking fear.

I likely would have rated it 2-3, but then I read the reviews that it includes a platform for not immunizing. That sh!t isn't funny and this crazy train is responsible for outbreaks of diseases in Canada and USA that would otherwise have been eradicated.