What to Expect When You're Expecting: The Movie

So, ever since I started following all these birth junkie blogs I've heard one very large and resounding cry against the book What to Expect When You're Expecting. And I found it funny that when I went to the Barnes & Noble to look for my doula reading list books they had NONE of the ones on my list, but about 30 copies of WTEWYE displayed on several shelves.

Here are a few things the blogosphere has to say about it, in case you're wondering why it is awful:

This book is chock full of enough scare-tactics and medical promotions to frighten and confuse any mama-to-be right into a panic attack (if not premature labor). I have never seen so many women turned into anxious balls of nervous wreckage after reading this book. Although it contains a lot of relevant educational material, it is delivered in such a way that women are not brought into that knowledge in an empowering and positive way; but instead leads women to believe that there are so many cautions, tests, deviations, and alternatives that something is bound to happen, just wait. Empower and educate, it does not. There are many better options. (from Bellies and Babies: What not to Read)

It repeatedly says that cesarean section is safer than vaginal birth, equating the surgery to a tonsillectomy and stating that “the major reason for the increase in the cesarean rate is not bad medicine, but good medicine.” There is a sharply critical tone throughout at any mention of those types who might question medical authority or practices and strongly encourages women to not really worry if that procedure was unnecessary. If your doctor felt it was necessary, it probably was, so rest assured! The authors call natural birth advocates of the 70’s and 80’s “singleminded women [who] waged war on recalcitrant physicians” then ends the same paragraph with a mention of how “unmedicated birth is still considered the ideal.”  (including image above, from The Unnecesarean: What to expect when youre not expecting to be sued by your doctor)

And now I hear that they're making a MOVIE of What to Expect When You're Expecting! Apparently along the lines of He's Just Not That Into You, it will follow several couples who are, well, expecting! Will this actually make a good movie? Only time will tell.