All too often, pregnant women and the mothers of newborns have questions they are too ashamed or scared to ask their doctors, friends, mothers, and sisters.

What is that smell? Is the fetus really okay when I have sex? What should I do if I’m sad about my baby’s gender? Why do I feel aroused when breastfeeding? Is it normal to be jealous of my baby?

In Asking for a Pregnant Friend: 101 Answers to Questions Women Are Too Embarrassed to Ask about Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood, Bailey Gaddis offers real, safe, savvy, and nonjudgmental answers to the most personal questions about pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood.

I had a horrible childhood and am afraid I’ll replicate that with my child, as I have no good parenting role models. Am I destined to be a bad parent?

The fact that you want to step away from the negative parenting patterns of your parents is amazing — you’ve already taken a huge leap away from those patterns. Many people grow up in dysfunctional households and never identify what they should try to do differently with their children. You’re in an eyes-wide-open position that’s filled with possibility.

I also invite … Continue reading..