Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth

From Publishers Weekly
McCarthy, 1994 Playmate of the Year, actress (Scream 3; Baywatch; etc.) and former host of MTV's Singled Out, gave birth to her first child in 2002. Her pregnancy wasn't pretty—and she wants to tell readers all about it. At the outset, she tells them, "If you bought this book, you are already aware of my frankness when it comes to certain things—anatomy and bodily functions among them. If someone gave this book to you as a gift and you've never heard of me, apologies to you!" She goes on to recount the nitty-gritty of pregnancy in all its gory detail, covering morning sickness, hormonal rage, cravings, hemorrhoids, "engorged" breasts, gas, hot flashes, fainting spells, weight gain, acne, water retention and, finally, labor. McCarthy is undeniably crass but funny, and her candor and self-deprecation are refreshing. Each brief, chatty chapter focuses on a different—and awful—facet of pregnancy, with McCarthy relating personal anecdotes and usually winding down by reassuring women they're not alone. McCarthy's tales are, for the most part, a hoot, though they may offend more uptight readers. For example, in the beginning of McCarthy's pregnancy, she was constipated, so she visited a specialist. In the waiting room, the assistant called her name, and "everyone... looked up in surprise, and I knew what they were thinking: 'Jenny McCarthy has butt hole problems?' I was so embarrassed, until I realized that they had no right to be smirking: Those assholes were also there because of their own assholes. I felt better already."Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
McCarthy applies her in-your-face manner and blue humor to the subject of pregnancy and childbirth in this little piece of fun. The former Playboy centerfold and all-around bad girl recounts her journey to motherhood with utter abandon, discussing topics that those other wholesome books tend to treat too gently, such as enemas, pubic hair growth, and sex in the ninth month. What's noble about this book (yes, noble) is that women who find these topics too embarrassing to bring up now have a place to read about them in a frank and open discussion.^B After all, they're as real as morning sickness, and McCarthy treats them with a candor that borders on crude but that is refreshing, and, ultimately, necessary. Not to mention funny. Like a gossipy girlfriend, McCarthy brings you in and makes you laugh; there's a certain comfort in knowing that even a sex symbol gets stretch marks and balloons to 200 pounds during pregnancy. A must-have for any childbirth collection. An aggressive marketing campaign suggests libraries ought to stock up. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Woman's Own May 2004
"[A] comedic book."


Los Angeles Family March 2004
"A no-holds-barred account...Ideal for anyone who is pregnant, plans to become pregnant or has ever been pregnant."


Gotham May 2004
"[McCarthy] is quite funny...this is a celebration of motherhood."


Times Herald Record 4/28/04
"This girl is funny...If you need a good laugh, then pick this one up."


Carolina Parent July, 2004
"Brutally honest and funny in a way the other pregnancy books wouldn't dare."


Miami Herald 5/11/04
"Frank and humorous."


eDiets.com > 5/6/04
"Prepare yourself for more than a few laugh-out-loud moments when Jenny serves up the insights you rarely read about."


Playboy January 2005
"Hilarious."


Book Description
Brimming with the author's signature frankness and humor, a no-holds-barred account of what you can really expect when you're expecting. Oh, the joys of pregnancy! There's the gasiness, constipation, queasiness, and exhaustion; the forgetfulness, crankiness, and the constant worry. Of course, no woman is spared these discomforts and humiliations, but most are too polite to complain or too embarrassed to talk about them. Not Jenny McCarthy! In Belly Laughs, the actress and new mother reveals the naked truth about the tremendous mood swings, the excruciating pains, and the unseemly disfigurement that go along with pregnancy. Never shy, frequently crude, and always laugh-out-loud funny, McCarthy covers it all in the grittiest of girlfriend detail. With tips and hilarious musings on morning sickness and hormonal rage, hemorrhoids, pregnant sex, and the torture and sweet relief that is delivery, Belly Laughs is must-read comic relief for anyone who is pregnant, who has ever been pregnant, is trying to get pregnant or indeed, has ever been born!


About the Author
Jenny McCarthy is the former host of the enormously popular MTV dating show "Singled Out." She has starred in several films, including Scream 3 and Scary Movie 3, and she has recently appeared in such sitcoms as "The Drew Carey Show" and "Less Than Perfect." In 2002, McCarthy and her director husband John Asher had their first child, Evan.


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

McCarthy, 1994 Playmate of the Year, actress (Scream 3; Baywatch; etc.) and former host of MTV's Singled Out, gave birth to her first child in 2002. Her pregnancy wasn't pretty-and she wants to tell readers all about it. At the outset, she tells them, "If you bought this book, you are already aware of my frankness when it comes to certain things-anatomy and bodily functions among them. If someone gave this book to you as a gift and you've never heard of me, apologies to you!" She goes on to recount the nitty-gritty of pregnancy in all its gory detail, covering morning sickness, hormonal rage, cravings, hemorrhoids, "engorged" breasts, gas, hot flashes, fainting spells, weight gain, acne, water retention and, finally, labor. McCarthy is undeniably crass but funny, and her candor and self-deprecation are refreshing. Each brief, chatty chapter focuses on a different-and awful-facet of pregnancy, with McCarthy relating personal anecdotes and usually winding down by reassuring women they're not alone. McCarthy's tales are, for the most part, a hoot, though they may offend more uptight readers. For example, in the beginning of McCarthy's pregnancy, she was constipated, so she visited a specialist. In the waiting room, the assistant called her name, and "everyone... looked up in surprise, and I knew what they were thinking: `Jenny McCarthy has butt hole problems?' I was so embarrassed, until I realized that they had no right to be smirking: Those assholes were also there because of their own assholes. I felt better already." (May) Forecast: An author tour, 20-market radio satellite tour and national advertising should generate sales. The book's cover bears a photo of McCarthy sporting her trademark euphoric grin and blonde hair blowing around her head in sexy waves-which could drive husbands to buy this for their pregnant wives. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices