"Uncertainty, morning sickness, and anxiety suddenly turn to hope and direction in A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy, a book that will comfort, guide, and inspire you during your pregnancy."--Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, EWTN Host of Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms"Sarah Reinhard combines insight and humor to create yet another must-have book for Catholic moms. Whether this is your first pregnancy or your tenth, you'll find A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy to be an invaluable resource."--Jennifer Fulwiler, Blogger at ConversionDiary.com"Sarah Reinhard takes the reader by the hand and walks her through the amazing process that is pregnancy. Never hesitating to explore both the challenges and the joys of this season of life, Sarah has created the guide to pregnancy that Catholic women have been waiting for."--Hallie Lord, Author of Style, Sex, and Substance"Whether you're expecting your first child or tenth, A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy speaks to the hopes, fears, and love that come with nurturing a new life. This treasure of a book truly is a companion for expectant moms and its words of wisdom and encouragement will help readers mature in faith just as their baby matures in the womb."--Kate Wicker, Author of Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body"To bring a new life into the world is the ultimate journey, so why not make it a spiritual journey? In A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy, Sarah Reinhard invites us to experience pregnancy and birth through the prism of our Catholic faith. Week by week, we marvel at what God has created within us, cling to him every step of the way for strength and consolation, and yearn for the moment when we will bring our long-awaited bundle of joy to the baptismal font to join the family of God. This book is a great journey companion for every Catholic mom-to-be. I sure wish I had it when I was pregnant with my four boys!" --Elizabeth Ficocelli, Author of Seven from HeavenAbout the AuthorSarah A. Reinhard is a Catholic author, blogger, speaker, and freelance writer who has a penchant for coffee and a love of chocolate. She writes at SnoringScholar.com and is the network content manager for Our Sunday Visitor. Reinhard is the author of a number of books, including A Catholic Mothers Companion to Pregnancy. She earned a masters degree in marketing and communications from Franklin University and has worked for many years for corporate and nonprofit organizations. She lives in central Ohio with her husband and four children. is goodreads free to read books A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy: Walking with Mary from Conception to Baptism (Catholicmom.Com Books)
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. May Not be for More Sensitive MothersBy CatholicMommyI am pregnant with my third child and I thought that this book would be a wonderful way to grow closer to our Blessed Mother through weekly reflections that also give insight into the various stages of pregnancy. I loved the idea of using the mysteries of the rosary as a means to connect as a mother with Mary. However, given the other glowing reviews, I did not anticipate that there would be so much content in the book that I would find upsetting.I should have noticed that there were "features" (short essays at the start of some of the chapters) on miscarriage, stillbirth, coming to terms with a baby that may not live, etc. before ordering the book, but I was so thrilled to find a book that included my Catholic faith in my pregnancy that I failed to notice. Reinhard notes on pg. 2 that these more difficult topics may not "fit" and suggests that you simply should not read them if you do not wish to. I had planned on doing exactly that, but found that there were frequent recollections outside of these features detailing the loss and funeral of Reinhard's sister-in-law's full term child (There are three mentions before week 18; there may be more, but I have decided to stop reading the weekly reflections. I did read the final sections on labor, birth and Baptism.). Now, perhaps I am oversensitive, but I simply wasn't expecting a book for expectant mothers to include so much sadness. I understand that the features and recollections in question are a reality, and may offer support to women who experience them. Yet, I wonder if they could not have all been placed together in their own chapter where they could be easily referenced if needed or avoided. Again, I understand that the inclusion of these topics is for the reader to not have to seek out additional resources during a heartbreaking time. My opinion is that it is unsettling to open up your book in eager excitement for the week's reflection and be faced with the all too real knowledge that one of these experiences could happen.Additionally, this is a minor complaint, but I found it confusing for the chapters to use the fetal age as well as the week of pregnancy. For example, Chapter 2 is titled "Week 6 (Fetal Age: 4 Weeks)".I appreciate Reinhard's effort in writing a book for Catholic mothers to grow in their faith during such an exciting and special time in their lives, but I felt that it focused a bit too much on the negative for my taste. I had hoped for a book that would be both inspiring and uplifting, but, sadly, this wasn't it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This book was good, but had some negative thingsBy Kris DavisThis book was good, but had some negative things. If your pregnancy has been hard, this is the book for you. Mine was easy so I could not relate to her quite a bit.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CustomerPerfect companion for pregnancy, especially if it's your first. So many emotions you'll experience that are addressed in here.