Book 33: Belly Laughs
Belly Laughs
Jenny McCarthy
Nonfiction; memoir; chick lit
165 pages
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."
This book is simply hilarious! It is a brutually honest look at pregnancy through Jenny McCarthy's eyes. I really am glad that I read this because I think in a lot of ways, it will prepare me for my little one who is arriving in January! If you are pregnant (especially for the first time), I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read her next two books!
***Next read: I just started reading The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy by Vicki Iovine and I'm still reading Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl