by Lyle Hurd, editor, totalhealth
Since 1985 with her first What To Expect . . . book on pregnancy and
continuing in 2000 with the What to Expect Kids series Murkoff’s
expectations continue to meet the expectations and needs of others.
As the best-selling coauthor of the popular “What To Expect . . .” series of parenting books, Heidi Murkoff
has become one of the world’s foremost experts on pregnancy and
parenting. She literally “conceived” the
idea for What To Expect When You’re
Expecting 17 years ago during her first
pregnancy, when she couldn’t find a book
to answer all of her questions and calm her
worries. The subsequent additions to the
“What To Expect . . .” series were born
from readers’ continued requests for information
and guidance through their years
of parenting.
Not only are her books the best-selling
parenting books in the world but they are
also ranked high among the best-selling
books across the globe on any topic. To
date the popular series includes What To
Expect When You’re Expecting, the first
installment in the growing collection,
What To Expect The First Year and What To
Expect Pregnancy Organizer. Since the first
book was published in 1985, the trademark
series has sold nearly 20 million copies and
its titles have appeared regularly on the
New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s
Weekly bestseller lists, among others.
According to a recent survey, 93 percent of
expectant mothers in the U.S. who have
read a pregnancy book have read What To
Expect When You’re Expecting, which appeared as number 12 in a 1999 USA
Today round-up story featuring the bestselling
books of the past five years.
In June 2000, Murkoff launched What
to Expect Kids, a new picture book series for
children ages 2–5, featuring Angus, the
lovable Answer Dog. The first five titles of
the 20-book series—What To Expect When
Mommy’s Having A Baby, What To Expect
When You Use The Potty, What To Expect
When You Go To The Doctor, What To
Expect When The Babysitter Comes and
What To Expect At Bedtime—have been published,
with the remaining 15 to follow over
the next three years. The launch for What To
Expect Kids is the biggest ever in
HarperCollins Children’s Publishing history.
The success of the “What To
Expect . . .” brand has led to the formation
of The What To Expect Foundation, a
non-profit organization dedicated to
providing low-income parents with the
information and assistance they need to
have healthy and happy babies. As president
of the foundation, Murkoff just completed
her first major program, Baby
Basics, a complete pregnancy reference
guide—provided free of charge—that
specifically addresses concerns of parentsto-
be while considering the special cultural,
literacy and economic needs of its
audience.
In his foreword to What To Expect
When You’re Expecting, Dr. Richard Aubry,
director of obstetrics at the State
University of New York Health Sciences
Center in Syracuse, states, “This excellent
book should be required reading not only
for expectant parents, but for doctors and
nurses who are training to provide obstetrics
care and professionals already providing it.”
After reviewing Heidi Murkoff ’s “What
To Expect . . .” series it is obvious that they
are an invaluable hands on guide for individuals
involved in the parenting experience
from preconception and pregnancy
through the formative toddler years. They
also are an excellent asset for grandparents,
extended family and caregivers who support
and influence the growth of these
families.
TH: Heidi, becoming recognized as one of
the world’s foremost experts on pregnancy
and parenting is a formidable achievement.
How was your first book, What To Expect
When You’re Expecting, born?
HM: Seventeen years ago, when I became
pregnant, one of the first things I did was
go to a bookstore, then to every bookstore
I could find because I didn’t find what I
was searching for—answers. I was searching
for reassurance. While there were quite
a number of books on pregnancy, I just
didn’t find them helpful. They didn’t
answer my questions and of course I had
thousands of questions and worries
because it was my first pregnancy.
When I found there wasn’t a book that
provided both of those valuable commodities,
answers and reassurance, during my
pregnancy, it dawned on me that I would
have to write it. The first book was a personal
crusade to make sure that other
expectant parents slept better at night than
I did during my pregnancy.
The proposal was delivered to the publisher
about two hours before I went into
labor. I began writing the book when our
daughter was just an infant. Living it and
writing it at the same time was a good
thing. You need to put yourself in a
pregnant woman’s shoes to know how she
feels when they don’t fit because her feet
are swollen. To have that kind of empathy,
you have to have experienced it yourself.
TH: Have you seen many significant
changes over the past 17 years?
HM: One major area is the way the medical
community responds to the needs of the
pregnant woman.
Back in the early ’80s it was a sort of
adversarial relationship between the patient
and the practitioner. Today it has become
more of a partnership, a partnership where
both parties contribute what they know best.
The expectant mother knows what she is
feeling, her body and what her needs are. The
obstetrician, midwife or practitioner knows
the medicine. They each contribute to the
partnership. It is a much friendlier climate in
obstetrics than it used to be.
Women now make out a birthing plan.
They also realize when necessary pain medication
can be acceptable. Most hospitals
have birthing rooms where a woman will stay
during labor, delivery and postpartum periods.
Care is family centered and fathers are
welcome in all aspects of the experience.
With over 10 million copies of What To
Expect When You’re Expecting having been
printed over this past 16 years, we are constantly
updating the information. Early in
2002 a new expanded edition will be released.
TH: The last chapter of your book is
titled “Preparing For Your Next Baby.”
How important is it to incorporate a prepregnancy
program prior to conception?
HM: In the best of all possible scenarios you
plan ahead for important events like becoming
pregnant. If you have that luxury, then
you can begin supplementing, you can get
your weight to where it should be, you can
stop drinking or smoking and cut back on
caffeine. You can see your doctor for a checkup
and advice so you and your partner can
both get into the best baby-making shape
before the sperm meets the egg.
TH: It appears that What To Expect When
You’re Expecting would be an excellent gift for
any couple in a committed relationship, with
a note suggesting that they read the last
chapter first. Our daughter is expecting and
in her sixth month. When I discovered your
book I called her immediately. She informed
me she as had the book since her early pregnancy
and was now ready to begin reading
What To Expect In The First Year. As I remember,
the toddler years were the most challenging.
Tell us about your toddler years book.
HM: It is a wonderful primer on everything
that has to do with rearing a two-, three- and
four-year-old. These are critical times in the development of an
individual and you are
the most important
influence in laying the
foundation for that
person’s future.
Whether dealing with
nutrition, values, habits
or personal relationships,
you must plant
the seeds early if you
expect the child to
mature into the individual
you hope s/he
will become. The What
To Expect The Toddler
Years is nearly 900 pages of hands-on information on what the child
should know to progress through each stage
of those important years.
TH: You have recently established The What
To Expect Foundation. Please share its objectives
with us.
HM: We knew we were already reaching the
majority of the book buying expecting parents
—93 percent according to USA Today buy
What To Expect When You’re Expecting. But
we also realized we were missing an entire
sector of the populations, like women who
are poor and can’t afford books, women who
can’t read well or women who just don’t have
access to bookstores or libraries. These
women who need the information most,
ironically are the least likely to receive it.
They have the same questions and need the
same reassurances as everyone else. While
they may be perceived as uninterested in the
value of a healthy prenatal program, it is
because they have no information about its
imperative to the health of both the baby and
themselves.
Our mission is to publish low literacy versions
of the information in the “What To
Expect . . .” books and distribute them free to
women who need the information and do
not have the resources to acquire it. The first
book is Baby Basics, an attractive, colorful
book rather than an ugly pamphlet which
normally is discarded. The first 100,000
copies were released in September. Support
for the foundation is growing. With a group
of committed corporate sponsors, including
Nissan and Target, we expect to make an
exciting contribution over the next few years.
TH: Do you see any other “What To
Expect . . .” books down the road?
HM: We get so many letters asking for new
books. Many are for a book on adoption and
one on twins. Also, our children are growing
up and I would expect 5–11 and 11–17 would
be our next consideration. It is amazing the
number of people who ask for a book on
teenagers. At this point I recommend they
get the toddler book and do some creative
editing. If you think about it, toddlers and
teenagers are pretty much the same creatures.
In fact, many experts call toddlerhood the
first adolescence because so many of their
behaviors are similar and so many of the
strategies for coping with these behaviors are
the same.
TH: Heidi, it must be an enormous responsibility
to remain hands-on with everything
that has matured since your first book 17
years ago. It is obvious “What To
Expect . . .” is not just a job, it’s your passion.
HM: Absolutely. It is not just a job or an
adventure, it is my life.
TH: Thank you for sharing your passion
with us and the millions of families who
learn what to expect from Heidi Murkoff.
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