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Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies?: The Surprising Science of Pregnancy Paperback – October 11, 2011

by Jena Pincott (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 189 ratings
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** Recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal **
Science writer Jena Pincott spent her pregnancy and postpartum months asking the types of questions that doctors don't answer, and that expectant mothers will not expect.  In this curiosity-driven exploration into the "hidden" side of pregnancy, learn how genes play favorites, amniotic fluid carries flavors; how semen can be a fetus's friend or foe; how the brains shrinks and grows; and what mind-control chemicals are doing in breast milk, sweat, and tears. 
Drawing on studies in evolutionary psychology, biology, neuroscience, reproductive genetics, and epigenetics, the influence of the environment on the behavior of genes, Pincott explores questions such as: 

* Does stress sharpen your baby's mind--or dull it?

* Can you predict your baby's temperament?

* Why are babies born in the darker months of the year more likely to grow up to be novelty-loving risk takers?

* Are bossy, dominant women more likely to have boys?

* How can the cells left behind by your baby affect you years later?

This is a different kind of pregnancy book--thoughtful, humorous, intimate, and filled with information you won't find anywhere else.  
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 11, 2011
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.9 x 8.44 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    9781439183342
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1439183342
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A lively, accessible romp through the science of pregnancy...with wit, personal anecdotes and playful humor. -- Kirkus (starred review)

What a charm!...Enjoyable, insightful, and fascinating...This winning title deserves some talking up. -- Library Journal (starred review)

Pincott writes with humor and vibrancy, bringing science to life. -- Publishers Weekly

From the Author

Science writer Jena Pincott spent her pregnancy and postpartum months asking the questions that doctors don't answer, and finding answers that expectant mothers will not expect. In this curiosity-led exploration into the "hidden side" of pregnancy, learn how amniotic fluid carries flavors and genes can play favorites, semen can be a fetus's friend or foe, the brain shrinks then grows, and what mind-control chemicals are doing in breast milk, sweat, and tears.

Drawing on studies in evolutionary psychology, biology, social science, neuroscience, reproductive genetics, endocrinology, and epigenetics, the influence of environment on the behavior of genes, Pincott explores questions such as:


* Why are your dreams more vivid?
* Why do skinny chicks have more daughters?
* Is the fetus tinkering with your brain?
* What does the baby's birth season predict about her personality?
* What do fetuses learn when they eavesdrop?
* Do boys really give you basketball bumps?
* Do fidgety fetuses become feisty babies?
* Where does maternal instinct come from?
* Does your stress sharpen your baby's mind -- or dull it?
* Can men breastfeed?
* Do mommies have better brains?
* How could Grandma's diet affect your child?

And could eating chocolate really make your baby sweeter?

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1439183341
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Free Press; Original edition (October 11, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781439183342
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439183342
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.44 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 189 ratings

About the author

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Jena Pincott

Jena Pincott

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Jena Pincott writes about the quirky, hidden side of science -- the shocking, subconscious, under-the-radar stuff. She is the author of eight books, including "Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies? Exploring the Surprising Science of Pregnancy," which received starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal for blending "science with wit, personal anecdote, and playful humor." Her previous book, Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes?, on the science of love and attraction, is translated in 17 languages.

Jena has a background in biology. Formerly a senior editor at Random House, she blogs at Psychology Today and has contributed to many publications, including Nautilus, Scientific American, Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com/OWN, and others. She also writes science fiction.

Jena lives in New York City with her husband, Peter, and two young daughters.

Read her blog at www.jenapincott.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
189 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

S. Blades
5.0 out of 5 stars THIS is how you make the science of pregnancy interesting, off-beat, and fun!
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
What a fun pregnancy book! I had reviewed the Mayo Clinic book and stated that it was the only prenatal book one would need in preparation for baby. Well, that might be the case for all of the important, basic information needed during pregnancy, but I have to qualify that previous review because, after skimming sections of this Chocolate Lovers book (I just received it today), I find that it's a great addition for those of us who are fascinated by the science of pregnancy and the strange things the body does. It's a light, fast read, especially considering the good amount of references to scientific studies, and surprisingly enjoyable because the topics covered are interesting and sometimes odd-ball. I'm not one for pop-science as a rule, and I can't stand cutesy pregnancy books like the "Girlfriend's Guide" kind of stuff (bleh), but I needed something a bit more unusual and off-beat than the overly straightforward May Clinic book to keep me entertained and engaged during this pregnancy. Plus, for those of us who want a list of works cited....it's here! Yes! My one complaint about the Mayo Clinic book was that there isn't a bibliography or "further reading" section for those of us who understand that the sciences include "gray areas" as "facts" become out-dated, debatable, or whatever. Jena Pincott gives various studies, all presented as objectively as anything really can be presented without it sounding absolutist, and she does so with a nice, flowing, engaging, readable style. As someone who teaches rhetoric and literary analysis, style and presentation are as important to me as the information given in a text; Pincott is just scholarly enough without being pedantic, and she includes personal anecdotes and some literary styling that is much more engaging than the typical fare. And after reading Baby 411, which has a terribly condescending and judgmental tone, I appreciated that Pincott respects her readers enough to assume we have brains in our heads: she speaks to the reader and not at the reader, as though she's sharing some really fascinating, strange information she's learned while asking her own crazy questions about why and what her body is doing during her pregnancy, just in case we might find it fascinating, too. Very nice. : )

Things to keep in mind:
- This really is a pop-science book with some educational value mixed with a heavy dose of entertainment value.
- This is not a guidebook: it is not meant to offer specific advice about doing one thing or another during pregnancy and/or child-rearing, but there is a nice, concise "Lessons from the Lab: A Summary of Practical Tips" section just before the list of source material that could be useful for some. It's mostly common sense, but sometimes we need reminders of that common sense stuff, right? I know I do! Like everything else in this book, I appreciate how Pincott presents these lessons.
- This includes bits and pieces of personal experience, so if you're not into the use of personal-story-as-frame-narrative before scientific studies are referenced, you might find it off-putting and too subjective for what you're looking for. As a reader, I found this technique engaging and effective in holding my interest.
- Along with personal anecdotes, Pincott references pop culture every now and then. I didn't find it annoying, pandering, or excessive at all.

I look forward to reading this in more depth and highly recommend it!
6 people found this helpful
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Promi
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting read for those curious
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Just fascinating facts and research bits about everything happening to you, your body and baby, plus your partner! It’s less traditional information about what kind of changes to expect and what to do for a healthy pregnancy, and more the science behind a lot of the things our minds ponder as we go through this.
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C
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun science-y, science-ish book about pregnancy
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
Fun book to read with your husband while pregnant, but only if you don't think about it too much. Once you really start thinking about some of the content of this book, you just might raise an eyebrow skeptically...

Here's a specific example. The author repeatedly, flatly defines preeclampsia (one of the best known and yet most poorly understood disorders of pregnancy) as "a disorder that may result in miscarriage". Well, folks, it's a little more than that (it's also hypertension, seizures and stroke for mom, low birth weight for the baby, possible death for both -- generally scary stuff). And her description gets a little more sticky. In a section called "Can sex prevent miscarriage?", she puts forth some ideas... I really just need to quote directly from the text: "Here's the weird reason that sex might prevent preeclampsia. Every time you have sex with a man, you're exposed to proteins and hormones in his semen. If your immune system is unfamiliar with the concoction, it may attack the placenta, which has the father's foreign proteins in it, resulting in preeclampsia....Does sex reassure out bodies that the baby's biological father is still in the picture and will therefore be around to help support the baby? It's an interesting idea. If intercourse during pregnancy seems unappealing, a Dutch study found that oral sex is equally effective against preeclampsia.... Either way, it's an ounce of prevention."

Hmmmm.... so you're saying if I had only given my husband more blow jobs, maybe my blood pressure would have been lower during my pregnancy?

When I read that passage aloud to my husband, he said, "YES!! Wait, was the Dutch study conducted by a man?" Unfortunately, the author doesn't say and a cursory online look up of the references she provides didn't help much.

Nobody really knows why preeclampsia happens or what kind of disease process it is. So why the author presents such a one-dimensional view of it, I don't understand. The whole thing did make me laugh, though.

Otherwise, there's a lot of fun stuff here and it is worth a read for a fun time during pregnancy. Just take it with a grain of salt.
One person found this helpful
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DK Dresser
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this fascinating book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2013
Verified Purchase
I am just towards the end of this, and can't even wait til finishing to review it. It is easily read, backed by extensively cited scientific studies, which are wonderfully explained. I am pregnant, and just mesmerized by all the things here to learn, and implement wherever relevant. I like it along with "Origins", as a practical, useful, and also extremely absorbing read about the pre natal experience, and what can influence a babies future well being. Although they are slightly different in approach, and not strictly apples to apples, I much prefer this and "Origins", to "The Better Baby Book", for exploring and explaining impact of the in utero environment on your baby. "The Better Baby Book", which I had hoped to devour and live by, seems more like a marketing tool to sell the author's supplements and "coaching services". Some interesting things there, but LOTS to be skeptical of!
4 people found this helpful
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Trevor Younce
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of great information, written exceptionally well
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book filled with all the science you could hope for. It answered all the questions I never knew I didn't know, and in a fun, friendly, and fascinating way. I was impressed with the authors ability to write so flowingly about research. It gave all the information without any jargon that would have made it hard to understand.
There was so much good information that I keep it out so I can refer back to it whenever I want.
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Top reviews from other countries

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5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome and helpful
Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great book with so many insights behind our pregnancy journey, based on scientific research. Loved it and totally recommend it to women interesting in understanding more about everything that happens during the pregnancy.
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Didipineda
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read; interesting fun-facts
Reviewed in Mexico on August 6, 2018
Verified Purchase
Good interesting fun facts.
The author intertwins her story with facts and details.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Breath of intelligent fresh air
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
Brilliant book,fascinatingly interesting and intelligent angle on the pregnancy process when you're fed up of the regular bland information on your progress during the months such as 'this week you're baby is the size of a melon seed' etc. Highly recommended although it can lead you to obsess over shaping your baby's personality beginning in the womb.
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B. Weissensteiner
5.0 out of 5 stars Super informatives Buch
Reviewed in Germany on April 16, 2012
Verified Purchase
Dieses Buch ist kein Ratgeber, aber es beantwortet viele Fragen zur Schwangerschaft wie "Hat mein Baby mehr Gene von mir oder von meinem Partner?", "Hilft Musik, mein Baby intelligenter zu machen?", "Haben Schokoladeliebhaber umgänglichere Babies?"
Ich konnte das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen, nicht nur, weil es wirklich amüsant geschrieben ist, sondern weil Jena Pincott Wissenschaftsjournalistin ist und alle Fakten wirklich gründlich recherchiert wurden. (Im Anhang sind alle wissenschaftlichen Artikel, aus denen sie zitiert, angegeben) Pincott schrieb das Buch, als sie selber schwanger war, sie baut also auch ihre Erfahrungen mit ein.

Ein super Buch für werdende Mamas (und Papas) die etwas tiefer graben möchten und sich nicht mit den Standardinformationen zufrieden geben.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very well written. Answered a lot of questions I didn't know I had! Thank you so much.
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