The Disabled Woman's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth - Parenting with a Disability, Volume 11, Issue 2 Fall 2005

Judith Rogers, OTR. Demos Medical Publishing (2005). 532 pages.

Judi Rogers, TLG's Pregnancy and Birthing Specialist since 1989 and recipient of the of the 2002 Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership award, has just revised and expanded her previous book.
(Read about Judi's award)

The Disabled Woman's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth supports the right of all women to choose motherhood, and will be useful for any woman with a physical disability who desires to have a child. This comprehensive guide is based on the experiences of ninety women with disabilities who chose to have children. In order to bring an intimate focus and understanding to the issues involved in being pregnant and disabled, Judi conducted in-depth interviews with women with 22 different types of disabilities and with a total of 143 pregnancies. This book is a practical guide both for disabled women planning for pregnancy and the health professionals who work with them.

The subjects covered include: an introduction to the ninety women and their specific disabilities; the decision to have a baby; parenting with a disability; emotional concerns of the mother, family and friends; nutrition and exercise in pregnancy; a look at each trimester; labor and delivery; caesarean delivery; the postpartum period; and breast-feeding. A list of references and a glossary will assist the reader in obtaining additional information and understanding medical terminology.

This book can be ordered directly from Through the Looking Glass. To order this book, please go to our Publications page, or call us to place an order.
Phone: 1-800-644-2666 (VOICE)
TTY: 1-800-804-1616
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Some recent reviews of Judi's book:

"Whether planning a first pregnancy, pregnant, or hoping to improve on the experience of a previous pregnancy, this book will empower disabled women, their partners and the professionals who support them. It should become standard reading for professionals, [we] certainly recommend it."
-- Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood international

"An introduction to the 90 interviewees gives this work a personal touch and depth that readers will not find in other pregnancy guides. Only someone of Rogers's stature--a respected researcher at Through the Looking Glass, a national resource center for disables parents--could have written this book. Essential for public, consumer health, women's health, and health sciences collections."
-- Library Journal Review

"For disabled women who are pregnant, or are contemplating pregnancy, there's often a feeling of loneliness and a lack of knowledge about what to expect. Thankfully, they're not alone any longer. Rogers's wonderful new book addresses every question you may have...Though chock-full of practical advice, the real strength of this book is its emotional honesty... The experiences of these women- who were both thrilled and terrified to find out they were pregnant- are woven efficiently throughout the text. Rogers deserves special kudos for her recognition that women are under a lot of pressure to have children, and the challenges faced by disabled women are that much greater - but challenges that will be alleviated with this comprehensive guidebook."
-- Kirkus Reports

"Today, moms with disabilities have it easier than I did. Another mom with a disability, Judith Rogers, has written an excellent book, "The Disabled Woman's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth." This book, published by Demos Medical for $24.95, should be in every doctor's office and every Center for Independent Living. The 500 pages are jam packed with useful information for women with just about every type of disability imaginable…Future moms with disabilities will forever bless Judi Rogers for writing this most-needed book."
--Valerie Brew-Parrish. The Herald News Online.

"Being somewhat familiar with popular books available on most bookstore shelves on pregnancy and birth, I knew by the title of this book that it would likely fill a void in the popular literature on the subject. As it happens, it not only does so, but exceptionally well…The list of resources and references included at the end of the book offer valuable destinations for further inquiry. This book not only fills a need for practical information but offers a very thorough coverage of all aspects of the disabled woman's pregnancy and childbirth experience. I highly recommend it as an interesting and very informative resource for a consumer health collection."
-Rita Haydar, Consumer Connection, newsletter of the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section of the Medical Library Association.