Healthy Parents, Better Babies: A Couple's Guide to Natural Preconception Health Care

In recent years, the importance of preconception health care and preparation has become more widely recognized. In Healthy Parents, Better Babies, authors Francesca Naish and Janette Roberts present a strong case for creating "better" babies by encouraging parents to rigorously and proactively improve their health through nutrition and supplements, exercise, and stress control. Naish, a naturopath, herbalist, and hypnotherapist who runs a natural fertility clinic in Australia, and Roberts, a clinical nutritionist, combine forces to instruct potential parents (yes, dads, too!) on ways to detoxify their bodies, clean up their local environment, and improve their reproductive health. At least four months before conception is attempted, the authors stress, potential parents should focus on their health. Healthy Parents, Better Babies occasionally resorts to scare tactics. The authors describe, for instance, a healthy child born to parents who followed their preconception plan and then contrast that story with the story of a woman who did not detoxify her body, suffered a terrible pregnancy and birth, and whose child suffered from colic, irritability, bad skin, allergies, bed wetting, and learning disabilities as a result. Beyond the sometimes heavy-handed message, however, is an invaluable guide to nutrients, herbs, and a super-healthy diet. --Ericka Lutz