Situation Momedy

November 16, 2015
Blogger and former sitcom star (on Blossom) von Oy dishes up a fun, funny, and surprisingly useful book about living through pregnancy and "the new lifestyle a baby brings." Von Oy became a first-time mom at 35 and quickly learned that "none of us is really ready" for motherhood. In her breezy, conversational style, von Oy takes readers through her pregnancy (in which she blew up like a "puffer fish") and, while keeping readers laughing, provides some great tips, including a list of "unprompted advice" for husbands. Each chapter begins with an section entitled "A Scenic View of My Past," followed by "My Cradle Chronicles." There's little von Oy doesn't cover, from introducing a baby to pets (train the dogs, not your kids) to nursing, sex, and finding a good pediatrician. She spends less time on milestones such as first walks and words, and key issues such as food and sleeping, but still covers them adequately. The last section addresses harder attitude adjustments, including addressing your inner critic, not making motherhood a competitive sport, and making time for "me-time." Young mothers who pick up the book because they remember von Oy from TV will keep reading because she's an entertaining and informative author. Agent: Margaret O'Connor, Innisfree Literary.

September 15, 2015
When actress von Oy (best known for her roles on the '90s comedies Blossom and The Parkers) discovered that the child-care books she was reading during her first pregnancy were too clinical, she decided to write something that was more relatable. In the style of many of today's mommy bloggers, von Oy's book offers a sassy, humorous tone while dispensing real-world practical advice. There is a chapter dedicated to new dads, a realistic look at heading to the hospital (bring your phone charger!), and the author's take on breast-feeding (refreshingly, she ends that chapter with, Formula is not the root of all evil. . . . If you do what's right for you and your baby, you're doing the right thing. Case closed ). The current crop of books for new moms leans toward heavy humor, with little guidance, but von Oy really does a remarkable job of offering sound parenting suggestions in between the jokes. A suitable purchase for most public libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)