Not everyone is going to be able to relate to this book, but everyone will be charmed by it. After finding her true calling in the psychology of child rearing practices worldwide, Lisa Ferland is now focusing her work on cultural differences in parenting. In Knocked Up Abroad, she has compiled stories of 21 women (and two men) about their experiences of giving birth in a foreign country.
While some are filled with joy, some are challenging, and some are just plain funny, each story is unique, and always keeps the reader engaged and eager to turn the page. Although not everyone knows what it is like to give birth abroad, every parent can relate to the basic anxiety that comes before having a baby. The pressure of experiencing that in a foreign country is the basis for the book, and Ferland looks further to address questions such as, ‘What is the correct way to raise my child?’ – with a complicated global twist. She successfully portrays her philosophy: there is no one right way to raise a child.
Parents all over the world struggle with the same basic issues of having a baby and there are many right ways to go about them. While what would usually be simple tasks like registering a child for preschool or going for a check-up all become more difficult when families are placed in an unfamiliar country. From midwives and natural childbirth in the Netherlands to giving birth on all fours in West Africa, these women have been through anything and everything.
These intriguing, heartwarming and entertaining stories will keep you guessing and bring back those fond (and maybe not so fond) memories of your own childbirth experiences. I would highly recommend this book to parents, whether they are living abroad, pregnant with their first child or have three kids in grade school. There is something in here for everyone and it makes you realize you aren’t alone in this complicated world of parenting.
Knocked Up Abroad by Lisa Ferland is available on Amazon.
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