BOOKS ON HEALTH
BOOKS ON HEALTH; Maternity, in a Latin Beat
BY JOHN LANGONE
Published: January 6, 2004
''Waiting for Bebé: A Pregnancy Guide For Latinas,'' by Lourdes Alcañiz. Ballantine Books, $14.95.
The notion that pregnancy is the same for all women regardless of ethnic background can be easily dismissed, the author of this guide says.
Ms. Alcañiz, a correspondent in Florida for the Hispanic network Radio Bilingue, wrote ''Waiting for Bebé'' after discovering during her pregnancy that she had gestational diabetes, an affliction that Latinas are three times as likely to develop as other women. She also found that a host of other illnesses affected Latina mothers-to-be more than anyone else, like gall bladder problems and some types of hepatitis.
Her book was a way of remedying what she saw as an information gap for Latinas, who have the highest birth rate in the United States.
Much of what Ms. Alcañiz writes about applies to all pregnant women: morning sickness, medical tests, exercise and diet, stages of fetal growth. But the bulk of the book has a definite Latina spin.
Writing that the culture ''is much more vocal than others,'' she suggests sounds to use to relax during labor: ''You can try combining letters, using syllables or phrases or even howling like a wolf.''
Because of Hispanic culture's ample collection of myths, the author offers several. One warns against eating ice because the baby will be born with bronchitis, while another advises playing music so the baby will not be deaf. Studies have shown babies like classical music better than rock, the author writes, adding, ''So far they haven't experimented with salsa.''