Emily Oster Livres

“Emily Oster is the non-judgmental girlfriend holding our hand and guiding us through pregnancy and motherhood. She has done the work to get us the hard facts in a soft, understandable way.” —Amy Schumer What to Expect When You're Expecting meets Freakonomics: an award-winning economist and author of Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected disproves standard recommendations about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting. Pregnancy—unquestionably one of the most pro­found, meaningful experiences of adulthood—can reduce otherwise intelligent women to, well, babies. Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices. When award-winning economist Emily Oster was a mom-to-be herself, she evaluated the data behind the accepted rules of pregnancy, and discovered that most are often misguided and some are just flat-out wrong. Debunking myths and explaining everything from the real effects of caffeine to the surprising dangers of gardening, Expecting Better is the book for every pregnant woman who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy—and the occasional glass of wine.

In this insightful guide, a Brown professor of economics and mother of two presents a business school framework for parents navigating the elementary years. Unlike the immediate challenges of infant parenting, the significant decisions during this stage arise less frequently but have lasting consequences. Key questions include the right type of school and age for enrollment, promoting a healthy diet, the seriousness of sports participation, and fostering children's independence. Alongside these broader issues, the author addresses the complexities of daily family logistics. The focus is on adopting a thoughtful approach rather than seeking specific answers. Many parents remain in "baby mode," managing stress and making decisions on the fly, which mirrors classic management challenges. Drawing from her experience at the University of Chicago, the author illustrates how applying business principles can alleviate the stress of family decision-making. This guide offers a smart, effective way to think clearly about crucial choices during the elementary school years, encouraging parents to treat parenting as the full-time job it is.

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'Emily Oster is the non-judgemental girlfriend holding our hand and guiding us through pregnancy and motherhood. She has done the work to get us the hard facts in a soft, understandable way' Amy SchumerParenting is full of decisions, nearly all of which can be agonized over. There is an abundance of often-conflicting advice hurled at you from doctors, family, friends, and strangers on the internet. But the benefits of these choices can be overstated, and the trade-offs can be profound. How do you make your own best decision? Armed with the data, Oster finds that the conventional wisdom doesn't always hold up. She debunks myths and offers non-judgemental ways to consider our options in light of the facts. Cribsheet is a thinking parent's guide that empowers us to make better, less fraught decisions - and stay sane in the years before preschool.