The Unexpected

Reviews / Votes

A very sensitively written and thought-provoking book ... Oster's expert eye for finding the story in data is helping parents and carers potentially raise happier families -- Tim Harford * Intelligence Squared * For many people, a difficult pregnancy or birth can determine whether or not to try to become pregnant again. In THE UNEXPECTED, Emily Oster tackles the emotional toll of difficult pregnancies ... and offers advice on how to handle complex births and navigate serious medical issues * NPR * Emily Oster is a professor, CEO and straight-up celebrity among all the parents I know ... her books really deliver on the economics of parenting -- Soumaya Keynes * Financial Times * This book is working hard to be of service to the many women who have barely 15 minutes to have incredibly complex conversations with their doctor ... Trimester by trimester, Oster and Fox work to demystify the often voiceless experience of complication in pregnancy - from preeclampsia to stillbirth - and help pregnant people feel more informed -- Miranda Rake * The Cut * THE UNEXPECTED takes on pregnancy anxieties that can't be dismissed by data and is a testament to Oster's talent for bridging the knowledge gaps surrounding maternal medicine. By sifting through large amounts of data and communicating the information clearly, Oster's intervention is to provide what the medical establishment often does not; she is a guide for parents deciphering advice during the most anxious times in their lives -- Katie Coleman * Romper * Oster makes data make sense to people and relatable to their situation and THE UNEXPECTED is a treasure trove of insights for expectant mothers, healthcare professionals and anyone passionate about enhancing maternity care. Oster's valuable advice is not just enlightening but also empowering for expectant mothers aiming to make informed decisions * The Obs Pod * Examines the uncomfortable and embarrassing parts of pregnancy that no one talks about and demystifies common pregnancy complications ... Much of the information out there regarding pregnancy and childbirth is incredibly difficult to compute [and] firebrand Oster has made a name for herself with her no-nonsense breakdowns of conflicting data sets that concern maternal health and best practices -- Lauren Mechling * Guardian * The economist Emily Oster uses data to explode parenting myths. Now she's turned her attention to giving birth ... THE UNEXPECTED covers the complications of pregnancy, from miscarriage and extreme morning sickness to postnatal depression and it's hair-raising stuff ... this is what happens when a data scientist examines a field that is woefully data-depleted, neglected by research and funding. We need to talk more about complications and this book gives women a good place to start -- Helen Rumbelow * The Times * PRAISE FOR EMILY OSTER AND PREVIOUS BOOKS * : * Oster is the parenting guru for those who are sceptical of parenting gurus. She reassures and rescues us - mothers in particular - from being shamed or patronised -- Helen Rumbelow * The Times * In the bestselling Cribsheet, American data scientist Emily Oster decodes a mountain of studies on infants and childcare -- Samira Shackle * Sunday Times * Emily Oster is a revelation -- Pandora Sykes Oster shows how data, a scary word, can be a humanising force -- Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University Oster is a savior for whipsawed mothers * TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 * I am so grateful for her work -- Amy Schumer A revelation for curious mothers-to-be * The New York Times * Parenting can be fraught. Cribsheet aims to help parents do better * Economist * It couldn't be more relevant ... arms parents with information to make the decisions that are right for them * Daily Telegraph * Smart, relatable, and funny ... Oster uses science and stats to cut through the confusion of raising a family * Bloomberg * A savior for whipsawed mothers ... Oster shows how data, a scary word, can be a humanizing force ... Enriching this analytical brilliance is the common sense and empathy that come from being a mother herself * TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 * Emily Oster has the kind of cool self-assuredness that anxiety-ridden parents covet * The Cut * Emily Oster dives into the data on parenting issues, cuts through the clutter, and gives families the bottom line to help them make better decisions * Good Morning America * A huge relief . . . freeing * The Washington Post * In my household, [Emily Oster] is the all-knowing aunt we have never met. Parenting would be a lot more stressful without these books -- Adam Ozimek * Forbes * Gives moms-to-be a big helping of peace of mind! -- Harvey Karp, bestselling author of The Happiest Baby on the Block It took someone as smart as Emily Oster to make it all this simple. She cuts through the thicket of anxiety and received wisdom and gives us the facts. EXPECTING BETTER is both enlightening and calming. It almost makes me want to get pregnant -- Pamela Druckerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bringing Up Bebe Emily Oster is the nonjudgmental 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 Oster, professor of economics at Brown University, CEO of ParentData and straight-up celebrity among all the parents I know ... when I got pregnant, I think I was gifted three copies of the same book [by Oster]. My friends know that I like economics and discussions about what the evidence really says and EXPECTING BETTER really delivered those things. -- Soumaya Keynes * Financial Times * The parenting guru of a new generation ... in a world with so much information coming at us constantly, reading EXPECTING BETTER was the beginning of feeling calmer and more empowered as a parent. Oster is personal savior thanks to her mission of arming parents with the data they need to make confident childrearing decisions -- Caitlin Weaver * The Every Mom *