A: Caitlin,

You’ve hit on a very good topic. I am equally dismayed at the amount of restrictions placed on a pregnant woman’s diet by pregnancy textbooks. And you should know that I have yet to find a medical textbook that would support these wild statements. Excuse me if I get on my high horse, but what is the big fuss about? After all, consider how many women around the world are consuming MSG and still having healthy babies.

There are many pregnancy-related rumors that have been reiterated so many times they seem to become facts. This is the case with many food items eaten during pregnancy. Did cavewoman or Pilgrim mom have lists of foods to avoid? I’d wager they ate whatever they could and somehow we are here today. That is proof enough for me.

Answering questions like this is precisely why I decided to write my book, Pickles and Ice Cream: A Father’s Guide to Pregnancy. It gives you the basics without the silly “do’s and don’ts” that occupy hundreds of pages of standard maternity texts. Perhaps it is a bit short if you want to know everything about pregnancy, but I must say it won’t keep you awake at night worrying, either. In fact, it is meant to reassure you. After all, pregnancy is a natural event.

Caitlin, do yourself a favor and go read a nice novel, eat a healthy diet, and exercise. I think the rest will work itself out.