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Reviewed by Leiann Lynn Rose Spontaneo for Readers' Favorite
In My Shrinking Fat Belly: A Surrogate’s Story, author Jana Jarrett demonstrates how what seemed to be a dream come true for her -- to bring a baby to life for another couple -- turned out to be a disaster. The author asked for no money. She simply wanted to be a part of their lives after the birth. As a token of appreciation, John and Mary offered to start a college trust fund for Jayne, the daughter of the author and her husband. They all agreed to be a big family. However, as the pregnancy progressed, Mary started to act peculiar. She acted very weird about everything. Then, after the birth of baby Ann, John and Mary lied about everything. As Jana ran a Montessori school in their small town of southern West Virginia, she instilled in her own daughter Jayne and fellow students to tell the truth. The college fund was never created. No medical bills were paid for like promised. No attorney would take Jana's case. So much for one big family. However, Jana stated that she would do it again. As from the beginning, baby Ann was what mattered.
In My Shrinking Fat Belly, author Jana Jarrett gives an in-depth, honest and candid description of what can happen in a surrogate pregnancy situation. I would suggest this book to any woman/couple considering using a surrogate. There are a few obstacles shown in this book by Jana Jarrett that demonstrate what each woman goes through. The real mother goes through feeling emotions for the whole nine months. The surrogate mother goes through bonding with that tiny little life inside of her that whole nine months. At the end of the book, I had hoped that there would be a happy ending like most stories have. Baby Ann is still absent from the surrogate family's life. Maybe time is going to heal all wounds and change things. Jana is worried that baby Ann is going to hate her when older. However, I think when the baby grows up and reads the letter Jana left for her at the end of the book, Jana just might get that much-need hug. My Shrinking Fat Belly, by Jana Jarrett, is a moving but informative book that parents and anyone considering surrogacy should read.
