Win a copy of The S.O.S. for PMS by Mary M. Byers

**Contest celebrating new Mommy-Come-Lately® website continuing until Wednesday, Sept. 24th. Go here for details about winning a $200 AVEDA gift certificate!**

"Some people say that PMS is a woman's issue, but it's not. It affects the people around her, including her husband (if she is married), and her children. It affects all relationships. It influences how we model coping skills for our children. It can interfere with care-giving responsibilities. Yes. PMS is a family issue. How we handle PMS, whether we deal with it or ignore it, has an impact on family dynamics." ~ The S.O.S. of PMS

Why review a book about PMS on a blog dedicated to late-in-life motherhood? Older moms are living life on the hormonal edge: having babies while their bodies teeter on the brink of menopause.



Consider this fact revealed early on in Mary Byers' book The S.O.S. for PMS: Practical Help and Relief for Moms:



"PMS can come and go during the reproductive years, and symptoms may worsen as a woman approaches perimenopause in the late 30s or 40s."



Thank you very much!



While that might not be what you want to hear, there is hope--and you'll find it in Byer's book. The S.O.S. for PMS is a concisely written, highly practical book. I read the book in one sitting. I could see myself handing it off to a friend and saying, "Here, read this. It's got great information in it--and it doesn't read like an encyclopedia or a medical textbook."

That said, Byers has done her research. She talks about:

• the physical symptoms of PMS


• the behavioral & emotional symptoms of PMS


• the physiology of PMS


• diet triggers


• medication options

Byers recommends that women chart their physical and emotional symptoms for several months, and includes blank charts in the book.

She even included a chapter titled "A Letter to Husbands," which was written by her husband. Addressed to "Fellow PMS Survivors," Byer's husband recommends that other husbands:

Plan for the monthly PMS symptoms

Maneuver into a better position to deal with PMS

Sympathize with your woman

Byers is a national speaker and has also written How to Say No ... And Live to Tell About It: A Woman's Guide to Guilt-Free Decisions and Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring For Your Family. To learn more about Byers, go here.

To win a copy of The S.O.S. of PMS, post a comment on this blog post. I'll draw a winner at the end of the week.