Project Future: Teen Pregnancy, Childbirth And Parenting. Program One: Your Pregnancy, Your Plan; Project Future: Teen Pregnancy, Childbirth And Parenting. Program Three: Your New Baby, Your New Life; Project Future: Teen Pregnancy, Childbirth And Parenting. Program Two: Giving Birth To Your Baby

Produced, written, and directed by Adrienne Miesmer, this three-tape series is an excellent how-to/documentary series on teen pregnancy which follows a group of teenagers (comprised of couples and single mothers) through their pregnancies and initial months of parenting. Your Pregnancy, Your Plan introduces the teenagers and discusses the signs of pregnancy, health care options, physical and emotional changes, the necessity for healthy living for a healthy baby (no drinking, no drugs), and the importance of early planning. Recognizing that pregnant teenagers are likely to have limited financial resources, the program suggests that prospective mothers meet with counselors as soon as possible and begin filling out application forms for whatever aid or services they may require in the future. In addition, the program discusses what is actually needed for caring for a baby, stressing that buying a lot of pretty clothes is neither economical nor necessary, and that investing in a good crib (possibly a used one to save costs), and the simple necessities is far more important. The second program in the series, Giving Birth to Your Baby follows three labors and births: Jeannie (an uncomplicated delivery), Debra (a delivery with an epidural), and Robin (a planned Cesarean). This program is the most basic and least unique of the three tapes, since videos on each stage of a hospital delivery are plentiful. The final program, Your New Baby, Your New Life covers the basic situations new parents and/or mothers face: crying, diapering, feeding, bathing, etc., while emphasizing the fact that there is a serious responsibility involved in caring for a newborn. The program concludes with family planning options and suggestions for choosing daycare. The series is exceptional, not only for the quality of the information and the production, but also for the fact that the approach is very even-headed. It doesn't judge, nor does it exhort teens to aspire to motherhood. Although the price will put this series out of the financial reach of most public libraries, the series is still highly recommended. (Available from: Vida Health Communications, 6 Bigelow St., Cambridge, MA 02139.)