Drawing on years of midwifery experience of waterbirth, this collection of stories, based on real-life events, illuminates a rewarding way of birth and emphasises the theoretical knowledge, skills, understanding, and resilience needed to practice well. Waterbirth Stories includes chapters on the criteria for use of water in labour and birth, on the different stages of labour, and on some more serious or unusual situations such as shoulder dystocia, postpartum haemorrhage, breech presentation, and other unexpected maternal and neonatal events. Each chapter includes several stories from a midwife's perspective, told in the context of evidence-based guidelines available for this topic. The stories end with learning points to help readers reflect on their own practice. Ideal for student and practising midwives with an interest in waterbirth, this research-informed book is enjoyable, challenging, and informative.

Drawing on years of midwifery experience of waterbirth, this collection of stories, based on real-life events, illuminates a rewarding way of birth and emphasises the theoretical knowledge, skills, understanding, and resilience needed to practice well. Waterbirth Stories includes chapters on the criteria for use of water in labour and birth, on the different stages of labour, and on some more serious or unusual situations such as shoulder dystocia, postpartum haemorrhage, breech presentation, and other unexpected maternal and neonatal events. Each chapter includes several stories from a midwife's perspective, told in the context of evidence-based guidelines available for this topic. The stories end with learning points to help readers reflect on their own practice. Ideal for student and practising midwives with an interest in waterbirth, this research-informed book is enjoyable, challenging, and informative.

The rhetoric of choice is much used in UK health policy and home birth is one of the three options that women are entitled to choose between when deciding where to have their baby. However, many women making this choice run into considerable opposition from the maternity service. Home Birth: the politics of difficult choices focuses on the experiences of women whose choices were opposed by health professionals during their pregnancy journey. It confronts why and how women are being denied home birth and raises some challenging issues for current midwifery practice. Using ten women's narratives, this important volume explores why women might want to give birth at home and considers ideas of risk and informed choice in pregnancy and birth. The book includes chapters on communication and language; fear and stress; advocacy and autonomy; fathers' experience of contested place of birth and free birthing. Pointers to best practice are presented whilst the text incorporates women's narratives throughout, making this a practical and relevant read for midwifery students as well as practising midwives and childbirth educators, all of whom have a duty to make home birth a real option for women.

A no-holds-barred collection of more than 100 real-life accounts of pregnancy, birth, and life with a baby, brought together with simple advice from pregnancy and postnatal expert Becca Maberly and consultant obstetrician Roger Marwood.

This broad range of honest pregnancy, birth and parenting stories, from the likes of Clemmie Telford, Molly Gunn, Megan Rose Lane, Anna Mathur and many more, is accompanied by professional and reassuring advice from experts that will help you navigate your own experience with positivity and confidence.

Nobody Tells You will give you all the tools you need to be informed and prepared for one of life's great journeys. Without any scaremongering or sugar coating, truths are shared about topics including:

• Trying to conceive
• C-Sections
• Postnatal recovery
• Not loving breastfeeding
• Self-care
• And many, many more!

Childbirth guru Dr Gowri Motha, who practises with Dr Yehudi Gordon - author of Birth and Beyond - shows women how her revolutionary method helps women carry the baby to full term, have less intervention in the birth; feel less pain in labour, and feel happy and in control. The Gentle Birth method is a concise pregnancy programme combining diverse therapies such as 'creative healing' massage, a simple diet, self-hypnosis, reflexology and affirmation techniques The method was created by Dr Gowri Motha as an alternative to conventional obstetric practise, when she became alarmed at the increasing number of women needing intervention during their births. It teaches expectant mothers how to train their bodies and minds in order to reduce or prevent complications during pregnancy and labour. This book outlines the Method, with a month-by-month programme explaining how to rebalance the body and tailor it to the optimum condition for the birthing process. It includes guides to treating problems such as: - back pain - nausea - heartburn - fluid retention - stretch marks The programme offers women a formal framework in which to prepare their bodies and so avoid facing a labour that is unnecessarily long, arduous and traumatic, with significantly lower uptakes of pain relief.

As research in neuroscience increasingly points to the unparalleled influence of the first 1000 days of life from conception to two years of age in determining the baby's life trajectory, the need for high-quality early parenting education delivered by knowledgeable and dedicated professionals becomes ever more apparent. This book describes the global aims of early parenting education. It identifies the key areas that research suggests are important: building a relationship with the unborn and newborn baby; preparing for labour and birth; supporting parents' mental health; protecting the couple relationship across the transition to parenthood; and education for special groups such as same-sex couples, women with fear of birth, prisoners, military wives and parents from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. All practitioners providing early parenting programmes - midwives, health visitors, family link workers, children's centre staff and voluntary sector teachers - will gain new ideas for their practice in this book. Students taking midwifery and early childhood courses will find much to support their studies. Ultimately, the book provides inspiration for all those who are committed to the role of parenting education in reducing social inequalities.

As research in neuroscience increasingly points to the unparalleled influence of the first 1000 days of life from conception to two years of age in determining the baby's life trajectory, the need for high-quality early parenting education delivered by knowledgeable and dedicated professionals becomes ever more apparent. This book describes the global aims of early parenting education. It identifies the key areas that research suggests are important: building a relationship with the unborn and newborn baby; preparing for labour and birth; supporting parents' mental health; protecting the couple relationship across the transition to parenthood; and education for special groups such as same-sex couples, women with fear of birth, prisoners, military wives and parents from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. All practitioners providing early parenting programmes - midwives, health visitors, family link workers, children's centre staff and voluntary sector teachers - will gain new ideas for their practice in this book. Students taking midwifery and early childhood courses will find much to support their studies. Ultimately, the book provides inspiration for all those who are committed to the role of parenting education in reducing social inequalities.

This book investigates why women choose 'birth outside the system' and makes connections between women's right to choose where they birth and violations of human rights within maternity care systems. Choosing to birth at home can force women out of mainstream maternity care, despite research supporting the safety of this option for low-risk women attended by midwives. When homebirth is not supported as a birthplace option, women will defy mainstream medical advice, and if a midwife is not available, choose either an unregulated careprovider or birth without assistance. This book examines the circumstances and drivers behind why women nevertheless choose homebirth by bringing legal and ethical perspectives together with the latest research on high-risk homebirth (breech and twin births), freebirth, birth with unregulated careproviders and the oppression of midwives who support unorthodox choices. Stories from women who have pursued alternatives in Australia, Europe, Russia, the UK, the US, Canada, the Middle East and India are woven through the research. Insight and practical strategies are shared by doctors, midwives, lawyers, anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists on how to manage the tension between professional obligations and women's right to bodily autonomy. This book, the first of its kind, is an important contribution to considerations of place of birth and human rights in childbirth.

In this book, the authors present new developments in childbirth research. Topics discussed in this compilation include the theoretical and research findings on the psychopathology during transition to parenthood as a critical life event; the voices of postnatal women and how their experiences enhance antenatal practice; a sociological understanding of women's childbirth discourses; ethical analysis on therapeutic abortion for foetal abnormality; the use of placental blood in term and pre-term new-borns; self-efficacy theory and intervention in childbirth; and anal sphincter damages in childbirth.

For acupuncturists and birth professionals, this book explains how yin/yang and other principles of Chinese medicine can improve birth experiences as well as outcomes. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can shift and support the physical and emotional journey of birth and provide nonpharmacologic treatment approaches for commonly occurring disorders of labor such as malposition, asynclitism, slow cervical dilatation and inadequate contractions, as well as postpartum and post C-section care. Accessible and engaging, the book includes an overview of Chinese medicine for women's health; information on what happens before, during and after birth from both a biomedical and Chinese medical perspective;and a toolkit of treatment strategies for birth work. The techniques described include acupressure, Tui Na (Chinese medical bodywork), needling, auricular acupressure and electrostimulation.

It's time to empower yourself and just say no to giving birth passively. This is the book that has revolutionized childbirth, turning birthing mothers from subdued and passive "patients" to active and empowered owners of their childbirth experience. Janet Balaskas started a movement of women who refused to give birth lying down and she has been teaching women about "active birth" ever since. She emphasizes the importance of movement during labor, the wide range of options and positions for delivery itself, and the many natural alternatives to heavy sedation and other medical interventions. Her book is eminently useful whether you are planning to give birth in a hospital, a free-standing birth center, or at home. If such options as water birth or hypno-birthing are appealing to you, this is an essential book; at the same time, it is non-judgmental and encourages you to give birth in whatever manner and position you see fit. It covers: Exercises for pregnancy, to prepare you optimally for childbirth Massage and yoga during labor Labor and birthing positions that maximize your comfort and encourage efficient contractions Essential tips for birth partners, spouses, doulas, and other attendants Relaxation and recovery exercises, for the postpartum period Janet Balaskas shows you how to prepare for and experience a truly natural, joyful, and empowering birth.

Bereavement is a difficult issue for midwives to manage and families suffer when the care they receive is inadequate or inappropriate. Written by an experienced midwife and researcher, Loss and Bereavement in Childbearing examines ways in which midwives can assist families to embark on a healthy grieving process. developments in the general understanding of and research into loss and death. Providing a wealth of information for both experienced and inexperienced midwives, the book covers topics including abnormality -death of a mother in third world and first world settings -difficulties encountered during future childbearing. human approach to this sensitive topic, the book aids midwives in providing effective care and support to those who experience loss. The author draws on relevant and largely research-based literature fro a wide range of related disciplines to inform this area, which is only now receiving the attention it has long deserved.

Enjoy hypnobirthing techniques at every stage of your pregnancy, creating a safe space for you and your baby to return to time and again. Find out how to use deep relaxation, meditation, visualization, and breathwork exercises designed to integrate body and mind throughout your pregnancy and birth. Anthonissa Moger, aka The Hypnobirthing Midwife, takes a holistic approach, opening out the benefits to embrace aromatherapy, yoga, partner work, mindset exercises, and more. Using hypnobirthing techniques as a path to a calm, connected pregnancy, you'll be fully prepared to respond intuitively to birthing your baby, feeling centred and in control.

Humanity, argues Michel Odent, stands at a crossroads in the history of childbirth - and the direction we choose to take will have critical consequences. Until recently a woman could not have had a baby without releasing a complex cocktail of 'love hormones'. In many societies today, most women give birth without relying on the release of such a flow of hormones. Some give birth via caesarean section, while others use drugs that not only block the release of these natural substances, but do not have their beneficial behavioural effects. 'This unprecedented situation must be considered in terms of civilization', says Odent, and gives us urgent new reasons to rediscover the basic needs of women in labour. At a time when pleas for the 'humanization' of childbirth are fashionable, the author suggests, rather, that we should first accept our 'mammalian' condition and give priority to the woman's need for privacy and to feel secure. The activity of the intellect, the use of language, and many cultural beliefs and rituals - which are all special to humans - are handicaps in the period surrounding birth. Says Odent: 'To give birth to her baby, the mother needs privacy. She needs to feel unobserved. The newborn baby needs the skin of the mother, the smell of the mother, her breast. These are all needs that we hold in common with the other mammals, but which humans have learned to neglect, to ignore or even deny.' Expectant parents, midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, those involved in public health, and all those interested in the future of humanity, will find this a provocative and visionary book.

Now in its third edition the Oxford Handbook of Midwifery continues to be the essential one-stop guide to the key principles of the care and management of pregnancy, birth and beyond. Concise yet comprehensive, with its recognisable and easy-to-use Oxford Handbook format, midwives will find this a treasure trove of clear, practical guidance. Whether you are a student needing a helping hand through the subject, or an experienced practitioner needing to refresh your knowledge in an emergency, you can be sure that this handbook will be there for you. Written by experienced midwives, and following the latest guidelines and key care protocols, this handbook is up-to-date and authoritative, with sections on sexual health, contraception, neonatal care and infant feeding. Each chapter includes assessment, diagnosis and management of care with treatment interventions. Now including new information on initiation of breast feeding with biological nurturing as well as a highlighted section on how to manage obstetric emergencies. Important psychosocial care issues are also addressed. This edition provides concise, practical and accessible information in a logical sequence, as the layout follows the woman's journey through pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.

'If you're having a baby this is a MUST READ. Get the birth you want whatever path you choose' Davina McCall 'This is an amazing book. It should be read by everybody having a baby and anyone providing care around birth' Lesley Page, President of The Royal College of Midwives 'Beverley Turner is at the forefront of a new generation leading birth into the future . . . The Happy Birth Book is a must-have for every pregnant woman and every midwife' Professor Caroline Flint, midwife, NCT teacher and trustee, Past President of The Royal College of Midwives Pregnancy, birth and the early weeks of being a parent can be incredibly overwhelming. It's a very special time and should be a joyful and empowering experience. Yet the conflicting advice about pregnancy, labour and parenting can leave your head spinning - and make it highly unlikely you will get the birth you want. Until now. In The Happy Birth Book, Beverley Turner, with the help of midwife Pam Wild, lays out all the facts about pregnancy, birth and new parenthood. Covering everything from scans to stretch marks, hypnobirthing to pain relief, as well as specific advice for partners, The Happy Birth Book will be there for you every step of the way. Whether you're in the early months of pregnancy and are anxious about the whole process, or you're under pressure to make decisions about your upcoming labour, The Happy Birth Book cuts through all the mixed messages and urban myths surrounding birth to give you straightforward, evidence-based advice which will help you and your partner to choose the path to parenthood that is right for you. So what are you waiting for? Dive in - and start preparing for the happiest day of your life.

'After the historic student revolt in France a period of audacious creativity resulted. The watchword was: "It is forbidden to forbid". We took advantage of this transient cultural folly to do what would have been impossible ten years before or ten years after, introducing in the maternity unit of a state hospital an inflatable outdoor pool as a way to replace drugs during birth.' - from the Introduction In this groundbreaking book, Dr Odent takes as his starting point the world-famous work on childbirth at Pithiviers, where he first noticed the strong attraction to water that many women have during labour. As well as discovering the practical advantages of water during the birthing process, he began to consider the meaning and importance of water as a symbol. Water, Birth and Sexuality examines the living power of water and its erotic connotations. Odent evaluates what water meant in different cultures throughout history, through myths and legends, and what it means for us today: from an advertiser's tool to a metaphor for aspects of the psyche. He also studies humanity's special relationship to dolphins, and the related 'aquatic ape' theory.A practical section on the use of water during birth and in various therapies, particularly sex therapy, is included. This edition of this classic work features a new Introduction.

This pocket-sized book, presented in an easy-to-follow format, is designed as a tool for students and professionals to carry in any setting, providing a quick reference guide to supporting women during labour. Used as a platform for wider reading, this text is an ideal reference point for any student or professional involved with the care of childbearing women.

There was a time when birth was treated as a natural process rather than a medical condition. Before 1800, women gave birth seated in birth chairs or on stools and were helped along by midwives. Then societal changes in attitudes toward women and the practice of medicine made birthing a province of the male-dominated medical profession.

In "Birth Chairs, Midwives, and Medicine," Amanda Carson Banks examines the history of the birth chair and tells how this birthing device changed over time. Through photographs, artists' renditions of births, interviews, and texts from midwives and early obstetricians, she creates an evolutionary picture of birthing practices and highlights the radical redefinition of birth that has occurred in the last two centuries.

During the 1800s the change from a natural philosophy of birth to a medical one was partly a result of heightened understandings of anatomy and physiology. The medical profession was growing, and with it grew the awareness of the economic rewards of making delivery a specialized practice. In the background of the medical profession's rise was the prevailing perception of women as fragile invalids. Gradually, midwives and birth chairs were relegated to rural and isolated settings.

The popularity of birth chairs has seen a revival in the late twentieth century as the struggle between medical obstetrics and the alternative birth movement has grown. As Banks shows through her careful examination of the chairs themselves, these questions have been answered and reconsidered many times in human history. Using the artifacts from the home and medical office, Banks traces sweeping societal changes in the philosophy of how to bring life into the world.