Motherhood can be exciting, thrilling, frightening, exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. This sourcebook for new mothers begins and ends with the premise that the better you take care of yourself during your baby's first years, the better caregiver and mother you can be. It presents 52 essays, one per week, about the different ways mothers can learn to take time for themselves. Step by step, Lisa Groen Braner shows us that infant-care and self-care are two sides of the same miraculous process.

Forget unrealistic childcare manuals - this is the book you really need to help you cope brilliantly with those first chaotic days and months ahead. As a health journalist and mother-of-three, Lucy Atkins is familiar with both the medical aspects of childbirth and baby development, and the reality of day-to-day life as an exhausted first-time mum or dad. In her feisty, humorous style, she begins with that first mind-blowing day and addresses the issues unique to the first-time parent who stares at their newborn and thinks "Where are the instructions?" Anticipating the questions and concerns of all new mothers-Why does my baby cry so much? Will I ever lose all this weight? Am I a bad parent because...?-the book provides practical advice and level-headed reassurance. It addresses the needs of the baby and, very importantly, those of the parent during the first year of their baby's life. Contents include: Starter's orders - the equipment and kit you really need, as opposed to what the department store tells you Hello - how to cope with the first few hours Start - coming home, bonding, how to survive the first few days Sleep - for everyone! Cry - why your baby cries, what to do, why you'll want to cry, too Eat -breastfeeding, supplemental feeding, moving to solids, nutrition Grow - baby's physical and mental development Play - yes, you two actually can have fun Thrive - health considerations for baby and parent Live - adapting to your new life, the changing mother-father relationship Work - coping with being at home and with going back to work Also includes information on single parenting, and on adopted, multiple and special needs babies. The First-Time Parent is on your side, and reassures that you can cope brilliantly with your new baby and your new life.

Postpartum depression has become a more recognized mental illness over the past decade as a result of education and increased awareness. Traumatic childbirth, however, is still often overlooked, resulting in a scarcity of information for health professionals. This is in spite of up to 34% of new mothers reporting experiencing a traumatic childbirth and prevalence rates rising for high risk mothers, such as those who experience stillbirth or who had very low birth weight infants.

This ground-breaking book brings together an academic, a clinician and a birth trauma activist. Each chapter discusses current research, women s stories, the common themes in the stories and the implications of these for practice, clinical case studies and a clinician s insights and recommendations for care. Topics covered include: mothers perspectives, fathers perspectives, the impact on breastfeeding, the impact on subsequent births, PTSD after childbirth and EMDR treatment for PTSD.

This book is a valuable resource for health professionals who come into contact with new mothers, providing the most current and accurate information on traumatic childbirth. It also presents mothers experiences in a manner that is accessible to women, their partners, and families.

For breastfeeding moms, "eating for two" continues long after the baby arrives. But eating well can be hard enough before there's a newborn in the house, and moms who experience low milk supply or milk slumps face additional challenges. In their debut cookbook, the founders of Oat Mama share 100 simple, delicious recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, snacks, and beverages, featuring nutrient-dense whole foods and naturally lactogenic (milk-boosting) ingredients such as oats, almonds, barley, fenugreek, and papaya. Alongside the recipes, readers will find helpful breastfeeding tips and advice on easy meal prep, building a healthy pantry, and sourcing ingredients. Fully illustrated with more than 75 beautiful photographs, this is a warm, supportive, and inspiring resource for new mothers and mothers-to-be.

The comprehensive weaning companion from the UK's no. 1 children's cookery author and weaning expert, Annabel Karmel.

When is my baby ready for first foods?
Which foods should I try first?
How do I introduce the critical nutrients?
What do I need to know about allergies?

Leading baby and toddler expert Annabel Karmel is here to guide you through all the unknowns and make weaning easy, achievable and fun. Packed with all the up-to-date guidance you need and a hundred delicious, nutrient-rich recipes, Weaning Made Simple takes all the complicated information and breaks it down into bite-sized, digestible chunks.

Annabel has worked with a leading children's dietitian to make sure all the information is completely up to date and reliable, covering everything from supplements and allergies to catering for vegetarian or vegan diets. With a bright, bold design that's packed with infographics, charts, illustrations and photography, the book is easy to dip in and out of whenever you need it.

The recipes are organised by age group so you'll know how to cater for first tastes, second-stage weaning and beyond. There are also sample meal planners for each stage so you can easily plan ahead. Annabel shows you how to prepare the best foods so they are the right shape and size for baby-led weaning, how to make tasty no-cook purées, how to pair ingredients to make the most from the nutrients, and so much more.

A wonderful gift you can give your child is healthy eating habits. Once your baby needs solids, you may be tempted to buy prepared baby foods. Resist that urge With tips from Jozi, you can make healthy and tasty baby food at home in less than three hours. The benefits of homemade baby food are endless. You know exactly what's included, you'll save money, you can go organic if you wish, and you'll be teaching your child to try and enjoy a variety of foods. Also, the convenience is unbeatable; once you make baby's purees, it is simple to transport frozen cubes and finger foods when the family is on the go. Using easy-to-understand techniques, I Want What Mamma Wants includes recipes for your baby's nutrition through the first year. The book also offers tips for gradually introducing foods, presented in a clear and uncomplicated way, and addresses issues you may encounter, such as allergies and baby's likes and dislikes. There's even a yummy teething cookie that will relieve upset tummy due to its special ingredient. After reading "I Want What Mamma Wants "you'll see how easy it is to make and preserve healthy food-food that your baby will enjoy and that you'll take comfort in serving.

Record every precious moment of your baby's first year in this beautiful journal from that very first smile to those amazing first steps and when completed will be a wonderful memento of your child's first year. The first year of a baby's life flies by so quickly, but with this illustrated record book you can ensure you keep track of all the special times. There's a month-by-month section with space for photos and notes, and pages to keep a record of every precious milestone and all your baby's favourite things, such as nursery rhymes and beloved toys. Including a handy storage pocket, this invaluable journal also helps you to provide practical care, from storing health records and establishing a sleep routine to keeping feeding logs.

Take Charge of Your Fertility explains everything the prospective parent may need to know as they face the physical, emotional and practical challenges of trying for a baby. It covers health issues in full, from basic biology and an explanation of fertility and cycles to outlining what supplements are useful and what aren't, and how you can maximise your chances by following a healthy diet and cutting alcohol or nicotine intake. There are plenty of resources and guidelines for parents facing difficulties, including a guide to the medical options, and advice on how to seek further help. It will help couples to deal with the emotional issues faced when trying for a baby, and will also give practical information on who you should tell and who you must tell, and when. With coverage of all aspects of very early pregnancy, from do-it-yourself tests to the very first scan, it will be a useful resource which will help all prospective parents, whether looking to start or to expand their family. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of your fertility. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

Eloquent and uncompromising, Swell explores the triumphs and hardships of the journey to new motherhood – through pregnancy, miscarriage, birth and beyond

In the consultation room I stared
at the purple flowers in their purple
vase and imagined my insides:
an ocean, a cave, a storm.

Maria Ferguson’s second poetry collection is a raw and powerful documentation of one woman’s experience of becoming a mother. Against a backdrop of the sounds and sensations of daily life, she longs for her own mother's embrace, observes as her body changes and charts a course through loss and wilting house plants toward recovery, empowerment and renewal.

Tender, direct and winningly witty, Swell distils the poet's complex feelings surrounding family and domesticity, exploring the contending weight and levity felt as she contemplates a thrillingly unfamiliar new chapter. Ferguson is a poet as alert to the absurd as to the shattering, and these are large-hearted poems, full of life and thought. Together, they invite the reader to join them in a search for self-acceptance, for freedom from shame, and for a path to stability in increasingly uncertain times.

Pregnancy and Birth: A Reference Handbook provides students with information too often ignored in sex education-on what pregnancy and birth are, have been, and can be as transformative personal and social events. Pregnancy and Birth: A Reference Handbook is a woman-centered reference book on pregnancy and childbirth in the United States. The medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth is a theme; however, primary emphasis is on the historical and contemporary significance of alternatives to medicalization provided by the Midwifery Model of Care and how that can improve outcomes for all, but especially underserved women. The volume opens with a background and history of the topic, followed by a chapter on related problems, controversies, and solutions. A Perspectives chapter contains essays from a variety of individuals who are invested in the topic of pregnancy and birth. The remaining chapters provide students with additional information, such as profiles, data and documents, resources, a chronology, and a glossary. This book is accessible to high school and college-level researchers, as well as general-interest readers curious about the topic. Introduces readers to a perspective on U.S. pregnancy and childbirth that is woman-centered Centers the historical and contemporary significance of midwives and the Midwives Model of Care Illuminates the strength of U.S obstetric dominance by reporting legislative and policy barriers limiting women's access to midwifery care Highlights both the racial-ethnic disparities across the birth provider workforce and racial-ethnic disparities in U.S. birth outcomes Highlights regional disparities, with specific attention to rural communities, in U.S. birth outcomes

Essential Advice for the New Mom"Michelle is going to help ease the worries so many new moms have and inspire them to be the best version of themselves." -Jennika Anderson, YouTube Vlogger If you are a new mom, motherhood can be a daunting role if you have little to no experience caring for kids. Popular YouTube mom of five, Michelle Pearson, is here to encourage you to take a deep breath and step into your power! Choose to inhale, exhale every day. The changes that come with becoming a mother can be overwhelming and exciting, but learn how to be patient and forgive yourself. Michelle knows that the journey has highs, lows and the occasional surprises, so her advice for those joining the new moms club is to balance the waves of emotion by holding space for moments of mindfulness and deep breaths. Advice for the new mom. From what to expect during a first time pregnancy to the milestones within the first 12 months of a baby's life, this influential parenting blogger has empowering and motivating parenting stories for the modern mom. Inside Deep Breaths for New Moms, you'll find: How to embrace motherhood with all of its ups and downs The importance of finding a tight-knit community of support Advice to properly adapt and manage your social life and career as a working mom If you liked baby books like Cat and Nat's Mom Truths, Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Years, or You Are a F*cking Awesome Mom, you'll love Deep Breaths for New Moms.

What happens to men when they become fathers? Why do some men get depressed, and how can we identify those who are? What does this mean for their children and their relationships? What can we do about it? Taking in many different perspectives, this book sheds light on the many aspects of postnatal depression in fathers - an unknown subject to many people. The book includes a review of recent studies and research in this area, looking at the effects of postnatal depression on children and relationships, and an investigation into the reasons behind male postnatal depression, including the social and psychoanalytic factors which go some way to explaining why men experience this depression as well as women. The author talks to Michel Odent, a renowned obstetrician, writer and birth expert. His controversial view that men should not be present at childbirth, and that their presence may indeed this may be a trigger for depression, are central to his discussion. She also talks to Adam Jukes, a psychoanalyst with a wealth of experience in working with violent and angry men, who gives fascinating insights into male behaviour. He claims that we simply don't give men the resources they need to deal with a new baby. The book opens up a discussion of diagnosis and treatment through personal stories from both men and women affected by a father's postnatal depression. It will increase awareness of this under-discussed subject and will challenge preconceptions. Postnatal depression in fathers has consequences for families worldwide, and so this is a book which has relevance for everyone.

Our Story is a gift journal available in two beautiful designs - for my daughter and for my son - inspiring parents to capture the unique story of childhood, from early baby memories through to the eighteenth year together. A beautifully designed, colour illustrated journal, Our Story provides prompts to help parents to chronicle amazing family experiences and unrepeatable moments - the child's growth, development and personality, precious family memories, and the wonderful emotional journey. The journal may also be given as a gift to the child - a priceless gift to be shared and treasured.

Bump to Birthday - a beautifully designed, colour illustrated, combined pregnancy and first year baby journal - will inspire any parent-to-be to capture the unique story of the journey of pregnancy and baby's precious first year. During pregnancy Bump to Birthday provides week- by-week information on the developing bump and provides prompts to enable parents to tell their own remarkable story and record unique, unrepeatable experiences. The pregnancy journey, hopes and dreams, the birthing experience, and all the special moments with the new baby - from first movements to first smile, first Christmas to first birthday - with spaces for photos and scan images, will all be treasured forever in one beautiful journal.

From conception to age two, a child's body develops at superspeed, with 60 percent of caloric intake going straight to brain development-so good nutrition is essential. First Bites connects nutrition and development with flavourful, healthy food. Part One examines the significance of the first 1,000 days, surveying key nutrients and milestones. Discover what to keep on hand, learn how to start solids, avoid creating a picky eater and spot changes in your baby's digestion. Part Two offers more than 60 easy recipes-free of added sugars, dairy and gluten-that strategically introduce your child to 100 ingredients by age two. From an Apricot Turmeric Bowl and Beet Chips to Quinoa Cornbread and Zucchini Fritters, these aren't your grandma's recipes. They taste great and will help you make good nutrition decisions and optimise time and quality while feeding your little one.

Are you intrigued by the idea of working out during pregnancy, but think it can't be safe? Are you unsure how the words "fit" and "pregnancy" actually make sense in the same sentence? If so, you've come to the right place. This easy-to-follow guide shows you how you can be fit "and" pregnant, whether you're new to exercise or have been working out for years, and whether you're in your second week of pregnancy or your 32nd.

"Fit Pregnancy For Dummies" is for you if you're pregnant, if you're thinking about becoming pregnant, and You want to be as fit and healthy as you can be -- whatever your current fitness level -- without in any way jeopardizing your health or the health of your baby. This guide gives you the straight facts on: Staying safe when you exerciseDeveloping a plan with your health providerChoosing the right equipmentModifying your routine for each trimesterEating well for nine months and beyond

From yoga and swimming to weight training, aerobics, and much more, you'll see how to get started with a fun, step-by-step fitness routine that will make your entire pregnancy easier to manage. Postpartum expert and prenatal fitness class instructor Catherine Cram and fitness expert Tere Stouffer Drenth give you the scoop on the activities that work best for pregnant women and how to set up a routine that works best for you. You'll understand how a fit pregnancy helps you with delivery and postpartum shape-up. Plus, you get expert advice on activities to avoid, eating well, and staying motivated during and after your pregnancy, as well as: Dressing comfortably for your workoutWarming up and stretching to increase flexibility and avoid injuryModifying your exercise routineStaying fit after giving birthFinding the time for exercise and motherhood

Complete with special tips on exercising indoors, staying motivated, getting your family hooked on fitness, and helping your child grow up healthy and fit, "Fit Pregnancy For Dummies" is the key to exercising safely and staying fit throughout your pregnancy and beyond

Full of honest advice and inclusive options, Why Did No One Tell Me This? is the funny, personality-filled, illustrated guide to pregnancy, birth, and beyond that modern parents have been waiting for. Pregnancy and childbirth are full of big questions -- what if my baby is enormous? Will my water break naturally? What even goes into a 'birth plan'? How on earth am I going to keep this child alive once it's here? And where do I turn for advice that will really work for me and my life? In Why Did No One Tell Me This?! doulas and reproductive health experts Natalia Hailes and Ashley Spivak answer these questions and more for today's wellness-focused, intersectional parents-to-be. Drawing on years of experience in their birth doula practice Brilliant Bodies, as well as expert opinions from lactation specialists, gynecologists, therapists, and more, Natalia and Ashley guide readers through the entire process, from the earliest stages of pregnancy through the jungle of postpartum feelings and responsibilities. Bite-sized pieces of advice are interspersed with vibrant illustrations to break down the doubts and fears that often surround childbirth and empower readers to explore their own individual needs, know their rights, and find their voice both during and after pregnancy. By addressing common fears, incorporating regular tips for partners, and providing information on a wide array of birth and parents styles, this unique and inclusive guide is the perfect tool for a new generation of parents.

This practical guide shows readers a natural method of choosing the sex of a baby. It is explained in detail, with reference to up-to-date scientific research which supports it, including research sperm-count levels.;The book gives advice on health, diet, sperm count and ovulation in an easy-to-follow manner. The testimonies of numerous parents throughout the world reflects the success of the author's method.

Life After Birth is your essential guide to the wide and diverse spectrum of motherhood. In this companion, Jessica Prescott and Vaughne Geary share their evidence-based approach to the lost but ever important art of caring for yourself as a mother, including recipes from their postpartum food delivery service Mama Goodness. They cover everything from herbal wisdom and nutritional support, to sleep and breastfeeding tips, communication tools, managing siblings, how to nourish your body, parent on your period, and so much more. A stunning hardback with full colour photography, Life After Birth will help you prepare, not just for the first six weeks following your birth, but for the months and years that follow. By tuning into your body, nourishing it, celebrating it and honouring the cyclical nature of womanhood, this book will help you thrive in your new role as a mother.

"Parents and Family Planning Services" focuses on parents of a sample of newborns in twelve areas of England and Wales during the 1970s. The parents were asked about their contraceptive practices, attitudes toward different methods of birth control, and opinions of-and experience with-different types of services. General practitioners, health visitors, and doctors at family planning clinics were interviewed about their views and practices. This juxtaposition of the attitudes of parents and professionals highlights the reasons why people do not use effective methods of birth control, and leads to suggestions as to how they could be helped to do so.

Several chapters discuss fathers' attitudes and actions, the views of parents and professionals, and the influence of religion, social class, education, and geographic location. The final chapter is concerned with possible changes in contraceptive habits, and the ways in which services can develop to help more women avoid unwanted pregnancies. The work has ongoing policy implications, and also indicates how attitudes and change evolve over time.

"Parents and Family Planning Services" is predicated on the assumption that unwanted fertility is to be avoided. It underscores the need for a proliferation of different sorts of services: more clinics, an increase in the help and advice given at hospitals, the development of a supportive and integrated home service. This volume is a significant contribution to the literature in this vital field. It remains essential reading for both professionals and concerned policy personnel, particularly those interested in the evolution of policy and practice.

"Everything you need to know to make breastfeeding a joyful, natural, and richly fulfilling experience for both you and your baby"
Drawing on her decades of experience in caring for pregnant women, mothers, and babies, Ina May Gaskin explores the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding and gives you invaluable practical advice that will help you nurse your baby in the most fulfilling way possible. Inside you'll find answers to virtually every question you have on breastfeeding, including topics such as
-the benefits of breastfeeding
-nursing challenges
-pumps and other nursing products
-sleeping arrangements
-nursing and work
-medications
-nursing multiples
-weaning
-sick babies
-nipplephobia, and much more
Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding is filled with helpful advice, medical facts, and real-life stories that will help you understand how and why breastfeeding works and how you can use it to more deeply connect with your baby and your own body. Whether you're planning to nurse for the first time or are looking for the latest, most up-to-date expert advice available, you couldn't hope to find a better guide than Ina May.

The essential, gentle guide to breastfeeding in the fourth trimester - whatever that looks like for you.

Have you recently had a baby, and feel like you're on a rollercoaster looking for answers? Are you pregnant, and wondering what life is really going to be like post-birth? Perhaps you're a partner, family member or friend who is helping to care for new parents.

Written by an expert lactation consultant, Breastfeeding and the Fourth Trimester will give you all the information you need, explaining the methods, tips, and tricks that accompany breastfeeding - alongside abundant reassurance. Woven through with case studies and real parent stories, and advice on troubleshooting for every stage, this book is the ideal companion for those first few whirlwind months of life with a newborn.

The international super-successful What to Expectbrand has delivered again - announcing the arrival of a brand-new member of family: What to Expect the Second Year. This essential sequel to What to Expect the First Year picks up the action at baby's first birthday, and takes parents through what can only be called 'the wonder year' - 12 jam-packed (and jam-smeared) months of memorable milestones (from first steps to first words, first scribbles to first friends), lightning-speed learning, endless explorations driven by insatiable curiosity. Not to mention a year of challenges, both for toddlers and the parents who love them, but don't always love their behaviour (picky eating, negativity, separation anxiety, bedtime battles, biting, and tantrums). Comprehensive, reassuring, empathetic, realistic and practical, What to Expect the Second Yearis filled with solutions, strategies, and plenty of parental pep talks. It helps parents decode the fascinating, complicated, sometimes maddening, always adorable little person last year's baby has become. From the first birthday to the second, this must-have book covers everything parents need to know in an easy-to-access, topic-by-topic format, with chapters on growth, feeding, sleeping, behaviours of every conceivable kind, discipline (including teaching right from wrong), and keeping a toddler healthy and safe as he or she takes on the world. There's a developmental time line of the second year plus special 'milestone' boxes throughout that help parents keep track of their toddler's development. Thinking of travelling with tot in tow? There's a chapter for that, too.

We're born with a hunger for roots and a desire to pass on a legacy. The past two decades have seen a boom in family history services that combine genealogy with DNA testing, though this is less a sign of a robust connection to past generations than of its absence. Everywhere we see a pervasive rootlessness coupled with a cult of youth that thinks there is little to learn from our elders. The nursing home tragedies of the Covid-19 pandemic laid bare this devaluing of the old. But it's not only the elderly who are negatively affected when the links between generations break down; the young lose out too. When the hollowing-out of intergenerational connections deprives youth of the sense of belonging to a story beyond themselves, other sources of identity, from trivial to noxious, will fill the void. Yet however important biological kinship is, the New Testament tells us it is less important than the family called into being by God's promises. "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Jesus asks a crowd of listeners, then answers: "Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." In this great intergenerational family, we are linked by a bond of brotherhood and sisterhood to believers from every era of the human story, past, present, and yet to be born. To be sure, our biological families and inheritances still matter, but heredity and blood kinship are no longer the primary source of our identity. Here is a cure for rootlessness. On this theme: - Matthew Lee Anderson argues that even in an age of IVF no one has a right to have a child. - Emmanuel Katongole describes how African Christians are responding to ecological degradation by returning to their roots. - Louise Perry worries that young environmentalist don't want kids. - Helmuth Eiwen asks what we can do about the ongoing effects of the sins of our ancestors. - Terence Sweeney misses an absent father who left him nothing. - Wendy Kiyomi gives personal insight into the challenges of adopting children with trauma in their past. - Alastair Roberts decodes that long list of "begats" in Matthew's Gospel. - Rhys Laverty explains why his hometown, Chessington, UK, is still a family-friendly neighborhood. - Springs Toledo recounts, for the first time, a buried family story of crime and forgiveness. - Monica Pelliccia profiles three generations of women who feed migrants riding the trains north. Also in the issue: - A new Christmas story by Oscar Esquivias, translated from the Spanish - Original poetry by Aaron Poochigian - Reviews of Kim Haines-Eitzen's Sonorous Desert, Matthew P. Schneider's God Loves the Autistic Mind, Adam Nicolson's Life between the Tides, and Ash Davidson's Damnation Spring. - An appreciation for Augustine's mother, Monica - Short sketches by Clarice Lispector of her father and son Plough Quarterly features stories, ideas, and culture for people eager to apply their faith to the challenges we face. Each issue includes in-depth articles, interviews, poetry, book reviews, and art.