What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you.

Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nation’s leading midwife, shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.

Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource includes:• Reducing the pain of labor without drugs--and the miraculous roles touch and massage play

• What really happens during labor
• Orgasmic birth--making birth pleasurable
• Episiotomy--is it really necessary?
• Common methods of inducing labor--and which to avoid at all costs
• Tips for maximizing your chances of an unmedicated labor and birth
• How to avoid postpartum bleeding--and depression
• The risks of anesthesia and cesareans--what your doctor
doesn’t necessarily tell you
• The best ways to work with doctors and/or birth care providers
• How to create a safe, comfortable environment for
birth in any setting, including a hospital
• And much more

Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring women’s faith in their own natural power to give birth with more ease, less pain, and less medical intervention.

Every father-to-be's handbook for knowing what to expect when expecting! In today's world, men are more involved in their wives' pregnancies than ever before. This 2nd Edition of Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies gives new fathers a hands-on guide that covers all of the logistical, physical, and emotional aspects of pregnancy. It is a wealth of information on topics, such as setting up the nursery, childbirth 101, and how to take care of your newborn. The book includes ideas for knowing the right time to break the news and the pregnancy timeline. Once the baby arrives, this handbook gives you the low-down on what you can expect during the first six months, such as how to change diapers and feed the little one. You'll also explore much more in-depth topics such as the new technology behind ultrasounds, and the information that is gleaned from them, the lowdown on vaccination updates, information to take the fear out of cesarean sections, tips on prenatal depression, new developments on infertility treatments, and so much more! * Helps to take the fear out of fatherhood with down-to-earth advice and information * Reveals how smoking leads to development problems and the possible dangers of e-cigarettes * Shows new dads a playbook for how they can help throughout the pregnancy and during the delivery * Offers practical tips for chronicling baby's life from ultrasound to year one If you're going to be a new dad, this is a survival guide of what to expect as your bundle of joy is on the way is the complete, easy-to-read resource for preparing with your partner.

"Original, important, moving, witty and exquisitely-written. WHAT a feat." - BERNARDINE EVARISTO "Incredible... beautiful and funny and humane." - EMILIE PINE "Pristine poetry and prose." KATHERINE MAY, AUTHOR OF WINTERING "Babies who are this small, he says, have a good chance of survival. Small is not good for babies. It is not whimsical or cute or the cause of admiration. It is the first time it occurs to us that they might not survive. Babies die from smallness." Claire Lynch knew that having children with her wife would be complicated but she could never have anticipated the extent to which her life would be redrawn by the process. This dazzling debut begins with the smallest of life's substances, the microscopic cells subdividing in a petri dish in a fertility treatment centre. She moves through her story in incremental yet ever growing steps, from the fingernail-sized pregnancy test result screen which bears two affirmative lines to the premature arrival of her children who have to wear scale-model oxygen masks in their life-saving incubators. Devastatingly poignant and profoundly observant - and funny against the odds - Claire considers whether it is our smallness that makes our lives so big.

You don't have to be alone. Share the experiences, successes, and struggles of many other women before and after childbirth in this all-in-one mothercare guide about family, work, the baby (or second or third baby), and you. Includes checklists, plan-ahead suggestions, questionnaires, and much more.

Drawn from three years of research, the author's own experience, and the candid recollections of many mothers--married and single, birth and adoptive, older and younger-- the nine chapters in this comprehensive guide cover all aspects of the postpartum experience, including: what the new mom should expect when she goes home what postpartum is and how long it lasts where to find breastfeeding help how to ask for help the new mom's home-care options realistic going-back-to-work options how to relieve the isolation of at-home mothering what to say (and not to say) to family members and much more

Perfect for baby showers, gender reveal parties, and first birthdays, this edition extends the sentiments in the bestseller On the Night You Were Born and tells children they are loved. With space and prompts for writing personal messages in the book, this volume is sure to be a special keepsake.

Numerology is the language of the most essential components of the universe: numbers. The deep influence of numbers can instil a person's life with positivity and meaning from birth. Choosing a baby's name is a unique and special experience, but it can feel like an enormous weight of responsibility for parents. This book helps to make the process of baby naming easy and enjoyable, drawing upon numerology to reveal the truth about the names that will influence a baby for life. Numerology will provide the concise information that allows parents to find the perfect name for their baby. Sonia Ducie provides concise numerological information to help parents find the perfect name for their baby. She gives detailed practical guidance on using the ancient science and psychology of numbers to access the hidden energy of any name at a very deep level and expose its true essence. The vibrational energy of our names influences us throughout our lives: hence the importance of choosing wisely. Names bring us gifts, challenges and also hold potential for us to explore. This book offers an exciting and time-honoured system that enables parents to narrow down the choice of options and find a name that feels just right for their child.

"I must put my ear to my eye." Pattiboobs is a hilarious compilation of verbal mishaps and malapropisms by Patti Rundall OBE, Policy Director of Baby Milk Action. Gabrielle Palmer, author of The Politics of Breastfeeding, has brought together more than 40 of Patti's best sayings into a delightful little book. Illustrated by Philip Rundall and with an afterword by Mike Brady, this is an ideal gift. All profits from this book will be donated to Baby Milk Action, the UK member of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN).

Babies are ready and wired to connect with their mums much sooner than most parents realise. Even before there is any baby talk, at around 16 weeks, a baby is watching mum's lips and connecting the formations to her sounds. It has been shown that 16-week-old babies can recognize that a vowel sound is wrong if the lip-synch is not correct! Talking, playing and communicating with your baby are exciting opportunities that can encourage better childhood development. Most parenting literature describes games as tools to make children smarter and improve a range of skills, from emotional intelligence to hand-eye coordination. This book is different. The Baby Code focuses on playing without an educational goal in mind, showing you how to apply a playful approach to life with your baby in a way that will foster your child's development in all areas. Unlike educational play, playing like a baby is about creating a special time where actions are not necessarily purposeful, useful or goal-oriented; where the pace is slow and attention is paid to the small and ordinary. We play during our daily working lives much more than we would comfortably admit to our employers. We play when, during a meeting, we wander off, daydream, exchange glances with a colleague or tell a joke to break the ice. We play when we dress up for dinner to impress our guests or when we look for the funny side of things to console ourselves. We play when we flirt with someone or when we pretend to be interested in a serious conversation that we do not care about. But we play like a baby when we are enthralled by a novel, explore a new idea, listen to a piece of music or get lost in a painting. In fact, whenever we are able to contemplate something beautiful, new or interesting, we get closer to the world of babies. As a parent or caregiver, this gateway to the infant world offers a unique opportunity to retrieve some of your lost instincts, intuition, creativity and youth. You may become better at managing emotions, being creative, using feelings as a guide, taking risks, or adapting to limited resources or tricky situations. So babies are ready to connect and if mums are not they both miss out. Mums can learn how to develop and trust their intuition to understand what their baby is experiencing and communicating. Learn what your baby is trying to tell you and how to respond in a way your baby understands.

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.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR MUMS-TO-BE WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR. Part diary, part colouring book, and part brutally honest (and hysterically funny) collection of advice, this is for the new mother who wants to chill out, laugh her face off, and realise with every page that she is not alone. Two stars of the lifestyle and parenting blogosphere invoke the mindless fun and nostalgic appeal of an old-school activity book in this irreverent, laugh-out-loud twist on the traditional baby journal, with illustrated activities, lists, essays, and musings on what pregnancy is really like. - Wordsearches: Nope, Sorry (All the Stuff You're Not Allowed to Have Anymore); Bad Baby Names - Mazes: Make it from Your Desk to the Bathroom Without Throwing Up - Lists: How to Baby Shop Without Crying - Advice: Yoga Teachers (Also Your Mum Friends, Your Parents, People on Facebook, All Articles, and Everyone You Meet) Want to Tell You How to Give Birth, But You Don t Have to Listen - Quizzes: Stop: Labour Time!

Pregnant teens have three options-abortion, adoption, and keeping the baby-and each comes with its own challenges and issues. Teen pregnancy can have an enormous impact on adolescents, their families, and society. What options are available to teens? What resources are available, and what rights and responsibilities do the pregnant teen, the father, and the teen's parents have? Do pregnancy and birth pose unique health risks for mother and child? How does being born to a teen mother affect a child's health and future? Part of Greenwood's Q&A Health Guides series, Teen Pregnancy: Your Questions Answered follows a reader-friendly question-and-answer format that anticipates readerS' needs and concerns. Prevalent myths and misconceptions are identified and dispelled, and a collection of case studies illustrates key concepts and issues through relatable stories and insightful recommendations. Each book in the series also includes a section on health literacy, equipping teens and young adults with practical tools and strategies for finding, evaluating, and using credible sources of health information both on and off the internet-important skills that contribute to a lifetime of healthy decision-making. Makes the subject approachable and accessible to readers through a simple Q&A format Helps readers to improve their research and critical thinking skills in a Guide to Health Literacy section Provides real-world examples of concepts discussed in the book through case studies Dispels popular misconceptions surrounding teen pregnancy in a Common Myths section and points readers toward accurate information

Epigenetics, the study of heritable changes in gene expression, has been heralded as one of the most promising new fields of scientific inquiry. Current large-scale studies selectively draw on epigenetics to connect behavioral choices made by pregnant people, such as diet and exercise, to health risks for future generations. As the first ethnography of its kind, Weighing the Future examines the sociopolitical implications of ongoing pregnancy trials in the United States and the United Kingdom, illuminating how processes of scientific knowledge production are linked to capitalism, surveillance, and environmental reproduction. Natali Valdez argues that a focus on individual behavior rather than social environments ignores the vital impacts of systemic racism. The environments we imagine to shape our genes, bodies, and future health are intimately tied to race, gender, and structures of inequality. This groundbreaking book makes the case that science, and how we translate it, is a reproductive project that requires feminist vigilance. Instead of fixating on a future at risk, this book brings attention to the present at stake.

Everything parents need to give their babies the best start
Each year, more than 4 million babies are born in the United States-and the first year of a baby's life is a joyous, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming time. Your Baby's First Year For Dummies serves as a complete guide for baby's first twelve months-from what to do when arriving home from the hospital to handling feeding, bathing, and sleeping routines to providing the right stimuli for optimal progress. Packed with tips on every aspect of baby's physical, emotional, and social development, this friendly guide gives parents advice on such important topics as breastfeeding vs. bottle-feeding, teething, baby toy safety, food preparation, food allergies, traveling, and much more.

No matter how you birth your baby, feel calm and safe with hypnobirthing "This woman is a great healer and birth expert. This book will be brilliant." Russell Brand Your Baby, Your Birth is a truly modern hypnobirthing book for ALL births. In-demand hypnobirthing coach Hollie de Cruz provides you with the skills and tools to make any birth feel safe, calm, connected and empowering. Drawing on her experience working with new mums, including Fearne Cotton and Giovanna Fletcher, Hollie de Cruz helps you prepare for a positive (not 'perfect') birth experience and approach motherhood with confidence in yourself and your instincts. Your Baby, Your Birth will teach you: - That birth is safe - listen to your body, embrace the changes, prepare your mind and relax during pregnancy - Exercises and breathing techniques for labour and birth for you and your birth partner, along with guided meditations to keep you calm and engaged - How to trust your instincts, understand your body and baby, and make informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and beyond Hollie de Cruz, creator of the award-winning yesmum positive affirmation cards, is renowned for demystifying hypnobirthing and her down-to-earth, realistic approach is highly sought after. Whatever kind of birth you are planning, let Hollie de Cruz provide you with a set of deep relaxation, mindfulness and meditation tools for an empowering experience.

Growing a baby? Got to name it? No sweat. Take naming inspiration from the ultimate, most kick ass men and women in history.

This baby name book is an A-Z of total badasses, explains what gives them serious swagger and the reasons why they are worthy of being your future son or daughter's moniker. From the world-changers and fearless adventurers, to the whip-smart inventors and scientists of the last five centuries, why not name your little bundle after humans to admire, celebrate and love?

Take name ideas from those who kicked Fascist ass to the kings and queens taking bravery to another level, or from a doctor with so much badassitude he saved his own life blindly removing his appendix in the middle of the Antarctic.

This is the book for every parent-to-be looking for inspirational name ideas for their future badass baby.

'I can't get my five-week-old to sleep in her cot.' 'My six-week-old resists his naps.' 'My baby is three months old and is still waking up throughout the night.' Sleep is the number one issue that plagues parents from the moment they bring their newborn baby home from hospital. Even the lucky ones, whose babies are naturally good sleepers, wonder when their baby will sleep through the night. Tracy Hogg's incredible sensitivity and ability to read infants' cries, coos and assorted baby noises quickly earned her the admiration and gratitude of high-profile couples, including a host of celebrities. With reassuring, down-to-earth advice, her practical sleep programme will help you overcome your baby's sleep problems and works with infants from as young as a day old. A lifesaver for any busy parent.