Some of Birth Day’s many topics include• The evolution of human childbirth—or, why do gorillas have it so easy?• The first five minutes of life—scuba divers, astronauts, and the amazing adaptations that transform a fetus into an air-breathing, out-in-the-world baby• Cesarean section—a look at its origins, its future, and how it came to be the most frequently performed operation in American hospitals• Pain and politics—the age-old quest for painless childbirth, starring Adam and Eve, Queen Victoria, a nineteenth-century medical brawl, and the rise of today’s “epidural monoculture”• Daddies—raging paternal hormones, hidden anxieties, and the emotional evolution of men (including the author, his father, and grandfather) as they approach fatherhood• The five senses at birth—does light enter the womb? how loud is it in there? what is a newborn baby searching for with those first anxious glances?• A tour of the newborn body—springy skulls, hairy ears, innies and outies, the advantages (and disadvantages) of looking like your father, and why the United States is one of the world’s most circumcised nations.

    From the first trimester to the "fourth" (baby's crucial first three months), Arsenault and her team of professional nurses have seen it all. Now, they share their expert advice on:Preparing your home, including safety tips and must-have suppliesEasing through labor, whether at home or in a hospitalBreastfeeding how-tos, flexible feeding schedules, and common concernsBaby's essential first days and weeks, and the milestones in betweenWelcoming multiples and caring for preterm babiesTechniques for soothing baby to sleepPostpartum self-care and getting back to your routine

    This book will be brilliant." Russell BrandYour 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 beyondHollie 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.

    This is a book about surviving it." I felt like a babyless freak. No matter what we tried, I couldn’t get pregnant, even after standing on my head after sex. I was pretty sure I was the only woman on the planet going through infertility, certainly the only one jamming needles into my butt on commercial breaks during my favorite TV shows. Everyone was getting pregnant around me and no one was talking about what happened if you couldn’t. After my experience, I wanted to write a book for other infertile women and couples who feel alone, the book I wish I’d had when I was going through it, filled with dark humor and illustrations of quirky ovaries and whimsical sperm. If you’re like me, you want blunt, honest conversations about all the crazy stuff you’re going through with someone who’s been there and understands at least some of what you’re dealing with and how you’re feeling. And if it can somehow give you permission to laugh without diminishing the pain you’re feeling? Even better. This is the funnest book you’ll ever read about the worst thing that’s ever happened to you. Each chapter covers a different challenge with infertility and is broken into sections, a little of my story and concerns, a blurb from my husband, Alex, kind of a window into his dudely brain, and practical tips on how to cope. Read it yourself, read it as a couple, and if you’re struggling to explain your feelings to friends and family, hurl a copy at them and run away. I really wish you didn’t need this book, but since you do, come on over. You’re not alone.

    Sleep expert Alexis Dubief, of the wildly popular website Precious Little Sleep, imparts effective, accessible, and flexible strategies based on years of research that will dramatically improve your child's sleep.This book will help you tackle the thorniest sleep snags, including:Navigating the tricky newborn phase like a pro Getting your child to truly sleep through the night Weaning off the all night buffet Mastering the precarious tango that is healthy napping Solving toddler and preschooler sleep struggles If you're looking for practical solutions to improve your child's sleep in a book that won't put you to sleep, this is for you!

    Each step is illustrated with full color photography -- many of which are life-size. Dozens of step-by-step illustrations help make the many aspects of infant care easier to master.In-depth and highly readable information covers:Nutrition and exercise Cesarean section Planning for a home birth Options for pain relief Prenatal and postpartum care Coping with emotional changes Taking care of newborns Preparing a safe environment at home Quick reference gatefold spreads help keep track of important tests and check-ups for each trimester. Included is an in-depth directory of specialized tests and procedures available for both mother and child.The Pregnancy Bible is an extensive, accessible, up-to-the-minute sourcebook of everything expecting parents need to know, combining the knowledge and experience of many medical specialists and healthcare providers.

    IT IS FOR EVERY WOMAN AND EVERY TYPE OF BIRTH. 'Siobhan manages to completely demystify hypnobirthing, making it accessible and relevant to all women and all births. This book will be a complete game changer and I will be recommending it to mums-to-be from now on' Sarah Turner, author of The Unmumsy Mum Expert hypnobirthing teacher and founder of The Positive Birth Company Siobhan Miller has made it her mission to change the way women around the world approach and experience birth. Through her teaching she seeks to educate and empower women - and their birth partners - so that they can enjoy amazing and positive birth experiences, however they choose to bring their babies into the world.In this book, Siobhan debunks common myths about hypnobirthing and explains why she believes it can make every type of birth a better experience - from a water birth at home to an unplanned caesarean in theatre.So, what is hypnobirthing? Essentially, it's a form of antenatal education, an approach to birth that is both evidence-based and logical. Hypnobirthing certainly doesn't involve being hypnotised; instead, it teaches you how your body works on a muscular and hormonal level when in labour and how you can use various relaxation techniques to ensure you are working with your body (rather than against it), making birth more efficient and comfortable.Siobhan's advice and guidance will change your mindset and enable you to navigate your birth with practical tools that ensure you feel calm and in control throughout.By the time you finish this book you'll feel relaxed, capable and genuinely excited about giving birth.

    The authors debunk the myths surrounding PPD and provide compassionate support and solid advice for women with PPD.

    Everything a woman and her partner need to know about having a baby, from conception to pregnancy.

    In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals.The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.

    In this friendly and authoritative guide, Dr. Michael C. Lu, an expert in the field, offers a step-by-step prepregnancy plan that will help you have a safer pregnancy and a smarter and healthier child.Dr. Lu's plan explains how you can help prevent pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, and minimize the likelihood of many childhood conditions, from asthma to autism. His expert advice includes:Ten brain foods you should eat moreTen toxic foods to avoidTen steps to strengthen your stress resilienceTen steps to tune up your immune systemTen steps to detoxify your environmentAnd much more!

    Her new preface to this 2003 edition of a book that has been read, applauded, and loved by women all over the world, makes it clear that the issues surrounding childbirth remain as controversial as ever.

    Authors and co-hosts of the popular comedy podcast One Bad Mother, Biz Ellis and Theresa Thorn, know firsthand that raising kids is tough. They also know that, most likely, parents are winning more than they’re failing. This book reminds parents that it’s okay to have a low bar. Celebrate what did happen, not what didn’t, including gems such as:  Did you get up this morning? Great! You’re doing an awesome job!Your kid fell asleep? Even if it was just for two hours, that’s amazing. Good job!Has your kid eaten? That’s probably your doing, so yeah, you’re a winner!  The perfect gift for the growing family, You Are Doing a Great Job! is the much-needed reminder to screw all expectations and advice. It belongs on the shelf next to Go the Fu*k to Sleep and Let’s Panic About Babies. Or better yet, tear out the pages and hang them up.

    Despite the fact that roughly one in four babies in the United States is delivered by c-section, very little information about the experience is included in typical pregnancy books and physicians and childbirth educators often gloss over the details.The Essential C-Section Guide is written not only for women to read in preparation for a scheduled c-section and for those considered “high risk” who know that a c-section may become necessary but also for women recovering from an unexpected surgical delivery. This book provides answers to important questions about what the surgery entails, what a woman can expect as she recovers, and what considerations should be made for future pregnancies and deliveries.With frank discussions about the physical and emotional aspects surrounding a c-section, the authors share comforting wisdom about early bonding, pain control, breastfeeding, infant care, healing from surgery, postpartum exercise, partner involvement, and much more, in detail not available anywhere else.Written by authors who have firsthand knowledge of birth by c-section, The Essential C-Section Guide is well-researched and addresses its unique concerns with intelligence and compassion.www.broadwaybooks.com

    Newborn babies typically wake every two to three hours, and there’s nothing bleary-eyed, exhausted parents want more than a night of uninterrupted sleep. But while there’s plenty of advice out there, there is nothing that’s based on the latest cutting-edge research about sleep—until now. In How Babies Sleep, Sofia Axelrod, PhD—neuroscientist, sleep consultant, and mother of two—introduces the first baby sleep method that is truly rooted in the science of sleep. After having her first child, Axelrod realized that the typical baby sleep advice conflicted with the actual science of sleep, inlcuding the findings from her mentor’s Nobel Prize–winning sleep lab. She developed her transformative method based on the latest discoveries about our body’s circadian clock and how it is disturbed by light and other external stimuli. After seeing incredible results with her own babies, she has since counseled countless families in her groundbreaking method—which works with babies’ needs and helps little ones learn to self-soothe, fall asleep more easily, and stay asleep through the night. You’ll discover helpful tips that work, and learn: why using a red lightbulb (instead of a regular one) in the nursery at night can minimize wakings; why the age-old advice “don’t wake a sleeping baby” isn’t true; how to create a healthy routine; how to sleep train gently with minimal crying (under two minutes); and so much more in this revolutionary and effective book that will help both you and your baby enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.