In Misconceptions, she demythologizes motherhood and reveals the dangers of common assumptions about childbirth. With uncompromising honesty she describes how hormones eroded her sense of independence, ultrasounds tested her commitment to abortion rights, and the keepers of the OB/GYN establishment lacked compassion. The weeks after her first daughter’s birth taught her how society, employers, and even husbands can manipulate new mothers. She had bewildering post partum depression, but learned that a surprisingly high percentage of women experience it. Wolf’s courageous willingness to talk about the unexpected difficulties of childbirth will help every woman become a more knowledgeable planner of her pregnancy and better prepare her for the challenges of balancing a career, freedom, and a growing family. Invaluable in its advice to parents, Misconceptions speaks to anyone connected–personally, medically, or professionally–to a new mother.

    It's packed with tools you won't find anywhere else, including:* Charts highlighting the risks of using various over-the-counter drug productsduring pregnancy* Lists of the ten best -- and worst --baby products* A set of emergency childbirth procedures* Forthright discussions of difficult topics like infertility, high-risk pregnancy, and pregnancy and infant loss that other books are loathe to tackle

    Your mother buys you baby clothes. But who can give you the real skinny when you’re pregnant? Your girlfriends, of course—at least, the ones who’ve been through the exhilaration and exhaustion, the agony and ecstasy of pregnancy. Four-time delivery room veteran Vicki Iovine talks to you the way only a best friend can—in the book that will go the whole nine months for every mother-to-be. In this revised and updated edition, get the lowdown on all those little things that are too strange or embarrassing to ask, practical tips, and hilarious takes on everything pregnant. What really happens to your body—from morning sickness and gas to eating everything in sight—and what it’s like to go from being a babe to having one. The Many Moods of Pregnancy—why you’re so irritable/distracted/tired/lightheaded (or at least more than usual). Staying Stylish—You may be pregnant, but you can still be the fashionista you’ve always been (or at least you don’t have to look like a walking beachball)—wearing the hippest designers and proudly showing off your bump. Pregnancy is Down To a Science—from in vitro fertilization to scheduled c-sections, there are so many options, alternatives, and scientific tests to take that being pregnant can be downright confusing! And much more! For a reassuring voice or just a few good belly laughs, turn to this straight-talking guide on what to really expect when you’re expecting.

    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

    As a woman pregnant with more than one baby, you're feeling all these things . . . only more so! In When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads, Dr. Barbara Luke, an acknowledged expert on the prenatal care of multiples, outlines a practical, nutrition-based program to keep you and your babies healthy, and she offers a comprehensive tour of what you can expect during your unique pregnancy and childbirth experience. Women who follow this program have significantly fewer complications during pregnancy—and their babies are born weighing 20 to 35 percent more than the average twin, triplet, or quad. Included is crucial information on:· Finding a qualified maternal/fetal medicine specialist · Dietary guidelines for maximizing birthweight · Safe limits on exercise, physical activity, and work · Taking a leave from your job and negotiating the best deal · Reducing your risk for pregnancy complications · Recognizing the signs of preterm labor and what to do about them · What to expect during and after delivery · Feeding and caring for your newborns . . . and yourself · Getting back into shape after delivery

    Topics include basic female anatomy and physiology, midwifery practice issues, cultural considerations, hands-on skills, care through each trimester, problems that may occur in any trimester, and preexisting medical conditions.

    Focusing on pregnancy and the postpartum, "Mother Food" explores lactogenic foods and herbs and how they enhance milk production, prevent postpartum depression, increase energy, promote gentle weightloss and detox, improve the mother's and baby's immune systems, and also how they affect a baby's IQ, colic, allergy, and even her like or dislike of the taste of her mother's milk. Expert opinions are reviewed and traditional systems of medicine are succinctly explained. Written in an easy-to-read style and replete with remedies and recipes, "Mother Food" is both practical and informative. Recommended by lactation consultants and approved by the La Leche League International Book Evaluation Committee, "Mother Food" has become a favorite of mothers who want to learn what they can do to optimize both the quantity and quality of their milk, while contributing to their own and their baby's best health.

    A revealing look at how having your child sleeping in your bed is beneficial to all your family

    Written by two leading experts who have been there themselves and officially recommended by La Leche League International, The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk incorporates the latest research and discoveries about causes of low milk supply, the way your body makes milk, and how babies contribute to your milk production. Best of all, you'll find valuable suggestions for both time-honored and innovative ways to make more milk.Learn the facts about:Determining if baby is really getting enough milkSupplementing without decreasing your supplyMaximizing the amount of milk you can makeIdentifying the causes of your low supplyIncreasing your supply with the most effective methods, including pumping, herbs, medications, foods, and alternative therapiesMaking more milk when you return to work, exclusively pump, have a premie or multiples, relactate, or induce lactation

    Pregnant women are told to avoid cold cuts, sushi, alcohol, and coffee without ever being told why these are forbidden. Rules for prenatal testing are similarly unexplained. Moms-to-be desperately want a resource that empowers them to make their own right choices.When award-winning economist Emily Oster was a mom-to-be herself, she evaluated the data behind the accepted rules of pregnancy and discovered that most are often misguided and some are just flat-out wrong. Debunking myths and explaining everything from the real effects of caffeine to the surprising dangers of gardening, Expecting Better is the book for every pregnant woman who wants to enjoy a healthy and relaxed pregnancy.

    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.

    Its ideas derive from two sources: the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, with its emphasis on body, mind, and spirit, and the latest Western scientific prenatal research. By integrating the best information from these two very different perspectives, this remarkable book gives readers the tools to ensure that our children are nourished by thoughts, words, and actions from the very moment of conception.Magical Beginnings, Enchanted Lives is rich in practical information, including strategies to help enliven the body intelligence of unborn babies by nourishing each of their five senses, as well as through Ayurvedically balanced nutrition and eating with awareness. Specific yoga poses and meditation techniques reduce the mother’s stress and improve the infant’s emotional environment, as do tips for conscious communication with a partner. Exercises prepare parents for the experience of childbirth itself, followed by natural approaches to dealing with the first weeks of parenting, from healing herbs to enhancing your milk supply to coping with postpartum depression.Inspiring, expansive, and remarkably informative, this unique book from acclaimed experts in mind-body medicine will profoundly enhance the experience of pregnancy and birth for both parents and baby.

    If you don't believe in letting your baby cry it out, but desperately want to sleep, there is now a third option, presented in Elizabeth Pantley's sanity-saving book The No-Cry Sleep Solution.Pantley's successful solution has been tested and proven effective by scores of mothers and their babies from across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Based on her research, Pantley's guide provides you with effective strategies to overcoming naptime and nighttime problems. The No-Cry Sleep Solution offers clearly explained, step-by-step ideas that steer your little ones toward a good night's sleep--all with no crying.Tips from The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Uncover the stumbling blocks that prevent baby from sleeping through the nightDetermine--and work with--baby's biological sleep rhythmsCreate a customized, step-by-step plan to get baby to sleep through the nightUse the Persistent Gentle Removal System to teach baby to fall asleep without breast-feeding, bottlefeeding, or using a pacifier

    A story of love, loss and deep dedication to birthing women.

    If you want the real deal on pregnancy, you've come to the right book! Drs. Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park are three top obstetricians who have personally welcomed more than 10,000 babies into the world. But they've been on the other side of the ultrasound too--as mothers themselves, they have each experienced the joys and anxieties of pregnancy firsthand. Morning sickness . . . unexpected contractions . . . midnight feedings . . . even serious complications . . . they've been there! Now they share everything you need to know about this exciting, life-changing journey. Written in a clear and friendly style, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth offers the most up-to-date medical guidance. It's packed with real-life stories from new moms and practical tips straight from the Docs' office. From pre-conception to postpartum, you'll find answers to your most pressing questions, including: Can birth control pills cause fertility problems? When will I start showing? Which prenatal tests do I really need? Is my baby getting the right nutrition? Is it true that I can't touch a cat, eat sushi, or color my hair for nine months? If I get a cold, is it safe to take medication? How do I create a birth plan? What if I go into labor alone? If I've had a cesarean delivery before, will I need to have one with my next pregnancy? How can I make breastfeeding easier? This extraordinarily comprehensive guide also includes chapters on diet and exercise, high-risk pregnancies, and the most often-repeated myths. Complete with illustrations of your baby's development, The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth is your reassuring resource for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.