Others are sure it's the environment we experience in childhood. But could it be that many of our individual characteristics—our health, our intelligence, our temperaments—are influenced by the conditions we encountered before birth? That's the claim of an exciting and provocative field known as fetal origins. Over the past twenty years, scientists have been developing a radically new understanding of our very earliest experiences and how they exert lasting effects on us from infancy well into adulthood. Their research offers a bold new view of pregnancy as a crucial staging ground for our health, ability, and well-being throughout life.Author and journalist Annie Murphy Paul ventures into the laboratories of fetal researchers, interviews experts from around the world, and delves into the rich history of ideas about how we're shaped before birth. She discovers dramatic stories: how individuals gestated during the Nazi siege of Holland in World War II are still feeling its consequences decades later; how pregnant women who experienced the 9/11 attacks passed their trauma on to their offspring in the womb; how a lab accident led to the discovery of a common household chemical that can harm the developing fetus; how the study of a century-old flu pandemic reveals the high personal and societal costs of poor prenatal experience. Origins also brings to light astonishing scientific findings: how a single exposure to an environmental toxin may produce damage that is passed on to multiple generations; how conditions as varied as diabetes, heart disease, and mental illness may get their start in utero; why the womb is medicine's latest target for the promotion of lifelong health, from preventing cancer to reducing obesity. The fetus is not an inert being, but an active and dynamic creature, responding and adapting as it readies itself for life in the particular world it will enter. The pregnant woman is not merely a source of potential harm to her fetus, as she is so often reminded, but a source of influence on her future child that is far more powerful and positive than we ever knew. And pregnancy is not a nine-month wait for the big event of birth, but a momentous period unto itself, a cradle of individual strength and wellness and a crucible of public health and social equality.With the intimacy of a personal memoir and the sweep of a scientific revolution, Origins presents a stunning new vision of our beginnings that will change the way you think about yourself, your children, and human nature itself.

    "Having a Baby, Naturally" reflects this spirit with straightforward, uncensored information about pregnancy and childbirth, addressing common concerns and questions in a compassionate, nonjudgmental style.Written by Peggy O'Mara, the longtime publisher, editor, and owner of "Mothering" magazine, it synthesizes the best theories and safest practices used in natural childbirth, including recommendations from the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Throughout, O'Mara reinforces her belief that each woman's pregnancy and birth experience is a one-of-a-kind event. She covers such topics as:Nutrition, diet, and exerciseEmotional self-awareness during and after pregnancyA trimester-by-trimester guide to what is happening in your body and your child'sBirth choices -- offering suggestions, not "rules"Pain medication alternativesBirth locations, from hospitals to home birthRelieving morning sickness with natural remediesPrenatal testingBreastfeedingPrematurity and multiple birthsBalancing work and familyThe father's role during pregnancy and beyondDifficult subjects, such as birth defects, miscarriages, and postpartum depression, are also treated with sensitivity and candor.Finally, a book for the thinking woman who believes in her own inherent capacity to make smart, informed decisions about her pregnancy and birth, just as she makes in other areas of her life. "Having a Baby, Naturally" is a celebration of childbirth and an accurate and objective guide to helping women fortify their spirits, develop trust in their bodies, and make the best possible choices to protect their new baby's health.

    Wendy Mogel offers an essential guide to the new art of talking to children, showing how a change in tone and demeanor can transform the relationship between parent and child.Most parents are perfectly fine communicators—unless they’re talking to their children. Then, too often, their pitch rises and they come across as pleading, indignant, wounded, outraged. In tone and body language they signal, I can’t handle it when you act like a child. Dr. Wendy Mogel saw this pattern time and again in her clinical practice. In response, she developed a remarkably effective series of “voice lessons,” which she shared with parents who were struggling with their kids. The results were immediate: a shift in vocal style led to children who were calmer, listened more attentively, and communicated with more warmth, respect, and sincerity. In Voice Lessons for Parents, Mogel elaborates on her novel clinical approach, revealing how each age and stage of a child’s life brings new opportunities to connect through language. Drawing from sources as diverse as neuroscience, fairy tales, and anthropology, Mogel offers specific guidance for talking to children across the expanse of childhood and adolescence. She also explains the best ways to talk about your child to partners, exes, and grandparents, as well as to teachers, coaches, and caretakers. Throughout the book, Mogel addresses an obstacle that bedevils even the most seasoned and confident parent: the distraction of digital devices, how they impact our connection with our families, and what we can do about it. Mogel’s now classic book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, is a beloved resource for a generation of parents. Voice Lessons for Parents brings her unique brand of practical wisdom to harried parents eager to deepen their relationships with their kids. “Children will lead you on an incredible journey,” writes Mogel, “if they trust you, if you take the time, and if you’re willing to follow.”

    But new research suggests that the foods women eat during pregnancy can have a lasting effect on the baby's brain development and behavior, as well as the mother's waistline. While many books tell women what not to eat, there are few guides that tell women what to eat while also considering that hormonal influences during pregnancy can make it difficult to stick to a healthy diet. More and more women enter pregnancy overweight, gain an unhealthy amount of weight while pregnant, then struggle to lose the "baby weight" after the baby is born. Drawing on the latest research from the fields of medicine, nutrition, and psychology, this guide gives moms-to-be a clear understanding of what their bodies really need and how those foods contribute to the development of healthy and happy babies.

    It almost makes me want to have another child. Almost' Bryony Gordon ***Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan is a revolutionary new guide to pregnancy and childbirth that puts the power firmly in your hands. It won't tell you what fruit your baby resembles week-by-week, but it will cover the huge shifts happening in your relationships, body, work and emotional life right now, giving you practical tools, tips and real stories to help you make a plan that is uniquely yours yet flexible enough to accommodate whatever your pregnancy, birth and life throw at you.***Further Praise for Your No Guilt Pregnancy Plan***'The book has everything a pregnant woman needs ... I'm sure this will be the go-to book for women in years to come' - Helen Thorn host of the Scummy Mummies podcast'Rebecca is a living, breathing Wonder Woman heroine. In a sea of complicated, important and sometimes angry debate around childbirth, she is a mast to hold onto.' - Cherry Healey, presenter and author of Letters to My FannyI can't think of a panicky question I had thought of through either of my pregnancies (and I thought of them at a rate of five per second) that wouldn't have been answered by this book. I wish I had had it, in fact. A very empowering guide to becoming a mother.' - Robyn Wilder, The Pool

    Inside you'll discover helpful--and hilarious--information and insights on such topics as: The Maternity Wardrobe: "A key part of the maternity wardrobe is maternity underwear--parachute-like undies big enough to fit an NFL defensive lineman." Baby Names: "Don't give your kids mockable names like Thaddeus, which is Greek for 'I'm a dork and should be beaten up.'" The Birth: "No one told me it's normal that babies' heads can be misshapen at birth. I was convinced that my wife gave birth to Veldar, the conehead."

    In The Bottom Line for Baby, New York Times bestselling author Tina Payne Bryson, PhD, tackles more than sixty common new parent concerns and offers the clear, science-based, and accessible information they seek. From pacifier use and weaning, to sleep scheduling, circumcision, vaccinations and more, she demystifies the issues in three distinct sections: an objective summary of the schools of thought on the topic (including commonly held pros and cons); a concise primer on "What the Science Says," with recommendations for further reading for those interested; and a Bottom Line conclusion. When the science doesn't point us clearly in one direction, Dr. Bryson guides us to assess and apply the information in a way that's consistent with our family's principles.Full of warmth, wit, and expert wisdom, The Bottom Line for Baby will help parents prioritize what they really need to know and do during the first year of precious life.

    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.