Lots of books tell you the basics—“the baby is the size of [insert fruit here].” But pregnant science writer Jena Pincott began to wonder just how a baby might tinker with her body—and vice versa—and chased down answers to the questions she wouldn’t ask her doctor, such as: • Does stress sharpen your baby’s mind—or dull it? • Can you predict your baby’s temperament? • Why are babies born in the darker months of the year more likely to grow up to be novelty-loving risk takers? • Are bossy, dominant women more likely to have boys? • How can the cells left behind by your baby affect you years later? This is a different kind of pregnancy book—thoughtful, fun, and filled with information you won’t find anywhere else.

    Wall Street Journal A landmark event, which will change the course of obstetric care by giving parents the informtion they need to make the decisions that are best for their own families. Comprehensive, highly readable, sensitive . . . should be read by everyone who cares about someone. Marian Tompson Director, Alternative Birth Crisis Coalition American Academy of Medicine Required reading for all childbirth professionals and prospective parents. Journal of Gynecological Nursing

    Expertly written by Aviva Jill Romm, who has been providing family-centered natural health care for almost twenty years, it guides women through treating the common ills and ailments of pregnancy simply with herbs and nutrition.Aviva thoughtfully follows the woman's journey from baby's conception to birth, describing herbs that can promote and maintain a healthy pregnancy, along with those you should avoid during your term. Her herbal remedies cover such familiar concerns as anxiety, fatigue, morning sickness, and stretch marks. She also discusses the components of a healthy diet, with an emphasis on natural foods. With its detailed information and comforting voice, The Natural Pregnancy Book is a complete primer for the woman who envisions a safe pregnancy as nature intended it.

    Here are tips from doctors and mothers, amusing anecdotes and quotes, and all of the uncensored details that other books won’t tell you.   The perfect gift for expecting moms of all ages, The Pregnancy Countdown Book is a delightfully irreverent look at the craziest nine months of your life.

    She shows how the development of the brain can affect future emotional well being, and goes on to look at specific early 'pathways' that can affect the way we respond to stress and lead to conditions such as anorexia, addiction, and anti-social behaviour.Why Love Matters is a lively and very accessible interpretation of the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, psychoanalysis and biochemistry. It will be invaluable to psychotherapists and psychoanalysts, mental health professionals, parents and all those concerned with the central importance of brain development in relation to many later adult difficulties.

    Not only is it widely considered the best and safest way to deliver a child, natural childbirth empowers women by reinforcing their belief in themselves and their abilities. In Adventures in Natural Childbirth, editor Janet Schwegel taps into this growing movement with a fascinating collection of personal, engaging, and revealing stories from thirty-nine women on their journey through pregnancy, labor, and natural childbirth. These women's tales capture the full range of emotions and physical sensations natural childbirth can evoke—from calm to fear, from elation to pain, and everything in between—and give readers a true sense of the joys and the hardships involved. Divided into sections by caregiver (midwife, doula, physician, or unattended) and complete with essays from practitioners on their roles in natural birth and how they help women achieve their goals, Adventures in Natural Childbirth is essential reading for any woman who is considering—or is simply curious about—giving birth naturally.

    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.

    It’s mother-wisdom, reassurance, and a how-to guide for making sane and safe decisions on how and where your family sleeps, backed by the latest research.  It’s 4 A.M. You’ve nursed your baby five times throughout the night. You’re beyond exhausted. But where can you breastfeed safely when you might fall asleep? You’ve heard that your bed is dangerous for babies. Or is it? Is there a way to reduce the risk? Does life really have to be this hard? No, it doesn’t. Sweet Sleep is within reach. This invaluable resource will help you   • sleep better tonight in under ten minutes with the Quick Start guide—and sleep safer every night with the Safe Sleep Seven • sort out the facts and fictions of bedsharing and SIDS • learn about normal sleep at every age and stage, from newborn to new parent • direct your baby toward longer sleep when he’s ready • tailor your approach to your baby’s temperament • uncover the hidden costs of sleep training and “cry it out” techniques • navigate naps at home and daycare • handle criticism from family, friends, and physicians • enjoy stories and tips from mothers like you • make the soundest sleep decisions for your family and your life

    In Yeah Baby!, Jillian, along with her team of top-notch experts, will change everything you think you know about pregnancy, arming you with the most cutting-edge information available, so you can make the right choices for you and your little one. They will help you navigate the hidden dangers in your immediate environment; understand the check-ups, tests, and treatments your doctor recommends; and provide powerful solutions for all your issues, from heartburn and swollen feet to more serious medical concerns. Also learn how to optimize every facet of your child's development, from IQ and long-term earning potential to future level of physical fitness and even taste preferences! Yeah Baby! also features a complete meal plan with delicious, nutrition-packed recipes, and a one-of-a-kind, trimester-specific fitness program, to ensure you bounce back stronger and better than ever.Expert Dream Team: Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD is an Ob-Gyn, a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, and board certified in Integrative and Holistic Medicine. Andrea Orbeck is a PregnancyFitness Specialist who holds an advanced degree in Kinesiology and Intracellular Physiology. Katja VanHerle, MD is one of America's Top Physicians in Endocrinology as named by Consumer Research Council of America. Cheryl Forberg, RD is an award-winning registered dietitian, chef, and New York Times bestselling author. Jay Gordon, MD, FAAP is a pediatrician who specializes in infant nutrition and breastfeeding.

    Addressing the task of disciplining children ages 2 through 12 without arguing, yelling, or spanking, this program offers easy-to- follow steps to immediately manage troublesome behaviour with reason, patience, and compassion.

    Now it has been completely revised and updated, and dovetails perfectly with the recent major policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued nursing for at least one year and as long thereafter as mother and child desire. In addition to incorporating the new AAP guidelines throughout the book, the Third Edition draws on the very latest research from prominent scholars and practitioners in the field. It presents new information on how breastfeeding offers protection against various diseases for both child and mother; new discussion of the positive impact of breastfeeding on a child's cognitive development; a greatly expanded section on available support systems and their importance; guidelines to help a mother-to-be choose a hospital or birthing center with breastfeeding-positive policies; and a new section on signs of baby's adequate milk intake, with charts. Plus new and expanded sections on nutrition for lactating mothers, the mother's social life, the role of the father, the nursing working mother, how to express, store, and offer breast milk, and how to wean your child. This is the warm, accessible, and authoritative guide for every new mother.

    This indispensable guide provides reassuring, proven approaches to combining medical and natural techniques to ensure the most comfortable pain-free labor possible. In Easy Labor, you'll discover- what to expect during labor, and key factors that affect your comfort- the facts on epidurals, safety concerns, and how effectively they reduce pain- the pros and cons of pain-relief medications- complementary and alternative methods, including water immersion, acupuncture, hypnosis, massage, and birth balls- how your choice of hospital or birth center affects your pain-management options- techniques to calm and eliminate the specific fears and stresses associated with childbirthSo relax and enjoy your pregnancy, with this important book by your side!

    From how to prevent tearing during birth to what you really need in your labour bag, Clemmie reveals everything pregnant women and new mums need to know with a good dose of humour and wit.

    Benjamin Spock. But while children never change, issues and concerns do. Dr. Robert Needlman, himself a top-notch pediatrician, has newly updated and expanded this timeless classic to speak to any parent who is raising children in our rapidly changing world. While still providing reassuring advice on age-old topics such as caring for a new baby, as well as accidents, illness, and injuries, this book also contains expanded information in many new areas, including: • Cutting-edge medical opinion on immunizations • Obesity and nutrition • Cultural diversity and nontraditional family structures • Children’s learning and brain development • The newest thinking on children with special needs • Environmental health • Increasingly common disorders such as ADHD, depression, and autism— including medications and behavioral interventions • Children and the media, including electronic games • Coping with family stress • And much, much more With an updated glossary of common medications and an authoritative list of the most reliable online resources, this invaluable guide is still the next best thing to Dr. Spock’s #1 rule of parenting: “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”

    Packed with vital and cutting-edge information on everything from building the ultimate birth plan, to your choices and rights in the birth room; from optimal cord clamping, to seeding the microbiome; from the inside track on breastfeeding, to woman-centred caesarean, The Positive Birth Book shows you how to have the best possible birth, regardless of whether you plan to have your baby in hospital, in the birth centre, at home or by elective caesarean. Find out how the environment you give birth in, your mindset and your expectations can influence the kind of birth you have, and be inspired by the voices of real women, who tell you the truth about what giving birth really feels like.Challenging negativity and fear of childbirth, and brimming with everything you need to know about labour, birth, and the early days of parenting, The Positive Birth Book is the must-have birth book for women of the 21st century.