Review of The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth (Sears Parenting Library) (Paperback)

I'm a mother of two, a critical RN and certainly not a Luddite. If I had to choose one book to have prior to the birth of my first child, this one would be it. (I'm here to buy one for a family member as a gift, I already own this book!)

I could write my own book with my thoughts and feelings about childbirth, childbirth prepartion, and postpartum recovery. I'll just say this,however...

Childbirth hurts. Take all of the classes, read the books, get drugs, it still hurts. Go to a hospital and expect them to hold your hand during labour and you'll be disappointed, they're too busy to do that. Have someone there with you to support you through the whole thing. Preferably at least one person that has done this before. Could be a doula, could be your best friend or mother... Interventions DO lead to more interventions. Less is better for the birth, the mother,the baby and your recovery (I've done both types). If you can swing less, do that.

Reading books like these, taking classes to practice positioning techniques and exercising your body actually does HELP. Having some ideas on things to try when the going gets rough HELPS. Not everything will work for everyone,but many things will work or at least help you cope.Everyone should be prepared for natural childbirth, regardless of whether or not they are planning to have drugs, even major ones. You can't get an epidural until you are at least four cm or it can stop your labour. I wasn't four cm with my first child until I was 24 hours into labour. And both times I tried an epidural, and it didn't take the first time at all, only took partially the second time. The only type of medication that will give you total relief from childbirth discomfort is general anesthesia. Having a list of things that I could do to cope made all of the difference in the world to me. The first birth I was much more passive. The second birth I was much more proactive and had a much better time of it. My recovery was night and day too.

I respect Sears and his wife as both parents and healthcare professionals. Their series of books are not perfect, but I would say, after reading reams of drivel or hyperbole on the subject at hand, they actually do the overall best job for a basic book. Most folks read one, max two books pre-birth, so if you have to choose only one, this would be it.And their book "The Baby Book" is also the best one out there regarding babies.

Btw, regarding the comment about the AFP test. It is famous for false positives, which can cause unneeded stress to parents. I don't have an opinion about having the test, either way beyond that. As to Down's Syndrome, some parents want to know in order to terminate the pregnancy. Looks like termination is not on their list of things to consider, so why should they have the test? (I had an amnio, much more accurate.) The way the review was written, it sounded like they had done something irresponsible. Some parents want to know, others don't. Knowing or not knowing neither causes Down's Syndrome (a chromosomal abnormality apparent at conception), nor will change the outcome of the pregnancy.

I wouldn't just read this book. I'm the type of person that reads everything that I can get my hands on, both on a professional level and from the mainstream press. But this is certainly a book for my short list. Read it.



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Review of Your Non-Toxic Pregnancy (Paperback)

I bought this book while traveling in the North of Ireland, so I expected it to be a European based book.Indeed it is, however, the author was kind enough to do some American research, as well, so it is definitely usable (and recommended) for Americans.

My first "chemical-free" pregnancy book was The Complete Organic Pregnancy by Deidre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu, and while I did enjoy it, I found it lacking in many areas (such as recommendations and resources for finding less toxic products).Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up a copy of Your Non-Toxic Pregnancy.Not only does it back up its claims with sound research (from many different worldwide-respected organizations), but it gives many different suggestions for how to live more organically.

The book is organized well and filled with attractive photos of glowing pregnant mamas-to-be.The information is consise.The suggestions are do-able.

The author devotes a whole section to toxins in beauty products, and includes recipes for homemade alternatives that I found especially interesting and helpful.Another section describes the dangers in modern household cleaning products, and gives a list of eco-friendly options.And these subjects are just the beginning.

I really cannot give enough praise to how well this book is put together.There are many books out there screaming the dangers of many of our modern-day luxuries, but do absolutely nothing to help us find better, safer, and more eco-friendly ways of living.This book has an alternative for every not-so-safe product out there.Many of the alternatives are UK products, but almost all can be ordered online.

As a quick side note, I've noticed many reviews for this book (on other sites) and reviews for The Complete Organic Pregnancy state that the authors are trying to scare you into doing impossible things.I say for a fact that none of these changes are impossible to make.Yes, the information is scary, but this does not mean it is fear culture-based.Someone needs to put this information out there, and I find it unwise and even immature to criticize those few who are brave enough to do it. /rant

Product Description
Every expectant mother wants to provide a safe and protective environment for her unborn baby, but there are hidden hazards in almost everything we use or ingest, such as arsenic in eyeshadow and hormones in chicken. Women aged 20-45 are especially vulnerable to toxic substances and their effects, and even more so when they are pregnant. Yet it is often hard to choose the right products given manufacturers' often misleading claims and the amount of technical knowledge required to "translate" the components of many items. This guidemakes clear the substances found in common household, food, and office items and reveals the practices that can be damaging to both baby and mother. It provides a guide to safe commercial alternatives as well as quick-and-easy recipes to create natural preparations. It is the ultimate guide to ensuring that home, workspace, leisure-time activities, food, skin care, and cosmetics remain hazard- and stress-free.

About the Author
Susannah Marriott is the author of The Art of Motherhood, Natural Pregnancy, and Spice Spa.

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Review of Better Birth: The Ultimate Guide to Childbirth from Home Births to Hospitals (Paperback)

I read this book after I had already given birth three times and I wish that I had had this book to refer to.Denise Spatafora really provides a tremendous amount of information about all the decisions around conceiving and giving birth.Each of my births was so different from the one before and I had little idea of what I could do to understand the process.Now I know.After reading Better Birth, you will feel empowered and prepared for the birth of your child.The book addresses women as intelligent, intuitive, and emotional people capable of making the best decision for themselves.I really appreciated the birth stories that pepper throughout the book. It provides the reader a way to personalize the information that a woman and her partner need about everything from conceiving, connecting with their unborn child, preparing for birth, giving birth the way that feels "right" for you ,to postpartum. I think this book has some definite advantages over the other birthing books. It addresses factors that they ignore or hardly address including the affect of your emotions, thoughts, actions on your baby conceived or not!

The other thing that is great about this book is that it breaks things down into manageable parts and gives specific techniques that I wish I had had when I was pregnant. It talks about all the issues surrounding birth without instilling fear or dread. It describes all the processes around birthing allowing the reader to make informed decisions and to trust her own body. One of the best things in the book is the BornClear Toolbox which has a series of exercises on visualizations, meditations, affirmations, writing, breathing techniques, and art to help you alleviate your fear, connect with your baby and get ready for childbirth.This is THE book to get if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.


Product Description

"It is the mind-body connection that will allow parents to fully experience and appreciate the emotional, physical, and spiritual beauty of childbirth. Better Birth will help guide parents through this journey of creation and destination to birth."
-Donna Karan

Pregnancy should be a time of joy and celebration. But if you're not emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually prepared for childbirth, it can also be a time of stress and anxiety. This groundbreaking book takes the fear out of labor and delivery and arms you with the knowledge to have an informed, safe, and peaceful birth.

Better Birth will be the one resource that you can turn to again and again to get all your questions answered and feel empowered during your birthing process.Birthing expert Denise Spatafora shows you how to prepare yourself to have the childbirth you want, whether you choose to deliver your baby in a hospital, birthing center, or at home. She shows you how to tap into your mind-body connection to draw upon natural relaxation methods that promote a childbirth experience that is beautiful and fulfilling, rather than frightening. If you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you and your baby deserve a better birth.



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Review of The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Home Safety (Paperback)

This book has been a real gem for my wife and I.We have learned things that we would have never thought of had it not been for The Safe Baby.Little things like avoiding the microwave for heating baby foods was great to read about in this book.It takes many different pieces of information to insure a healthy and happy baby and all of them are included in this precious book.May you enjoy it and may your child be benefited from it.



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Review of Calming Your Fussy Baby: The Brazelton Way (Paperback)

Once again, T. Berry Brazelton hits a home run.Calming Your Fussy Baby outlines the steps every parent should take to determine the source of a baby's fussing and soothe the fuss away.Advice is laid out by age so that parents can go directly to the portion of the book applicable to their baby and specific information is presented for various types of crying and how to identify what kind of cry one is hearing. The advice is to the point and clear and is written in such a way as to assure parents that they are doing just fine.

One of Brazelton's charms is that he echoes Dr. Spock's famous statement "You know more than you think you do" for a new generation.Dr. Brazelton firmly believes that every parent can be a good parent and that the roots of good parenting are within everyone who wishes to tap them.This book, part of the Brazelton Way series, is a good one to have on hand for the inevitable day when a baby just won't be calmed.With this ammunition, any parent should consider him- or herself well armed against the fussies.

Product Description
Calming Your Fussy Baby: The Brazelton Way helps parents interpret the very first cries of an infant, and shows them how to respond in the most appropriate and effective way. Drs. Brazelton and Sparrow deal squarely with such urgent problems as colic, whining, and tantrums and show how the emergence of gestures and words gradually takes the place of crying as the child's way to act on the world.

Sleepless nights, wailing babies, defiant toddlers--these are universal issues for new parents. Now beloved pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton and his esteemed colleague the child psychiatrist Joshua Sparrow come to the rescue with these highly effective and affordable guides. Full of empathy, warmth, and wisdom, each book in the Brazelton Way series leads parents step-by-step through these trying struggles. Courtesy of Dr. Brazelton's unparalleled understanding and experience, parents will emerge from the turmoil relieved, empowered, and full of new pleasure in the strength and progress of their individual child.



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Review of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality (Paperback)

There are people who already have a great depth of infant care experience when they have their first child--have changed so many diapers they can do it with their teeth, can get a onesie over a newborn's head without waking her, can swaddle a baby into immobility with a flick of the wrist.We are not those people.We needed help, and we found a lot of it here.

My husband and I both read this book cover to cover before we brought our son home from the hospital, and referred to it often afterward.It has terrific practical advice for the new parent, with informative illustrations--such as demonstrating how to get those cute new outfits on your infant when they have clearly been designed by someone who has never actually dressed a baby-- and is written in a casual, clear style that makes it easily readable and memorable.We went back to it often: "What colors of poop did it say were okay?""What did it say about the difference between projectile spit up and vomiting?" (Asked as something ran down a wall two feet away.)"Is it possible the baby really wants to eat every 45 minutes?"We suspect its discussion of growth spurts saved our sanity, if not our lives.

This book focuses on the nitty-gritty of the new obsessions you'll have with the bodily functions and sleep habits of your new arrival, and how to balance them with your own.It is a cheerful, engaging, sympathetic and nonjudgmental guidebook, and we appreciated it tremendously in our early weeks home.Highly recommended.

Product Description
This comprehensive guide for new parents finding themselves overwhelmed dealing with the reality of parenting provides "parent-tested, pediatrician-approved" advice to allay their fears. Written in a compassionate yet authoritative tone by two moms who are also pediatricians, this guide covers a wealth of topics that often prove daunting in the first eight weeks of a child's life. Starting with "Into the Mouths of Babes" (the trials of breastfeeding) and "What Comes in Must Come Out" (a discussion of "pee and poop") and moving on through "Fever: Trial by Fire" and "Seeing Yellow: Jaundice," this guide offers sound advice that will enable parents to feel confident about their parenting skills. Hints on daily living, sleep patterns, crying, the art and science of diapering, and traveling with a newborn are also provided.



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