My Favorite Childbearing Year Books

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Pregnancy | Birth Books | Birth Music | Breastfeeding
Parenting | For Childbirth Educators

Pregnancy (to top)

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	From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds, by Alexander Tsiaras, makes a beautiful gift to an expecting mom. Most fascinating in the early weeks, when the embryo makes the most dramatic changes, the beautiful pictures enable the reader to view what once was a mystery. A way to follow the amazing growth of your baby before birth, this book enables you to visualize their baby in his or her current state of development.
	Having Faith: An Ecologist's Journey Into Motherhood, by Sandra Steingraber, is both one woman's honest account of her pregnancy experience and an alarming read about the toxins in our environment and their effects on the gestating fetus.
	Mother & Child: Visions of Parenting From Indigenous Cultures, by Jan Reynolds, has beautiful photographs showing pregnant women from around the world, very inspiring.
	The Hip Mama Survival Guide: Advice from the Trenches on Pregnancy, Childbirth, Cool Names, Clueless Doctors, Potty Training and Toddler Avengers, by Ariel Gore, is an entertaining, informative series of essays by young mothers living the day to day reality of life with children.
	Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month, by Deborah Taylor-Hough, ok this isn't a childbirth related book, but I sure wish I'd had a month's worth of food in my freezer when I birthed my daughters.
	The Pregnancy Calendar, A week to week guide to how your baby is developing.

Birth Books (to top)

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	Birthing From Within, by Pam England, provides a great holistic view of pregnancy and birth written by a midwife. Learn how to make a pregnancy mask and keep a dream journal. I highly recommend this book.
	Mothering Magazine's Having a Baby, Naturally: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Peggy O'Mara, encourages the reader to trust herself and her ability to birth normally, and to seek out compassionate care.
	Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin, is an informative guide to natural birth by a pioneer in the movement.
	Open Season, by Nancy Cohen, a midwife who coined the term VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), will educate you on how not to have another cesarean, or a first one.
	Obstetric Myths vs. Research Realities, by Henci Goer, helps the reader learn which obstetrical practices are supported by medical research and which are not.
	The Birth Partner, Second Edition, by Penny Simkin, provides a great over view of the birth process and lots of specific support techniques for people providing labor support.
	Birth as an American Rite Of Passage, by Robbie E. Davis-Floyd, gives a sociologists perspective on birth in the United States. It contains many birth stories and much food for thought on the reasons behind common obstetrical procedures.
	Diary of a Midwife, by Julia van Olphen-Fehr, combines interesting birth stories with commentary on the situation of birth in America today.

Birth Music (to top)

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	Dream Images, by Shardad Rohani, is a dvd filled with beautiful relaxing music great for labor or anytime you want to relax.
	Music to Be Born by, by Mickey Heart, includes a fetal heartbeat, and is very soothing for labor.

Breastfeeding (to top)

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	The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by La Leche League International, is a classic guide to breastfeeding by a terrific breastfeeding support organization.
	So That's What They're For, by Janet Tamero, contains clear breastfeeding information with a sense of humor.
	The Nursing Mother's Companion, by Kathleen Huggins, is another source for excellent breastfeeding information.
	The Boppy Nursing Pillow makes positioning your newborn easier as you learn to breastfeed. You can use it later to support your baby as he or she learns to sit.

Parenting (to top)

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	Natural Family Living: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Parenting, by Peggy O'Mara has lots of information on natural parenting topics by the editor of a great natural parenting magazine. Learn about natural childbirth, midwives, homebirth, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, nutrition, and alternative medicine.
	Baby Love: A Keepsake Book From the Heart of the Home, by Susan Branch, has lovely ideas like taking a picture at your childbirth class reunion of all the babies lined up wearing just their diapers.
	The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two, by William and Martha Sears, is a terrific reference book covering such attachment parenting topics as breastfeeding, "wearing" your baby, co-sleeping, and responding to your baby's cues. William Sears is a pediatrician and Martha Sears is a registered nurse.
	The Baby Bjorn, is a front carrier that allows you to carry your baby and keep your hands free. Younger babies face towards you, older babies can look out once they have more head support. It's great for walking around the neighborhood, the store, or your house. The snaps allow you to remove your sleeping baby. Traditional cultures wear their babies, here's an easy way for you to wear yours. Babies love to be held, and this is such a better alternative to sitting them in the stroller all the time. Made from 100% cotton. Used colored string or safety pins to mark the straps for easy readjustment from one parent's size to the others.
	The KidCo Food Mill and Tote lets you grind your own baby food. Cook food in batches for baby, grind, and freeze in ice cube trays. Or reserve small parts of family meals and grind. Much healthier than feeding your baby from a jar!

For Siblings (to top)

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	Welcome With Love, by Jenni Overend, is a picture book for big brothers and sisters showing a homebirth from the big brother's perspective. Unlike so many stories out there, this one shows a child who is happy to be having a new baby in the family.
	All the Places to Love by Patricia McLachlan is one of my kids' favorite books, and I'll admit it, mine too. It's prompted many discussions about the days my children were born. Beautiful illustrations and simple text tell the story of a boy and his sister who are born at home and enjoy a beautiful childhood on the farm they love. This book makes a lovely sibling gift.
For Childbirth Educators (to top) To order books thru Amazon click on the image or title.
	Midwifery Today. Subscribe to an excellent source of information on natural childbirth, nutrition, breastfeeding, empowering birthing, waterbirth, and homebirth.
	The Anatomy Coloring Book, by Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson, is a fun, visual way to learn anatomy, recommended for childbirth educators and midwifery students.