Birth Journeys

Stop listening to the horror stories. Be reassured, excited and inspired. Find out how beautiful and powerful birth can be. Discover the keys to planning your own positive birth - the best beginning to motherhood. Birth Journeys is a diverse collection of 29 encouraging and inspiring birth stories by real women (and men). It includes a wide range of birth experiences and choices: hospital, birth center, homebirth, unassisted birth, water birth, IVF, caesarean, VBAC and twins. Some stories are warm and lighthearted, some are serene and peaceful, while others are a wild whirlwind experience. Each story is positive, uplifting and empowering. Birth Journeys also contains contributions from health care professionals, academics, birth educators and authors including Dr Sarah J Buckley, GP and author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering; Hannah Dahlen, Associate Professor of Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney; Renee Adair, founder and principal educator of the Australian Doula College; Jane Hardwicke Collings, founder of the School of Shamanic Midwifery; and David Vernon, editor of Men at Birth.

This book is about my life journey as a home-birth midwife. It includes the many home births I attended during my sixteen years as a practitioner, with particular attention to the last ten years. During this journey, I have learned a myriad of life lessons. Most of them strengthened me and my ability to continue on this path. There were incredible challenges, both joyful and painful. The most challenging lessons happened to be the most life-changing and transformative. Those lessons impacted my life tremendously, first as a woman, second as a mother and grandmother, and most assertively as a basic human being.

Work out what kind of birth you really want, and learn how to maximise your chances of getting it, in this refreshing, warm and witty guide to pregnancy, birth and the early weeks. 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.

Painless Childbirth: An Empowering Journey Through Pregnancy and Childbirth is a road map for a woman to achieve painless childbirth.

FICTION--A fictional memoir written from the perspective of the Switched at Birth character, Kathryn Kennish.

“A smart, approachable guide packed with practical advice for parents who want a science-backed, individualized approach to pregnancy.” —Linda Avey, Co-founder of 23andMe 2020 National Parenting Award Winner Feeling overwhelmed? Confused by conflicting advice? Bumpin’ will radically transform your pregnancy journey to one of confidence and optimism. With over a decade of experience advising women’s healthcare and technology companies, Leslie Schrock distills cutting-edge research into your most comprehensive pregnancy guide—from conception through the newborn months. Based on the latest clinical evidence and practical advice from top experts, Bumpin’ enables you to make the best decisions for your unique family. With a look at the science, it tackles every pregnancy FAQ and topics like the truth about cleaning up your cosmetics, nutrition, epidurals, and activity; and the practical, like putting together a baby budget and navigating work. Bumpin’ also takes you all the way through the postpartum period because taking your baby home and recovering brings unexpected physical, mental, and life changes that are too often overlooked for you and your partner. Inside Bumpin’ you’ll find: -A trimester-by-trimester overview from trimester zero (conception) through the postpartum period and return to work -The truth about age and fertility and how to manage any issues that arise -Research on topics like vaccinations, breastfeeding, and exercise -The science behind your physical changes, leaks, sweats, and every other unexpected pregnancy symptom – and how to manage them to enhance your long term health -Birth preferences and preparing for unpredictable changes -The challenges of navigating parental leave and returning to work -Unique advice for partners -Budgeting, finance tips, baby registry, and hospital checklists Every pregnancy is unique and often unpredictable. For Leslie, this meant handling curveballs like miscarriage and later a birth that didn’t go according to plan. She turned her personal journey into this book, written while she was pregnant, with the help of a wide network of experts she consulted along the way, including doulas, ob-gyns, midwives, therapists, prenatal trainers, and nutritionists. Warm, funny, and non-judgemental, Bumpin’ will leave you feeling prepared and ready to tackle anything that comes your way. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Every Mother Counts and National Birth Equity Collaborative to support maternal and child health.

Providing both inspiration and education, this guide to natural childbirth offers 48 personal accounts of labor and delivery without medication. Revealing the many options women have beyond birthing location, the testimonials offer insight into the joys, concerns, and realities of natural birth. From delivering at home with a midwife and hearing the right words from a hospital nurse at just the right moment to describing a combination of the Bradley method and acupuncture at a birthing center and discussing a child's birth at home in warm water, this resource combines personal insight with referential information. A glossary of terms and a resource guide to books, magazines, websites, videos, and CDs, and listings of childbirth classes and instructors nationwide are also included.

Don’t Talk Yourself Out of a VBAC! Do you have a deep desire to give vaginal birth after having had a c-section (VBAC)? If you know deep in your heart that our ancestors did quite well with natural birth and want to follow in their footsteps. . . . If you know this path is a sacred one and you want to make it happen, but you don’t know where to begin. . . . If you long for a vaginal birth. . . . It starts with this book! Give Birth A Chance is like Birthing from Within meets The Matrix. It is a powerful guide to get yourself ready for an empowered birth experience whether you have had a c-section before or not. Read this book!