Taking Charge Of Your Pregnancy

An indispensable guide to the revolutionary advances in pregnancy and childbirth, Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy contains trailblazing science that explains: Why the first eight weeks are the most important and how to optimize them Which prenatal genetic tests are risk‑free and which are a waste of money Why miscarriages are common and the preventive steps future moms can take When to be concerned about nausea What pregnant women can learn from their own mother’s birth stories What to do about pain during labor and delivery After decades of research into how babies develop in the womb, Susan J. Fisher, PhD, shares her expert advice to empower expecting parents. Complete with helpful illustrations, practical tips, and the essential questions to ask healthcare providers, here is everything you need to take charge of your health and your baby’s.

This book is an indispensable guide to the revolutionary advances in the understanding of pregnancy and birth. For decades, Susan Fisher, PhD., and her team at the University of California, San Francisco, have been at the forefront of research into how babies develop in the womb. Fisher traces prenatal development, which proceeds at breakneck speed during the first eight weeks. She unlocks the secrets of the placenta, which steers the course of pregnancy and can affect childhood health. Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy contains the trailblazing science needed to help expectant parents: - Which prenatal vitamins are essential and when to take each - Which prenatal genetic tests are risk-free and which are a waste of money - Why moms-to-be should decline store receipts and avoid flame retardants - When to be concerned about nausea - Why expectant mothers should listen to their own mother's birth stories

This new edition for the twentieth anniversary of the groundbreaking national bestseller provides all the information you need to monitor your menstrual cycle—along with updated information on the latest reproductive technologies Are you unhappy with your current method of birth control? Or demoralized by your quest to have a baby? Do you experience confusing signs and symptoms at various times in your cycle? This invaluable resource provides the answers to your questions while giving you amazing insights into your body. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women avoid pregnancy naturally, maximize their chances of getting pregnant, or simply gain better control of their gynecological and sexual health. Toni Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which in only a couple of minutes a day allows you to: Enjoy highly effective and scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices Maximize your chances of conception before you see a doctor or resort to invasive high-tech options Expedite your fertility treatment by quickly identifying impediments to pregnancy achievement Gain control and a true understanding of your gynecological and sexual health This new edition includes: A fully revised and intuitive charting system A selection of personalized master charts for birth control, pregnancy achievement, breastfeeding, and menopause An expanded sixteen-page color insert that reflects the book’s most important concepts Six brand-new chapters on topics including balancing hormones naturally, preserving your future fertility, and three medical conditions all women should be aware of

An inclusive, non-judgmental, and empowering guide to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum life that puts mothersfirst, offering straightforward guidance on all the options and issues that matter most to them (and their partners) when preparing for a baby. In Birth Without Fear, January Harshe--founder of the global online community Birth Without Fear--delivers an honest, positive, and passionate message of empowerment surrounding everything that involves having a baby. It's a guide that fills in the considerable cracks in the information available to women and families when they're preparing to welcome a child--covering care provider choices, medical freedom, birth options, breastfeeding, intimacy, postpartum depression, and much more. Birth Without Fear shows moms, dads, partners, and families how to choose the best provider for them, how to trust in themselves and the birth process, and how to seek the necessary help after the baby has arrived. In addition, it will educate them about their rights--and how to use their voice to exercise them--as well as how to cope with the messy postpartum feelings many people aren't willing to talk about. Unlike other pregnancy books, Birth Without Fear will also help partners understand what mothers are going through, as well as discuss the challenges that they, too, will face--and how they can navigate them. Shattering long-held myths and beliefs surrounding pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience, Birth Without Fear is an accessible, reassuring, and ultimately inspiring guide to taking charge of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Journalist Jennifer Margulis questions the information parents are given by the medical community and the consumer culture, addressing the relationship between the money-making business of pregnancy and the early childcare advice parents are given.

The second book in the Dr. Spock Take Charge Parenting Guides, crafted by the Dr. Spock Co., Take Charge of Your Pregnancy contains all the essenteial information on pregnancy and fetal development in one clear, concise volume. Pregnant? Congratulations! Now let an expert guide you through this exciting time. Pregnancy is a time of powerful emotions, dramatic changes, and plenty of questions. Noted obstetrician Marjorie Greenfield, MD, one of the new team of medical experts at The Dr. Spock Company, has written this authoritative book to answer all your questions and help ensure a happy, healthy pregnancy. Dr. Spock's Pregnancy Guide will take you month by month through the thrilling journey to parenthood, with special focus on how to: -Follow the development of your growing baby -Find the right obstetrician or midwife -Deal with common symptoms and problems -Plan the kind of childbirth experience you want -Get good care every step of the way, and more For more than 50 years, Dr. Benjamin Spock was the world's best-known pediatrician. Drawing upon his trusted philosophy of baby and child care, a new generation of experts at The Dr. Spock Company brings today's moms and dads the latest in parenting, child-health, and pregnancy information. Be sure to pick up Dr. Spock's Baby Basics, the first book in the Take Charge Parenting Guides series.

This illustrated guide to the powerful Fertility Awareness Method--the exciting natural alternative to present methods of birth control--teaches women to take greater control of their own menstrual and sexual health care and, in the process, reap benefits well beyond their fertility. Illustrations. 8-page color insert.

The main aim of this practical Handbookis to strengthen counselling and communication skills of skilled attendants (SAs) and other health providers, helping them to effectively discuss with women, families and communities the key issues surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, postnatal and post-abortion care. Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Careis divided into three main sections. Part 1 is an introduction which describes the aims and objectives and the general layout of the Handbook. Part 2 describes the counselling process and outlines the six key steps to effective counselling. It explores the counselling context and factors that influence this context including the socio-economic, gender, and cultural environment. A series of guiding principles is introduced and specific counselling skills are outlined. Part 3 focuses on different maternal and newborn health topics, including general care in the home during pregnancy; birth and emergency planning; danger signs in pregnancy; post-abortion care; support during labor; postnatal care of the mother and newborn; family planning counselling; breastfeeding; women with HIV/AIDS; death and bereavement; women and violence; linking with the community. Each Session contains specific aims and objectives, clearly outlining the skills that will be developed and corresponding learning outcomes. Practical activities have been designed to encourage reflection, provoke discussions, build skills and ensure the local relevance of information. There is a review at the end of each session to ensure the SAs have understood the key points before they progress to subsequent sessions.