Print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Disclaimer -- Introduction -- 1. What choices do women really have? -- 2. Birth from the baby's perspective -- 3. How do we view pregnancy, birth, and babies? -- 4. Awareness and consciousness in pregnancy -- 5. Psychological and emotional health in pregnancy -- 6. Strategies to help mood and positivity -- 7. Managing sleep in pregnancy -- 8. Tests in pregnancy -- 9. Antidepressants and other medication during pregnancy -- 10. Environmental influences in pregnancy -- 11. Optimal fetal positioning -- 12. The secret life of the sphincter -- 13. Home or hospital? -- 14. Natural strategies for pain relief in childbirth -- 15. Waterbirths -- 16. Spiritual childbirth and spiritual midwifery -- 17. Physical imprinting at birth -- 18. Emotional and psychological impacts of birth -- 19. Pain relief during labor and childbirth -- 20. Induction -- 21. Caesareans -- 22. Interventions at birth -- 23. The microbiome -- 24. Babies after birth -- 25. The role of midwives -- 26. Therapes for mothers and babies after birth -- 27. A note on crying and sleep -- 28. Barriers to change -- 29. Conclusions -- Appendix 1. Nutrition in pre-conception and pregnancy -- Appendix 2. Resources, further reading and contacts.

"This is a comprehensive and empowering guide to facilitating a positive pregnancy and birth experience, and ensuring lasting emotional and physical health for mother and baby. Countering increasingly medicalized attitudes towards pregnancy and birth among many healthcare providers, this research-based book discusses the benefits of a more natural approach. It reveals the often undisclosed effects on a child's long-term development of accepted medical practices, such as induction, C-section, surgical interventions and pain-relief medications. It offers advice on how these practices can be avoided, for example with techniques to encourage optimal fetal positioning, by optimising the birth environment, and through drug-free pain management methods. Ultimately, it enables practitioners to support parents in informed, confident decision-making by giving a balanced account of the complex array of options available throughout pregnancy and birth. With invaluable contributions from midwives, doulas, mothers, and doctors, and tried-and-tested advice on sleep, exercise, diet and therapies, this will a very useful reference for anyone working with women and babies. The information will also be relevant to prospective and new parents"--Provided by publisher.