~ RESOURCES ~
CHILDBEARING YEARS -
Websites to Support Your Learning:
SpinningBabies.com - A wonderful resource. Filled with photos and guidance on ways to help babies find optimal positioning before and in birth.
BreastfeedingOnline.com - Lots of great articles and information for general or specific breastfeeding support.
The Normalizing Homebirth Project - An organization that matches up homebirth mothers-to-be with experienced homebirth mother mentors.
Contra-Indicated Herbs While Pregnant - For those of you who are curious about what herbs are not generally considered safe during pregnancy, check out this great list broken up by categories.
Online Interactive Meal Calendar! - Great for families or care providers to set up before the birth and invite friends and family to sign up for days and weeks postpartum so the growing family can be well nourished!
Articles of Interest:
Interventions and C-Sections NOT linked to better birth outcomes for low risk pregnancies - Click here for article
Your Sacred Pregnancy, Moving from Fear to Faith - Click here for article
When Push Comes to Shove (about the uterus and ways to prepare it for optimal positioning in birth) - Click here for article
5 Interesting Things Women Do With Their Placentas - Click here for article
After the Birth, What a Family Needs - Click here for blog post
Books I HIGHLY Recommend:
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - by Ina May Gaskin
This book is an easy, accessible read for anyone- great for mothers and partners and grandparents. This is a good read for ANY pregnant woman, regardless of birth location (ie great for hospital, birth center, or homebirth mamas-to-be). Encourages a deep trust in birth as a natural, intuitive process. Written by an elder homebirth midwife and based in personal experience (she has been at over 1000 births) and evidence. (Personal Anecdote: This was the ONLY book my sister read and she had an AMAZING, short, completely uncomplicated birth. She also doubtlessly trusted the process as a result of reading the book.)
Spiritual Midwifery - by Ina May Gaskin
A classic and deeply empowering collection of first-hand stories from women and partners reflecting on their birth experiences. Language is rather outdated, but interesting when considering the time period (1970's).
Birthing From Within - by Pam England
This is a wonderful book, very helpful as preparation for the birth and postpartum experience - especially in relationship to expressing and moving through fears, challenges, discomforts or other emotions surrounding pregnancy, birth, becoming a parent, etc. Lots of suggested exercises and projects to use in the childbearing years. Creative and inspiring.
HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method - by Marie F Mongan
Many women I have worked with and talked to have found parts of this book to offer keys to relaxation during their birth experience. The premise of this book is that deep relaxation and slow, methodical breathing facilitates a welcoming and painless (or at least less painful) experience of birth. Offers exercises and comes with a CD to encourage deep relaxation.
Gentle Birth Choices: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions about Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth & Hospital Birth - by Barbara Harper R.N.
This is a wonderful resource to consult in the early (or later) months of pregnancy so that you make a fully informed decision about where and with whom you want to birth your baby.
Films to Check Out:
Orgasmic Birth
Birth As We Know It
The Business of Being Born
One World Birth Trailer -Click here to see trailer
A new film coming out that includes many well-respected empowering birth advocates, midwives, doctors. Looks at the current state of birth around the world and the increasing "business of birth" and asks important questions about what this will do to us as a species over generations. Supports a worldview in which the experience of birth is a woman's right and is trusted as a physiological process, just as it has been throughout time. Inspiring.
Websites to Support Your Learning:
SpinningBabies.com - A wonderful resource. Filled with photos and guidance on ways to help babies find optimal positioning before and in birth.
BreastfeedingOnline.com - Lots of great articles and information for general or specific breastfeeding support.
The Normalizing Homebirth Project - An organization that matches up homebirth mothers-to-be with experienced homebirth mother mentors.
Contra-Indicated Herbs While Pregnant - For those of you who are curious about what herbs are not generally considered safe during pregnancy, check out this great list broken up by categories.
Online Interactive Meal Calendar! - Great for families or care providers to set up before the birth and invite friends and family to sign up for days and weeks postpartum so the growing family can be well nourished!
Articles of Interest:
Interventions and C-Sections NOT linked to better birth outcomes for low risk pregnancies - Click here for article
Your Sacred Pregnancy, Moving from Fear to Faith - Click here for article
When Push Comes to Shove (about the uterus and ways to prepare it for optimal positioning in birth) - Click here for article
5 Interesting Things Women Do With Their Placentas - Click here for article
After the Birth, What a Family Needs - Click here for blog post
Books I HIGHLY Recommend:
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - by Ina May Gaskin
This book is an easy, accessible read for anyone- great for mothers and partners and grandparents. This is a good read for ANY pregnant woman, regardless of birth location (ie great for hospital, birth center, or homebirth mamas-to-be). Encourages a deep trust in birth as a natural, intuitive process. Written by an elder homebirth midwife and based in personal experience (she has been at over 1000 births) and evidence. (Personal Anecdote: This was the ONLY book my sister read and she had an AMAZING, short, completely uncomplicated birth. She also doubtlessly trusted the process as a result of reading the book.)
Spiritual Midwifery - by Ina May Gaskin
A classic and deeply empowering collection of first-hand stories from women and partners reflecting on their birth experiences. Language is rather outdated, but interesting when considering the time period (1970's).
Birthing From Within - by Pam England
This is a wonderful book, very helpful as preparation for the birth and postpartum experience - especially in relationship to expressing and moving through fears, challenges, discomforts or other emotions surrounding pregnancy, birth, becoming a parent, etc. Lots of suggested exercises and projects to use in the childbearing years. Creative and inspiring.
HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method - by Marie F Mongan
Many women I have worked with and talked to have found parts of this book to offer keys to relaxation during their birth experience. The premise of this book is that deep relaxation and slow, methodical breathing facilitates a welcoming and painless (or at least less painful) experience of birth. Offers exercises and comes with a CD to encourage deep relaxation.
Gentle Birth Choices: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions about Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth & Hospital Birth - by Barbara Harper R.N.
This is a wonderful resource to consult in the early (or later) months of pregnancy so that you make a fully informed decision about where and with whom you want to birth your baby.
Films to Check Out:
Orgasmic Birth
Birth As We Know It
The Business of Being Born
One World Birth Trailer -Click here to see trailer
A new film coming out that includes many well-respected empowering birth advocates, midwives, doctors. Looks at the current state of birth around the world and the increasing "business of birth" and asks important questions about what this will do to us as a species over generations. Supports a worldview in which the experience of birth is a woman's right and is trusted as a physiological process, just as it has been throughout time. Inspiring.
PLANT MEDICINE and FOOD AS MEDICINE-
Articles of Interest:
Golden Milk: An Ancient and Healing Remedy (on turmeric as a multi-purpose healing food) - Click here to read article
Tansy as Possible Treatment for Herpes - Click here to read article
Bacteria Divide People into Three Types, Scientists Say - Click here to read article
Wise Woman Perspective on Digestive Distress - Click here to read article