The Portland MamaBaby Center Lending Library

Here is a list of all the books and other media available in the Portland MamaBaby Center’s Lending Library.

Pregnancy and Childbirth

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn is an award winning bestselling pregnancy book, that provides abundant, valuable information about pregnancy, labor, birth, the postpartum period, and newborn care. It’s great to have on hand as a general resource book and is a great starter book. There are four (4) copies in the lending library at Portland Midwifery and Doula Care

The Pregnancy Book by Dr. William Sears and Martha Sears, R.N. (parents of many children) is my favorite pregnancy book of all. I raised my children with the help of the Sears family and I highly recommend their entire library. They offer really well organized information that isn’t too extreme on either end of the spectrum for most parents. They are not a highly medical family, despite their degrees – they are actually proponents of co-sleeping, breastfeeding, babywearing, and attachment parenting. There are two (2) copies of this book in the lending library at Portland Doula Care.

Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Curtis and Schuler Compassionate, reassuring, and medically grounded, this guide provides everything expectant parents need for a healthy, happy pregnancy, including descriptions of the fetus’s development each week, up-to-date information about medical tests and procedures, safe weekly exercises to help expectant moms stay in shape, and helpful hints for the father-to-be.(2 copies)

Your Pregnancy after 35 by Curtis and Schuler When a woman becomes pregnant in her late thirties or forties, she naturally has different needs and interests than younger mothers-to-be. Up-to-date and easy to read, Your Pregnancy After 35 provides reassuring medical information as well as sensible advice about how to fit pregnancy into a busy lifestyle. With Your Pregnancy After 35, expectant mothers can feel confident about their pregnancies and learn to be better partners with their healthcare professionals. From how exactly age affects pregnancy to when to consider genetic counseling to how to find the best care when returning to work, this essential guide offers mothers -and their partners-the wise and supportive answers they need.

The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (4th Ed) by Sheila Kitzinger This new edition of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth has been extensively revised to reflect scientific advances and cultural trends. Here, candidly and reasonably presented, is all the information expectant parents need to make their own decisions about everything–from which tests to allow to how to handle pain to where to give birth. 300 photos, drawings & diagrams.

Planning Your Pregnancy and Birth by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists …answers the most common questions women ask before, during, & after pregnancy…discusses birth control, immunizations, when to call the doctor, how to breastfeed, exercise, & much more….interactive charts & checklists. Clients planning a home birth or birthing center birth with a midwife will probably want to skip this one.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by England and Horowitz Here is a holistic approach to childbirth that examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a medical event but as an act of self-discovery. Exercises and activities such as journal writing, meditation, and painting will help mothers analyze their thoughts and face their fears during pregnancy. For use during birth, the book offers proven techniques for coping with labor pain without drugs, a discussion of the doctor or midwife’s role, and a look at the father’s responsibilities. Childbirth education should also include what to expect after the baby is born. Here are baby basics, such as how to bathe a newborn, how to get the little one to sleep, and tips for getting nursing off to a good start. Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is a process of continuous learning and adjustment; Birthing From Within provides the necessary support and education to make each phase of birthing a rewarding experience.

The Birth Book by Sears and Sears is a good place to start – it is a really accessible book. The Sears’ book dedicated solely to issues surrounding your birth. I love this book as a foundation for understanding interventions and forming your birth plan. Dr. Sears’ explores all of your options – pain medications, epidurals, cesareans – benefits and risks of each one – and really leaves it up to you to decide what you need to do for your birth. There are three (3) copies of this book in the lending library.

Active Birth: The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally by Janet Balaskas In an “active birth,” a mother moves about freely, finds comfortable positions for labor and delivery, and seldom needs drugs or obstetrical interventions. In Active Birth, Janet Balaskas teaches mothers to develop all of their bodily resources for giving birth, to follow their own instincts, and to take full control of the childbirth experience. Active Birth includes: fully-illustrated exercises for a comfortable, energetic pregnancy, massage for pregnancy and labor, ways to create the ideal setting for an active birth in the hospital or at home, positions for labor and birth, for maximum comfort and efficient contractions, the latest information about water birth, and how to plan one, exercises for recovery and relaxation after the birth, helpful tips for partners and birth attendants

Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience by Lake and Epstein Internationally known advocates of informed choice RickiLake and Abby Epstein inspire women to take back the birth experience, with essential advice on positive and negative effects of epidurals, Pitocin, and other drugs and interventions, inducing vs. allowing your labor to progress naturally, the truth behind our country’s staggering C-section rate, and assembling your birth team and creating your birth plan.

The Doula Advantage: Your Complete Guide to Having an Empowered and Positive Birth with the Help of a Professional Childbirth Assistant by Rachel Gurevich New moms are spreading the word to pregnant women just like you: Doulas make pregnancy and childbirth the celebratory experience it is meant to be! Doulas are professionally trained women who provide support before, during, and after delivery. Research has shown that doulas help women have positive birth experiences, decrease the need for pain medication, improve breastfeeding success, and reduce the need for cesarean sections and other invasive procedures. Author Rachel Gurevich interviewed more than 235 women and birth professionals to bring you this best-kept pregnancy secret. Inside, you’ll find real mothers’ stories and discover how doulas make a joyful difference in childbirth. You’ll learn:the many ways doulas provide labor support, whether you plan a “natural” or medicated birth, how to find, hire, and choose the right doula, how specialized doulas can help you before or after the baby’s birth, how doulas help the dad-to-be, and more!

Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper (Book + DVD) New parents are faced with a myriad of choices about pregnancy, labor, and birth. In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals. The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices An authoritative guide to natural childbirth and postpartum parenting options from an MD who home-birthed her own four children. Sarah Buckley might be called a third-wave natural birth advocate. A doctor and a mother, she approaches the question of how a woman and baby might have the most fulfilling birth experience with respect for the wisdom of both medical science and the human body. Using current medical and epidemiological research plus women’s experiences (including her own), she demonstrates that what she calls “undisturbed birth” is almost always healthier and safer than high-technology approaches to birth. Her wise counsel on issues like breastfeeding and sleeping during postpartum helps extend the gentle birth experience into a gentle parenting relationship.

Homebirth in the Hospital: Integrating Natural Childbirth with Modern Medicine by Stacey Marie Kerr The personalized and empowering experience of a home birth can also occur in a hospital setting. This book presents fifteen powerful testimonies about this kind of emotionally satisfying birth. The stories show that expectant mothers can minimize fear and put technology where it belongs.Dr. Kerr focuses on the Five C’s: Choice, Communication, Continuity, Confidence, and Control of protocols. Prospective parents will learn what questions to ask when searching for a provider and how to make their hospital birth the fulfilling experience they desire.

Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds by Cynthia Gabriel Recommended by the author’s sister :-) Mothers-to-be who plan a natural birth at a hospital will benefit from minimal medical intervention, while feeling comforted by the proximity of the life-saving technology that only a hospital can provide. A medical anthropologist, doula, and mother of three, Cynthia Gabriel draws from her disparate perspectives to present Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds. This guide is designed to demonstrate to future moms and medical professionals alike how the hospital is the best place for a peaceful, natural, and safe birth.

Spiritual Midwifery (4th Ed.) by Ina May Gaskin Here is the 4th edition of the classic book on home birth that introduced a whole generation of women to the concept of natural childbirth. Back again are even more amazing birthing tales, including those from women who were babies in earlier editions and stories about Old Order Amish women attended by the Farm midwives. Also new is information about the safety of techniques routinely used in hospitals during and after birth, information on postpartum depression and maternal death, and recent statistics on births managed by The Farm Midwives. From the amazing birthing tales to care of the newborn, Spiritual Midwifery is still one of the best books an expectant mother could own. Includes resources for doulas, childbirth educators, birth centers, and other organizations and alliances dedicated to improving maternity care at home and in hospitals.

The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know by Lowe and Zimmerman Here is your guide to the fastest-growing trend in childbirth—a tradition as old as motherhood itself. Doulas, or professional labor assistants, have led thousands of expectant women through the birthing process in a way that’s safe and meaningful, and that creates the birth and postbirth experience all mothers long for. Combining science, wit, warmth, and support, as well as the inspirational stories of dozens of mothers and their partners, you’ll find the “doula viewpoint” on every major pregnancy and delivery issue, making this one of the most important childbirth books you’ll ever read and recommend.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth is written by a scholar who has done a thorough review of research that has been done with respect to birth interventions and outcomes. I think having evidence-based research upon which to base your decisions is really an important part of the educational process. There are two (2) copies of this book in the lending library at Portland Doula Care.

Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth is a book that was written by world-famous midwife, Ina May Gaskin. She shares some really interesting birth stories and talks about birth from a traditional midwifery perspective. Even if you aren’t planning a birth at home with a midwife, I think it’s worth reading a broad spectrum of information. We have four (4) copies available in the library.

The Labor Progress Handbook: Early Interventions to Prevent and Treat Dystocia by Simkin and Ancheta (2 copies – 1st edition and 2nd 3rd editions) The third edition of The Labor Progress Handbook builds on the success of first two editions and remains an unparalleled resource on simple, non-invasive interventions to prevent or treat difficult labor.  Features new to this edition include two new chapters on third and fourth stage labor management and low-technology interventions, a complete analysis of directed versus spontaneous pushing, and additional information on massage techniques.

The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Happier Birth by Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus More and more parents-to-be all over the world are choosing the comfort and reassuring support of birth with a trained labor companion called a “doula.” This warm, authoritative, and irreplaceable guide completely updates the authors’ earlier book, Mothering the Mother, and adds much new and important research. In addition to basic advice on finding and working with a doula, the authors show how a doula reduces the need for cesarean section, shortens the length of labor, decreases the pain medication required, and enhances bonding and breast feeding.

Orgasmic Birth by Elizabeth Davis and Debra Pascali-Bonano Based on the hit documentary that inspired a vibrant online community, this innovative approach to birthing shows women how to maximize childbirth’s emotional and physical rewards. Whether women choose to give birth at home, in a hospital, or in a birthing center, Orgasmic Birth provides all the necessary tools and guidance to design the birth plan that’s best for them. Featuring inspiring stories from mothers and their partners and filled with practical advice and solutions, this one-of-a-kind resource is the next frontier of natural, intimate childbirth.

The Birth Conspiracy: Natural Birth, Hospitals, and Doulas by Rivka Cymbalist The Birth Conspiracy is a guide for women and their partners, for doulas, and for anyone who is interested in the process of birth. The majority of women want to give birth naturally, but they want to do it in a hospital setting, where technology and medical expertise make them feel safe. This technology and expertise make natural birth a rare occurrence in most hospitals. In The Birth Conspiracy, Rivka Cymbalist draws upon her experience at over 500 births to answer to the question “How women can give birth naturally in hospitals”? The key to this answer is the doula. Who or what is a doula? Put simply, someone who accompanies a woman through pregnancy, labor and the birth of her child. But there much more to the doula, and The Birth Conspiracy provides a ground-breaking re-invention of the role of the humble birth companion. In the emotionally and ideologically charged world of childbirth Rivka Cymbalist emerges as down to earth, non-judgmental voice for women who are overwhelmed by choices and opinions: Alternative practitioners try to convince women that everything would be better if they had their babies at home. Hospitals are quick to point to the risks inherent in childbirth and to the expertise and technology needed to overcome them. Is it any wonder that a pregnant woman often feels alone, overwhelmed by facts, ideologies and choices, with everyone wanting a piece of her? The Birth Conspiracy provides women with a unique opportunity to transcend the pushing and pulling of ideologies in the birthing world and it gently guides and educates women about the birth process and about their options in the hospital and at home.

Pushed is a shocking book about the history of birth in the United States and the politics involved in childbirth protocols, interventions, cesareans, and other highly charged birth issues.

The Business of Being Born (DVD) This is the famous documentary done by Ricki Lake when she was pregnant and facing the same exact choices for her birth that you are facing. It is an eye-opening video and definitely something that you should watch to educate yourself about ‘the business’ of birth. This video is also available on Netflix.

Birth Reborn: What Birth Can and Should Be by Michel Odent (hardcover)

A Season to be Born by Suzanne Arms with Photographs by John Arms This book is out of print and difficult to find and was donated to the center by our photographer, Ravyn.  It is the photoessay of Suzanne and John Arms journey into parenthood. Gorgeous old school birth pictures. If you’re planning a home birth, you’ll probably want to at least glance over this book. It’s just fun to look at.

HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method by Marie Mongan In this easy-to-understand guide, HypnoBirthing founder Marie Mongan explodes the myth of pain as a natural accompaniment to birth. She proves through sound medical information that it is not our bodies but our culture that has made childbirth a moment of anguish, and that when we release the fear of birth, a fear that is keeping our bodies tense and closed, we will also release the pain.

Having a Baby Naturally: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Peggy O’Mara For more than twenty-five years, Mothering magazine has captured an audience of educated women who appreciate its “we’ll inform, you choose” approach to parenting. Having a Baby, Naturally reflects this spirit with straightforward, uncensored information about pregnancy and childbirth, addressing common concerns and questions in a compassionate, nonjudgmental style.

The Pregnant Woman’s Companion: Nine Strategies That Work to Keep Your Peace of Mind Through Pregnancy and Into Parenthood by Chrisitine D’Amico This book is about the personal and emotional changes that come with pregnancy and new parenthood. Based upon extensive interviews with expecting couples, new parents, and related professionals, the book highlights nine areas where people experience challenge. Each chapter contains tools, resources, and assessments focused on guiding readers to clarify what they want, eliminate self-imposed limitations, and gain insightful perspectives on their current challenge.

When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by Simkin and Klaus When Survivors Give Birth is written for a mixed audience of maternity care professionals and para-professionals, mental health therapists and counselors, and women survivors and their families. The authors expertly and compassionately address the unusual and distressing challenges that arise for abuse survivors during the childbirth experience. The first section informs the reader of the impact of early sexual abuse on children, adults, and on all aspects of childbearing. The second section teaches skills in communication, self-help skills, counseling and psychotherapy techniques. The third covers clinical challenges and solutions for doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, and others. Case histories throughout the book clarify and apply the content.

Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth by Jenny McCarthy (2 copies) Oh, the joys of pregnancy! There’s the gasiness, constipation, queasiness, and exhaustion; the forgetfulness, crankiness, and the constant worry. Of course, no woman is spared these discomforts and humiliations, but most are too polite to complain or too embarrassed to talk about them. Not Jenny McCarthy!In Belly Laughs, the actress and new mother reveals the naked truth about the tremendous mood swings, the excruciating pains, and the unseemly disfigurement that go along with pregnancy. Never shy, frequently crude, and always laugh-out-loud funny, McCarthy covers it all in the grittiest of girlfriend detail. With tips and hilarious musings on morning sickness and hormonal rage, hemorrhoids, pregnant sex, and the torture and sweet relief that is delivery, Belly Laughs is must-read comic relief for anyone who is pregnant, who has ever been pregnant, is trying to get pregnant or indeed, has ever been born!

Nine Months and a Day: A Pregnancy and Birth Companion by Lieberman and Hughey Holt The authors say that their concise, objective, user-friendly guide answers all the essential questions about pregnancy and delivery and provides helpful checklists, illustrations, and charts to help expecting Moms experience a safe and satisfying birth.

The Natural Pregnancy Book: Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices by Aviva Jill Romm Reading the Natural Pregnancy Book is like having your own personal herbalist and midwife at your side. Expertly written by Aviva Jill Romm, who has been providing family-centered natural health care for almost 20 years, it was one of the first books to explore botanical medicine and pregnancy. Ms. Romm thoughtfully follows the woman’s journey from conception to birth, focusing on natural health. She describes herbs that can promote and maintain a healthy pregnancy (along with those you should avoid during your term) and the basics of a healthy diet, with an emphasis on natural foods. The Natural Pregnancy Book is a complete guide for the woman who envisions a safe pregnancy without technological intervention, as nature intended.

Hey! Who’s Having This Baby Anyway? How To Take Charge and Create a Safe Environment for Your Baby’s Birth by Breck Hawk In this book, Breck Hawk explains how pregnant women can avoid the sometimes serious repercussions caused by unnecessary labor drugs and medical interventions. Hey! Who’s Having This Baby Anyway? begins with the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities so that moms-to-be understand how they can remain involved in their own care. The author then presents information on the types of available caregivers, labor medications, natural remedies, complementary methods of pregnancy and labor, home birth, water birth, birth plans, and breastfeeding. Several chapters close with helpful workbook pages for those readers who learn best by doing. A concluding chapter presents a compilation of women’s childbearing experiences. Finally, lists of helpful books and websites point the way to further information and guidance.  Hey! gives power back to moms-to-be, showing them not only how they can make themselves heard, but also how they can take control of their birth experience.

Beyond the Blues: A Guide to Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression by Bennett and Indman Newly updated, Beyond the blues contains the current information about risk factors, diagnosis, teatment, and prevention of mood disorders in pregnancy and postpartu. Straightforward yet compassionate, it is required reading for all who work with pregnant and postpartum women, as well as for those suffering before or after the baby is born.

Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed To Put Women and Children First by Mardsen Wagner In this rare, behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in hospitals across the country, a longtime medical insider and international authority on childbirth assesses the flawed American maternity care system, powerfully demonstrating how it fails to deliver safe, effective care for both mothers and babies. Written for mothers and fathers, obstetricians, nurses, midwives, scientists, insurance professionals, and anyone contemplating having a child, this passionate exposé documents how, in the most expensive maternity care system in the world, women have lost control over childbirth and what the disturbing results of this phenomenon have been. Born in the USA examines issues including midwifery and the safety of out-of-hospital birth, how the process of becoming a doctor can adversely affect both practitioners and their patients, and why there has been a rise in the use of risky but doctor-friendly interventions, including the use of Cytotec, a drug that has not been approved by the FDA for pregnant women. Most importantly, this gripping investigation, supported by many troubling personal stories, explores how women can reclaim the childbirth experience for the betterment of themselves and their children.

Pilates Pregnancy Guide by Lynne Robinson: Pilates specializes in building core muscles to create a “girdle of strength.” This is crucially important in pregnancy, when the body is under tremendous stress and strain by the added weight and changes in posture. Pilates Pregnancy Guide features a series of exercises tailored to condition these core muscles for a more comfortable pregnancy, an easier labor and a faster recovery. Suitable for women at all fitness levels — with or without Pilates experience — this book provides a comprehensive program during the entire period of pregnancy, with exercises specific to each trimester. Features include: preparing for pregnancy, the benefits of Pilates during pregnancy, the basics of Body Control Pilates®, a program for the first six weeks after the birth, and a continuing program for staying in shape. Workout menus designed for each stage of the pregnancy offer recommended exercises complete with guidelines and warnings. Illustrated with color photographs, each exercise sequence is outlined in specific stages: Aim, Starting Position, Action, and Watchpoints. This exercise program ensures controlled and safe routines throughout the pregnancy and beyond.

Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond by Françoise Barbira Freedman Enhance your experience of pregnancy and birth with the meditative power of yoga. Step-by-step yoga postures specially adapted for each trimester, relaxation techniques and simple breathing exercises will show you how to adjust to the physical demands of labour and give birth with minimum strain. From conception to birth, help develop shared wellbeing, with the only guide to identify the real advantages of yoga for mother and baby.

The Birth of Sabine (DVD) Sabine’s video shows us the excitement and anticipation of a moms first pregnancy. The touching story follows Stephanie and James from the positive pregnancy test, prenatal visits with their midwife, a belly cast, to the unexpected surprise of her water breaking days before labor begins. They are shown making decisions and using natural methods of induction up until the day they are (gratefully!) in labor. Daddy helps catch baby as she is born into the water and placed immediately on momma’s chest.

Welcome, River: Music for Birthing (CD) by Eric Joseph Montgomery (Available to purchase at the center, also) Eric Montgomery is a Portland musician and father who created this CD for the birth of his daughter, River.

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)

Dads and Partners

Becoming a Father: How to Nurture and Enjoy Your (Growing) Family by Dr. Sears This book, written especially for the often-neglected male half of the parenting team, is a father’s guide to making wise investments in his children and family. In BECOMING A FATHER, author Dr. William Sears shares his own story of maturing into fatherhood, discovering the joys of being an involved dad, and weathering the changes that children bring to a marriage. This book discusses the father’s role during childbirth, different ways a father can interact and bond with his child, discipline, balancing the demads of a job with the needs of a family, and more!

Fathers at Birth: Your Role in Bringing Your Child Into the World by Rose St. John Only a few generations ago, men were left to pace the waiting room anxiously anticipating the birth of their children. Times have changed. But many men are still at a loss when it comes to knowing what their role is in the birthing room. ‘Fathers at Birth’ shows you how to transform yourself into the physical, emotional, and spiritual guide your partner needs you to be by providing you with a clear understanding of your role during labor and birth; simple concepts, tips, and tools you need to be a confident birth partner; how to touch and talk to a laboring woman; insight and skills needed to be a companion who makes a difference; and much, much more!

The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-to-Be (2nd Ed) by Brott and Ash This book explores the emotional, financial, and even physical changes the father-to-be may experience during his partner’s pregnancy. Written in an easy-to-absorb format and filled with sound advice and practical tips for men on such topics as, how to make sense of your conflicting emotions, how pregnancy affects your sex life, and how to start a college fund. This volume reassures, commiserates, and informs. It also incorporates the wisdom of top experts in the field, from obstetricians and birth-class instructors to psychologists and sociologists. This new edition features the latest research on many topics (and there’s a ton of it), from expanding sections on overcoming infertility, in vitro, artificial insemination, and other tech-assisted pregnancies, especially where dad is not the biological parent, to updating the sections on childbirth to reflect the fact that about 80 per cent of deliveries are now done with epidurals and new information on c-sections as well. Sections on prenatal communication and education are also be expanded. There will be an overall, top-to-bottom review of the content to make sure all the information is relevant to today’s young and senior dads.

The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year (2nd Ed) by Armin Brott How can you become an effective, involved father when you see your baby only briefly after work? What is the best way to start saving for your child’s college education? The answers to these questions and hundreds more are found on the pages of this easy-to-follow, information-packed volume. Author Armin Brott devotes a chapter to each moth of the first year. In each chapter he charts the physical, intellectual, verbal, and emotional changes the child is going through, and examines the emotional and psychological development the father may experience. He also covers such general parenting issues as coping with crying, finding quality child care, and understanding changes in the relationship with one’s partner. This new edition features the latest research on many topics, from what’s going on at the hospital right after childbirth to what a dad can do when his partner is having trouble breastfeeding, to advice for dads in the military and others who are separated from their kids. More information on preemies, twins, and triplets has been added, along with advice for divorced and renewed dads. The resources section and bibliography are considerably expanded.

Your Pregnancy For the Father-To-Be (2nd Ed.) by Curtis and Schuler Pregnancy can be a thrilling adventure for a couple. Although most attention is directed toward the mom-to-be, the nine months of pregnancy are an exciting, moving— and, yes, occasionally stressful!—time for the expectant father as well. Written with the needs and concerns of the dad-to-be in mind, this book includes a comprehensive glossary of terms, a resource section, up-to-date medical information, and tips for supporting your partner during pregnancy and the birth of your new baby. It will also help you be the best father you can be by covering such topics as: the tests and procedures your partner may undergo, the impact of pregnancy on your relationship and how to handle it, ways to evaluate the expenses of having a baby, and how to be a great labor coach.

Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Greenberg and Hayden An indispensable survival manual for guys entering the trenches of fatherhood, Be Prepared is loaded with one-of-a-kind insights, MacGyver-esque tips and tricks, and no-nonsense advice for mastering the first year as a dad including how to: change a baby at a packed sports stadium, create a decoy drawer full of old wallets, remote controls, and cell phones to throw baby off the scent of your real gear, stay awake (or at least upright) at work, babyproof a hotel room in four minutes flat, construct an emergency diaper out of a towel, a sock, and duct tape. Packed with helpful diagrams and detailed instructions, and delivered with a wry sense of humor, Be Prepared is the ultimate guide for sleep-deprived, applesauce-covered fathers everywhere.

Baby Names

25,000+ Baby Names by Bruce Lansky  Not sure what to name your child? Torn between a traditional family name and an up-and-coming name? Or maybe you don’t even know where to start? Let 25,000+ Baby Names be your guide to finding the right name! This book lets you easily scan boys’ and girls’ names and includes features like: guidelines for naming your baby, popular names from around the world, origins, meanings, famous namesakes, and interesting name trivia.

The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby by Laura Wattenberg Yes, your baby’s perfect name is out there. The trick is finding it. The perfect baby name will speak to your heart, give your child a great start in life—and maybe even satisfy your relatives.  But you can’t expect to just stumble on a name like that in an A to Z dictionary or on a trendy list. That’s why you need The Baby Name Wizard. Created by a name-searching mom, it uses groundbreaking research and computer generated models to pinpoint each name’s image, examine its usage and popularity over the last 100 years, and suggest other promising ideas. A perfect guide to the modern world of names, The Baby Name Wizard will engage you from the first name you look up and keep you enchanted through your journey to the just-right name for your baby.

The New Age Baby Name Book by Sue Browder The New Age Baby Name Book is the quirky naming guide that has outlasted the trendiness of New Age. It has a total of 20,000 names including classic, popular, offbeat & even gender-neutral that are taken from dozens of cultures & traditions.

Parenting

The Baby Book is my favorite parenting book of all time. This is the Baby Bible by Dr. Sears and Martha Sears. They share their medical wisdom along with their well-tested parenting advice. You are welcome to borrow mine, but if you can afford to buy it, then I suggest you buy it while you’re still pregnant. I had the first edition when my first child was born and I raised her on it. I bought the updated edition with my second child, and now I have the latest edition for my practice.

The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night’s Rest For The Whole Family  William and Martha Sears, authors of 11 books that make up the Sears Parenting Library, are the team of pediatric experts to whom American parents increasingly turn for advice. They are joined here by their son Robert, a board-certified pediatrician.

The Discipline Book: How To Have a Better-Behaved Child From Birth to Age 10 by Sears and Sears Everything you need to know about discipline to raise a happy, well-adjusted, well-behaved child-from America’s foremost baby and childcare experts Disciplining children means equipping them with the tools to succeed in life. In this unique guide, Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, the pediatrics specialists whose books on birth, babies, and parenting have become widely praised bestsellers, explain what you can do to shape your child’s behavior so that good conduct comes naturally. With a focus not just on managing behavior problems but also on preventing them, the Searses offer clear, practical advice on a broad range of disciplinary issues, including: * mother’s role vs. father’s role * developing the connection with your baby that will make discipline easier in years to come * saying no * taming temper tantrums * self-esteem as the foundation of good behavior * helping a child to express feelings * the constructive use of anger * good nutrition for good behavior * sleep and nighttime discipline * sibling rivalry * spanking and alternatives to spanking * how to eliminate bothersome behaviors such as whining and talking back * how to respond when your child lies, cheats, or steals * discipline after divorce and in the single-parent household Drawing on nearly thirty years of the Searses’ experience as childcare professionals and as the parents of eight children, The Discipline Book will make you confident in your ability to correct undesirable behavior, to promote good behavior, and to instill the values that will help your child become morally literate.

The First 3 Months: America’s Foremost Baby and Childcare Experts Answer the Most Frequently Asked Questions by Sears and Sears What you should know about caring for your newborn baby. Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, the doctor and nurse husband and wife team who are today widely recognized as America’s leading authorities on childcare, have spent decades answering parents’ questions about nurturing newborns. In this book they share their expertise on: bonding with your baby, avoiding common breast feeding problems, learning the language of your newborn, picking the best baby formula, boosting your infant’s IQ, establishing a routine for you and your baby, treating diaper rash and other common skin conditions, weight gain in newborns, baby’s first shots and screening tests, sight and hearing: how your baby perceives the world, baby’s breathing-what’s normal, constipation, diarrhea, and reading your baby’s stools, traveling with your baby, calming a tense baby, and much, much more.

The Premature Baby Book by Sears and Sears This major new addition to the Sears Parenting Library is a comprehensive, authoritative, and reassuring guide for parents of premature babies. 20 line drawings & photos.

The Vaccine Book is written by William and Martha Sears’ son, a pediatrician himself, Dr. Robert Sears. If you are at all concerned about vaccinating your child, I recommend you start educating yourself! You may decide to do some vaccines, but not others, none at all, or maybe all of them. This book provides you with information and allows you to make your own choices. There is also a section in the book about boosting your child’s immune system should you decide to vaccinate him or her. Good stuff!

Natural Family Living: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Parenting by Peggy O’Mara For more than two decades, Mothering Magazine has been the source for sound alternatives to mainstream parenting. Now Peggy O’Mara, editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine, brings her knowledge and compassion to a compendium of never-before-published parenting wisdom — and presents, in one convenient volume, a genuinely natural approach to raising our children.

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby by Tracy Hogg At the heart of Tracy’s simple but profound message: treat the baby as you would like to be treated yourself. Reassuring, down-to-earth, and often flying in the face of conventional wisdom, Secrets of the Baby Whispererpromises parents not only a healthier, happier baby but a more relaxed and happy household as well. (There are 2 copies of this book at the center)

Parenting From the Inside Out by Siegel and Hartzell How many parents have found themselves thinking: I can’t believe I just said to my child the very thing my parents used to say to me! Am I just destined to repeat the mistakes of my parents? In Parenting from the Inside Out, child psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., and early childhood expert Mary Hartzell, M.Ed., explore the extent to which our childhood experiences actually do shape the way we parent. Drawing upon stunning new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, they explain how interpersonal relationships directly impact the development of the brain, and offer parents a step-by-step approach to forming a deeper understanding of their own life stories, which will help them raise compassionate and resilient children. Born out of a series of parents’ workshops that combined Siegel’s cutting-edge research on how communication impacts brain development with Hartzell’s thirty years of experience as a child-development specialist and parent educator, Parenting from the Inside Out guides parents through creating the necessary foundations for loving and secure relationships with their children.

Heading Home with your Newborn: From Birth to Reality by Jana and Shu This fully updated guide offers “parent-tested, pediatrician-approved” advice for new parents finding themselves overwhelmed with the reality of caring for a baby in the first eight weeks of its life. The second edition features a wealth of new information on topics such as vaccines, child care providers, babies and learning, car seats, safe sleep, cord blood, what to keep in the medicine cabinet, postpartum depression, and organic formulas. With wit and humor, the pediatrician moms allay the feelings of anxiety, guilt, and inadequacy that inevitably plague first-time parents home alone with a newborn, providing authoritative yet compassionate advice for the sleep-deprived and overwhelmed. From “Going with the Flow” (the trials of breastfeeding) and “What Goes in Must Come Out” (a discussion of “pee and poop”) to “Fever: Trial by Fire” and “Seeing Yellow: Jaundice,” this handbook provides solid, practical, balanced guidance that will enable parents to feel confident about their parenting skills.

Breastfeeding

Ina May’s Guide To Breastfeeding Everything you need to know to make breastfeeding a joyful, natural, and richly fulfilling experience for both you and your baby! Drawing on her decades of experience in caring for pregnant women, mothers, and babies, Ina May Gaskin explores the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding and gives you invaluable practical advice that will help you nurse your baby in the most fulfilling way possible. Inside you’ll find answers to virtually every question you have on breastfeeding. We have two (2) copies in the lending library.

The Breastfeeding Book: Everything You Need To Know About Nursing Your Child From Birth Through Weaning by Sears and Sears In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in breastfeeding. Yet first-time mothers often lack the support and the knowledge they need. Many of the available books fail to address the practical challenges that confront many women (especially women who work outside the home) when they choose to breastfeed. For these women, The Breastfeeding Book is a godsend with comprehensive, reassuring, authoritative information on how to get started, including tips for latching on, increasing your milk supply, breastfeeding in absentia, pumps and the new technology associated with breastfeeding, and making sure your nursing baby gets the nutrition he/she needs. This book addresses common problems, booby traps, concerns, medical issues, and more. I really love the style of these books and The Breastfeeding Book is just as amazing as all the rest of their books are.   There are three (3) copies of this book in the library.

The Nursing Mother’s Companion (3rd Ed) by Kathleen Huggins Breastfeeding has major benefits for both you and your baby– it provides the best nutrition (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization), it saves money (on sick-baby doctor visits and formula and bottles), and it creates a unique bond between you and your child. Breastfeeding is not always easy, but with proper guidance and encouragement, you can overcome almost any challenge you may encounter and continue to breastfeed for as long as you choose.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is LaLeche League’s classic book on everything related to breastfeeding. If you plan to breastfeed, I think you should read it. We have two copies (the 7th Ed. and 8th Ed.)

The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers: The Most Comprehensive Problem-Solving Guide to Breastfeeding From the Foremost Expert in North America by Newman and Pitman Although breastfeeding is the natural and healthy way to nourish your baby, it’s not always easy. Many new mothers are scared away from nursing because of difficulty getting started and lack of information about what to do when things don’t go as planned. In this fully revised and updated edition of The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, two of today’s foremost lactation experts help new mothers overcome their fears, doubts, and practical concerns about one of the most special ways a mother can bond with her baby.

Bestfeeding: How to Breastfeed Your Baby by Arms, Fisher, and Renfrew is beautiful to look at and easy to read, BESTFEEDING reaffirms the joy and ease of breastfeeding when a mother has access to both information and ongoing support. A positive and helpful book.

Herbs and Natural Remedies

Hygieia: A Woman’s Herbal by Jeannine Parvati Baker is the first book of its kind to interweave the ancient practice of herbalism with the current women’s consciousness and wholistic health. This herbal is an encyclopedic work covering many aspects of of women’s health. Personal stories, dreams and poems enliven the text, which has many drawings and photos of women and their plant allies. HYGIEIA is a useful and evocative reference book for every woman concerned about her soul (psyche) as well as her feminine health.

New Choices in Natural Healing: Over 1,800 of the Best Self-Help Remedies from the World of Alternative Medicine by Doug Dollemore Topics include:

• Acupressure– for pinpoint pain relief
• Aromatherapy– relieve stress and tension
• Ayurveda– a customized system of better health
• Flower Therapy– heal the mind, and the body will follow
• Food Therapy– the power to erase disease
• Herbal Therapy– a healing partnership with Mother Nature
• Homeopathy– medicines perhaps more powerful than prescriptions
• Hydrotherapy– bathe yourself in natural healing
• Imagery– picture yourself perfectly healthy
• Juice Therapy– the curative essence of fruits and vegetables
• Massage– hands-on healing for yourself and your family
• Reflexology– speed restorative energy to organs and body parts
• Relaxation and Meditation– achieve a higher state of health
• Sound Therapy– soothe your body with music’s gentle waves
• Vitamin and Mineral Therapy– natural prescriptions for healing
• Yoga– stretches for better health

The Encyclopedia of Alternative Health & Natural Remedies: The Complete Guide to Alternative Health by Michael Endacott

Placenta: The Gift of Life by Cornelia Enning combines the experiences of midwives, doctors and naturopaths with our ancestors’ traditions, and saves some old recipes from oblivion. While numerous articles have been written on the subject, this unique and groundbreaking book is the only guide to using placenta currently on the market. Learn about historical uses of the placenta, the use of the placenta in postpartum healing and breastfeeding, regulation and current medical and cosmetic uses of the placenta in various countries, scientific evidence supporting the medicinal uses of placenta, how to process placenta for medical use and recipes for using the placenta

Herbal Medicine by Dian Dinicin Buchman is the classic bestselling book on herbs, now completely revised and updated to include all the latest information and discoveries in the world of herbs. Learn how to use herbs to relieve headaches, flu, alleviate muscle pain, stop allergies and change the way you look and feel.

The Herbal Menopause Book: Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Natural Therapies by Amanda M. Crawford Anyone interested in holistic applications to common problems will welcome this herbal guide for women entering menopause. Natural treatments for related problems from depression and fibroids to hot flashes and osteoporosis are covered in clear chapters which have been thoroughly researched to provide the latest insights.

World Medicine: The East West Guide to Healing Your Body by Tom Monte

A Mother’s Guide to Herbal Extracts – Saving Tristan by Kathy Garber

Self Improvement

Transformation Soup by Sark This is a book of questions & discoveries. There is much to heal and a lot to laugh about.

Living Juicy: Daily Morsels for your Creative Soul by Sark This book is jumping for joy on the inside. Sark gives us the juice to nourish our creative souls with this map and miniature guidebook. Weekly topics include “procrastinating,” “energizing,” “adventuring,” “aging,” and “shouting.” Each daily affirmation is designed to stop those dry and cracked feelings and give us those sweet, wild moments we crave.

Better Sex Through Yoga I: Beginner (DVD) A fun, energizing introduction to Yoga for the best reason of all ­ your love life. Volume I focuses on an often neglected region of the body; your inner-core muscles, giving your body an entirely new sensual awareness. This specifically designed routine for men and women presents carefully chosen yoga postures, combined with modern dance, that target your body’s inner-core. By strengthening and stretching your inner-core muscles, you will begin unlocking the results you desire. With Better Sex Through Yoga I, you don’t need to be limber or athletic to get instant benefits. No complicated positions to master ­ just simple targeted moves to start you on your way to a revitalized, amazing new love life.

Yoga for Beginners (DVD)

*Midwifery Education

(*These books are available for use within the center only and may be checked)

Holistic Midwifery: A Comprehensive Textbooks for Midwives in Homebirth Practice, Vol 1: Care During Pregnancy by Anne Frye This text is the first of three volumes (two of which have been published) covering all aspects of midwifery care during pregnancy and childbirth and of the mother and baby after birth. This volume discusses care from conception until the onset of labor. Topics include basic female anatomy & physiology, midwifery practice issues, cultural considerations, hands-on skills, care through each trimester, problems that may occur in any trimester, and preexisting medical conditions.

Holistic Midwifery: A Comprehensive Textbook for Midwives in Homebirth Practice, Vol 2: Care of the Mother and Baby from the Onset of Labor Through the First Hours After Birth by Anne Frye This text is the second of three volumes (two of which have been published) covering all aspects of midwifery care during pregnancy and childbirth and of the mother and baby after birth. This volume discusses care from the onset of labor through the first hours after birth.

Understanding Diagnostic Tests in the Childbearing Year: A Holistic Approach by Anne Frye The latest edition of this best-selling reference text explains diagnostic tests for the practicing midwife. It is also used by parents to better understand the care they are receiving and to make informed choices about which tests they do and do not want. It is recommended by numerous midwifery programs for student midwives and used by practicing midwives as well as doulas, childbirth educators, doctors and other practitioners with a speciality in maternity care throughout the English-speaking world.

Neonatal Resuscitation Textbook  (6th Edition) by the AAP/AHA The new 6th edition of the NRP Textbook offers a rich array of teaching and learning aids based on the 2010 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/and American Heart Association (AHA) “Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care of the Neonate. Text is packaged with a multimedia DVD. (We also have a copy of the 5th Edition in the library.)

Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth by Elizabeth Davis For over two decades, HEART & HANDS has been a beloved guide for both midwives and parents interested in the benefits of midwifery care. This all-new fourth edition has been revised from start to finish, featuring updated material that emphasizes independent midwifery, physiologic (natural) birth, and the art of nonintervention. Midwifery expert Elizabeth Davis includes valuable hints for turning breech and posterior babies, mediating pain in labor, and supporting newborn physiology. Davis also reveals the keys to postpartum recovery, with practical tips on breastfeeding for busy mothers. Comprehensive and compassionate, HEART & HANDS remains a dog-eared classic for parents, midwives, and other birthing helpers.Thoroughly revised and updated fourth edition of the classic text for midwives, also useful for expecting parents, nurses, childbirth educators, doulas, and other labor helpers.Features new diagrams and photographs, updated midwifery forms, and an expanded resource list for parents.Expanded sections on GBS, VBAC, gestational diabetes, and water birth address current controversies.

Birth Emergency Skills Training: Manual for Out-of Hospital Midwives by Bonnie Gruenberg Midwives attending childbirth in homes and birth centers seldom encounter emergencies, but when crisis occurs, lives hang in the balance! It is difficult to remain proficient in skills so seldom practiced, yet pregnant women rely on the expertise of the provider in an emergency. Birth Emergency Skills Training: Manual for Out-of-Hospital Midwives is the interface between the world of midwifery and the world of medicine. It carries the reader from the initial steps of intervention though definitive care, balancing a friendly tone and visual appeal with authoritative and clinically useful information. It is loaded with mnemonics and other memory aids, and is richly illustrated with the author’s artful drawings and photography.

The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business by Patty Brennan Make a living doing work you love! The Doula Business Guide is a comprehensive, go-to manual for individuals and groups wanting to establish and grow a thriving doula service. This nuts and bolts manual covers the pros and cons of self-employment, small business set up and development, a variety of business models, nonprofit set-up and management, community-based and hospital-based doula program models, staying out of trouble with the IRS, contemporary marketing basics, grant writing for maternal-infant health initiatives, risk management for doulas and doula programs, setting boundaries with clients, personal safety strategies and self defense for outreach workers, and more. 400 pages of inspiration and useful information for launching a doula career or program.