Search results for ""pinter martin ltd.""

In modern maternity systems one in four women have their labour induced. Why Induction Matters provides a comprehensive, evidence-based guide to this common intervention. The induction process is explained in detail, and reasons for offering induction are discussed. Options related to inducing labour or choosing to wait are explored, and women’s experiences are included throughout. The book aims to help parents make their own informed decisions about induction of labour.

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Evidence continues to increase on the practical and emotional benefits of babywearing, both to parents and their children. Among many other benefits, babywearing can help parents bond with a new baby, and facilitate both breastfeeding and the care of the baby’s older siblings. Babywearing also has benefits for society at large. Children are more securely emotionally attached and there is evidence of a link between the reduced incidence of postnatal depression and babywearing. In this new book, Rosie Knowles explores all these advantages, along with the practicalities of how to babywear and babywearing culture. She demonstrates how a clearer understanding of babywearing, and the attachment parenting philosophy as a whole, can ultimately lead to a happier, healthier society.

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Perhaps you had a difficult birth. Hopefully, you have a healthy baby. That, after all, is the most important thing. Or is it? So why are you struggling to move on? Why do you keep thinking about the birth or replaying it in your mind? Why do you feel guilty when other people say “at least you have a healthy baby”? In Birth Shock, perinatal clinical psychologist Mia Scotland explains clearly what can be harmful about birth, how birth trauma can affect mothers, fathers and health professionals, and why it seems to be on the rise. If you are suffering from the effects of a difficult birth, even if the birth doesn’t sound bad to others, then this book is for you. Perhaps the birth was really bad and your baby isn’t okay. Perhaps you are a partner who feels traumatised, or you are a midwife or a doctor. In these pages you will find: a clear, concise, psychological explanation of what birth trauma actually is discussion of what causes birth trauma clear tips and advice on how to put yourself on the path to recovery Birth Shock draws on what we know about trauma, PTSD and the nature of birth and maternity systems to show how you can take steps toward letting go of any guilt, self-blame or confusion that you may be feeling.

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When breasts first start to grow, no one talks about it. There aren’t any greetings cards that say, ‘Woo Hoo! Your breasts are developing!’ but you get a birthday card when you are ten and that’s just about planet Earth going around the Sun ten times. Why don’t we say, “Woo Hoo!”? Because we live in a society where we often get uncomfortable and look at the floor when it comes to talking about breasts. They seem to be important in lots of ways but then there are these confusing rules that say when we’re allowed to notice them and talk about them, and when we’re not. This book tells you all about breasts and helps you to feel confident about their arrival. They are much more than just a pair of bumps that can fit into a bra. Breasts can do amazing things that scientists are only beginning to understand. This book says, “Woo Hoo!” and ‘Wow!’ and ‘Isn’t that amazing?’ It says, “Congratulations!” and also says, “I know this feels a bit weird too.” Your body has looked the same for a long time and now things are changing. That can take some getting used to. Let’s get to know more about our two lifelong buddies with the WHEN, HOW and WHY of breasts.

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Amity Reed became a midwife to serve women, but the reality of working in over-stretched and underfunded NHS maternity services soon shattered her illusions. She’s not alone – for every 30 midwives that train, 29 will leave the profession. Overdue is both the devastating personal story behind the statistics, and a call for change in the NHS. Real-life stories capture the moments at the heart of midwifery: life, death, birth, tragedy and joy, and are embedded in a clear-sighted examination of what is working – and what isn’t – in maternity services. The result is a book that asks – and tries to answer – questions that are at the heart of many people’s working lives: how can we follow our calling, provide for our families and keep ourselves healthy, if the workplace and its systems are working against us?

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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: when adopted midwife Mariam embarks on a project to protect an abandoned premature baby, she is forced to face her own abandonment years before. Time is running out before the baby is sent to the orphanage. Mysterious characters from the city surrounding the hospital will be crucial in determining the baby’s fate, as will a workaholic British doctor with whom Mariam finds herself falling in love... Alice Allan's debut novel is an original, vivid and moving story about attachment and loss.

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Dr Grantly Dick-Read died on 11 June 1959. His teaching, however, gains a growing recognition even though others are putting their names to his theories and practices. The delivery on this recording was not in fact an 'easy' one, as the baby was not fully rotated. The record, therefore, not only justifies Dick-Read's teaching but is also a tribute to his own skill as a gynaecologist. The following sleeve notes were written a month after the recording. 'When my wife informed me that she was going to have a baby, I think my reactions were typical of most husbands. I was delighted, for we both wanted to start a family, but I was also anxious. My knowledge of childbirth was limited. I had heard that pregnancy could be 'difficult', that labour itself, if not actually dangerous, meant many hours of suffering either nobly endured or alleviated with anaesthesia. My wife, however, insisted that I read "Childbirth without Fear" by Dr Grantly Dick-Read. There I learned the simple tenets upon which his teaching is founded. The fear of childbirth can be overcome by simple instruction in the truth of natural processes. The methods by which a woman can help herself and not cause her own distress - correct breathing and relaxation for use during pregnancy and labour were explained. Simple exercises (requiring only a few minutes per day) to aid the general fitness for the birth of the baby were described. Dr Dick-Read stressed that even more important than the removal of pain is the spiritual joy the mother experiences when she sees her baby into the world, a joy, which transcends the moment of birth, and has a lasting influence on the family unity. This, as Dr Dick-Read says, is the experience, which is destroyed when the sensations of birth are removed or disturbed by interference. My wife decided that she would prepare for natural childbirth. It was at this point that as a recording executive I became involved professionally. My wife volunteered to have her labour recorded and Dr Dick-Read agreed to supervise her delivery and give a commentary as the labour proceeded. In effect, we had provided Dr Dick-Read with a test of some severity. We were not asking him to choose the best result from, say, twelve cases. The patient was not even selected by him. She was having her first baby and she was over thirty. Mrs Dick-Read began the antenatal preparation, as described in the book "Antenatal Illustrated". The voices you will hear on this record are those of Dr Dick-Read, Mrs Dick-Read, the expectant mother and, towards the end of the record, a woman doctor in general practice who assisted Dr Dick-Read. Another doctor who was present primarily as an interested observer was also skilled in the administration of pain relief should the patient have desired it. A bedroom in Dr Dick-Read's house in Petersfield had been equipped with a labour bed. Trilene and Pethedine were available; for, contrary to some reports, a strongly maintained principle of Dr Dick-Read's teaching was that the patient should not be expected to suffer any unnecessary pain or discomfort. Three microphones were used. One was placed above the bed and used to pick up conversations between doctor and patient and also the atmosphere of the ward, which was calm and peaceful throughout. At each side of the bed we placed microphones for use when either Dr or Mrs Dick-Read wished to make any comment. I personally operated the recording equipment in an adjoining room during the confinement and can categorically state that at no time did I feel that my wife was asked to bear any severe discomfort. Even when owing to the incomplete rotation of the baby's head at the outlet, and in order to prevent unnecessarily prolonging the final stage of labour, a small incision was made, my wife did not feel this and did not at any stage request anaesthetic. That she was asked to do a lot of very hard work she will be the first to admit. But the joy of the birth itself is unforgettable. During the early stages of her labour I was with her and able to help during her contractions with the back-rubbing, she found so beneficial at this stage. A swishing sound on the record during the first stage contractions is made by this back-rubbing. It is during this stage that Dr Dick-Read insisted that all patients should have company. So often the expectant mother is 'left to get on with it until the second stage is reached. During the second stage considerable background noise is caused by the movement of the bed-clothes when the patient changes her position in order to use her contractions efficiently. The recording was made on tape, edited and then transferred to a long playing record. Before we started to condense the recording of a twelve-hour labour to the length of one LP record we invited reporters to hear parts of the as yet uncut tape, including the last twenty minutes. It was pointed out to them that although a very heavy task of selection lay ahead, there was nothing which needed to be suppressed for the purpose of demonstrating natural childbirth. The editing presented two major problems. Owing to the fact that our microphones were highly sensitive in order to pick up the quietly and calmly conducted comments and discussions of the doctor, his patient and his assistants, we also picked up many unwanted and distracting noises, doors closing, sterilised tins being opened, running taps, etc. These noises have been removed wherever possible from the finished record. Condensation proved more difficult, for many of the early stage contractions were very similar, and throughout the first two stages there were long periods when the patient was lying peacefully relaxed between her contractions. All that was merely repetitious or irrelevant had to be discarded. To present a twelve-hour labour on one long playing record was clearly impossible, therefore we were faced with a further problem. If we did not include some passages of rest and relaxation, we would give an impression that the patient moved rapidly from contraction to contraction; but to allow a five-minute rest its full playing time was not possible. We have tried, therefore, to maintain the impression of the overall rhythm of labour by selection of contractions and the shortening of silences. We have not condensed individual contractions. This is important in demonstrating the breath control called for during contractions. This record, then, is an account of a twelve-hour labour leading up to the dramatic moments when the baby is born. One of the most outstanding moments on this record occurs towards the end of the first side. Using his stethoscope with a microphone placed alongside it, Dr Dick-Read searches for and listens to the heart-beat of the baby while it is still in the birth canal, one hour and a half before it is born-an exciting moment for the recording technicians and the doctors when they heard the playback for the first time. Reporting on the last twenty minutes of this recording, one of Britain's leading newspapers, the "Daily Mirror", called it: "The most moving record I have ever heard". If this record helps to abolish fear, it will help to abolish pain in labour. If it helps to spread the teachings of Dr Grantly Dick-Read, then it will have done its job. His work won its due recognition when it was acknowledged and approved by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, who also commented upon the spiritual approach inherent in Dr Dick-Read's method, saying: "The researches of the Englishman, Dr Grantly Dick-Read, differed notably from those of the Russians (notably the followers of I.P. Pavlov) in their philosophical and metaphysical postulates which were not based, like those of the Russians, on materialistic concepts". This record should help to prepare a woman for the emotional and spiritual experience which is her right, and needs to be fought for, just as much as her right to highly skilled surgery, or pain-killing drugs. There is still some opposition to Dr Dick-Read's work, especially in his own country; there are many places where lip-service is paid to his system; but if his method is followed sincerely by those responsible for the conduct of labour, the result can be as on this record. Here, then, unscripted and unrehearsed, is a record of a natural childbirth.' H.J.U.

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The first book dedicated to the subject of Ashtanga yoga, pregnancy, birth and motherhood. This in-depth book offers the guidance, shared wisdom and practical advice that every student and teacher of Ashtanga yoga needs for the journey to motherhood and beyond. Covering many aspects of this transformative time in a woman’s life, Yoga Sadhana for Mothers is an invaluable resource for anyone working with pregnant or postpartum yoga students. Includes: inspiring, first-hand stories of conception, pregnancy, birth and motherhood written by women practitioners of Ashtanga yoga from around the world, including some of Shri K. Pattabhi Jois’s most long-standing students and influential teachers clear, illustrated guidelines on modifying the Ashtanga yoga primary series during pregnancy developed in collaboration with R. Sharath Jois, director of KPJAYI in Mysore, India warm, personal interviews with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois’s daughter, Saraswathi Rangaswamy and his granddaughter Sharmila Mahesh, offering insight into family traditions passed down by Jois and his wife Amma practical guidance on postpartum recovery using Ayurvedic foods and therapeutic practices to aid healing beautiful photographs from the 1980s to the present day, documenting family life and the practice A heart-warming and indispensable companion for any practitioner of yoga who is hoping to become – or who already is – a mother.

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How do I keep my yoga practice going while I travel? What are the best postures for jet-lag? What stretches should I do after scuba-diving? Or cycling? Or the morning after a big night out? Is there a good yoga sequence for when I'm feeling tired and lonely? What do I do if there's not enough space for my mat? The answer to all these questions and much more lies within the pages of this little book. Written by a seasoned yoga teacher and international traveller, whose positive and compassionate wisdom comes through on every page, this is the only travel yoga book you will ever need.

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This acclaimed account by author of the bestselling author of Irrationailty of his own manic depression remains unique in its honesty and perception. As an eminent psychologist who suffered a severe mental breaskdown. Stuart Sutherland was ideally placed to provide an original and insightful description of his illness and often bizarre consequences. In the second part of Breakdown, Sutherland describes and assesses the various forms of therapy and drug treatments available to sufferers of manic depression and analyses the origins of mental illness. Essentail reading for anyone affected by or interested in mental illness.

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Woman as comestible. Woman as kingmaker. Woman as oblivion. Why is our culture governed by the principle of separation? Beginning with a devastating exploration of the 1960s, understood up until now as the era of female liberation, free love and the tribal sharing of drugs, Antonella Gambotto-Burke deconstructs the past two centuries and shows how we are, in fact, moving towards the age of the Nietzschean übermensch, in which femininity will, if we do not change, be erased. She skilfully draws together diverse threads, from the shockingly personal to the broadest societal trends and cutting-edge scientific research, to construct a brilliant and startling thesis that medicinal and recreational drugs have rewired our bodies and brains to an near-incomprehensible extent. Anxiety, artificial wombs, brutality, the class system, depression, dieting, racism and other issues – including the first plausible theory for rubber fetishism and other ‘kinks’ such as choking or breathplay – are explained within the context of the dominant cultural paradigm. A devastating uppercut to a patriarchal ideology that has marred billions of lives, Apple: Sex, Drugs, Motherhood and the Recovery of the Feminine completely revises our understanding of addiction, art, drug use, homosexuality, murder, pornography, sex, war, and, critically, the significance of birth, infancy and motherhood in relation to human existence. You will never see anything the same way again.

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A startlingly large number of women who want to breastfeed have to stop before they are ready, leaving them feeling a range of negative emotions, including grief, anger, guilt, shame and frustration, and often blaming themselves. But in a society that places little value on breastfeeding and mothers' feelings, their painful stories are often swept under the carpet to the detriment of women's mental health and experience of new motherhood. Professor Amy Brown has researched what breastfeeding really means to women, how they can feel when things don't go according to plan and importantly, how we can change things for the next generation of women. Her findings make fascinating reading for anyone with personal experience of breastfeeding difficulties, those who support mothers to make infant feeding decisions that are right for them, or those who simply want to be part of changing the conversation.

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Oxytocin, or the ‘hormone of health and life’, is a hugely important substance for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding – working in a woman’s body and brain to make changes during pregnancy, optimise labour, increase milk production and support bonding. Research has shown that we can encourage the body’s oxytocin system by supporting mothers’ wellbeing through birth practices and postnatal care. We also now know that oxytocin is present in everyone, of any age, directing a whole system of effects that have consequences for family life, including bonding, stress reduction and social interaction. In Why Oxytocin Matters Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg, a leading oxytocin researcher, shows how a better understanding of our biology can be immensely helpful for new parents and those who work to support families.

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A beautiful book for children and their families, Milky Moments celebrates the joy of childhood and mothering, and normalises breastfeeding as a part of day-to-day life. Delightfully illustrated scenes are complemented by lyrical rhyming text that gently draws the reader into the lives of the families depicted. The hand-painted illustrations are set in a variety of locations including a playgroup, a shopping trip, parks, hospital and at home. The children’s ages range from newborn to 5 years old, baby and child breastfeeding positioning is accurate and realistic, and the love and attention to detail in the book were inspired by the guiding principles of the La Leche League and the author’s own personal experience. Inspirational, intimate and fun, Milky Moments is not only a book to treasure, but also a book that will educate and inform on the importance and normality of breastfeeding – however old you are.

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The Whole Body Breathing offers a clear practice. The simplicity of this practice will have a profound effect on your whole body, and will guide you in the gradual discovery of the vitality of your spine. Sequences of walking, standing, sitting and lying down will nurture and revitalise the whole body, uncovering and awakening special places along the spine. Explore the reality of rooting into the earth and expanding into space at the same time. Following in the footsteps of Vanda Scaravelli's teaching, where awareness, breath and freedom are the essential elements, The Whole Body Breathing stimulates and supports yoga students and teachers alike in the lifelong yoga journey, with joy and playfulness.

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“When you came out of my tummy, the first thing you looked for was my breast.” This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of the powerful bond shared between a mother and her newborn baby. You, me and the breast is part of a delightful series of illustrated books by Monica Calaf and Mikel Fuentes, which also includes Your Daddy and Me, When you were in my tummy, and How You Were Born.

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Gabrielle Palmer's groundbreaking book "The Politics of Breastfeeding" highlighted the controversies surrounding the aggressive promotion of breast milk substitutes. She now turns her attention to complementary feeding - the first foods that a child eats besides milk. For most of human existence, children went without industrially processed foods and branded food products. Can we applaud the progress of the way children are fed today? In our unequal world one billion people risk their health through overconsumption while two billion people are hungry. The health problems of both groups start in early childhood. The power and influence of the food industry has increased dramatically in recent decades. Seductive and often unethical modern marketing methods have led to the promotion of unsuitable, unnecessary and sometimes harmful baby foods. Yet not all industrially processed foods are bad and not all 'natural' foods are good. Both poor and rich children may be inappropriately fed. What lessons can we learn from history? How do cultural and religious beliefs influence the choice of food? Can government initiatives have any effect? How can we provide good nutrition for all infants? This brief, compassionate and thought-provoking new book will be of interest to anyone who is curious about the world, its children and their nutrition, and will stimulate discussion and debate as part of the campaign to create a world where health for all is a true goal.

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Volunteers are invited to a scientific laboratory under the pretence of participating in a study about the effects of punishment on learning. They are instructed by an experimenter to administer an electric shock of increasing intensity every time a 'learner', strapped to an electric conductor, makes a mistake. How many, if any, would go right up the scale to 450 Volts? The implications of Stanley Milgram's extraordinary findings (up to 65 per cent of subjects administered the full shock) are devastating. From the Holocaust to Vietnam and Iraq, "Obedience to Authority" goes some way towards explaining how ordinary people can commit the most horrific of crimes if placed under the influence of a malevolent authority. This title is presented with a new foreword by Jerome Bruner.

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Bursting with practical ideas, reassurances and collected wisdoms, "When Your Baby Cries" will restore your sanity. Bestselling childcare author Deborah Jackson reminds us that babies soak up all the love we have to give. Here are ten effective ways to care for even the most distressed baby, while looking after your own needs as well as boosting your confidence. You can learn how to relax, become your own expert and deal with unwanted advice. You can find out how crying works and why it gets out of control. You can discover babies' secret signals and how to cope with colic. Crying babies and harassed parents everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief: here is a way to restore the harmony of family life. It comes with a new foreword by the author.

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The audition is the most vital part of what you do as an actor. Brendan McNamara's successful career as both an actor and casting director gives him a special insight into the audition process, which he shares in this fresh and insightful book. Developed from Brendan's popular workshops for actors, this practical and up-to-date guide gives you all the inspiration and advice you need to give a great audition. Includes: - How to approach agents and casting directors. - The types of auditions you are likely to face. - The pitfalls of the waiting room. - The dangers of under- and overpreparing. - What to wear and not to wear. - How to deal with recalls. - The seven deadly sins of auditions.

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Pioneering birth educator and author Janet Balaskas founded the Active Birth Movement in the 1980s. Her ideas – based on the core principle that women should take ownership of their bodies during birth and be free to assume upright positions in labour – have transformed birth for women and their birth companions across the world. In this inspiring memoir, illustrated with beautiful birth images taken by photographer Anthea Sieveking over two decades, Janet explains the essential philosophy of her approach and how the Active Birth Movement has grown and helped generations of mothers to prepare for birth, by honouring the importance of the beginning of life and empowering them to confidently trust and follow their instincts.

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The first three months of your baby’s life, sometimes called the ‘fourth trimester’, is a transitional phase, in which each of you is processing the birth experience you shared and acclimatising to a new way of being. It can be hard to interpret your new baby’s behaviour: is she arching her back because she has tummy ache, or does she simply enjoy a stretch? Does sucking his hands indicate hunger or something else? As you navigate these early days your emotions might be all over the place and it can be hard to find and trust your instinctive need to connect with your baby. In Understanding Babies, experienced movement specialist Ania Witkowska looks at what your baby needs to thrive, and how they show you they need it, revealing how you can tune in to your baby so that both of you can relax and enjoy your new life together. By explaining how your baby’s development is supported through movement and interaction, and guiding you through simple exercises and activities, she helps demystify the early days of parenting so that you can feel more joy and less anxiety as you and your baby flourish.

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Grandmothers are coming into their own. There have never been so many of them. As Naomi Stadlen explains, they have always mattered, especially in helping their families to survive. Drawing on grandmothers’ own words, Why Grandmothers Matter describes the experience of having grandchildren across many cultures, and discusses the sometimes delicate relationships between grandmother, parent-child and grandchild. This warm and thoughtful book has much to teach us about family dynamics and the role grandmothers play in wider society, and will be valuable for parents as well as grandmothers when they enter into a new phase of family life.

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The loss of a baby, however it occurs, can be heartbreaking and painful and leave parents in need of support as they grieve. While awareness about baby loss is increasing, the suffering and sadness, isolation and loneliness parents feel is often invisible and it can be hard for them to reach out, and for those around them to know how best to support them. Why Baby Loss Matters explores what happens when families experience baby loss or the end of a pregnancy, drawing on the first-hand experiences of parents who have navigated life and the fourth trimester without their baby, and the vital work of charities and services which offer support. By examining different approaches to coping with the loss of a baby and keeping memories alive, the book offers insight into the ways that families have found the support and peace that they need to continue living after saying goodbye.

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During pregnancy the focus of antenatal preparation is the birth itself, and the importance of the postnatal period is often overlooked. Yet postnatal recovery (or a lack of it) can have consequences for the long-term health and wellbeing of both mother and baby. In Why Postnatal Recovery Matters Sophie Messager draws on her experience as a scientist and doula to show that thinking ahead to after the birth can get new families off to the best possible start.

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Research shows that ‘normal’ infant sleep is not what most experts claim it to be. In fact, many of today’s sleep ‘problems’ with young babies and children predominantly occur in the developed world. In Why Your Baby’s Sleep Matters, renowned gentle parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith demonstrates how nurturing babies at night helps their brain development, and covers the topics every parent of a new baby will need to know about, including naps, SIDS, night weaning, coping with your own exhaustion – and even dealing with advice and criticism from others.

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Drawing on a diversity of fast-developing disciplines including genetics, physiology, pathology as well as the history of canoeing and studies of the fluctuation of sea levels, revolutionary thinker and birth pioneer Michel Odent examines the case for viewing the genus Homo as a ‘marine chimpanzee’ – particularly adapted to coastal areas. By exploring the practical implications of this vision of our species, including in the period surrounding birth, the author raises questions about the very survival of humanity. At a time in history when human domination of Nature is more profound than ever before, are we on the cusp of a ‘symbiotic revolution’? With his characteristic ability to look at the ‘big picture’ and ask questions that challenge conventional thinking, Michel Odent once again manages to persuade readers to view themselves, and their species, in a new light.

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Since the middle of the twentieth century, the development of plastics has been one of the main factors influencing the history of medicine. For example, an anaesthesiologist was formerly an expert in delivering drugs by inhalation. Today, this expert delivers drugs through plastic catheters, in particular via intravenous and epidural routes. Traditionally, the scalpel was the symbol of surgery. Today, surgeons operate on internal organs with flexible plastic endoscopes - without cutting the skin. A typical modern woman in labour has one of her arms connected to a plastic bag through a plastic tube, while a plastic catheter is inserted in the epidural space in her spine. Focusing on obstetrics, this first book about the history of medicine in relation to the plastic revolution asks vital questions about childbirth today - and tomorrow - and demonstrates that the current turning point in the history of childbirth is also a turning point in the history of humanity. Introduced as a medical student to the surgical unit of a Paris hospital in 1949, and still involved in several fields of medicine, Michel Odent has the authority to study contemporary history from this new perspective.

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A new mother's journey is a deeply personal and individual one. Yet all too often outside influences can cloud her innate judgement, causing confusion, doubt and unhappiness. In Rosie Newman's new book Trust Your Body, Trust Your Baby, she argues that every mother already knows what she needs to know. Exploring ideas from other cultures, from new science and from the past, Rosie uncovers universal truths that are at once liberating and reassuring. This book hands the power back to the reader, providing the tools and information that parents need to make their own choices, to trust their instincts and believe in their babies. Rosie demonstrates how she found letting go and listening transformed the toughest, most important job in the world, into one that was satisfying, empowering and fun.

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When hospital-trained midwife Penny Armstrong takes on a job delivering the babies of the Amish, she encounters a way of life deeply rooted in the earth. As she renews her respect for nature, she discovers an approach to giving birth which would change her life forever. A gripping first-hand account of Armstrong's journey from student midwife in Glasgow to running her own practice in rural Pennsylvania, A Midwife's Story is a life-affirming book that never fails to enlighten, inform and surprise. Honest and ultimately very moving, it is inspirational reading for everyone interested in the art and humanity of midwifery.

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Jack wants to put on an acrobatics show in time for the holidays. Every week he practices doing somersaults and building pyramids with Mum and Dad. Do you want to join in the fun too? Jack’s Acrobatics is a collection of 24 acrobatic exercises for the whole family. From simple practice games to acrobatic tricks, Jack’s Acrobatics brings pure pleasure to young and old and helps with the development of motor skills along the way. 'Wonderful!' Peter Duncan in his foreword.

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The fourth of a delightful series of illustrated books by Monica Calaf and Mikel Fuentes gives young children the opportunity to learn about how they were born.

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A delightful and beautifully illustrated story for children about a mother’s experience of pregnancy and her joy as a child is brought into the world. When you were in my tummy is part of a delightful series of illustrated books by Monica Calaf and Mikel Fuentes, which also includes Your Daddy and Me, How you were born, and You, me and the breast.

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From pregnancy to breastfeeding through weaning and beyond, Feed Yourself, Feed Your Family is a comprehensive one-stop nutrition and cooking guide for mothers eager to nourish the whole growing family with healthy and delicious meals. Your approach to eating changes when you become pregnant, give birth, and become responsible for feeding an infant, toddler, or growing child. Featuring more than 75 easy-to-make and delicious recipes, sanity-saving, mum-tested advice, and vital information about your nutritional needs when pregnant, nursing, or weaning, Feed Yourself, Feed Your Family helps you set your family on a course for a lifetime of healthy eating. Focusing on the five basic nutritional stages between birth and the time when your baby takes a seat at the family table, and with an emphasis on organic, unprocessed foods, this invaluable resource offers: nutrition-packed, child-pleasing recipes - including make-ahead, no-cook, one-handed (while breastfeeding), on the run, or sit down meals facts on how a mother's diet affects her milk (and baby's tastes) perfect energising foods to support busy new parents learning a new way of life fridge-and cupboard-stocking suggestions for simple meals in minutes the best organic and shortcut foods in every grocery aisle, from fresh to frozen tips and nutritional information for safely shedding pounds while breastfeeding fun ways to get children involved in the kitchen and invested in the food they eat candid, reassuring stories from mothers like you

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In Breastfeeding made Easy renowned paediatrician and father-of-three Carlos Gonzalez, author of Kiss Me! How to raise your children with love and My Child Won't Eat!, brings his warmth and positivity to a subject close to his heart: breastfeeding. In his characteristic friendly style he explains how breastfeeding is a woman's right, as an integral part of her normal sexual and reproductive life. With this clear perspective he carefully explains how breastfeeding works, and gently debunks many of the myths that still surround breastfeeding, while also offering sound practical suggestions that will empower mothers to find the answers to questions they have and seek out appropriate help. The author's own experience of supporting breastfeeding mothers and their babies, coupled with his scientific understanding of human lactation, are combined in a book that is an accessible, confidence-inspiring companion for every breastfeeding mother.

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When 9-year-old Joe is unexpectedly elected prime minister, he quickly discovers that to negotiate the pitfalls of modern politics, you have to compromise. But how can he stay true to what he believes? A bittersweet tale for old and young of an idealist who went astray from the author of the acclaimed The Little Driver.

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One in six families with children under 18 in the UK is headed by a single parent, yet portrayals of single parents in the public eye are often one-sided, focusing on challenges and negative stories. Many suggest that single parents are all young mothers, living in poverty, stress and regret. Why Single Parents Matter takes a different approach, focusing on supporting the wellbeing of single parents, by examining the evidence behind the headlines and drawing on interviews with single parents from a broad range of backgrounds. The book challenges negative stories, highlights the stresses, triumphs and perseverance of single parenting, and explores the ways we can all better support the single parents in our lives.

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Squaring the Circle is a cutting-edge and comprehensive collection of the latest research and debate on normal childbirth. Based on a salutogenic approach – focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, rather than on factors that cause disease – it helps our understanding of what works and why it works, as well as helping health practitioners turn this knowledge into best practice. Written by world-renowned experts in their field, and edited by Soo Downe and Sheena Byrom, the editors of the acclaimed The Roar Behind the Silence, Squaring the Circle includes an examination of a range of associated evidence in areas as diverse as architecture for optimal birth environments, the impact of birth events on neonatal DNA methylation and the microbiome, the current knowledge base around oxytocin production in labour, and the role of emotion in the workplace. Case studies of successful change from around the world – from service users, activists and maternity care staff – provide inspiration for innovation while hints and tips help to make such change happen.

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A beautiful book for children and their families, Milky Moments celebrates the joy of childhood and mothering, and normalises breastfeeding as a part of day-to-day life. Delightfully illustrated scenes are complemented by lyrical rhyming text that gently draws the reader into the lives of the families depicted. The hand-painted illustrations are set in a variety of locations including a playgroup, a shopping trip, parks, hospital and at home. The children’s ages range from newborn to 5 years old, baby and child breastfeeding positioning is accurate and realistic, and the love and attention to detail in the book were inspired by the guiding principles of the La Leche League and the author’s own personal experience. Inspirational, intimate and fun, Milky Moments is not only a book to treasure, but also a book that will educate and inform on the importance and normality of breastfeeding – however old you are.

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Vanda Scaravelli, legendary yoga teacher, developed an approach to yoga which is quite unlike any other being taught today. Her book, Awakening the Spine, exposes the subtle nature of this radical practice. It inspires through its philosophy and images, but does not go into detail when describing the practice of asana. Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli is written and compiled by Diane Long and Sophy Hoare. Diane was the first of Vanda’s regular students and remained so until Vanda’s death in 1999. Sophy began working with Vanda during the period when she was writing Awakening the Spine. In Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli, they share their experiences and memories of being taught by Vanda and offer instructive advice for practising asana, challenging many preconceptions about yoga. Diane and Sophy have been teachers for many years. In this book they provide a direct and illuminating insight into their work and practice. Written from the perspective of both student and teacher, it is a unique and indispensable guide for anyone interested in this approach to yoga.

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From leading midwife and the author of "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" comes this deeply compassionate and comprehensive guide to making breastfeeding a joyful experience for both mother and child. Drawing on her decades of experience in caring for pregnant women, mothers, and babies, Ina May Gaskin's newest book explores the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding. Inspiring as well as informative, "Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding" is a powerful and practical guide filled with helpful advice, medical facts and real-life stories that will help mothers understand how and why breastfeeding works and how they can use it to more deeply connect with their children and their own bodies without fear, inhibition, or embarrassment.

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A heartfelt and moving recollection by Sandra Sabatini, the author of the classic Breath, of her encounters and training under the guidance of Vanda Scaravelli, whose book Awakening the Spine inspired generations of yoga practitioners. With photographs by David Darom.

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As water can purify your skin, so breath is capable of cleaning your whole being. That is the philosophy behind this simple yet inspiring volume on the essence of breath technique in yoga practice. "Breath" shows readers that as you reconnect with the breath through effortless observation and increased awareness, the doors within our souls can be opened leading to feelings of renewed energy, greater calmness, and clarity of mind. Whether you are a complete beginner or already practice, these subtle, gentle, and inspiring suggestions will guide you to a deeper, more natural appreciation of the essence of yoga.

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Women are over four times more likely to have a caesarean birth now than they were thirty years ago and eight times more likely than they were fifty years ago. However, as this book explains, many of these caesareans are not necessary and are often carried out for non-medical reasons, of no benefit to mother or baby. Written for expectant mothers and health professionals How to Avoid an Unnecessary Caesarean provides information to help women give birth in the way they want to. The book provides suggestions for constructive ways to achieve a natural childbirth, when this is the right option for mother and baby. As well as detailed explanations of all the pros and cons of caesarean birth, the book contains several real-life birth stories, a comprehensive glossary of terms and essential information for parents-to-be.

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Recollections of birth and death, joy and tragedy that reveal the reality of maternity care in a remote setting. In 2016, English midwife Indie joined the staff at Attat Hospital in south-western Ethiopia, where Atsede led the midwifery services. It was a meeting that would change their lives. Their close professional relationship, and deep personal friendship, led to them opening a birth centre serving the Gurage women and families of Cheha Woreda, bringing compassionate midwifery care into the heart of traditional communities. Through the two midwives’ eyes, as they recount stories from the women they have cared for over the years, we experience the lives of the Gurage people in rich detail. From one night shift which saw Atsede attend 16 births, and 17 babies born, to the day there was a donkey mysteriously tied up inside the hospital. By way of undiagnosed birth defects, the ramifications of female circumcision, obstetric emergencies, and long hours of ordinary, extraordinary births, what shines through is a deep and abiding love for the women in their care, and respect for each other and the colleagues they work alongside. A must-read for anyone with an interest in birth or maternal health, With Two Souls, the translation of the Chehaguraginya word hwetarwa, meaning pregnant, is a fascinating and moving insight into what birth can tell us about people and places, and how, when our eyes and hearts are open, we can embrace our differences and work together to benefit our communities.

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Maternal Journal is filled to the brim with ideas, support and inspiration to create your very own journal through your pregnancy, birth and parenthood. This easy-to-use and beautifully illustrated book will help you explore your creative voice and develop a regular journaling practice using artistic tools and techniques that fit in with everyday parenting. Inside, you will find more than 80 unique guided journal exercises created by leading artists, midwives, doulas and therapists to boost your creativity and wellbeing and help you reflect during this transformational stage of your life. Write a list poem with poet Hollie McNish, build a self-care alphabet with writer Laura Dockrill, or make your journaling manifesto with writer and performer Bryony Kimmings. Be a revolutionary mother with artist Barby Asante and explore daily drawings with live artist Bobby Baker. Based on the award-winning global community movement, led by artist and midwife Laura Godfrey-Isaacs and communications and content producer Samantha McGowan, Maternal Journal promotes the simple but radical concept of expressing thoughts, feelings and experiences creatively in a journal to promote positive mental health and wellbeing throughout your parenting journey.

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In the early 1980s it was discovered that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, could be passed through a mother’s milk to her baby. Almost overnight in the industrialised countries, and later in the African countries most ravaged by HIV, breastfeeding became an endangered practice. But in the rush to reduce transmission of HIV, everything we already knew about breastfeeding’s life-saving effects was overlooked, with devastating consequences for mothers and babies. In HIV and Breastfeeding – the untold story, former IBCLC Pamela Morrison, an acknowledged authority on HIV and breastfeeding, reveals how women in the world’s most poverty-stricken areas were persuaded to abandon breastfeeding as part of a short-sighted and deadly policy that led to an humanitarian disaster. The dilemma that breastfeeding, an act of nurturing which confers food, comfort and love, could be at once life-saving yet lethal, has been called ‘the ultimate paradox’. This critical account reveals how vital breastfeeding is, even in the most difficult of circumstances, and examines the lessons that can be learned from the mistakes of the past – which is particularly relevant as we deal with the consequences for mothers and babies of another global pandemic, Covid-19. With detailed information for HIV-positive mothers and their caregivers, and success stories from mothers themselves, this book is essential reading for anyone involved in protecting and supporting breastfeeding, or with a need for evidence-based information about breastfeeding and HIV.

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