“Childbearing is a vitally important part of the life cycle. Women and families need to prepare for childbearing in the best way possible. This book is an excellent way to prepare as it is scientifically accurate, clearly written and covers all the areas and issues in childbearing. Too many books for pregnant women urge the woman to trust their doctor but this book gets it right by consistently urging the woman to trust her own body and her own wisdom. And this book emphasizes the joy of childbearing and how the pregnant woman and her family can get what is best for them at the time of the birth of their child.” –Forword by Dr. Marsden Wagner, M.D., M.S., Former Director of Women’s and Children’s Health, World Health Organization

“What if there was, in just one place, everything you wish your clients already knew? This treasury of priceless resources has been a labor of love not only for birthing families, but for my fellow birth professionals. Imagine traveling on a more advanced level of progression with your birthing families, towards truly lovely experiences.

Wise Childbearing is jam-packed with compelling studies. Choices, their risks and benefits, are laid out in black and white. The pages are artistically and beautifully designed. They are filled with photographs of actual families at their own births.

When I begin working with childbearing families almost two decades ago, this is the book I wished for. Yet, I couldn’t have imagined what a treasure it would become, and what a gift I would be able to offer to you.”

“Wise Childbearing is a comprehensive birth manual that is empowering and respectful to the reader. Wise Childbearing also refers the reader to evidenced-based information and notes the rights and responsibilities of parents to educate themselves in order to make truly informed conscientious decisions during the childbearing year.” —Paulina (Polly) Perez, RN, BSN, FACCE, LCCE, CD Author of Special Women, The Nurturing Touch at Birth, and Doula Programs

“Extremely valuable for birth professionals to have at your fingertips, this reference will assist you in helping your birthing families to prepare for an enlightened and wonderful birth experience.”

·  Well-researched and very pleasantly organized, an excellent reference for parents and those who serve them, this book was created to be used as a comprehensive educational manual for childbirth classes.

·  For professionals, you know how much there is for parents to know and understand. A trusted resource for professionals to be able to offer to their clients Wise Childbearing, What You’ll Want to Know as You Make Your Birth Choices helps make your classes a delight!

·  For doulas, when clients come informed, are not appointments so much more effective and exciting? Here it is—all in one place. Now, they can easily examine and make the choices that are right for them!

With so many wise and fabulous choices available today,

why settle for a cookie-cutter, conveyor-belt birth?

Our book Wise Childbearing, What You’ll Want to Know as You Make Your Birth Choices provides the chance for soon-to-be parents to step back and really look at their options, the pros and cons of each. Compiled into a simple, concise, easy-to-read format.

Would you like to have a resource that offers short explanations of exactly what your childbirth choices are? If you don’t know what your choices are, after all, you really don’t any. Would it be helpful to have in front of you a list of the benefits and the risks of each of those options?

Contents:

Foreword by Dr. Marsden Wagner

1. Welcome to the World of the Association for Wise Childbearing!

2. Association for Wise Childbearing, Our Philosophies

3. Women Were Made to Give Birth!
     Birth Is a Natural Process
     Yes, But Can My Body Give Birth?
     Babies Were Made to Be Born!
     Facing Our Fears

4. Our Evolving Birth Culture
     Discarded Childbirth Customs
     Responsive Revisions
     Childbirth Practices throughout History

5. Where Do I Want to Give Birth?
     The Hospital
     At Home
     The Birthing Center

6. Birth Wishes
     Why Make Birth Wishes?
     Getting the Kind of Birth You Want
     Making Educated Choices
     Personal Notes
     Worksheet for Preparing Your Birth Wish List
     Tips for Creating Your Birth Wish List

7. Birthing Your Baby in Your Own Way
     Your Own Timing vs. The Friedman Curve
     Encouraging a Slowed Labor to Progress
     To Have or Not to Have Pain Medication
     Pain Medication Preference Scale
     Intravenous Drip
     Nutritional Needs during Labor
     Electronic Fetal Heart Monitor
     Ultrasound
     Episiotomies
     Birthing Your Baby
     Birthing the Placenta and Clamping the Cord
     Breech Birth and Exercises to Help Your Baby Turn
     Group-B Strep
     Cesarean Birth and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean

8. To Be or Not to Be Induced
     Labeling Babies “Overdue”
     Inducing Labor with Drugs
     Stripping the Membranes
     Rupturing the Bag of Waters Artificially
     Inducing Labor Naturally
     Keeping Track of Your Baby’s Activity

9. Procedures and Tests
     Questions to Ask
     “High Risk”

10. Being a Partner in Your Care
     Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities
     Finding the Power Within
     Becoming More Powerful
     Being Informed
     Questions to Ask

11. Choosing a Caregiver
     Types of Caregivers
     Importance of a Good Match

12. Taking Care of Yourself and Your Baby
     Diet and Exercise
     Danger Signs to Watch For
     Preeclampsia
     Craniosacral Therapy
     Celebrations for Entering Parenthood

13. Comfort Measures for Labor
     Personalized Comfort Techniques
     Slow, Deep, Abdominal Breathing
     Hypnobirthing
     Positions for Labor and Birth
     Using Water for Labor and Birth
     Back Labor
     Belly Dancing, Birth Balls, and Rebozos

14. Your Support Team
     Dad’s Role
     Doula’s Role
     If Mom Loses Her Confidence
     Siblings at the Birth

15. Psychological Aspects of Labor and Birth
     The Body/Mind Connection
     The Impact of Past Sexual Abuse

16. Roadblocks to a Better Birth
     A False Sense of Security
     Fears
     Low Self-Concept
     Lack of Information
     Hesitancy about New Information
     Relationship Issues
     Lack of Effort
     Choices Seem Impossible
     Obtaining Your Ideal Birth

 17. Ready? Set?
      Before Birth Checklist
      Signs Labor May Begin Soon
      Ways Dads or Birth Partners May Be Supportive
      What to Do for a Surprise Birth

 18. More Choices at Birth and Beyond
      Exploring Our Culture’s “Welcoming” Rituals
      Nursery Procedures
      Hepatitis B Vaccine and Other Immunizations
      Breastfeeding

 19. Postpartum Care
      Recovery
      Postpartum Mood Disorders
      Nurturing Your Marriage Relationship
      Reaching Out

20. Everyday Care of Your New Little One
     Caring for Your Baby
     Nighttime Care
     Attachment Parenting
     Raising Your Children Yourself
     Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
     Anti-Frustration Tips
     Infant Massage
     Signing with Your Baby
     Car Seats

Appendix A: " The What If?" Game: Test Your Birth Savvy

Appendix B: What Should Quality Childbirth Classes Offer?

Appendix C: Birth Wish Lists

Appendix D: Questionnaires

   Questions for Your Homebirth Midwife
   Questions for Your Hospital Midwife/Doctor

Appendix E: Resources
   Books
   Media
   Internet

Bibliography

Index

FIND THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS AND MANY MORE:

• Is it possible to have a comfortable, even ecstatic birth experience?

• What are the critical questions I need to ask when selecting a midwife or doctor?

• Once a cesarean, always a cesarean? Can cesarean surgery be avoided?

• Which comfort techniques are the most helpful?

• How can I get rid of these nagging fears before they ruin my experience and cause me to make fear-based choices?

• What are the benefits of waterbirth for me and my baby?

• What can I do to give my baby a more compassionate experience?

• What are my options and choices anyway? Are they based on real evidence?

• How do I evaluate my birthplace, whether hospital, birthing center, or home?

• How do we nurture our marriage relationship as we experience all of these life-changes?

• What tips will help us to have a positive first year with our new baby?

Women are designed to give birth! Babies are made to be born!

Women do not need anyone to “deliver” them!

 There are many wonderful, sane, safe, and satisfying options!

Childbirth doesn’t have to be only one way, quick and hurried. This birthing of your child into the world may just be one of the most powerful and defining moments of your life; a beautiful, even spiritual memory.

Would you like to be one of those women who have beautiful, ecstatic childbirth experiences? Is it possible to achieve a gentle and joyful birth for your baby and yourself?

Receiving a truly excellent childbirth education, and making the best choices for you, are the most valuable actions that women/couples can take to accomplish a truly wonderful welcome for your child.

·  Wise Childbearing is the most all-inclusive, yet easy-to-read childbirth book you could possibly use as you prepare.

·  A treasury of insight and wisdom, Wise Childbearing is interesting and enjoyable to read.

·  While full of facts and data, the writing is easy to understand. And what a wealth of information it holds!

What an important gift

to give yourself and your baby–

the gift of informed parents.

At Association of Wise Childbearing, we rejoice in and revere pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. We recognize these seasons as three of the greatest bearers of joy for women, families, and the whole world. It is up to you what you make of them.

Freedom is making choices that are right for you. To the joy of what life can be!

From expectant parents about the first copy, originally only available by loan:

From a mother: “I enjoyed the manual so much. I had to take a lot of notes before giving it back.”

From a father: “Enjoyed it a lot.”

From a father: “Lots of great info. Entries were brief enough to keep it interesting. . . . The info given by the instructor and the manual about how natural the whole process is [was one of the most helpful things I learned in class to help prepare me for our birth].”

From a mother: “Lots of helpful info . . . [I feel] . . . informed, empowered to make my own decisions.”

From a mother: “I enjoyed doing the reading every week.”

From a father: “Would like to be able to keep [the book for my own].”

From a father: “Nice work!”

From a mother: “I would have liked to have [been able to keep the book. . . . The class] made me feel more in control of my birth.”

From a mother: “Well thought out and researched out.”

From a mother: “[My favorite thing about the class was that there was] lots of good information on both sides of everything.”

From a father: “[This class was] very informative.”

From a father: “Knowing that there is a lot more I can do during birth than I thought before [has prepared me the most for our birth] . . . The class was very good.”

From a father: “Good book, teach you what you need to know. . . . Thank you. It be very helpful class.”

From a student doula: “Reading [the] manual on stages of labor, birth options, positions to give birth [are some of the things that have prepared me the most].”

*You are welcome to contact us to purchase larger orders at wholesale prices for your own clients and childbirth classes. You do not need to be a certified instructor with the Association for Wise Childbearing to utilize this book for the families you serve.