The delivery of high quality and equitable care for both mothers and newborns is complex and requires efforts across many sectors. The United States spends more on childbirth than any other country in the world, yet outcomes are worse than other high-resource countries, and even worse for Black and Native American women. There are a variety of factors that influence childbirth, including social determinants such as income, educational levels, access to care, financing, transportation, structural racism and geographic variability in birth settings. It is important to reevaluate the United States' approach to maternal and newborn care through the lens of these factors across multiple disciplines. Birth Settings in America: Outcomes, Quality, Access, and Choice reviews and evaluates maternal and newborn care in the United States, the epidemiology of social and clinical risks in pregnancy and childbirth, birth settings research, and access to and choice of birth settings.

Ear infections need to be treated with antibiotics. Newborns and infants should be bathed daily. New parents are deluged with advice on how to care for their babies. This book explores common baby health myths--in areas such as feeding, sleeping, toilet training, and illness--to help them separate baby facts from baby fiction.

By all indicators, the reproductive health of Americans has been deteriorating since 1980. Our nation is troubled by rates of teen pregnancies and newborn deaths that are worse than almost all others in the Western world. Science and Babies is a straightforward presentation of the major reproductive issues we face that suggests answers for the public. The book discusses how the clash of opinions on sex and family planning prevents us from making a national commitment to reproductive health; why people in the United States have fewer contraceptive choices than those in many other countries; what we need to do to improve social and medical services for teens and people living in poverty; how couples should "shop" for a fertility service and make consumer-wise decisions; and what we can expect in the futureâ€"featuring interesting accounts of potential scientific advances.

The evaluation of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) by the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) focuses on maternal conditions, childhood illness, and malnutrition. Specifically, the chapters address acute illness and undernutrition in children, principally under age 5. It also covers maternal mortality, morbidity, stillbirth, and influences to pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. Volume 3 focuses on developments since the publication of DCP2 and will also include the transition to older childhood, in particular, the overlap and commonality with the child development volume. The DCP3 evaluation of these conditions produced three key findings: 1. There is significant difficulty in measuring the burden of key conditions such as unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, nonsexually transmitted infections, infertility, and violence against women. 2. Investments in the continuum of care can have significant returns for improved and equitable access, health, poverty, and health systems. 3. There is a large difference in how RMNCH conditions affect different income groups; investments in RMNCH can lessen the disparity in terms of both health and financial risk.

Here's the 2nd Edition of a text outlining and providing evidence for one of the most important epidemiological theories of recent years, the "Barker Hypothesis"*that nutrition in the womb determines susceptibility to diseases in later life.

Childhood allergies are booming, affecting almost one in five Australian kids. But what if there was a way to prevent allergies in the first place? What if simple lifestyle changes in the critical first 1000 days could change your baby's life? For families across Australia, eczema, asthma, hay fever and food allergies are constant anxieties, sometimes with devastating consequences. Leading gastroenterologist Dr Vincent Ho has taken a deep dive into the exploding medical field of gut health and explains that from conception to birth, and from breastfeeding to the introduction of solid foods, small steps go a long way in preventing allergies and fortifying your baby's immune system. Dr Ho cuts through the scientific jargon to provide strategies for allergy management and treatment, and shows you how to strengthen your child's gut health for the long term - all before they begin to walk. The Healthy Baby Gut Guide is packed with sensible advice, surprising scientific discoveries and even a nutritionist-approved nine-week infant meal plan to help parents navigate the introduction of common allergenic foods. Practical, easy-to-follow and utterly eye-opening, this book is essential reading for every parent and parent-to-be.

The Simplest Baby Book in the World is the illustrated grab-and-do guide that helps today's moms and dads gain confidence in their ability to be great parents. It makes raising a baby easier by curating and distilling down to their essentials the best-of-the-best advice on topics like sleep training, feeding and safety from doctors, nurses, parents and nannies. You will quickly and easily find simple solutions and have proven techniques at your fingertips when you need them most whether it's 2 a.m. or 2 p.m.

For parents in favor of cookbooks that “sound like brass-tacks science” these whole food recipes “fit the bill” (TheNew York Times). There is a better way to feed your baby. Super Nutrition for Babies gives parents the latest science-verified nutritional recommendations for feeding their child. Based on a program used at one of the largest holistic practices in the country, this book provides information on all aspects of nutrition and feeding, including introducing meat in a child’s diet, healthier alternatives to dairy and soy, starting solid foods, establishing a regular eating schedule, dealing with picky eating, and the best foods for every age and stage so your baby gets the best nutrition to minimize illness and optimize sleep, digestion, and brain development. “A wonderful guide for getting babies off to the right start, and helping them enjoy the gift of health for life.” —Sally Fallon Morell, President, Weston A. Price Foundation “A clear, practical, and nontrendy guide for parents on how to best feed babies and toddlers, backed by common sense, ancestral wisdom, and sound science.” —Kaayla T. Daniel, Ph.D., C.C.N., Vice President, Weston A. Price Foundation, and author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food “Super Nutrition for Babies is something that every expectant and new mother and father should read. This book is a rare treasure!” —Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D., author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome “A grand reference book that can be used for many years of a child’s life.” —Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., best-selling author of Healthy Bones and Lick the Sugar Habit

The main aim of this practical Handbookis to strengthen counselling and communication skills of skilled attendants (SAs) and other health providers, helping them to effectively discuss with women, families and communities the key issues surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, postnatal and post-abortion care. Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Careis divided into three main sections. Part 1 is an introduction which describes the aims and objectives and the general layout of the Handbook. Part 2 describes the counselling process and outlines the six key steps to effective counselling. It explores the counselling context and factors that influence this context including the socio-economic, gender, and cultural environment. A series of guiding principles is introduced and specific counselling skills are outlined. Part 3 focuses on different maternal and newborn health topics, including general care in the home during pregnancy; birth and emergency planning; danger signs in pregnancy; post-abortion care; support during labor; postnatal care of the mother and newborn; family planning counselling; breastfeeding; women with HIV/AIDS; death and bereavement; women and violence; linking with the community. Each Session contains specific aims and objectives, clearly outlining the skills that will be developed and corresponding learning outcomes. Practical activities have been designed to encourage reflection, provoke discussions, build skills and ensure the local relevance of information. There is a review at the end of each session to ensure the SAs have understood the key points before they progress to subsequent sessions.