Ignite your innate womb wisdom by optimizing your mind, body, and soul in preparation for childbirth. Liberate your intuition and take the passage of motherhood into your own hands with practical and accessible tools for radiant health. A Timeless Birth provides a comprehensive holistic approach to creating the conditions for a graceful pregnancy, empowered birth, and regenerative postpartum experience. It covers feminine health, menstruation, preconception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period, and includes: • natural ways to enhance fertility; • scientific information about the body’s systems and chemical elements; • nutritional guidance, with an emphasis on traditional unprocessed diets; • recipes for plant-based medicines and potions; • yoga poses for wellness from preconception through pregnancy and beyond; • mindfulness and meditation guidance to align the body and mind; • Taoist healing practices; • ways to nurture your relationship with your partner during the transition to parenthood. With personal notes from Kat Villain to her daughter, and informed guidance on a range of holistic health practices, A Timeless Birth is a comprehensive account of the transformative experience of pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood.

Designed to transform the experience of childbirth, this manual calls upon the use of the timeless and powerful symbol of the labyrinth in 12 simple meditations and ceremonies. Ideal as a tool for centering the self and calming the body and mind, this guide ushers readers through the inner journey of the childbearing year--from pregnancy and labor through the postpartum stage. A variety of labyrinths--including four childbirth-related labyrinths from the Hopi and Papago cultures in the American Southwest and two others from India--are presented in this handbook and cover topics that include helping mothers focus on their emotional and spiritual state preparation for birth, aid in calming the mind and steadying breathing during birth, and allowing parents to fully process their experiences. Instructions for drawing a classic labyrinth, ideas for personalizing the design, and labyrinth "seeds"--start-up patterns for six variations of labyrinth--are also included.

"Giving birth is the pivotal moment of a woman's life but it is often treated as a medical procedure, and not as a rite of passage. Birthing from Within offers parents engaging and memorable ways for pregnant women, and their partners, to activate personal, social and spiritual resources that will guide them through labour and afterwards. Many birth classes teach from the 'outside', from the perspective of the professional. Yet, knowledge of anatomy and the stages of labour can often seem irrelevant in the intensity of contraction. The pregnant woman needs to know about labour and birth from her own perspective, she needs to be prepared for birthing from within. Pam England offers a method that allows a woman to fully understand her own strengths and resources. The self-discoveries made during pregnancy makes birth life-enhancing and empowers the future of the family. It is a multi-sensory and holistic approach that aims to make parents feel positively informed about what they are about to experience, confident about the birth of their child. Pain is an inevtiable part of childbirth but Birthing from Within provides resources for building pain-coping confidence in parents. It gives detailed instructions on dealing with normal labour pain and when the humane use of drugs may be called for."--Cover.

In this engaging account of her career as a midwife, Vincent describes the hilarious, sometimes frightening, events surrounding the appearance of a new human being. More than a collection of unforgettable stories, "Baby Catcher" is a clarion call for a less technological, more personalized approach to childbirth in this country.

"The babies I helped birth taught me that babies are far more than just the tiny body they present visually. They taught me about the vibration of consciousness that enlivens the body. They taught me, that taking utmost care of their body is the best care for the soul, for only a pristine body can carry its full divinity. With the holistic practices of Sacred Birthing, and without haste and interference, babies can maintain their energetic excellence and alignment during the experience of labor and birth."

Your pregnancy story is a special one. Document your most precious moments from this season of life in this elegant keepsake journal and memory book. Growing You is a place to celebrate and chronicle your pregnancy journey, reflecting on the growth, anticipation, and memories that you want to hold onto as a mother. This heirloom-quality book, created by the author of the popular baby book As You Grow, is designed with a timeless look and archival paper so that you can one day pass it along to your child. Growing You includes: Space to journal your feelings and experiences about pregnancy and your birth story A section to document your prenatal appointments and growth Writing prompts to record precious milestones such as baby showers and prepping your nursery Pages to document your baby's birth day Pocket folder for sonogram photos, letters from loved ones, and other mementos And more! Special Features: Chic, gender-neutral design Elegant linen cover Acid-free and archival paper Generous trim size offers ample space for photos Lay-flat design created by a beautiful gold spiral binding allows you to easily write in the book

"Arts Council England"--Page facing title page.

After labor, it’s time for rest: A gentle guide to zuo yuezi, the ancient Chinese practice of postpartum self-care, including sixty simple recipes. The first forty days after the birth of a child offer an essential and fleeting period of rest and recovery for the new mother. Based on Heng Ou’s own postpartum experience with zuo yuezi, a set period of “confinement” in which a woman remains at home focusing on healing and bonding with her baby, The First Forty Days revives the lost art of caring for the mother after birth. As modern mothers are pushed to prematurely “bounce back” after delivering their babies, and are often left alone to face the physical and emotional challenges of this new stage of their lives, the first forty days provide a lifeline—a source of connection, nourishment, and guidance. This book includes sixty simple recipes for healing soups, replenishing meals and snacks, and calming and lactation-boosting teas, all formulated to support the unique needs of the new mother. In addition to recipes, this warm and encouraging guide offers advice on arranging a system of help during the postpartum period, navigating relationship challenges, and honoring the significance of pregnancy and birth. Fully illustrated, it is a practical guide and inspirational read for all new mothers and mothers-to-be—the perfect ally during the first weeks with a new baby. “Bringing our attention back to the importance of the postpartum period for new mothers helps to create space for this essential period of integration and recovery . . . an invaluable companion during the first 40 days and beyond.” —Ricki Lake & Abby Epstein, filmmakers, The Business of Being Born

"It is the mind-body connection that will allow parents to fully experience and appreciate the emotional, physical, and spiritual beauty of childbirth. Better Birth will help guide parents through this journey of creation and destination to birth." —Donna Karan Pregnancy should be a time of joy and celebration. But if you're not emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually prepared for childbirth, it can also be a time of stress and anxiety. This groundbreaking book takes the fear out of labor and delivery and arms you with the knowledge to have an informed, safe, and peaceful birth. Better Birth will be the one resource that you can turn to again and again to get all your questions answered and feel empowered during your birthing process. Birthing expert Denise Spatafora shows you how to prepare yourself to have the childbirth you want, whether you choose to deliver your baby in a hospital, birthing center, or at home. She shows you how to tap into your mind-body connection to draw upon natural relaxation methods that promote a childbirth experience that is beautiful and fulfilling, rather than frightening. If you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, you and your baby deserve a better birth.

Birth in the Age of AIDS is a vivid and poignant portrayal of the experiences of HIV-positive women in India during pregnancy, birth, and motherhood at the beginning of the 21st century. The government of India, together with global health organizations, established an important public health initiative to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. While this program, which targets poor women attending public maternity hospitals, has improved health outcomes for infants, it has resulted in sometimes devastatingly negative consequences for poor, young mothers because these women are being tested for HIV in far greater numbers than their male spouses and are often blamed for bringing this highly stigmatized disease into the family. Based on research conducted by the author in India, this book chronicles the experiences of women from the point of their decisions about whether to accept HIV testing, through their decisions about whether or not to continue with the birth if they test HIV-positive, their birthing experiences in hospitals, decisions and practices surrounding breast-feeding vs. bottle-feeding, and their hopes and fears for the future of their children.