Debido al alto ndice de ces reas de los hospitales, que son en algunos casos de hasta un 50 por ciento, las mujeres de todo el mundo desean reformar los m todos de parto y rescatar el control sobre su propio cuerpo. En Opciones para un parte suave, Barbara Harper, partera, enfermera y madre de tres hijos, define los elementos que debe tener un parto suave: apoyo de los seres queridos, ambiente apacible y tranquilizador y el m nimo de intervenci n m dica. Muestra c mo planificar un parto significativo y familiar y analiza las muchas y diversas alternativas disponibles, incluyendo el dar a luz en un centro de alumbracmiento independiente, en casa o en el hospital; la b squeda de la persona indicada para los primeros auxilios, que comparta nuestra filosof a acerca del parto, ya sea una partera, un doctor o ambos; y la decisi n de cu l de las tecnolog as actuales es el mejor. La autora proporciona adem s consejos pr cticos para las parejas que desean experimentar el parto en el agua, una opci n que ensalza los atributos del agua como relajante y analg sico natural, en contraste con las drogas y sus efectos secundarios indeseables.

Featuring a visual journey of developing life, this pregnancy guide presents a week-by-week pregnancy format which follows the standard development schedule used by the gynaecological profession. It also contains descriptions and eight pages of in-utero photographs."

This new Mayo Clinic book on pregnancy provides you with practical information and reassurance on pregnancy and childbirth. Compiled by Mayo Clinic experts in obstetrics, it offers a clear, thorough and reliable reference for this exciting and sometimes unpredictable journey. This comprehensivebook includes: A month-by-month look at mom and babyIn-depth "Decision Guides" to help you make informed decisions on topics such as how to select a health care provider, prenatal testing options, pain relief for childbirth, and many othersAn easy-to-use reference guide that covers topics such as morning sickness, heartburn, back pain, headaches and yeast infections, among othersInformation on pregnancy health concerns, including preterm labor, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, along with an overview on being pregnant when you have pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or hyperthyroidism

Pregnancy is a time of wonder and of momentous change, both emotionally and physically. For many women, it is a time like no other in their lives, filled with excitement and awe but also with great uncertainty and vulnerability. This book-and-audio program brings together writings and simple daily practices for bringing the transformative power of mindfulness to this special time.

The national C-section rate is at an all-time high of 31 percent. Are all these C-sections necessary, or are some of them done simply for the sake of convenience? Inductions seem to be the norm, but are they always needed? Today, expectant mothers are often left feeling powerless, as their instincts are replaced by drugs and routine medical procedures.

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

Falling somewhere between a "diary-poem," a "daybook," "autobiography-in-verse," and an "essay-poem," In a Landscape is noted poet and critic John Gallaher's most personal, straightforward, and revealing book yet. In lyric-prose that continuously circles the questions it raises, Gallaher sloughs off the garb of "poet" to address life questions in a way that few poets of his generation have been willing to risk. Family, death, adoption, children, parents, high school, music . . . Gallaher's subjects carry weight because of their absolute commonness.

John Gallaher is assistant professor of English at Northwest Missouri State University, and co-editor of the Laurel Review.

Your Premature Baby is the definitive guide to every aspect of nurturing a child who is born too soon. Reassuring and frank, it is the only book that informs and guides parents right from their baby's too-early birth into the growing years.

Features of this book:

Exactly how prematurity affects a baby Explains hospital terms, procedures, treatments, and equipment What to expect as your baby progresses through treatment and procedures Gives advice for coping practically and emotionally Help and ideas for parents from when their baby comes home up to age 5 Discusses the latest research into the causes of prematurity and its preventions Offers a wide variety of resources for further information and support

• The thought of a salad makes me green, and I'm craving burgers 24/7. What should I do?
• I never have time to cook--how can I eat well on the run?
• Can I still have sushi? And what's this I hear about tuna?
• How much weight should I gain . . . and at what rate?
• I never drink milk. Can I get enough calcium without it?
• Is it true that I should stay away from soft cheese?
• I'm a vegetarian. Do I have to switch over to meat-eating while I'm pregnant?