This title includes Foreword by Sheila Kitzinger, Writer, Researcher, Activist and Honorary Professor, Wolfson School of Health Sciences, Thames Valley University. Birth centres are suitable for every woman whose birth is straightforward, which accounts for around 75 per cent of all women. This inspirational guide shows how small scale maternity provision has a profound clinical and organisational advantage over large scale hospital provision, including saving of time and money by reducing...

For thousands of years women have given birth among people they know in a place they know well. Knowledge is shared and birth is a social event. In northern industrial societies today, when a women gets pregnant she may be presented with various options. Yet if it is her first baby she has only the vaguest idea of how birth feels and how other women cope. Birth is set apart from the rest of women's lives and accepted as a matter of specialist knowledge. To discuss birth only in terms of ou...

Birth statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that more women than ever before become mothers later in life. The trend is also backed up by figures from other countries around the world. In developed countries there is an upsurge in the age of mothers giving birth for the first time, and in the UK alone there are now more first-time mothers giving birth in the 30-34 age group than in the 25-29 age group. There is also a 50% increase from 10 years ago in the number of women ...

One new mother in twenty is diagnosed with traumatic stress after childbirth. In Birth Crisis Sheila Kitzinger explores the disempowerment and anxiety experienced by these women. Key topics discussed include:increasing intervention in pregnancythe shift in emphasis from relationships to technology in childbirthhow family, friends and professional caregivers can reach out to traumatized mothershow women can work through stress to understa...

MORE THAN 500,000 COPIES SOLD! • In this completely revised and updated edition, the nation’s leading midwife shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience.“This book should be read by every woman who is having or may someday have a baby, and by every midwife, nurse, doula, childbirth educator, and doctor who assists or may someday assis...

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. One of the main reasons that the rate is so high is that women are not encouraged to give birth vaginally once they have had a caesarean despite there being no evidence of the benefit of repeat caesareans for mother or child.Aimed at women who have had a caesarean or repeat caesareans, Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) provides s...

In an age where birth has often been overtaken by obstetrics, Dr Dick-Read's philosophy is still as fresh and relevant as it was when he originally wrote this book. He unpicks every possible root cause of western woman's fear and anxiety in pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding and does so with overwhelming heart and empathy. Essential reading for all parents-to-be, childbirth educators, midwives and obstetricians!With a foreword by Michel Odent."A brilliant, courage...

Leadership, expertise, and collaborative working are fundamental aspects of efficient and effective healthcare. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the general theories, principles and points of good practice in each of these three areas. This general literature is then contextualised by theoretical and practical implications for maternity care, and illustrated with in-depth case studies of successful innovation and change in practice.Essential reading for all midwives, mi...

Take Charge of Your Fertility explains everything the prospective parent may need to know as they face the physical, emotional and practical challenges of trying for a baby. It covers health issues in full, from basic biology and an explanation of fertility and cycles to outlining what supplements are useful and what aren't, and how you can maximise your chances by following a healthy diet and cutting alcohol or nicotine intake. There are plenty of resources and guidelines for parents faci...

The Gentle Sleep Book offers gentle, reassuring and effective solutions to addressing the common sleep problems of newborns to five-year-olds.'This book should be called The Sleep Bible and needs to be in every parent's bedside drawer' Marneta Viegas, founder of Relax KidsAre you exhausted by your baby's night-time waking or frustrated by your toddler's reluctance to go to bed?Would you prefer a ge...

A book on pregnancy loss, dispelling the myths about miscarriage and stillbirth.'Invaluable for those dealing with pregnancy loss - medically and emotionally' Dr Devora Lieberman, MD, MPH, FRANZCOG, gynaecologist and fertility specialist When a pregnancy fails, grieving parents often wonder why no one mentioned it could happen. Yet one in every four women will experience miscarriage or stillbirth. Mother of two and health writer Zoe taylor has survived repeated pregnancy losses. In ...