“And they lived mommy ever after,” the mommy whispered to her baby. “Because we are not always going to feel happy, but I am always going to be your mommy.” A daughter grows from a tiny infant to a young girl, and the years bring all the natural changes and accompanying emotions. Some emotions are big and scary. But the one constant in the little girl’s life is her mother and her magical stories. These stories stories teach her about her uniqueness, about her kindness, and about her power to face the inevitable darkness in life. But when she’s on her own, away from her mother, can she share her light? It’s never too early to teach children how to recognize and accept emotions like fear, sadness, and loneliness. Through gorgeous illustrations of the real and fantasy worlds in which children always coexist, Mommy Ever After explores the difficult idea that we won’t always be happy, but we can always be brave and we can always be kind.

A reassuring, common-sense guide for post-partum women describes the various short- and long-term problems that can occur after pregnancy and childbirth and provides up-to-date surgical and non-surgical treatment options, preventive techniques, and more. Original. 15,000 first printing.

After perinatal or postpartum depression, the decision to have another baby can be fraught with emotion. Rebecca Fox Starr movingly shares her story and those of others who have decided to carry, adopt, or not have another child and helps readers explore their own feelings about their own baby ever after. In her last book Beyond the Baby Blues: Anxiety and Depression During and After Pregnancy Rebecca Fox Starr gave a candid account of her battle with prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression. Rebecca’s story has touched readers deeply and, as her own journey has continued, so has her story, having veered in an unexpected direction: the decision about a future baby. What many people do not realize is that the idea of another pregnancy post-postpartum can be cripplingly frightening to a woman and her loved ones. Rebecca addresses this woefully in her first book, opening up about her sadness that her “shop is closed.” Having a baby was an option taken off the table, for a reason completely out of her control. Until it wasn’t. In 2017 Rebecca and her husband began exploring the idea of expanding their family, and, therefore consulted experts in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, perinatal mental health, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, and grief (in coping with the idea that, despite all of the options, the most sound of all could be to not have another child). Books on the topic of pregnancy after postpartum depression are scarce, making it difficult to find support or advice. This book, anchored in Rebecca’s story, offers an informative guide to the expert advice and insight, alongside current research, for women who want to explore pregnancy and other family expansion options after postpartum depression. With heartfelt stories, clinical data, and a consideration of the range of options and the emotions that along with them, Rebecca’s book fills a gaping hole in an area that leaves too many women feeling abjectly alone.

Jeffrey isn't a little boy with cancer anymore. He's a teen who's in remission, but life still feels fragile. The aftereffects of treatment have left Jeffrey with an inability to be a great student or to walk without limping. His parents still worry about him. His older brother, Steven, lost it and took off to Africa to be in a drumming circle and "find himself." Jeffrey has a little soul searching to do, too, which begins with his escalating anger at Steven, an old friend who is keeping something secret, and a girl who is way out of his league but who thinks he's cute.

New parents marvel at all the amazing things their baby can do.

Most every woman dreams about having a family and a building a home. We grow up on a steady diet of fairytales and chick flicks that drive our dreams . . . and leave us with a sugarcoated version of reality. We want it all: the prince, the kiss, the proposal, the ring, the castle, and eventually, the kids in smocked rompers playing cheerfully on the perfectly manicured lawn. Our hopes and dreams are pinned on the world’s version of happily-ever-after. The problem is, the fairytales and chick flicks end where real life begins. We never see that follow-up scene where the prince and princess argue at 3 a.m. over who will get up with the colicky newborn. Or the princess reluctantly returns to work to help pay the bills and feels the stress of juggling work and family. And you certainly won’t see that part where the princess moves her last child into the dorm and realizes the bulk of her identity has been based on being a mother. The truth is, marriage and motherhood are hard. Few of us are prepared to handle the balancing act of being a good wife and a good mother, without one or the other getting the short end of the stick. No matter how much we give or how hard we try, we never quite feel like it’s enough. And heaven help us, we always imagine every one else is doing a much better job. In Ever After, best-selling author Vicki Courtney addresses the realities of marriage and motherhood, the difficulties and the blessings. It offers women a behind the scenes glimpse of what a fairytale really looks like on the average day for the average wife and mom. Poignant, funny, and even cathartic, Vicki shares mistakes made, lessons learned, and memories to keep. Most of all, she reflects the hope and promise that God meets us in the middle wherever we are in the journey.

“Now women have it all—a much-needed book covering an undiscussed part of women’s health, a book that beautifully explains the common and distressing problems of prolapse and incontinence. Finally, a woman can have the facts and options to make her a team player with her physician as she tackles these issues. The information in this book picks up where that in What to Expect® When You’re Expecting leaves off.” —Elizabeth G. Stewart, M.D., author of The V Book At last, a reassuring, straightforward, and practical guide to easing, preventing, and even curing, once and for all, the symptoms of pelvic-floor disorders, including: •incontinence •prolapse •pressure and pain •sexual difficulties •bowel troubles Pelvic-floor disorders are much more common than you might think—millions of women suffer from one or more symptoms of pelvic-floor injury. These problems often stem from the strain placed on the body during pregnancy and childbirth, although symptoms may take years, or decades, to appear—if they don’t begin right away. Childbirth can wreak havoc on even the healthiest woman’s body, and you may still be feeling the effects long after the birth of your last child. If you suffer from any of these conditions, you do not need to feel helpless, and you are certainly not alone. Every one of these pelvic disorders is treatable, even curable in many cases. Dr. Roger Goldberg, a respected physician in the emerging field of urogynecology, provides the most up-to-date information on surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. He offers a clear explanation of the pelvic anatomy and why these disorders occur and also describes simple preventive techniques you can use to ease pelvic symptoms and minimize further strain (including the correct way to do Kegel exercises). Armed with the facts and candid advice contained in Ever Since I Had My Baby, you will be able to discuss your individual symptoms and potential treatments with your doctor confidently and knowledgeably. This book will help you realize the freedom you’ve been seeking from the emotional and physical burden of symptoms that often go unmentioned, or are overlooked, in women’s health care.