Every pregnant woman's essential, step-by-step guide to taking charge of their labour and birth by Australia's leading expert in advanced labour pain management with her best-known client, Sarah Murdoch. Even after reading countless pregnancy books I still didn't understand what my labour would be like. All I really knew was it would be painful and scary. Then my obstetrician suggested I take Juju Sundin's birth skills classes. Juju gave me the knowledge to understand my body during labour and taught me about the physiology of pain and how to use her techniques to deal with it. - Sarah Murdoch If you're like most women, you'll go into labour with little knowledge of exactly what your body is doing and why, and how you can actively manage the pain and stay in control while helping your body do what it's designed to. That's where Birth Skills comes in, a step-by-step guide packed with information plus easy-to-learn, proven pain management skills. In Birth Skills, obstetric physiotherapist Juju Sundin shares the techniques she has pioneered over her 30-year career, while Sarah Murdoch takes you on a personal journey of her own labour and birth, describing how she learned the skills in the class then applied them on the big day. Whether it's your first baby or lucky last, you will learn: * how your body works in labour and why * how to turn fear into positive action so you stay in control * how to use movement, breathing, vocalisation, visualisation, keywords and other handy techniques * what to wear, what to take, and what questions to ask * how your partner can help, and working as a team * other women's experiences using Juju's techniques. Birth is all about the bigger picture -- educating and empowering yourself, giving it a try, doing it your way, and a healthy mother and baby. - Juju Sundin

"Birth Emergency Skills Training is the interface between the world of midwifery and the world of medicine. It carries the reader from the initial steps of intervention through definitive care, balancing a friendly tone and visual appeal with authoritative and clinically useful information. It is loaded with mnemonics and other aids to understanding and is richly illustrated by the author.

Evidence-based care is a well established principle in contemporary healthcare and a world wide health care movement. However, despite the emphasis on promoting evidence-based or effective care without the unnecessary use of technologies and drugs, intervention rates in childbirth are rising rapidly. Evidence-based Care for Normal Labour and Birth brings to light much of the evidence around what works best for normal birth which has, until now, remained largely hidden and ignored by maternity care professionals. Beginning with the decision about where to have a baby, through all the phases of labour to the immediate post-birth period, it systematically details research and other evidence sources that endorse a low intervention approach. The book: highlights where the evidence is compelling discusses its application where women question its relevance to them and where the practitioner's expertise leads them to challenge it gives background and context before discussing the research to date includes questions for reflection and practice recommendations generated from the evidence. Using research data, Evidence-based Care for Normal Labour and Birth critiques institutionalised, scientifically managed birth and endorses a more humane midwifery-led model. Packed with up-to-date and relevant information, this controversial book will help all students, practising midwives and doulas keep abreast of the evidence surrounding normal birth and ensure their practice takes full advantage of it.

No matter how you birth your baby, feel calm and safe with hypnobirthing "This woman is a great healer and birth expert. This book will be brilliant." Russell Brand Your Baby, Your Birth is a truly modern hypnobirthing book for ALL births. In-demand hypnobirthing coach Hollie de Cruz provides you with the skills and tools to make any birth feel safe, calm, connected and empowering. Drawing on her experience working with new mums, including Fearne Cotton and Giovanna Fletcher, Hollie de Cruz helps you prepare for a positive (not 'perfect') birth experience and approach motherhood with confidence in yourself and your instincts. Your Baby, Your Birth will teach you: - That birth is safe - listen to your body, embrace the changes, prepare your mind and relax during pregnancy - Exercises and breathing techniques for labour and birth for you and your birth partner, along with guided meditations to keep you calm and engaged - How to trust your instincts, understand your body and baby, and make informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and beyond Hollie de Cruz, creator of the award-winning yesmum positive affirmation cards, is renowned for demystifying hypnobirthing and her down-to-earth, realistic approach is highly sought after. Whatever kind of birth you are planning, let Hollie de Cruz provide you with a set of deep relaxation, mindfulness and meditation tools for an empowering experience.

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.

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.

As an intelligent woman, you are probably used to learning as much as you can before making major decisions. But when it comes to one of the most important decisions of your life--how you will give birth—it is hard to gather accurate, unbiased information. Surprisingly, much of the research does not support common medical opinion and practice. Birth activist Henci Goer gives clear, concise information based on the latest medical studies. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth helps you compare and contrast your various options and shows you how to avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, restrictions, and tests. The book covers: Cesareans Breech babies Inducing labor Electronic Fetal Monitoring Rupturing Membranes Coping with slow labor Pain medication Epistiotomy Vaginal birth after a Ceasarean Doulas Deciding on a doctor or midwife Choosing where to have your baby and much more . . .