Millions of women have felt the power of birth, and countless women long for it. But for too many, birth can seem like a purely clinical experience — something to get through as quickly as possible in order to get on with the joys of being a mother. In Made for This, author Mary Haseltine draws on Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body to show that birth is an essential part of who God created women to be, body and soul. With real-life stories from many moms and practical tips — including preparing for birth, making informed choices, helping fathers embrace their role in the birth room, and encountering the work of labor — this book is an indispensable guide for navigating the physical and spiritual dimensions of pregnancy and birth. Expectant mothers will find the tools they need to approach birth as a gift, and to invite God into the experience. About the Author Mary Haseltine is a theology graduate and a certified birth doula and childbirth educator. With a passion for building a culture of life through the teachings of the Theology of the Body, she works to bring an awareness and practice of the teachings of the Church into the realm of childbirth, mothering, and pregnancy loss. She lives in Western New York with her husband and five sons. You can find more of her writing at www.betterthaneden.com.

Inspiring Stories for Moms-to-Be | Real moms share their intimate birth stories Share in the beauty and wonder of the birth experience with this touching collection of true stories from 60 real moms, describing in their own words how their newborns came into the world. Their intimate recollections capture the remarkable range of birth experiences and remind us of the extraordinary bond that forms from this moment on. A great shower gift or self-purchase for expectant mothers that shares the amazing childbirth experience. Beautifully packaged to reflect the warmth, wonder, and mystery of the childbirth experience, The Day My Baby Was Born presents true stories from a wide variety of women about the different ways their child came into the world and the incredible bond this moment forms among all mothers.The Day My Baby Was Born gives moms-to-be a full sense of what to expect, through real stories from real people - the voices of friends, sisters, neighbors, and others sharing their own thoughts on the incredible moment. Featuring these stories: Birthing Iris: a slight deviation from the plan (Meredith Davis) Longer second labor, drug free (Laura Hubacek) Easy pregnancy and easy labor (Missy Bowen) My second baby was more difficult than my first (Allison McGee) Baby born on due date (Ally Channing) First baby born at home (Nancy Hatcher) The birth of my baby Carson (Brenda Allen) Our big surprise! (Trina Hollander) Jakson's birth story (Cristina Ramirez) Fast labor (Sara Hankes) Hurry up, Doc! (Harmony T) Extremely easy first delivery (Paige Nelson) My second birth just as wonderful as the first (Rachel R) A different water birth than expected (Erika Ginsberg-Klemmt) The birth of my angel Kylee Faith (Stephanie Wiseman) Thirty-two-week preemie after bed rest (Marsha Hammond) Too easy to be a first (Toni Williams) C-section wasn't as bad as I expected (Vickie Freeman) A not-so-scary birth story (Rebecca K) Miss Ashely's arrival (Carrie Herbst) Fast and furious first baby (Beth Johanson) My angel Madison (Candice Pesotini) Third time's the charm (Ann Larson) No progress results in Cesarean (Michelle Schroeder) My baby boy...easy birth and easy baby (Hope Lehmann) Jade's birth story (Sara A) Water birth was perfect (Kim Goodspeed) Pregnancy-induced hypertension with first (Shelly Evans) Baby Bre's story (Jennine Mustard) Intense back labor with no epidural (Katherine Harris) Difficult pregnancy but completely worth it (Anneli Nilsson) First baby born at thirty-six weeks, but so easy! (Lynda Lipske) That can't be right! (Kathy Colbern) Twin girls and a bonus (Liz Adams) Four weeks early and long labor (Brenda Erickson) I did it my way but almost didn't makee it (Melissa W) Baby girl born early (Stephanie Williamson) Quick for a first-time mom (Ilona Pope) Suzaan, our mircle (Martie van Biljon) My sweet (big) baby girl (Allie McDonaldson) Great expectations run amok (Rachel Karlsen) Sunny-side up, baby Braxton (Autumn Fagan) Easy as 1-2-3 (Emily O'Reilly) The longest labor but well worth it (Cara Martin) My drug-free birth (Sheldene Wade) Come on, baby! (Lindsay A.E.) Fintan's birth story (Jessica Aldridge) Seven days late with 7 pound, 7 ounce girl (Lisa Patterson) Speedy first labor and delivery (Robyn Cassidy) Eyes wide open (Erika Starman) Seven-hour labor, one week late and all natural (Darlene Fulton) Overdue water birth at home (Kerri Connell) Long labor but easy delivery (Bonnie Wenzel) An unexpected delivery at home (Kris Krynicki) I loved my fast and easy delivery with Pitocin (Allison McGreger) Night of the full moon (Aimee Wimbush-Bourque) Lamaze teacher gives birth (Christine Hughes) The grand entrance of the second man in my life (Jennie C)

Being Zen(ish) is what we call it - and it's the ish that we endorse! Teresa Palmer and Sarah Wright Olsen, two moms from opposite sides of the world, are doing their best to raise happy, empathetic children while working, traveling, and maintaining their sanity. With seven kids between them, the founders of the much-loved Your Zen Mama blog know as well as anyone that motherhood doesn't exist in the highlight reel of life, and that finding even a fleeting semblance of calm among the epic ebbs and flows of parenting is usually all you can hope for. Forget perfection and prepare to get real, vulnerable, and dirty (mostly from guacamole) with Sarah and Teresa as they share knowledge they've collected over the years, from the Your Zen Mama community and expert mentors, as well as being in the trenches of parenthood themselves. In The Zen Mama Guide to Finding Your Rhythm in Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond, you'll find: Important questions to ask and decisions to make before and during pregnancy Essential guidance from a woman's point of view for conception, pregnancy, and childbirth Nutritional and dietary advice to support the complete health of both mother and baby Practical education about the mother's body before, after, and during pregnancy Science-based methods to promote a mother's healthy body and mind Expert advice from medical professionals, chiropractors, and pediatricians Engaging, accessible advice for every step of the newborn's journey Suggestions and tips for creating a birthing plan Comforting language to address fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, and complicated labor Access to the Your Zen Mama resource guide Whether it's dealing with fertility challenges or pregnancy loss, riding out a long and complicated labor, or juggling multiple kids (and work), these mamas have been through it - and have written this book to help you find your own glimpses of Zen along the way.

Thirty acclaimed writers share their personal birth stories—the extraordinary, the ordinary, the terrifying, the sublime, the profane It's an elemental, almost animalistic urge—the expectant mother's hunger for birth narratives. Bookstores are filled with month-by-month pregnancy manuals, but the shelves are virtually empty of artful, entertaining, unvarnished accounts of labor and delivery—the stories that new mothers need most. Here is a book that transcends the limits of how-to guides and honors the act of childbirth in the twenty-first century. Eleanor Henderson and Anna Solomon have gathered true birth stories by women who have made self-expression their business, including Cheryl Strayed, Julia Glass, Lauren Groff, Dani Shapiro, and many other luminaries. In Labor Day, you'll read about women determined to give birth naturally and others begging for epidurals; women who pushed for hours and women whose labors were over practically before they'd started; women giving birth to twins and to ten-pound babies. These women give birth in the hospital, at home, in bathtubs, and, yes, even in the car. Some revel in labor, some fear labor, some feel defeated by labor, some are fulfilled by it—and all are amazed by it. You will laugh, weep, squirm, perhaps groan in recognition, and undoubtedly gasp with surprise. And then you'll call every mother or mother-to-be that you know and say "You MUST read Labor Day." Contributors: Nuar Alsadir Amy Brill Susan Burton Sarah Shun-lien Bynum Lan Samantha Chang Phoebe Damrosch Claire Dederer Jennifer Gilmore Julia Glass Arielle Greenberg Lauren Groff Eleanor Henderson Cristina Henriquez Amy Herzog Ann Hood Sarah Jefferis Heidi Julavits Mary Beth Keane Marie Myung-Ok Lee Edan Lepucki Heidi Pitlor Joanna Rakoff Jane Roper Danzy Senna Dani Shapiro Anna Solomon Cheryl Strayed Sarah A. Strickley Rachel Jamison Webster Gina Zucker

Unassisted birth. Freebirth. Self-directed birth. An undisturbed birth sounds great in theory, but how is it done?Whether you want practical guidance for an unassisted birth or simply want to deepen your understanding of natural birth in general, this book is the how-to manual you've been waiting for.Introducing the idea of a Brave New Birth - any birth where the mother and baby are free to birth by instinct and are given the privacy and safety necessary for the body and baby to birth themselves, without interference, intervention, or being watched/measured/observed.Here's a short list of what we'll cover inside this book: ?Learn 9 core ideas underlying unassisted birth. ?Decide whether freebirth is for you. ?Plan and prepare during an autonomous pregnancy. ?Explore basic biological truths and decode sensations. ?Understand the natural flow of labor, variations of normal, and red flags to look out for.The information found in Brave New Birth can be applied to any natural birth - at home, in the hospital, or during an emergency - with or without a caregiver.MULTIMEDIA EDITION: Includes access to our private doula-run support group, private how-to video library, printables library, and the forthcoming audiobook version, so you can learn on the go.

Pregnancy and childbirth are often depicted as a time of sickness and mood swings for women followed by twelve to twenty hours of pain and hard labor. Many women have been told they can never conceive. Others have suffered the pain of conceiving and miscarrying. Have you had enough of this picture? Supernatural Childbirth is a practical...