This is a visual guide to yoga for pregnancy and birth - using the book should feel like doing yoga: relaxed, enjoyable and enlivening.Integrating yoga, breathing techniques and active birth positions can prepare the body and mind for birth. With practise you will be able to calm and energise your being so you are well-prepared to birth your baby. Bring your baby into the world consciously. This book is written with YogaBirth. This is the association of professionally trained teachers of pregnancy yoga and childbirth education. Their unique formula has been developed over 30 years. YogaBirth brings commitment, community and experience to the world of yoga and pregnancy. Practise, breathe, relax & enjoy. So you are well-prepared for the birthing of your baby. Bring your baby into the world consciously.

This yoga programme is intended to aid conception, nurture the baby, develop sensitive understanding with the unborn child and understand the value of postures in the post-natal stage, for mother and baby alike.

Finding out you are pregnant is a momentous event for parents. From the start there are so many vital things to learn and with so much information available parents don't always know where to turn. This book gathers the expertise from a panel of scientists including Professor Robert Winston, dieticians and obstetricians and offers up-to-date information on what is happening to you and your baby as the pregnancy progresses. The advice given helps parents make the right decisions for themselves and for their growing baby. Looking at a range of subjects such as nutrition, antenatal tests, pregnancy ailments, preparing for birth, birth and the first dew days, each chapter is structures around common questions asked by parents-to-be. Amongst many others, the areas covered include: what you can do to increase your chances of a healthy and safe pregnancy; the pros and cons of different birth plans; how and why your body changes during pregnancy; birth choices; the first feeds and bonding with your baby in the early hours and days. The Essential Pregnancy and Birth Guide is the second in the series of reference books compiled by The Essential Parent Company and advised by Professor Robert Winston. With tips, lists of do's and don't and case studies, this book gives you everything you need to know to make your pregnancy as enjoyable and trouble-free as possible.

First you need an education, then a career. You might want to see a bit of the world and find yourself. You have to meet the right man (this is often the tricky part!). Before you know it, you're in your thirties and they're telling you to get a move on if you still want to procreate. Hang on a minute, who's in charge here? Later mothers are proven to be more secure emotionally and financially than younger mothers and nearly a quarter of all women in the UK are now having babies after 35. Packed full of useful tips from top medical experts, scientists and pregnancy gurus, this book is a complete guide for the woman who's lived a life before breeding. It includes: • preparing for pregnancy and motherhood • how to improve egg quality and prolong fertility so you can get pregnant naturally • exercises, relaxation techniques, mind-body connection for conception • how to increase your chances of success at IVF • making the most of your pregnancy, month by month • ways to avoid miscarriage • how to have the best birth possible • from me to mum – adjusting to lack of sleep, relationship changes and that other job • parenting secrets and concepts from around the globe to inspire new mothers • the latest research in neuroscience, nutrition and psychology

The first pre- and postnatal book geared specifically to experienced yoga practitioners—from an established author, with contributions from the leaders in the field. You've been practicing yoga for years. It is a part of the way you live, move, and breathe. And then . . . you get pregnant. Pregnancy can throw any woman a curve ball. Even established and experienced yoga practitioners will likely find that their body, mind, and practice are challenged during pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. This book is the yoga practitioner's companion through this period, offering practical advice, step-by-step asana sequences, pranayama practices, and meditation techniques, all of which are designed to help new mothers connect more deeply to their experience and prepare for their journey—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Grounded in both ancient wisdom and contemporary knowledge, Yoga Mama covers each trimester, labor and birth, and the postpartum years. The beautifully photographed sequences include modifications and suggestions to accommodate a growing belly and to address the concerns or challenges that may arise during this time. Holistic and ayurvedic medicine perspectives help women understand what is happening in their bodies at every juncture, and personal stories connect them to pregnant women everywhere. Through practice, self-reflection, and learning how to let go, yoga gives us the opportunity to be an active, informed participant in the birthing of our baby and a healthy, happy parent. Yoga Mama is the perfect companion for the experienced yoga practitioner during her pregnancy and on into motherhood. This pre- and postnatal book offers practical advice and inspiration, asana sequences, pranayama practices, and meditation techniques, all of which speak to and help new mothers connect more deeply to their experience and prepare for their journey--physically, mentally, and spiritually. Grounded in ancient wisdom and contemporary knowledge, the book covers each trimester, labor and birth, and the postpartum years. It includes: • Flowing sequences that emphasize self-awareness and promote strength, flexibility, and balance • Modifications that accommodate a pregnant woman's growing belly, recalibrate her balance, and honor fluctuations in her energy levels • Mini sequences for specific trimester challenges: morning sickness, fatigue, anxiety, low-back issues, etc. • Asana, pranayama, and meditation practices designed to deeply connect mother and baby from the beginning of pregnancy through the postpartum years • A dedicated section on the pelvic floor to encourage women to let go and prepare for labor and birth • Special breathing techniques for labor that encourage natural childbirth • Deeper practices and ancient teachings that can help women tap into their strength and create a prenatal and birthing experience that is empowering and unique • Postpartum advice and sequences designed to help knit things back together, address postpartum challenges, and offer tips for bonding, nursing, self-care, and nutrition • Information (from a Western holistic and ayurvedic perspective) on what is happening in the body at every juncture--prenatal, labor and birth, and postpartum • Personal advice and stories from a wide array of pre- and postnatal experts With contributions from: • Elena Brower: founder and director of Virayoga in New York City, prenatal teacher for YogaGlo.com, and author of Art of Attention • Stephanie Snyder: teacher in San Francisco, pre- and postnatal teacher for YogaGlo.com • Jane Austin: pre- and postnatal yoga teacher, midwife, childbirth educator, and director of Mama Tree prenatal teacher training programs in San Francisco • Margi Young: OM yoga teacher in New York and San Francisco • De West: pre- and postnatal yoga teacher and childbirth educator in Boulder • Dustienne Miller: certified physical therapist and Kripalu yoga teacher in Boston • Kate Hanley: OM yoga teacher, mind-body coach, and author of The 28 Days Lighter Diet • Melissa Billie Williams: pre- and postnatal teacher and director of Yoga Junction studio in Louisville, Colorado

Birthing is a miraculous time when you and your baby will work together to bring about life. As you finally cradle your precious newborn in your arms, you should know deep in your soul that every decision that brought the two of you to this special moment was yours. More families than ever are choosing to birth at home. Midwives Jane E. Drichta and Jodilyn Owen answer questions about the kind of care, support, and information you need as you investigate whether this option is right for you. Birth can be an empowering and positive experience, and this book provides gentle guidance, with high regard for your wisdom and ability to successfully navigate your prenatal care, birth, and early mothering. Enriched with real birth stories from new mothers, The Essential Homebirth Guide offers thoughtful, compassionate advice on a wealth of birthing topics, including: • Building a supportive homebirth community • Caring for yourself and your baby from your pregnancy through the postpartum period • Communicating about your birthing plans with your midwife, your partner, and your family and friends • Deciding whether homebirth is safe for you • Educating yourself about common pregnancy-related issues • Preparing your home and your family for the big day