She Births: A Modern Woman's Guidebook for an Ancient Rite of Passage

by Marci Macari, Infinity Publishing, August 11, 2006.

There is more to Birth than the physical process of having a baby. Birth is a Spiritual Rite of Passage for women, offering an opportunity for profound transformation. She Births challenges each woman to consider how their Birth Choices profoundly affect not only their lives individually, but the world as a whole. No matter on what side of the Birth journey you stand, She Births offers powerful truths you can apply to the way you see yourself in the world.

Spiritual Midwifery

By Ina May Gaskin, (Book Pub Company, April 1990.)

Spiritual Midwifery is a book primarily written by women about wome's experiences, expresed in women's terms. Because women tend to form their deepest attitudes about childbirth by listening to the stories of others, included are a lot of women's own stories of their pregnancies, their births, their miscarriages. What makes these stories rise above the usual value given information that is anecdotal is that these come from a community of women who knew one another intimately. The collection of information in this book will aid women in attaining the insight that can lead to power that equals that of men.

Teaching an infant to swim. The gentle and natural way to introduce your baby to lifelong confidence in the water

By Virginia Hunt Newman, (San Diego, CA, New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983.)

With the help of photographs, the author, founder of the Newman Swim Academy in Hollywood, shows parents exactly what to do. Using the simple, proven methods described in this book, parents will discover that helping their children gain confidence in the water can be as delightful for them as for the child.

The Birth Book : Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying Birth

By William, M.D. Sears, Martha, R.N. Sears, (Little Brown & Company, February 1994.)

In this definitive guide to birthing, the authors of The Baby Book give expectant parents the information and practical advice they need to plan a safe and joyful birthhing experience.In the Birth Book, William and Marthe Sears, nationally renowned pedriatic spetialist and parents of eight children, thoroughly explore the choices couples face when anticipating the birth of their child.

The Complete Prenatal Water Workout Book

By Helga Hughes (Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group Inc., 1989.)

Helga Hughes developed the "Watercise While You Wait" program, a prenatal water workout program described and illustrated in The Complete Prenatal Water Workout Book. The Watercise program is designed to minimize the effects of gravity on the aching pregnant body. Hughes claims that performing these gentle stretches in a swimming pool enhances posture, strengthens muscles used in labor and delivery and for child care, vitalizes the body for a more rapid return to prepregnancy condition, and helps keep weight gain within healthy limits. These exercises are not cardiovascular; they are based on gentle relaxation and are safe and effective for women at all levels of fitness and pregnancy. Explanatory photographs illustrate what the exercises look like out of the water.

The Continuum Concept : In Search of Happiness Lost

By Jean Liedloff, (Perseus Publishing Company, 1986.)

Jean Liedloff, an American writer, spent two and a half years deep in tha Soth American Jungle living with Stone Age Indians. The experince demolished her Westerfn preconceptions of how we should live and led her to radically different view of what human nature really is. She offers a new understanding of how we have lost much of our natural well-being and shows us paractical ways to regain it for our children and for ourselves.

The Greatest Pregnancy Ever: Keys to the MotherBaby Bond

by Laurel Wilson and Tracy Wilson Peters, Lotus Life Press, March 30, 2012.

The Greatest Pregnancy Ever is a treasure. It should be the very first thing a pregnant woman reads in fact, every woman who intends to have a baby will be thrilled with the empowering message here. ~Christiane Northrup, M.D., ob/gyn physician and author of the New York Times bestsellers: Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause.

Once in a great while a book comes along that impacts the lives of families forever. You will never view pregnancy and motherhood the same way again. Has anyone ever told you that you can get to know your baby and bond with her before she is even born? Are you looking for ways to address the physical challenges in pregnancy that don't require prescriptions? Are you aware that starting in pregnancy you can help your baby develop positive relationships with the important people in your life? Do you know that your baby's personality is shaped by your emotions, stress levels, and environment during pregnancy? Here is a book written by real pregnancy experts that provides keys to unlocking the secrets of having the greatest pregnancy ever! Offering insights and tips for addressing fears and anxieties, managing stress, and increasing comfort during pregnancy, this book offers way of life that will transform you, your baby, and ultimately the world you live in.

The Politics of Birth

By Sheila Kitzinger

One way of looking at birth is to see it entirely in terms of biology - how the reproductive process works in the human body. Another is to assess risk - examine what might go wrong in physiological mechanisms, and describe methods of preventing and treating malfunction. But to understand how women experience birth it has to be seen in its social context: the way in which people interact, the meanings that events have for them, and the relationships between all those involved - the social construction of reality.

The Politics of Birth explores ways in which we learn about birth, how we talk and feel about it, assumptions that professional caregivers may make, and the roles and skills of midwives. Topics include home birth and water birth; the use of drugs in childbirth; obstetric and nursing interventions which are often used routinely; Caesarean sections; pressures that care-givers are under, and the choices presented to women that are more apparent than real. Throughout, the author draws on research-based evidence to present both an holistic yet grounded examination of topical issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth.

This is not a "how to" book. The aim of The Politics of Birth is to help the reader develop deeper insight and understanding of how a technocratic birth culture shapes our ideas about birth and obstetric practice.

The Sacred Nature Of Birth: Natural Wisdom For Conscious Birthing

by Kara Maria Ananda, Conscious Birth Emissary Project, February 29, 2012.

An inspirational book on conscious birthing and parenting for parents of the new millennium. This book is a rich collection of wisdom for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum by a Conscious Birth Emissary and Mother. Learn about natural healing and sacred birthing for the optimal health of your family, children, and self. Read about simple practices for connecting with your unborn baby, healing arts for mothers and families, and preparing consciously for your best birth. Empower yourself with informed choice and the science of the heart. This is a journey into the spirit, consciousness, ecology, and nature of birth and parenting. Also shared are inspirational and positive birth stories by conscious mothers today. Revised and expanded edition in 2012.

The Uterine Health Companion: A Holistic Guide to Lifelong Wellness

by Eve Agee, PhD, Celestial Arts Publishing, February 23, 2010.

The uterus is a remarkable organ-it is our first home, it contributes to women's sexual pleasure, it houses some of the strongest muscles in the body, and it even helps to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure. However, the uterus seldom receives our attention except when it becomes problematic or when we focus on getting pregnant or giving birth. And while health-promoting strategies for organs like the heart and lungs have become common knowledge, preventative measures for lifelong uterine health have been largely absent from Western medicine. Consequently, U.S. women have the highest rate of hysterectomy in the world.

In The Uterine Health Companion, Eve Agee demonstrates why the uterus matters and how we can take care of it, from menarche to menopause-and beyond. She presents mind-body practices to create lasting health so that issues such as PMS, fibroids, and endometriosis do not have to be our destiny as women. A comprehensive holistic plan including nutrition, exercise, cognitive restructuring, and visualization shows us how to promote uterine wellness and enhance conventional medical therapies. Chapters dedicated to specific uterine issues illustrate how to support our health through simple daily practices and fundamental attitude shifts in our relationship to our bodies. The book also includes strategies for women who have had hysterectomies. This empowering resource offers a prescriptive, balanced approach to developing and maintaining optimal uterine health, for every woman at any stage of life.