Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History

by Florence Williams, W.W. Norton & Co. Publishers, May 7, 2012

A 2012 New York Times Notable Book

An engaging narrative about an incredible, life-giving organ and its imperiled modern fate.

Did you know that breast milk contains substances similar to cannabis? Or that it’s sold on the Internet for 262 times the price of oil? Feted and fetishized, the breast is an evolutionary masterpiece. But in the modern world, the breast is changing. Breasts are getting bigger, arriving earlier, and attracting newfangled chemicals. Increasingly, the odds are stacked against us in the struggle with breast cancer, even among men. What makes breasts so mercurial—and so vulnerable?

In this informative and highly entertaining account, intrepid science reporter Florence Williams sets out to uncover the latest scientific findings from the fields of anthropology, biology, and medicine. Her investigation follows the life cycle of the breast from puberty to pregnancy to menopause, taking her from a plastic surgeon’s office where she learns about the importance of cup size in Texas to the laboratory where she discovers the presence of environmental toxins in her own breast milk. The result is a fascinating exploration of where breasts came from, where they have ended up, and what we can do to save them.

Calm Birth New Method for Conscious Childbirth

The “trauma of childbirth” is a commonly heard phrase, but one that Calm Birth authoritatively counters. Beginning with a history of the repression of women as midwives and healers and a look at the lingering legacy of that time, the book shows how to restore childbirth to its sacred status. Calm Birth combines three proven practices that together create a powerful new approach. These practices—relaxation, meditation, and healing—combine with current scientific knowledge to nurture the expectant mother’s natural ability to give birth in true harmony with her body and with her infant. The book contextualizes the multilayered Calm Birth method within the existing literature of mind/body medicine and meditation science, as well as the meditation traditions from which two of the methods originate. The author complements the thoughts of renowned experts including Carlos Castaneda and Carolyn Myss with eight inspiring case studies of women who have experienced calm births.

CALMS, A Guide to Soothing Your Baby

By Carrie Contey PhD and Debby Takikawa DC
This book is user-friendly and a little life-saver for moms and dads as they embark upon the grand journey of caring for their child. Easy to read - but make no mistake: this booklet is chock-a-block full of the most up-to-date, scientifically sound information and advice, and it will help you inject peace, harmony and pleasure into your relationship with your child. The beautiful and heart-warming family photos sprinkled throughout will keep you connected to our larger human family. --Robin Grille, Author of Parenting for a Peaceful World

CAPPA - Get Certified as a Labor Doula (Overview Paper)

In order for candidates to be eligible for CAPPA certification they must sign and agree to the CAPPA philosophy, code of conduct, scope of practice, and grievance policy. We reserve the right to withhold certification to those candidates that do not meet the requirements set forth. We also reserve the right to withhold certification based on all contact with candidates for certification, including, but not limited to phone calls, e-mails, and certification materials. An understanding of CAPPA standards of professionalism, our scope of practice, and code of conduct must be demonstrated by candidates at all times and in all communications. Failure to demonstrate an understanding of the aforementioned may result in CAPPA withholding certification.

Childbirth Education: Practice, Research and Theory

By F. Nichols and S. Humenick (eds.), 2nd edition, (Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders, 2000.)

Textbook for students and nurses for patient education. Covers the childbirth educator, expectant parents, supportive strategies for childbirth, promoting wellness, the classroom experience, and professional practice. Includes useful appendices.

Childbirth Meditation, The Calm Birth Method By Robert Newman

By Robert Bruce Newman (Newest Edition 12/2012)

"Calm Birth is a sublime gift to all of us. It contains the blueprint for reconnecting with birth wisdom on all levels. Reading through this book and doing the practices will transform the birth process and imprint a peaceful beginning in both mother and child. The positive impact of this on society can't be overestimated."

-----Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom and Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

Comfort Measures for Childbirth: The Rebozo Way

By Guadalupe Trueba

The Rebozo Way book is in BOTH English and Spanish and illustrated by photos of all rebozo techniques that can be used in pregnancy, labor and birth.

Techniques included are:
- Passive movement for relaxation
- Light pressure for round ligament pain
- Light touch and aromatherapy
- Self-center and acupressure
- Hip squeeze with rebozo
- Knee-press to relieve back pain
- Slow dance with light pressure
- Abdominal stroke with posterior baby
- Traditional manteada with rebozo
- Abdominal lifting with rebozo
- Support with rebozo while sitting on birth ball
- Self massage and counterpressure
- Rebozo hold my pushing in semi-seated position
- Squatting with support
- Straddles position with rebozo
- Lap squat with rebozo
- Squatting with rebozo support

Creating Your Birth Plan: The Definitive Guide to a Safe and Empowering Birth

by Marsden Wagner and Stephanie Gunning, Penguin Group Publishing, June 6, 2006.

Creating Your Birth Plan helps expectant mothers make informed decisions about the assistance they'll require for childbirth. Designed to encourage collaboration between pregnant women and their caregivers, it includes information on:

- What to expect when delivering in a hospital, in a birthing center, or at home
- How to select an advocate to ensure expectant mothers' wishes are honored by their caregiver
- The natural stages of labor in a problem-free birth
- Explanations of various medical or surgical interventions, and potential complications and benefits of each
- Natural alternatives to drugs, technology, and surgery

Creative Childbirth: How You Can Easily Give Birth in Comfort and Without Fear through the Leclaire Method

by Michelle Leclaire O'Neill, PhD, Papyrus Publishers, March 1, 1993. (The Original Hypnobirthing Creator)

This book is the easy use of the latest mind/body techniques as they apply to pregnancy, labor and birth. This along with the complete HYPNOBIRTHING METHOD as taught in the book dispels all the old myths, teaching mothers how to let go of the fear, embrace the joy and transcend the pain. It also teaches fathers how to be the support person every mother longs for.

Dance Of The Womb - The Essential Guide to Bellydance For Pregnancy and Birth

By Maha Al Musa.

Bellydance for birth is proud to present, Dance of the Womb, a world first 280 colour page book... written by Maha Al Musa, a mother, doula, human rights activist, dancer and author.

In her book, Dance of the Womb, Maha shares her own journey toward motherhood through the eyes of her cultural perspective, helping pregnant and birthing women understand their strength through the art of bellydance and how it can be used as a tool toward empowered birth. It provides women with an opportunity to tune in to their primal feminine power and innate birthing knowledge, through utilizing bellydance as a birth dance in its most primal core.

The Dance of the Womb, book interweaves a beautiful story of self discovery with the basic, practical prenatal bellydance moves, teaching in an earthy, non-judgmental, non-pretentious way. Maha's style is more about the heart of bellydance rather than being performance based, which opens the way for women to freely participate in this ancient birthing practice without inhibition. All bellydance moves are accompanied with detailed images and instructions which make bellydance and pregnancy easy to combine.