Natural Parenting Melbourne

CHOOSE THE SEX OF YOUR BABY by Hazel Chesterman-Phillips
Includes recent research into the relevant biological factors, health advice, diet and ideal conception factors that determine the sex of a baby.

NATURAL FERTILITY by Francesca Naish
Well-known Sydney naturopath Francesca Naish offers advice on managing fertility from puberty to menopause. Provides clear instructions as to how to observe the natural body signals of fertility and how to combine this with the knowledge of your own lunar biorhythmic cycle to aim for contraception or optimum conception.

PREGNANCY & BIRTH

A CHILD IS BORN by Lennart Nilsson
This popular classic collection of beautiful colour photographs showing pre-conception, life in the womb and after birth.

BIRTH AS A HEALING EXPERIENCE - by Lois Halzel Freedman
This book explores the emotional journey of pregnancy through postpartum presenting these periods as important opportunities for a woman's growth and healing from previous traumatic births or pregnancy losses.

BIRTH STORIES - by Caroline Noble
The stories in this volume come from two sources. First, women sent in their unique stories for this project. Second, stories were selected from Homebirth Access Sydney newsletter between 1979 and 2001. These stories celebrate the power of birth, the magnificence of women's bodies, the importance of the spiritual, emotional and psychological intricacies of birth, and the significance of labouring and birthing at home.

BIRTH WITHOUT DOCTORS - Jacqueline Vincent-Priya
Describes traditional birthing practices in South-East Asian countries. Challenges the medical view of pregnancy as an illness and reinforces the skill of traditional midwifery.

BIRTH WITHOUT VIOLENCE by Frederick Leboyer
First published in 1975, this book revolutionalized the world of birth. Leboyer urges parents and caregivers to consider birth from the baby's point of view - advocating low lighting, skin to skin contact, gentle touch and warm baths soon after birth.

BIRTH: YOUR WAY by Sheila Kitzinger
This is a new, updated edition of Sheila Kitzinger's pioneering work, "Homebirth and other Alternatives". A highly informative read for every pregnant woman considering her options in birth.

BIRTHING FROM WITHIN by Pam England & Rob Horowitz
Written by a midwife and psychotherapist, this book is described by many as "an extra-ordinary guide to childbirth preparation". Covers areas such as the use of art therapy, creative visualisation, journalling, belly casting and role play. The book is also full of photographs and fascinating art work and illustrations. A powerful hand book for any pregnant woman wishing to explore the "inner world" of pregnancy and birth.

BREECH BIRTH WOMAN-WISE by Maggie Banks
This attractive and easy to read book provides information on the incidence of breech presentation, reasons for it, diagnosing, common concerns, encouraging a breech baby to turn, considerations for labour and birth, birth positions, giving birth and post-birth issues. Well researched and sensitively written by a midwife who has been attending breech births for over 20 years.

DELIVERING YOUR PLACENTA - AIMS UK
The pros and cons of both managed and physiological approaches to third stage management are outlined in this booklet.

GENTLE BIRTH CHOICES by Barbara Harper
Barbara Harper covers a range of issues including birth support people, place of birth, achieving minimal intervention, water and birth and much more.

GENTLE BIRTH, GENTLE MOTHERING: The Wisdom and Science of Gentle Choices in Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting
Dr Sarah J Buckley
www.sarahjbuckley.com
Written by Sarah J Buckley, family physician/GP and mother of four, this book gives you the WHOLE story when it comes to making decisions about pregnancy, birth and parenting. Topics covered include: Antenatal testing, Water Birth, Lotus Birth, Homebirth, Breech Birth, Co-sleeping, Breastfeeding, Raising Babies without Nappies.

HAVING A BABY NATURALLY by Peggy O'Mara
Written by Peggy O'Mara, longtime publisher, editor and owner of 'Mothering' magazine, this book synthesises the best theories and safest practices used in natural childbirth.Throughout, O'Mara reinforces her belief that each woman's pregnancy and birth experience is a one-of-a-kind event. She covers such topics as: nutrition, diet and exercise; emotional self-awareness during and after pregnancy; a trimester-by-trimester guide to what is happening in your body and your child's; birth choices - offering suggestions, not 'rules'; pain medication alternatives; birth locations, from hospitals to home birth; relieving morning sickness with natural remedies; prenatal testing; breastfeeding; prematurity and multiple births; balancing work and family; the father's role during pregnancy and beyond. Difficult subjects, such as birth defects, miscarriages, and postpartum depression, are also covered.

LOTUS BIRTH - by Shivam Richana
Lotus Birth is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut, so that the baby remains attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates at the navel - exactly as a cut cord does - at three to ten days after birth. This prolonged contact can be seen as a time of transition, allowing the baby to slowly and gently let go of the attachment to the mother's body.

MISCONCEPTIONS by Naomi Wolf
Naomi Wolf, author of the acclaimed 'The Beauty Myth' incorporates her personal experiences of pregnancy and birth, other peoples' stories, books, and research. The narrative of the book follows her pregnancy and a few months after birth, as she investigates and analyses experiences and ideologies of birth and motherhood.

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR MORNING SICKNESS AND OTHER PREGNANCY PROBLEMS by Denise Tiran
From her wide experience of treating pregnant women, Denise Tiran, midwife and lecturer specialising in the integration of complementary medicine within maternity care, explains how therapies, she knows to be effective, can be used to treat everyday discomforts that can make pregnancy miserable.

NAUSEA AND VOMITING IN PREGNANCY by Denise Tiran
This is a comprehensive review of both orthodox and complementary management options for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

NEW ACTIVE BIRTH by Janet Balaskas
This classic book will assist you and your birth partner prepare for and experience an Active Birth. Revised to include sections on Water Birth and Recovery after Birth. Antenatal and postnatal exercises are also included and there is a focus on yoga and strengthening exercises throughout.

NEW NATURAL PREGNANCY by Janet Balaskas & Gayle Peterson
This illustrated guide to holistic healthcare in pregnancy covers homeopathy, acupuncture, herbalism, shiatsu, aromatherapy and more.

PRENATAL YOGA AND NATURAL CHILDBIRTH by Jeannine Parvati Baker
Written by Jeannine Parvati Baker - homeschooling mother of 6, herbalist, lay midwife, skilled astrologer, yogini and teacher of 'womancraft'
this book offers practical, spiritual support for all pregnant women even if they have no training in yoga.

RECLAIMING THE SPIRITUALITY OF BIRTH by Benig Mauger
Beni Mauder, founder of the Holistic Birth Centre in London, suggests in her book that our prenatal and birth experiences affect us for the rest of our lives. And because our modern approach to birth separates mothers from their primordial knowledge of natural delivery, many people suffer lifelong birth wounds. Mauger invites women to reclaim the connection to their own instinctive, intuitive and inherently creative powers.

REDISCOVERING BIRTH by Sheila Kitzinger
Sheila Kitzinger explores the universal experience of pregnancy, the physical and spiritual experience of giving birth, the role of the midwife, the bonds that are traditionally formed between mothers and midwives and ideas about birth in many different cultures and she asks how we can learn from them.

SPIRITUAL MIDWIFERY by Ina May Gaskin
The new edition (4th) of this popular classic which should be in every midwife's library, and read by pregnant women. The chapters are titled: Amazing birth tales; To the parents; Instructions to midwives and Appendices. It's a book full of information - birth stories, sharing of midwifery experiences and useful appendices.

THE BIRTH BOOK - by Carol Barbar
Bringing a baby into the world is a profound and wonderful experience, but it's also a journey into the unknown and unexpected. In The Birth Book, many different women generously share their experience of giving birth so that you will feel more confident when the time comes for you to have your own baby. Told with honesty and directness, these personal stories cover a range of possible birth scenarios, from a one hour labour to a 40hour labour, induced labour, and how to deal with the range of pain experienced with each birth.

THE DOULA BOOK by Marshall Klaus, John Kennell & Phyllis Klaus
Subtitled "How a trained labor companion can help you have a shorter, easier and healthier birth", this book offers basic advice on finding and working with a doula. Clearly describes how a trained birth attendant: reduces the need for caesarean section; shortens the length of labour; decreases the pain medication required; enhances bonding and breastfeeding.

THE NATURAL WAY TO A BETTER PREGNANCY by Francesca Naish & Jan Roberts
Giving birth is an empowering and transformative life event, and when the birth and bonding between mother and baby unfolds naturally, the positive effects for both are immeasurable. This book is a treasure trove of practical information to help you achieve the kind of birth you want, and beyond.

THE NATURAL WAY TO BETTER BIRTH AND BONDING by Francesca Naish & Jan Roberts
This book covers the experience of birth - options, nutrition, exercise, confidence and trust, coping with stress and pain, your birth plan, pain relief, when something goes wrong - care after the birth for you and your baby, bonding, using natural remedies and treatments.

THE NEW PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH - by Sheila Kitzinger
This classic book has beautiful photographs with easy-to-access information covering conception; first signs of pregnancy; screening tests (what are they, should you have them); the importance of diet and lifestyle in pregnancy; pregnancy and the single mother; giving birth at home; methods of pain relief in labour; obstetric interventions in birth; research into the abilities of the newborn baby; exercises for before and after birth.

THE SECRET LIFE OF THE UNBORN CHILD by Thomas Verny & John Kelly
This book looks at the life of the unborn child in utero, with fascinating information about the baby's sensitivities.

ULTRASOUND? UNSOUND by Beverley A Lawrence Beech & Jean Robinson
A special edition of the AIMS journal, focusing on the current research into the safety and efficacy of ultrasound during pregnancy. Information for parents and health professionals. Contents include: Whose Risks and Whose Benefits; Who uses Ultrasound; Dublin "guinea pigs"; Dyslexia - a possible side effect; How accurate is screening; How much Ultrasound is your baby getting; Jumping babies; Is there a Miscarriage Risk; Cancer Risks and much more.

VITAMIN K AND THE NEWBORN - by Sara Wickham (published by AIMS)
Most newborn babies are offered Vitamin K, usually within an hour or two of a baby's birth, when a mother may not be in the best state to ask questions, or obtain more information. This booklet provides information for parents to help them make the choice which they feel is right for their child.

WATERBIRTH: A MIDWIFE'S PERSPECTIVE by Susanna Napierala
Susanna Napierala suggests that water birth offers mother and baby the ideal circumstances for beginning their lives together. Answers commonly asked questions about such things as does the baby breathe underwater and infections.

YOUR BABY YOUR WAY by Deborah Cooper
This book by Sydney naturopath Deborah Cooper, covers the development of the baby, physical and emotional changes during pregnancy, self-help strategies for maintaining your health and wellbeing including exercise, stretching, breathing techniques, meditation, creative visualisation, reflexology, aromatherapy.

Return To Top

CAESAREAN and Vaginal Birth after Caesarean (VBAC)

SILENT KNIFE: CAESAREAN PREVENTION AND VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CAESAREAN by Nancy Wainer-Cohen & Lois Estner
Written almost 20 years ago, this book looks at the high caesarean rates and the reasons for them. Positive reinforcement for those women seeking to have a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean.

THE VBAC COMPANION: THE EXPECTANT MOTHER'S GUIDE TO VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CAESAREAN by Diana Korte
Explains the risks and benefits of both VBACs and repeat caesareans. Describes how to work on overcoming fears about labour, how to find a VBAC-friendly doctor or midwife, and hospital or birth centre, and to get extra support, from a labour assistance, childbirth educator, or VBAC support group. Korte also describes pain-relieving techniques for labour, and routine hospital procedures to avoid. Throughout the book there are VBAC success stories, told in the mothers' own words, for inspiration on the path to a safe and joyful birth.

TRUST YOUR BODY: TRUST YOUR BABY CHILDBIRTH WISDOM AND CAESAREAN PREVENTION by Andrea Frank Henkart
Provides facts, figures, caesarean prevention techniques and alternative approaches to the aggressive routines used in caesarean births.For those aiming for VBAC.

VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CAESAREAN by Elizabeth Kauffmann
Explains the benefits and risks of VBAC including women's experiences with both VBAC and repeat caesarean births.

Return To Top

POST-NATAL ADJUSTMENT AND DEPRESSION

AFTER THE BABY'S BIRTH by Robin Lim
A beautiful support guide for women aiming to enhance their postpartum experience. Lim blends both orthodox and traditional approaches to provide a warm and loving guide to the care of the postpartum woman and her family.

MEDITATIONS FOR A NEW MOTHER by Beth Wilson Saavedra
For new mothers seeking spiritual renewal.

MOTHER TRIP: HIP MAMA'S GUIDE TO STAYING SANE IN THE CHAOS OF MOTHERHOOD by Ariel Gore
An upbeat, liberating book with empowering meditations and anecdotes to encourage mothers to look after themselves.

NAKED MOTHERHOOD by Wendy LeBlanc
A mother herself and an academic, Wendy LeBlanc explores and discusses how other women cope with the extraordinary transformation that takes place when a woman becomes a mother.

ON THIN ICE by Sharon Hauptberger
This book gives the experiences of Australian women with pre and postnatal depression.

POSTNATAL DEPRESSION: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES by Lisa Fettling
This book outlines some of what is known about PND, how women and their families are affected by it, and how they might best be helped.

REBOUNDING FROM CHILDBIRTH: TOWARD EMOTIONAL RECOVERY by Lynn Madsen
Having written the first book to focus exclusively on the mother's feelings about a difficult birth, Madsen shows how traumatic childbirth forces a woman to suddenly relinquish cherished hopes for her experience of actually becoming a mother.

THE BIRTH OF A MOTHER - HOW MOTHERHOOD CHANGES YOU FOREVER by Daniel Stern et al
Exploring the unique inner experience of a mother and how the deep emotional and psychological changes of motherhood emerge to have a profound effect on every aspect of a woman's existence.

THE MASK OF MOTHERHOOD by Susan Maushart
Subtitled "How mothering changes everything and why we pretend it doesn't", this book offers comfort to new mothers experiencing the fears, frustrations and confusions of early motherhood. Reassures woman that these feelings are not evidence of personal failure but rather the experience of a job that involves a host of unworkable structures, extravagant expectations and conflicting demands.

THE MOTHER DANCE: HOW CHILDREN CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Harriet Lerner
Hilary Lerner writes from her dual perspective as a psychologist and a mother, and brings us deeply personal tales that run the gamut from the hilarious to the heart-wrenching.

THE MOTHER KNOT by Jane Lazarre
Lazarre wrote this book with one young child and a new baby, and provides a moving and fascinating insight into the experience of motherhood. She is particularly adept at capturing the ambivalence mothers can feel towards their children, but that is often not expressed for fear of appearing selfish or cruel. Wonderfully affirming for mothers everywhere.

Return To Top

BREASTFEEDING

ADVENTURES IN TANDEM NURSING by Hilary Flower
A wonderful celebration and affirmation of the safety and normalcy of breastfeeding more than one child. This book alleviates concerns about miscarriage and preterm labour in women continuing to breastfeed during their next pregnancy.

BESTFEEDING: GETTING BREASTFEEDING RIGHT FOR YOU - by Mary Renfrew, Chloe Fisher & Suzanne Arms
Clear, concise information for mothers and midwives on the establishment of breastfeeding. Excellent pictures and photos enhance the description and make learning easier.

BREASTFEEDING - NATURALLY by Jane Cafarella
Released by the Australian Breastfeeding Association, this useful guide offers lots of support and information for the breastfeeding woman and her baby.

BREASTFEEDING AND NATURAL CHILD SPACING by Sheila Kippley
This book discusses the age old wisdom of breastfeeding as the world's oldest and still most widely practised form of conception regulation.
Sheila Kippley describes how the concept of "ecological breastfeeding", which is different from Westernized cultural breastfeeding, in that it involves frequent and unreserved feeding of the infant during the night and day, helps to delay the return of fertility and enhances the bonding experience between the baby and his family.

BREASTFEEDING I CAN DO THAT - by Sue Cox
An excellent 'do it yourself guide' for breastfeeding women. A useful book to read during pregnancy to enhance the mother's confidence in her ability to breastfeed successfully.

BREASTFEEDING SPECIAL CARE BABIES by Sandra Lang
A very thorough book which includes the basics of positioning and attachment, the milk supply and relactation, expressing and storing breastmilk, breastfeeding and common drugs, and the full range of breast conditions and problems and how to resolve them. More far reaching than the title suggests.

BREASTFEEDING YOUR PREMATURE BABY by Gwen Gotsch
This useful book offers parents a basic guide to help them provide the benefits of human milk to their tiny infant.

FRESH MILK: THE SECRET LIFE OF BREASTS by Fiona Giles
Fiona Giles provides a level of intimacy and vitality in this new book that is informative, affecting, and unexpectedly erotic: a truly unique work written as a homage to the miracle of the lactating breast.This hilarious book delivers everything we wanted to know about breastfeeding that our mothers never told us.

HOW WEANING HAPPENS by Diane Bengson
Written by a La Leche League leader, this book reassures parents that weaning is a natural process and need not be a stressful event for mother or child. Includes personal experiences of mothers who weaned in different ways.

MOTHERING YOUR NURSING TODDLER by Norma Jane Bumgarner
This excellent book is for women who breastfeed their infants beyond infancy. The author cites biological, cultural and historical evidence in support of extended breastfeeding and she shares stories gleaned from families where breastfeeding and natural weaning were the norm.

RELACTATION by World Health Organization
A very thorough and well researched text outlining the facts about re-initiation and maintenance of the breastfeeding relationship in women who have ceased feeding or wish to breastfeed a fostered or adopted child. A one stop shop for those wishing to know more about re-lactation.

THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF BREASTFEEDING - by Vanessa Maher
A collection of essays exploring the cultural norms surrounding breastfeeeding in a number of cultures, that throws light on gender and social relationships in general. A useful addition to the discussion on cross-cultural perspectives in childbirth.

THE BREASTFEEDING BOOK by Martha Sears & William Sears
Subtitled "Everything you need to know about nursing your child from birth through weaning", this book covers topics such as: getting started, increasing your milk supply, breastfeeding in absentia, nutrition, fertility, fitness, nighttime breastfeeding, the father's role, toddler nursing and natural weaning and much more.

THE NATURAL WAY TO BETTER BREASTFEEDING by Francesca Naish & Jan Roberts
Another book in the series released by well-known naturopath and author Francesca Naish. This book provides both orthodox and naturopathic health advice for the breastfeeding mother stretching from pregnancy through to weaning.

THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING by La Leche League Intl
The classic guide, updated and fully revised, with new information on newborn jaundice, moist would healing for sore nipples, cup feeding, "kangaroo care", hypoglycaemia, HIV, allergies, breast cancer plus many other topics.Especially affirming of the role of breastfeeding to the attachment model of parenting.

TONGUE-TIE: FROM CONFUSION TO CLARITY by Carmen Fernando
This little understood condition affects thousands of children and adults in our community. Many suffer in silence the multiple difficulties which derive from having a tongue which cannot move freely. There are infants who cannot suck, toddlers who cannot chew, children who cannot lick ice creams and children and adults who are embarrassed by their poor speech. This book explains that tongue tie is real and proceeds to recommend an assessment method to judge the severity of the condition and to determine when surgical intervention is warranted.

Return To Top

FERTILITY ISSUES

PREGNANCY & BIRTH

CAESAREAN and Vaginal Birth after Caesarean (VBAC)

POST-NATAL ADJUSTMENT AND DEPRESSION

BREASTFEEDING

NEWBORNS