BEYOND CONCEPTION MIDWIFERY SERVICES
Books, Videos & Websites
Here are just a few of our favorites...
Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum
The Natural Pregnancy Book: Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices
by Aviva Romm
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, By Ina May Gaskin
The Birth Book, By Dr. William Sears
The Pregnancy Book , By Dr. William Sears
Homebirth , By Sheila Kitzinger
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way , By Susan McCutchen
The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth, By Henci Goer
Pushed, by Jennifer Block
After the Baby’s Birth, by Robin Lim
Natural Health after Birth: The Complete guide to Postpartum Wellness by Aviva Romm
Breastfeeding
The Breastfeeding Book
by Dr. William Sears
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by La Leche League International
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers,
by Dr. Jack Newman
Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding,
by Ina May Gaskin
The Nursing Mother’s Companion,
by Kathleen Huggins
Babies & Children
The Baby Book,
by Dr. William Sears
Naturally Healthy Babies & Children: A Commonsense Guide to Herbal Remedies, Nutrition, & Health, by Aviva Jill Romm & William Sears
The Attachment Parenting Book, By Dr. William Sears
The Family Nutrition Book: Everything You Need to Know About Feeding Your Children - From Birth through Adolescence,
by Dr. William Sears
The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp
Dad & Partners
The Birth Partner,
by Penny Simkin
Active Birth, by Janet Balaskas
Becoming a Father: How to Nurture and Enjoy Your Family, by Dr. William Sears
Father’s First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know, by Drs. Robert & James Sears
Dad is Fat, by Jim Gaffigan
Vaccinations
Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide: How to Make Safe, Sensible Decisions about the Risks, Benefits, and Alternatives, by Aviva Romm
The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, by Dr. Robert W. Sears
Vaccines: The Risks, The Benefits, The Choices, by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
Siblings
Welcome With Love,
by Jenni Overend
Baby on the Way,
by Martha Sears
Mama, Talk About When Max was Born, by toni Olson
We’re Having a Homebirth,
by Kelly Mochel
We Like to Nurse,
by Chia Martin
A Ride on Mother’s Back,
by Emery & Durga Bernhard
On Mother’s Lap, by Ann Hebert Scott
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
VBAC Facts.com
VBAC American Women Speak Out
International Cesarean Awareness Network
Cut, Stapled, and Mended: When One Woman Reclaimed Her Body and Gave Birth on Her Own Terms After Cesarean,
by Roanna Rosewood
Vaginal Birth After Caesarean: The VBAC Handbook by Helen Churchill and Wendy Savage
FAQs
If you don't find the answers you are looking for here...give us a call or an email!
What is a midwife?
“Midwives are the traditional care providers for mothers and infants. Midwives are trained professionals with expertise and skills in supporting women to maintain healthy pregnancies and have optimal births and recoveries during the postpartum period.
Midwives provide women with individualized care uniquely suited to their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs.
Midwifery is a woman-centered empowering model of maternity care that is utilized in all of the countries of the world with the best maternal and infant outcomes such as The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Canada.”
(from: http://www.mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife)
What is a CPM? or LM?
CPM stands for Certified Professional Midwife. A CPM is an independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives. The CPM is the only international credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out of hospital births. (http://narm.org/)
The state of Arizona regulates the practice of midwifery through a process of licensure. In order to receive licensure (LM) in Arizona, a midwife must meet requirements determined by the state including holding a CPM (certified professional midwife), current CPR and NRP (neonatal resuscitation), as well as the passing of a state administered examination. (www.azdhs.gov/als/midwife)
What is a doula?
Doulas are trained support professionals. Doulas provide physical and emotional support to mothers before, during and after birth.
Doulas, unlike midwives, are not health care providers and do not provide clinical care.
“Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.” (from: www.dona.org/mothers)
What about the pain in labor?
In your home environment, you are naturally in a more relaxed state than a woman who has moved from her comfort zone to a foreign environment. This simple and all important difference in and of itself reduces your discomfort during labor as you move freely the way your body tells you to do.
In over 2000 births and over 40 years of collective homebirth experience, only a handful of women have requested to be transported to a hospital for pain relief.
Your birth attendants are skilled in supporting you during labor by suggesting changes or additions you can make to ease discomfort. You might also consider hiring a doula.
Many refer to water as “natures epidural”, don’t underestimate the relaxing effects of immersing yourself in the warm water of the labor pool.
Your body was made to do the work of labor and birthing babies!
What if something goes wrong?
"Throughout your pregnancy, labor and birth your midwife will regularly assess you and your baby's health. If you begin labor healthy, you should expect to have a normal, natural childbirth.
Midwives are experts in normal, natural childbirth. They have been trained to recognize the early signs of medical complications that may occasionally arise. In the rare circumstance a complication occurs, midwives are prepared with oxygen, neo-natal resuscitation equipment, anti-hemorrhagic methods as well as a transport plan should something arise that cannot or should not be handled at home. In that case she will transport to your local hospital and stay with you throughout your birth as your advocate."
(From: http://mothersnaturally.org/faqs/index.php#)