Obstetricks

Pregnancy comes with great excitement -- and a little worry. For moms, especially first-time moms, thinking ahead to labor and delivery can produce feelings of anxiety and fear. Just the opposite, labor and delivery should be an exciting and joyul experience. Obstetricks is designed to empower moms as they prepare to welcome baby -- and head into the incredible process of birth with confidence, knowledge and an expert toolkit. Obstetricks is a concise guide to pregnancy and childbirth created by a Mayo Clinic based certified nurse midwife together with an experienced doula. These birth experts bring a modern perspective that is evidence-based yet rooted in long-trusted natural methods of caring for laboring women. While many pregnancy guides overwhelm readers with information, Obstetricks packs the most essential tips and tricks for childbirth onto each spiral-bound page, focused on a single topic. You'll find practical tips for:

Planning and preparing for the birth -- where it will be, who'll be there, what to pack, how to know when it's go-time Managing labor pain, including natural methods and medical options Getting helpful support from your labor partner(s) Keeping focused on the ultimate goal: a healthy mom and baby The book also includes crucial pointers for nutrition and health during pregnancy, real-talk on what to expect postpartum, tips for enjoying the early days with a newborn, and more. With the unique format of Obstetricks, readers can browse page by page, dive in for a crash course, pop back in for reminders, or practice helpful tips with a partner to prepare for the main event. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 Congratulations 4 About us PRENATAL HEALTH 5 Food for thought 6 Steer clear 7 Exercise your options 8 The skinny on weight gain 9 Who will you see for prenatal care and delivery? 10 Doulas and labor support 11 Oh the joys ...common issues upper body] 12 Oh the joys ...common issues lower body] 13 Dental care 14 Home sweet homeostasis 15 Mentally strong BEFORE LABOR 16 Writing your birth plan/preferences 17 Don't leave home without... 18 Get ready for birth 19 The squeeze contractions] 20 Other than contractions, what else should grab your attention? DURING LABOR 21 GO time when to head to the hospital or birth center] 22 Keep these in mind throughout labor 23 The pain paradigm 24 Stay relaxed 25 Labor positions 26 Set the mood 27 Cool it, baby 28 Warm it up 29 Get wet 30 Energize 31 The ever-important "zone" 32 The zone: via strength of mind 33 The zone: via a focal point 34 The zone: via the power of sound 35 Coping with back pain part 1] 36 Coping with back pain part 2] 37 Breathe 38 End of labor phenomena FOR THE BIRTH PARTNER 39 Massage 40 Double hip squeeze 41 Counter pressure 42 Knowing what to say and when to say it PUSHING 43 Let it go... 44 The perineum 45 Time to push 46 Comfort measures while pushing IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BIRTH 47 Bond, nurse, marvel, fall in love 48 Procedures for mom 49 The look of the normal newborn 50 Procedures for baby 51 Breastfeeding secrets worth sharing POSTPARTUM CARE FOR MOM 52 Heal thyself 53 Rest i.e., act like you just had a baby] CARING FOR BABE 54 Read the baby, not just the book 55 Ensuring adequate nutrition for babe 56 All is calm 57 About the back of the cards SUMMARY OF LABOR 58 Overview of labor 59 Pre-labor 60 Early labor 61 Active labor 62 Transition 63 Pushing 64 Post birth SO HELPFUL TO KNOW 65 Pregnancy sleep tips 66 Water birth 101 67 TOLAC/VBAC 68 Acupressure 69 Some essential essential oils 70 Hypnobirthing basics 71 The animal in us all 72 Breastfeeding benefits for baby 73 Breastfeeding benefits for mom 74 Postpartum mood changes 75 Intriguing research 76 The jury's still out MEDICAL INFO 77 Prenatal tests and screenings 78 Additional prenatal tests/screenings 79 Monitoring mom and babe during labor and birth 80 Pain-relief medications 81 FYI: speaking of epidurals 82 Holy hormones 83 Making it through the birth canal POTENTIAL DETOURS FROM YOUR PLAN 84 Wrong way, baby 85 Some potential interventions 86 Cesarean (C-section) birth 87 Rebuilding the immune defense after antibiotics PEP TALKS 88 Be gentle, forgiving, and patient with yourself 89 Near the end of your pregnancy 90 Trust 91 Goal setting by baby steps 92 Ride the "wave" 93 Rerouting to reach the same destination BIRTH STORIES 94 Hello, gravity 95 Gratitude 96 What truly matters 97 Conqueror WORD POWER 98 Breathe...release...love 99 Phrases mama might appreciate hearing 100 Reminders for labor support PRACTICAL TIPS ONCE BABE'S ARRIVED 101 Bring on the bliss 102 Getting more sleep 103 Ways to save time and money 104 For the love of your post-baby body] 105 Feel enlivened PERSONALIZE IT 106 Field notes pregnancy memories] 107 Love at first sight spot for ultrasound pic] 108 References/resources