Recommended Reading for Pregnant Women

A good first step in promoting a healthy and satisfying pregnancy is to become as educated as possible. Many books for pregnant women are available besides this on. Some are general information books, similar to this, others cover such specific topics as pregnancy and parenting for the working woman, nutrition and special diets for pregnancy, herbs to use in pregnancy, exercises to prepare for and recover from delivery, and care of the newborn. Many books are devoted entirely to breast-feeding, Some volumes focus on the emotional or spiritual aspects of pregnancy, others on lovemaking during pregnancy. You can find books that describe each of the several approaches to psychological and physical support for the woman in labor: There are books about home birth and books that help you decide how you would like your birth carried out. There are books on midwifery. Books for pregnant women with diabetes and for women who have had cesarean births available. There are books to help women cope with pregnancy loss. Books have been written for expectant fathers and for children expecting a sibling. A recently published book provides a guide to pregnancy expressly for African-American women. If you are a reader, you will not be at a loss for material.Besides books, there are several other excellent resources. These include the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Midwives Alliance of North America, the March of Dimes, La Leche League, the International Childbirth Education Association, and the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics. Your public library most likely has a special section of books and videos on pregnancy, breast-feeding, and baby care. Your neighborhood video store may be a resource for tapes on childbirth and pregnancy exercise. Childbirth education groups in your community also may be able to supply you with audio and videotapes.

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