Pea in a Pod: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth & Beyond - Softcover

Goldberg, Linda

3.83

42 ratings by Goodreads

9780757001819: Pea in a Pod: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth & Beyond

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0757001815 ISBN 13: 9780757001819

Publisher: Square One, 2007

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Back in the good ol’ days, mothers-to-be visited their obstetricians once a month and gave birth under heavy sedation, while dads paced nervously in the waiting room. If you choose to be more active in the birth experience, Pea in a Pod is your perfect playbook.

After presenting an overview of birthing options and caregiver choices, Pea in a Pod offers a detailed description of conception and fetal development, along with the physical and emotional changes to expect during pregnancy. It also provides nutritional guidelines, exercise plans, information on prenatal tests and procedures, and a wealth of hints for the expectant father and labor partner. Labor variations are

discussed along with common interventions and medications. Final chapters focus on infant care, detailing such topics as breastfeeding and childhood immunizations. The birth of a baby is a significant event in a parent’s lifetime. Pea in a Pod will help make your journey from pregnancy to parenthood both memorable and rewarding.

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About the Author:

Linda Goldberg, RN, CCE, IBCLC, is a graduate of the Helene Fuld School of Nursing at West Jersey Hospital. She has taught childbirth classes since 1977, first with the CEA of Jacksonville, Florida, and then at Special Beginnings, an out-of-hospital birth center in Orlando. Currently, Linda is a lactation consultant and educator at Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park, Florida, where she teaches early pregnancy, breastfeeding, and Happiest Baby on the Block classes.

“Honey, I’m pregnant!” For most couples, this phrase elicits a wide range of feelings--from joy and anticipation to anxiety and concern. Most of all, it results in lots of questions. Being pregnant for the first time throws most women into an exciting world of unknowns and new experiences. It is often the first time they start thinking about the food they are eating or what they should or should not do to help ensure a healthy baby. Being well-informed during this time is key.

Today, many women learn about childbirth from television shows or movies, which often paint unrealistic or inaccurate pictures of the experience. The Internet, another popular source of information for expectant mothers, may (or may not) be accurate, depending on the reliability of the specific site. While it is, of course, possible to obtain good information from any of these venues, prenatal classes with certified instructors, which provide personal interaction, are usually the best sources. This book--whether used alone or in conjunction with classes--can be considered another.

Up-to-date and complete, Pea in a Pod is a comprehensive “one-stop-shopping” guide that provides solid, accurate information for expectant parents. With topics that begin with preconception and continue through pregnancy, childbirth, and baby’s first year, this book could easily be called Absolutely Everything You Could Possibly Want or Need to Know About Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding, and the Newborn. In addition to a wealth of practical information, it includes the latest developments in the field of obstetrics, pediatrics, and breastfeeding, as well as the most current policies issued by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Heart Association, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, the World Health Organization, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

The book opens with a general discussion of the many birthing options and caregiver choices that are currently available for expectant mothers. Today’s woman can opt for an unmedicated birth in a home, hospital, or birth center; she can decide to have a high-tech delivery that employs gadgets, machines, and plenty of medication. She can even have a prescheduled induced labor or a planned cesarean for the sake of convenience. To assist her in giving birth, she can be aided by a doctor or midwife, have the support of one or more labor partners, and employ the services of a doula, who is specially trained to help women in labor. Because so many options are now available, it is even more important for expectant couples to educate themselves before making decisions. Only by becoming familiar with the benefits and risks of all the available options can a couple make wise choices.

To help guide you through pregnancy, Pea in a Pod provides a wealth of pertinent information, starting with a detailed description of conception and fetal development, and continuing with informative discussions on the physical and emotional changes that occur during each trimester. It offers important nutritional guidelines, explanations of required and optional prenatal tests and procedures, and answers to the most commonly asked questions (the do’s and the don’ts) of expectant couples. It also provides a variety of easy-to-follow prenatal exercises--both for relieving the minor discomforts of pregnancy and for preparing your body to give birth.

Subsequent chapters are designed to prepare you (and your partner) for the upcoming labor and the birth of your baby. They offer a wide variety of relaxation techniques and breathing methods that you can practice at home in preparation for the event. Detailed discussions offer a clear understanding of what to expect during this time and how to best cope. And since every labor is different and may not necessarily go “by the book,” labor variations are also discussed. You will become aware of common labor interventions and medications, along with their benefits and risks. An entire chapter is devoted to cesarean birth.

Once your precious baby has made an entrance into the world, you can expect to have a fresh supply of questions--especially if this is your firstborn. The final chapters of this book are devoted entirely to this time, during which most new parents find themselves concerned over their newborn’s actions or appearance --“Is her head supposed to have that shape?” “How do I care for the umbilical cord?” “Why is he crying so often?” “If I hold her a lot, will I spoil her?” These and other common concerns are addressed. Also presented are helpful tips for best managing your time (to avoid exhaustion), for baby proofing your home, and for knowing when a call to the pediatrician is in order. Clear, step-by-step instructions for handling emergencies, such as choking, are included, as well as directions for performing infant CPR. And as breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant feeding, helpful suggestions are offered to make this choice a successful one. A section on pumping and bottle-feeding (especially helpful for working moms) is also included, as is information regarding the use and preparation of breastmilk substitutes. Completing the book is a chapter on parenting, which incorporates helpful tips on preparing your other children (and even pets) for the new arrival. It also discusses the importance of remaining close to your partner, and offers suggestions for maintaining a strong, loving relationship.

The purpose of this book is twofold. First, it provides the tools to be utilized by you, the expectant couple, throughout the pregnancy and birth. It can be used in conjunction with early pregnancy, childbirth preparation, and breastfeeding classes, as well as classes for new mothers. The chapter on cesarean birth also makes it an appropriate manual for cesarean preparation. Second, the book conveys an attitude, one of awareness and responsibility. It is through this attitude that couples come to understand the impact and importance of their decisions.

The birth of a baby is one of the most significant events in a person’s life--one that will be remembered in great detail even decades later. Making well-thought-out decisions can help ensure an optimum birth experience and positive memories. Whether this is your first birth or your first “prepared” birth, the information in this book will enable you to make the journey from pregnancy to parenthood a truly rewarding and memorable experience.

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