The Nurturing Touch at Birth: A Labor Support Handbook

NEW Second Edition! Revised and Updated! Seize the opportunity to use the information in this book to educate yourself about new ways to care for laboring women. This book is for anyone who needs to help a laboring woman (dad, friends, nurses, midwives, doulas, and montrices). This valuable book covers the unique art form of emotionally and physically assisting the laboring mother. The heart of this book centers around the supportive care given to the laboring mother and details the labor support techniques useful when caring for the laboring woman. The topics include let's talk about pain, trusting relationships, the value of education, communications skills and tools, relaxation, affirmation, visualization, touch and massage, aromatherapy, music therapy, visualization,breathing techniques, focusing, rituals, therapeutic use of water, reflexology, acupressure, reflexology, maternal positioning and other strategies and techniques like the birth ball, lunge, dangle, towel pull, pelvic circles and use of rebozo. Reviews of the NEW second edition of The Nurturing Touch at Birth. "Open the book and a cornucopia of information, ideas, concepts, and strategies spills out. An indispensable resource for experienced labor support professionals and novices alike." Henci Goer, author of The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities.

Paulina (Polly) Perez is a perinatal nurse consultant and professional labor assistant with over 40 years experience in maternity care. She is the author of Special Women, the original book on the role of the professional labor assistant as well as numerous journal articles. She is an internationally known speaker on health care issues and her presentations are full of humor, enthusiasm and understanding. Polly serves on several advisory and editorial boards. She has extensive experience as a charge agent and has helped many hospitals integrate new approches and modalities into their systems.