A Mental How-To for Pregnancy and Birth!
I purchased this 25 years ago when I was pregnant with our first child (who is now a beautiful woman!) We were considering taking midwifery classes to avoid a hospital birth. That class didn't happen (since our state laws at the time would have prohibited my husband from delivering the baby in a hospital), but both of us learned a lot about the connection between your emotional and mental health and the condition of your newborn. When I was having trouble conceiving a second child, the book gave the advice to "... concentrate on helping a child who already exists" so that the universe would understand your intent. Surprisingly, that helped a lot when we lost twin sons shortly after birth. No one expects a modern pregnancy to end badly, especially with highly-technical tests (ultrasound, etc.) and frequent doctor visits. However, it still happens quite frequently, which is hard to believe in such a "forward" country as the USA. Once you have a child born prematurely who subsequently dies, the next pregnancy is fraught with tension and stress. Every little normal symptom is examined to make certain that it's not the start of another early birth or miscarriage. This volume helped with that, also, reinforcing the fact that every pregnancy is totally different from the ones before. Also, the book emphasizes that no subsequent baby can be a "substitute" for the ones who died. Each child is a new individual. My husband and I were able to take strength from these words and persist until we had a second, quite healthy daughter Iwho is now a healthy 21-year-old.) Another great point of this book is that it promotes bonding and breastfeeding while actually TELLING you how to overcome many of the common problems of breastfeeding, particularly in the first few weeks (when every new mother feels absolutely alone and confused!) I bought several copies for my friends who were contemplating getting pregnant, because this book tells each story with raw honesty, both good and bad. These stories, from real 70s moms in a commune, mention all the typical pregnancy and newborn problems, and any solutions that the moms found. I found the "natural" photos helpful. As a newly-pregnant woman, you are concerned about every little burp, freckle, or baby kick. This book usually has at least one mom whose experience will speak to you. As I mentioned before, I found it to be comforting when I was grieving deeply over the deaths of our twin sons. Most friends had no idea what to say or do to comfort us. This book, with its true tales of some moms who also lost children, gave me hope that I would eventually have a successful pregnancy outcome like the moms in the interviews. I'm going to get copies for both my daughters, just in case the book is not available when they need it. To all future moms and dads: Good luck, and get this book!
