Table of Contents
Foreword Ina May Gaskin 2
Introduction 4
Part 1 Gentle Birth
1 Reclaiming Every Woman's Birth Right 8
2 Vision and Tools for Instinctive Birth 12
Emma's Birth-Sweet and Oceanic 20
3 Healing Birth, Healing the Earth 25
Zoe's Birth-Challenge and Transformation 32
4 Your Body, Your Baby, Your Choice: A Guide to Making Wise Decisions 37
5 Ultrasound Scans: Cause for Concern 78
6 Undisturbed Birth: Mother Nature's Blueprint for Safety, Ease, and Ecstasy 95
Maia's Birth-A Family Celebration 128
7 Epidurals: Risks and Concerns for Mothers and Babies 132
8 Leaving Well Enough Alone: Natural Perspectives on the Third Stage of Labor 154
Jacob's Placenta 185
9 Cesarean Surgery: The Whole Story 193
10 Choosing Homebirth 204
Jacob's Waterbirth-Perfect Timing 212
Part 2 Gentle Mothering
11 Love, Attachment, and Your Baby's Brain: How Gentle Early Parenting Promotes Lifelong Well-Being 217
12 Breastfeeding: The Gift of a Lifetime 234
Bees, Baboo, and Boobies: My Breastfeeding Career 241
13 Babies, Mothers, and the Science of Sharing Sleep 247
Ten Tips for Safe Sleeping 263
Epilogue: Becoming a Parent 267
Resources 273
Acknowledgments 279
Notes 281
Index 342