The Day-by-Day Pregnancy Book [antikvár]

Introduction Pregnancy is an exceptional time when women enter one of their most significant life stages and need to assimilate quickly knowledge and understanding of the process of pregnancy and birth. In the past, when women traditionally gave birth at home, cared for by midwives and female relatives, pregnancy and birth was a familiar event. Today, it's unusual to have such first-hand experience and a woman's knowledge of pregnancy and birth is often non-existent or limited to that which she gained in her first pregnancy. As a result, many, if not all, women contemplate pregnancy with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity. These feelings are often compounded by the recognition that their own lifestyle choices can have an enormous influence on their own and their baby's health. For all these reasons, there is a great need for women to be able to access information about pregnancy that is accurate, balanced, and accessible. In The Day-by-Doy Pregnancy Book information is gathered from a wide body of professionals, each with his or her own area of expertise. The midwives, doctors, obstetricians, and paediatricians who have contributed the core information in this book have between them cared for thousands of women at each stage of pregnancy and labour, delivered thousands of babies, and provided care and support for women and their babies after the birth. The exhaustive record of pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period provided by their combined expertise is complemented by specialist knowledge on diet and exercise from a nutritionist and a lifestyle and exercise coach. The information presented - at once practical, detailed, and full of simple explanations and advice - will provide the vital tools women need to help them plan for pregnancy, negotiate the many changes they wall experience, and develop a safe and appropriate birth plan. Most pregnancy books are written for women. Today, many men also wish to follow closely the development of their unborn child, but have little information and often feel excluded. Within this book there are reassuring explanations for partners about the changes that occur during pregnancy as well as advice for women on how to include partners during pregnancy and the early days of parenthood. Dr Maggie Blott