Natural Family Living

The Mothering Magazine Guide to Parenting

An internationally renowned advocate of natural parenting, Peggy O'Mara covers a vast range of timeless and contemporary issues in detail and with authority -- from the practical to the philosophical, from preconception to adolescence:

* Embracing a conscious, conscientious pregnancy

* Natural childbirth, homebirth, and midwifery

* Breastfeeding

* Attachment parenting

* Healthful eating for the whole family -- and balanced attitudes toward food and diet

* Alternative health care for children, including homeopathy, bodywork, herbal remedies, and aromatherapy

* Family matters: from discipline issues to home entertainment

* Uses and abuses of television, computers, and video games

* Approaches to sexuality

* Home schooling and alternative education.

This groundbreaking book helps parents make informed choices on cutting-edge

issues as they strive to create a whole, healthy family environment. Illustrated with photos, and featuring enlightening interviews, Natural Family Living is the only guide authorized by the world's most savvy parenting publication.

Written by Peggy O'Mara, the longtime publisher, editor, and owner of Mothering magazine, it synthesizes the best theories and safest practices used in natural childbirth, including recommendations from the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Throughout, O'Mara reinforces her belief that each woman's pregnancy and birth experience is a one-of-a-kind event. She covers such topics as:

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<LI>Nutrition, diet, and exercise

<LI>Emotional self-awareness during and after pregnancy

<LI>A trimester-by-trimester guide to what is happening in your body and your child's

<LI>Birth choices -- offering suggestions, not "rules"

<LI>Pain medication alternatives

<LI>Birth locations, from hospitals to home birth

<LI>Relieving morning sickness with natural remedies

<LI>Prenatal testing

<LI>Breastfeeding

<LI>Prematurity and multiple births

<LI>Balancing work and family

<LI>The father's role during pregnancy and beyond

<LI>Difficult subjects, such as birth defects, miscarriages, and postpartum depression, are also treated with sensitivity and candor.

Finally, a book for the thinking woman who believes in her own inherent capacity to make smart, informed decisions about her pregnancy and birth, just as she makes in other areas of her life. Having a Baby, Naturally is a celebration of childbirth and an accurate and objective guide to helping women fortify their spirits, develop trust in their bodies, and make the best possible choices to protect their new baby's health.