Abstract

This is a comprehensive and empowering guide to facilitating a positive pregnancy and birth experience, and ensuring lasting emotional and physical health for mother and baby.

Countering increasingly medicalized attitudes towards pregnancy and birth among many healthcare providers, this research-based book discusses the benefits of a more natural approach. It reveals the often undisclosed effects on a child's long-term development of accepted medical practices, such as induction, C-section, surgical interventions and pain-relief medications. It offers advice on how these practices can be avoided, for example with techniques to encourage optimal fetal positioning, by optimising the birth environment, and through drug-free pain management methods. Ultimately, it enables practitioners to support parents in informed, confident decision-making by giving a balanced account of the complex array of options available throughout pregnancy and birth.

With invaluable contributions from midwives, doulas, mothers, and doctors, and tried-and-tested advice on sleep, exercise, diet and therapies, this will a very useful reference for anyone working with women and babies. The information will also be relevant to prospective and new parents.

We should do all possible to promote this book and its profoundly important message. Our species' survival may well depend upon it.
Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of 'Magical Child' and 'The Crack in the Cosmic Egg'
John Wilks has practiced and taught Craniosacral Therapy and the Bowen Technique for many years and lectures complementary practitioners on pregnancy and childbirth all over the world. He is the author of four books on complementary therapies and developed a specialised Craniosacral training course for midwives which was the first of its kind to be accredited by the Royal College of Midwives. John practices at a multidisciplinary clinic in Dorset, UK.
I love the depth and breadth of this book, the clear honest writing and the amazing amount of wisdom offered to new parents. I can honestly say that it is the kind of book I want all parents and professionals to read, and yet there hasn't been one like it... I just love it.
Dominique Sakoilsky, Founder of Relaxed Birth and Parenting
A comprehensive and compassionate guide for parents wanting to make informed and gentle choices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
Dr Sarah J. Buckley, MB, ChB, Dip Obst, author of Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering