BIRTH AND BABY CARE RESOURCES

Preparing For Parenthood!

When pregnant, it's essential to obtain trustworthy information to make informed decisions about your health and your baby's well-being. It is natural to have questions during this remarkable process. 

​We believe that being well-informed is essential for making the best choices for yourself and your baby's well-being. Therefore, we carefully curated a collection of recommended books, apps, tips for parents-to-be, and websites that are trusted sources of knowledge. These resources cover a wide range of topics, including prenatal care, nutrition, exercise, and emotional well-being. 

​We also encourage you to explore our Empowered Birthing Blog and take advantage of the wealth of information it offers.

Enjoy exploring the childbirth and newborn care resources below!

Books

​Below you find a collection of our favorite pregnancy, birth and newborn care books.

​One of the books we in particular recommend is "Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn" by Penny 
 Simkin (founder of DONA International, the world's first doula certification organization). This book is different from others because it doesn't focus on what can go wrong. Instead, it explains the normal and healthy processes, their variations, and how to monitor them.

​​Her other excellent book is "The Birth Partner"- a must-read for partners who want to be truly supportive during childbirth. 
As she explains in this YouTube video, there are also opportunities to involve your children who are expecting a sibling. ​She has more interesting YouTube videos you may want to check out.
We added links to these pregnancy, birth, and newborn care books on Amazon for your convenience. Hover over them if you want to purchase some.
​​"Welcome to Fatherhood" is a book that takes the interesting father's perspective. It discusses the difficulties that modern expectant fathers encounter when they try to support their pregnant partners. In addition, it also makes sure there is some fun along the way :-)

Apps

If your due date is approaching or you recently had a baby, it can be challenging to remember everything. And that's perfectly fine.
​
The good news is that there are many pregnancy, birth, and baby apps for new parents. These apps can help record and track important milestones, such as remembering which side you last fed on. Below are some of the apps we highly recommend.
From left to right: 
​Expectful, GentleBirth, Contraction Timer, The Wonder Weeks, Baby Connect, Huckleberry, Guva, and Headspace. ​You can find more information about these apps by hovering over their logos.
The app Expectful provides a holistic approach from fertility up through the baby's first year. GentleBirth focuses on birth preparation, and people use the Contraction Timer to track their contractions during childbirth. 
Apps like Wonder Weeks, Baby Connect, and Huckleberry help you record and monitor your baby's activities, development, and milestones. While Guva is a white noise app designed to help babies sleep, Headspace is a meditation and sleep app that helps you relax and get the rest you need. ​

Would you like to learn more about various apps? There are interesting YouTube videos that explain the available options in more detail. Like this video in which Mama NP explains five interesting apps she used, including Huckleberry, Wonder Weeks, and Guva.​

Tips for Parents-to-be and New Parents

Questions to ask when selecting a care provider:

  • What do you see as my role and responsibilities during pregnancy & birth? How do you prefer to work with your clients?
  • How do you feel about my partner, other family or friends, or a doula attending my birth?
  • What do you think about childbirth preparation classes? Would you happen to have any recommendations for good classes?
  • What are the chances that you will be present when I give birth? Who covers when you are not available? Will I have a chance to meet that person? 
  • How do you feel about birth plans? If I prepare one, will you check in for safety and compatibility with your practices and hospital policies?
  • Do you have the flexibility to accommodate your clients' individual preferences or needs?
  • How far can I go over my due date?

What to bring to the hospital:

Preparing for the birth of your child involves a lot of planning, and making a checklist of what to bring to the hospital can help ensure a smoother experience. Here's a list of essential items to consider packing:
  • Extra pillow
  • Music/playlist
  • Charger phone
  • Birth plan
  • Snacks & Gatorade
  • Chapstick
  • Slippers
  • Headbands
  • Massage lotion/tools
  • Nursing bras/pads/cream
  • Car seat
  • Baby outfit
  • Baby hat
  • Toiletries
  • Clothes parents/underwear
  • Insurance card
  • Info pediatrician

When do you need to go to the hospital? Sooner than the "5-1-1" may be good.

5-1-1: If your contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute, for 1 hour or longer, it's time to head to the hospital. There may be good reasons to go earlier:
  • If you vomit with contractions
  • If you feel rectal pressure
  • If you are unable to talk or walk due to contractions
  • If you think that your "water" has broken
  • If you have vaginal bleeding
  • If you test positive for strep B
  • If you live far from the hospital
  • If you progress quickly

​What are the advantages of baby-wearing?

Baby-wearing includes, for example, cotton wraps, ergo baby, baby Bjorn, baby K'tan, Moby ring sling, and Boba wrap. Advantages of baby-wearing:
  • Promotes secure mother-baby attachment.
  • Baby cries less.
  • Aids baby's healthy physical development.           
  • Makes the mother more responsive to the baby.
  • Reduces reflux symptoms.
  • Helps depressed mothers to nurture their babies.
  • Improves breastfeeding rates.
  • Soothes the baby when distressed.     
  • Encourages well-being and relaxation in both mother & baby.
  • Baby spits up less.
  • Lowers the risk of otitis media.
  • Improves baby's digestion.
  • Ease transition into the world by mimicking the womb.
  • The baby is less fussy.
  • Meets the newborn's need to be close to the mother.
  • It provides humans with adaptations that enable them to carry their infants.
  • Touch & motion physiologically calms a baby.
  • It may lessen postpartum depression.
  • Reduces the risk of flat head.
  • Uses less energy than in-arm carrying.
  • Synchronizes mother & baby biologically.
  • Supports physical growth in preterm infants.
  • May increase mothers' resilience and parental confidence.

Read the blog post titled "Benefits of a Baby-Wearing Hoodie" to discover, for example, more about how wearing your baby promotes bonding.

How do you know if a baby latch on well?

The following are signs that the baby is sucking properly at the breast:
  • Upon initial latch, the baby will begin to suck quickly
  • These quick sucks will trigger the mother's letdown reflex.
  • Baby’s sucking will become longer, and a suck-suck-pause pattern should develop as the milk lets down.
  • Baby’s ear and temple will wiggle with each suck.
  • Mother should feel a gentle tugging, but no pain.
  • The baby flanges its lips and cups the breast with their tongue.
  • See it: The temple/ear wiggle, jaw movement.
  • Feel it: Gentle tugging at the breast.
  • Hear it: Audible suck, swallow, pattern.

You can find additional information on La Leche International and KellyMom.

When do you need to call your OB/GYN Postpartum?

  • If you have a fever over 100.4 F or 38 C
  • If you have foul-smelling vaginal discharge
  • If you have increased uterine pain
  • If you have heavy bleeding
  • If you have a burning feeling with urination
  • If you feel a lump or hard area, or pain in your breast
  • If you have a red, tender, painful area on your leg
  • Any other concerns about your health

Ten strategies to cope with sleep deprivation postpartum:

  • ​Sleep (or try to relax!) when the baby sleeps.
  • Say yes to anyone who offers to help.
  • Discuss ways your partner can help.
  • Take a day to stay in your pajamas and rest.
  • Try to get outside every day.
  • Drink water and eat healthy foods.
  • Limit caffeine.
  • Please don't look at the clock at night.
  • You are not spoiling your newborn by responding at night.
  • The period of sleep deprivation WILL end.​

Ten reasons a mother benefits from using a Birth Ball during birthing:

  • ​The Birth Ball helps babies get into better alignment in the pelvis. 
  • It allows our moms to relax deeply in an upright position. 
  • It encourages pelvic mobility and can also help to turn a posterior baby.
  • Aid in the baby descending into the pelvis and applying its head to the cervix.
  • To shift her weight, rock her pelvis, and find comfortable positions to relax in more easily.​
  • The mother creates a rhythmic movement that allows her to get "in sync" with the rhythmic progression of her contractions.  
Using a Birth Ball

Using a Birth Ball

  • Lower to the ground for getting up and down to go to the bathroom. 
  • Practice hypnosis techniques and deep relaxation daily. 
  • Temporarily increases the pelvic diameter as a mom rocks for comfort and to help the baby descend. 
  • In the semi-squatting position, you'll help your baby get into the right position for birth. ​

Another useful aid is the peanut birthing ball, which helps mothers feel more comfortable and speeds up labor and delivery. You'll find more background on the benefits in the blog post titled "The Labor Peanut Ball: For a Smooth Birthing Experience."

Things to do before baby comes:

  • Having everything packed and ready for the baby's birth by 37 weeks. 
  • Keep all the necessary information in one place. 
  • Keep hard copies of the preference birth plan for the nurse, doula, or doctor.
  • Plan several routes to the birth facility and know which entrance to use after office hours. 
  • Having the car seat installed and safety-checked. 
  • Ask the mom what else she needs to feel ready, because if she doesn't, she's NOT ready!

Do you have more questions? We are there for you to discuss any question you have!

​Websites

You may also wish to explore some of the websites below that can make a difference in your pregnancy journey!

If you want to get your facts right, the Evidence Based Birth website (Home - Evidence Based Birth®) is a good starting point. Its purpose is to provide information to pregnant couples and birth professionals about the most current and effective care methods.

The information on this website also covers Doula support. For example, did you know that women with continuous labor support have a 25% lower chance of a cesarean? And for those who have a qualified Doula, the chance is even lower at 39%. Doulas love to make a difference!

Recommended Websites

Empowering both you and your baby for easier childbirth with a program of daily activities, balancing techniques, and smarter birth positions: 
Spinning Babies - Comfort in Pregnancy and Easier Birth

​All about breastfeeding and parenting: 
KellyMom.com Breastfeeding and Parenting

Another great (international) resource on breastfeeding:
​Homepage - La Leche League International (llli.org)

Chiropractor with Webster technique - for healthier pregnancies and births:
ICPA - Establishing and Advancing the Chiropractic Family Lifestyle (icpa4kids.com)
​
Therapists working with women through all the transitions in their lives,
including motherhood and parenting:
perennialwellnessllc.com 

First aid for pregnant women:
Online ACLS Certification & Recertification | PMT (pacificmedicalacls.com)

Guided groups helping dads get the most out of fatherhood so they can give their best to their families:
​www.thefatherhoodcircle.com