First Connections Doula Services

The Vital Touch

by Heller

This book had a wealth of knowledge about the power of touch to an infant. There was lots of supporting research and stats to emphasize the importance of touch for a developing baby. I really enjoyed the comparisons of American culture to that of other cultures and how they raise their infants and how this affects the moods and development of the child. It also discusses the many benefits to co-sleep which I'm a huge supporter of. This book explains how touch can stimulate your baby's development, increases digestion and keeps baby stimulated and strong. If you are pregnant or have a small child, you should read this book. It will help you overcome the stigma that comes with co-sleeping, holding your baby "too much", etc. Follow your maternal instinct and do what you feel is best for your baby. I highly recommend this book to any mother-to-be/father-to-be or anyone who is already a mother or father.

Misconceptions

by Wolf

This book is phenomenal. It isn't a pretty picture that it paints but it is the truth. I found myself saying "yes, that's exactly how I felt" over and over while reading this book. There are SO many things that we as women are not prepared for when we become pregnant and journey into motherhood. Naomi Wolf talks about everything from the way she felt she was treated differently when she was pregnant, to the way she felt she had no control while in the L&D at the hospital, to how having a newborn changed her life and her image of herself. Every woman should read this book before having a baby. It's really eye-opening and while it doesn't have all the answers to solve these problems, it's still really vital to know they are there. There is a lot of power in knowing that you are not alone in the way you feel or the way you were treated. I think having this knowledge before having a baby will empower women to make different choices and hopefully speak up more.

The Doula Advantage

by Gurevich

This book gives a really thorough description of what a doula is, how a doula can help a pregnant mother during and after her birth and how to find a doula that is right for you. This book is backed with research and statistics to help support the use of doulas. After reading this book I can't imagine any woman wanting to go into labor without a doula! They can provide fountains of information, emotional support for you and your spouse and pump you full of empowerment! Studies show that women who use the support of a doula end up with fewer interventions (episiotomy, epidural, IVs); they are more likely to breastfeed and succeed at breastfeeding and they consider having a new baby a much more positive experience. The Doula Advantage also contains helpful questions you should ask your potential doula and a great resource list. If you don’t know much about doulas or are considering getting a doula, you should read this book.

The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers

by Newman

Dr. Newman runs a breastfeeding clinic and has had many years experience at helping new mothers with breastfeeding. His book has a great overview of general breastfeeding and it also contains much more in depth information for specific conditions and concerns. Overall I found the book to be very informative and helpful. It listed lots of how-to’s and alternatives to try should a new mom be faced with a breastfeeding difficultly. The book was a bit repetitive with some of the information; however, I believe Dr. Newman’s goal here was to really bring home some important points such as the importance of a good latch from very early on. The book has great information about the importance of breast milk and the differences between breast milk and formula, which I think a lot of people do not realize due to heavy false advertising by the formula companies. If you are unsure of whether you want to breastfeed, this book will definitely convince you that you do!

Positive Discipline

by Nelsen

This book is an oldie but a goodie and a must read for any parent no matter what your child’s age. Nelsen does a magnificent job of informing the reader why kids do what they do. Most kids do not intentionally and maliciously misbehave. Nelsen explains the motives behind their misbehavior which most often comes down to wanting more attention, to feel validated and important. She gives great examples of real life situations and the ideal way to respond to those situations, but she also explains how to recover from a situation that did not go ideally. The book also has great ideas of how to interact with your child on a daily basis: giving them a chance to give input on decisions, letting them help and feel part of the family team, having family meetings to discuss issues. One of the key points from Nelsen’s book is that kids are part of the family and we as parents are not the “bosses” of them. Our job is to guide them and instruct them. They are people too and deserve to be treated fairly and as always positive discipline is much more effective than punishment.

This Isn't What I Expected

by Kleiman

This Isn't What I Expected is a thorough overview of postpartum depression (PPD). It discusses the symptoms of PPD, how to seek help, various medications that can help, different types of therapy/counseling, recovery and there is even a chapter specifically written for the partner. I would recommend this book to any new mom (or her partner) who suspected she might be getting or suffering from PPD. This Isn't What I Expected will help you identify your feelings and symptoms and you will know if they are due do PPD or perhaps just the baby blues. This book is a great resource; however, I do not feel it can replace the benefits of talking to a professional about your PPD. This book will compliment professional treatment. PPD is a very serious issue and must be taken seriously. This book will give you the heads up on what few people know much about.

The Year After Childbirth

by Kitzinger

This book started off sounding like it was written in the 70s. My uterus was referred to poetically as a blossoming tree. I personally am not into this style of prose in a book that I believe should be information-based and factual. But as the book went on it became less artsy and more informational. The book on a whole dealt a lot with emotions and how having a baby alters so many things. It seemed to be lacking more detailed factual information, although I did find the emotional side very interesting and useful. The Year After Childbirth did explore some issues that I have not seen in some of the other books I have read - issues such as sex after a baby, how the father feels about the mother's all consuming love/attention to the baby, restoring the pelvic floor, etc. The book is well organized and if you have time I would say read it, but I do not consider it a "must-read."


Book Reviews
Home Services Book Reviews Contact Me	The Vital Touch by Heller This book had a wealth of knowledge about the power of touch to an infant. There was lots of supporting research and stats to emphasize the importance of touch for a developing baby. I really enjoyed the comparisons of American culture to that of other cultures and how they raise their infants and how this affects the moods and development of the child. It also discusses the many benefits to co-sleep which I'm a huge supporter of. This book explains how touch can stimulate your baby's development, increases digestion and keeps baby stimulated and strong. If you are pregnant or have a small child, you should read this book. It will help you overcome the stigma that comes with co-sleeping, holding your baby "too much", etc. Follow your maternal instinct and do what you feel is best for your baby. I highly recommend this book to any mother-to-be/father-to-be or anyone who is already a mother or father. Misconceptions by Wolf This book is phenomenal. It isn't a pretty picture that it paints but it is the truth. I found myself saying "yes, that's exactly how I felt" over and over while reading this book. There are SO many things that we as women are not prepared for when we become pregnant and journey into motherhood. Naomi Wolf talks about everything from the way she felt she was treated differently when she was pregnant, to the way she felt she had no control while in the L&D at the hospital, to how having a newborn changed her life and her image of herself. Every woman should read this book before having a baby. It's really eye-opening and while it doesn't have all the answers to solve these problems, it's still really vital to know they are there. There is a lot of power in knowing that you are not alone in the way you feel or the way you were treated. I think having this knowledge before having a baby will empower women to make different choices and hopefully speak up more. The Doula Advantage by Gurevich This book gives a really thorough description of what a doula is, how a doula can help a pregnant mother during and after her birth and how to find a doula that is right for you. This book is backed with research and statistics to help support the use of doulas. After reading this book I can't imagine any woman wanting to go into labor without a doula! They can provide fountains of information, emotional support for you and your spouse and pump you full of empowerment! Studies show that women who use the support of a doula end up with fewer interventions (episiotomy, epidural, IVs); they are more likely to breastfeed and succeed at breastfeeding and they consider having a new baby a much more positive experience. The Doula Advantage also contains helpful questions you should ask your potential doula and a great resource list. If you don’t know much about doulas or are considering getting a doula, you should read this book. The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers by Newman Dr. Newman runs a breastfeeding clinic and has had many years experience at helping new mothers with breastfeeding. His book has a great overview of general breastfeeding and it also contains much more in depth information for specific conditions and concerns. Overall I found the book to be very informative and helpful. It listed lots of how-to’s and alternatives to try should a new mom be faced with a breastfeeding difficultly. The book was a bit repetitive with some of the information; however, I believe Dr. Newman’s goal here was to really bring home some important points such as the importance of a good latch from very early on. The book has great information about the importance of breast milk and the differences between breast milk and formula, which I think a lot of people do not realize due to heavy false advertising by the formula companies. If you are unsure of whether you want to breastfeed, this book will definitely convince you that you do! Positive Discipline by Nelsen This book is an oldie but a goodie and a must read for any parent no matter what your child’s age. Nelsen does a magnificent job of informing the reader why kids do what they do. Most kids do not intentionally and maliciously misbehave. Nelsen explains the motives behind their misbehavior which most often comes down to wanting more attention, to feel validated and important. She gives great examples of real life situations and the ideal way to respond to those situations, but she also explains how to recover from a situation that did not go ideally. The book also has great ideas of how to interact with your child on a daily basis: giving them a chance to give input on decisions, letting them help and feel part of the family team, having family meetings to discuss issues. One of the key points from Nelsen’s book is that kids are part of the family and we as parents are not the “bosses” of them. Our job is to guide them and instruct them. They are people too and deserve to be treated fairly and as always positive discipline is much more effective than punishment. This Isn't What I Expected by Kleiman This Isn't What I Expected is a thorough overview of postpartum depression (PPD). It discusses the symptoms of PPD, how to seek help, various medications that can help, different types of therapy/counseling, recovery and there is even a chapter specifically written for the partner. I would recommend this book to any new mom (or her partner) who suspected she might be getting or suffering from PPD. This Isn't What I Expected will help you identify your feelings and symptoms and you will know if they are due do PPD or perhaps just the baby blues. This book is a great resource; however, I do not feel it can replace the benefits of talking to a professional about your PPD. This book will compliment professional treatment. PPD is a very serious issue and must be taken seriously. This book will give you the heads up on what few people know much about. The Year After Childbirth by Kitzinger This book started off sounding like it was written in the 70s. My uterus was referred to poetically as a blossoming tree. I personally am not into this style of prose in a book that I believe should be information-based and factual. But as the book went on it became less artsy and more informational. The book on a whole dealt a lot with emotions and how having a baby alters so many things. It seemed to be lacking more detailed factual information, although I did find the emotional side very interesting and useful. The Year After Childbirth did explore some issues that I have not seen in some of the other books I have read - issues such as sex after a baby, how the father feels about the mother's all consuming love/attention to the baby, restoring the pelvic floor, etc. The book is well organized and if you have time I would say read it, but I do not consider it a "must-read."
© 2007 first connections doula