Genevieve Howland - The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth

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The author is donating 10 percent of her net income from this book (excluding agency commissions, taxes, and illustrator and marketing expenses) to charities that support maternal and childrens health, including Mercy in Action, Mother Health International, and Samaritans Purse.

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Copyright 2017 by Mama Natural Productions, LLC

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First North Star Way trade paperback edition April 2017

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DESIGN BY Karla Baker

ILLUSTRATIONS BY Alice Rutherford

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Howland, Genevieve, author.

Title: The mama natural week-by-week guide to pregnancy and childbirth / by Genevieve Howland.

Description: First North Star Way trade paperback edition. | New York : North Star Way, 2017.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016059018 (print) | LCCN 2017002183 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: PregnancyPopular works. | ChildbirthPopular works. | ObstetricsPopular works. | BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Pregnancy & Childbirth. | FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Parenting / General. | FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Parenting / Motherhood.

Classification: LCC RG551 .H69 2017 (print) | LCC RG551 (ebook) | DDC 618.2dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016059018

ISBN 978-1-5011-4667-1

ISBN 978-1-5011-4668-8 (ebook)

This book is dedicated to my mom, Alyce, who taught me the depth of the mama heart.

I love you.

This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author and contributors. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of personal professional services in the book.

Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Information found in the book is meant to motivate the reader to make healthy choices based on the readers own research in partnership with her or his healthcare provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis, or courses of treatment. The content of this book is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your midwife, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this book. Reliance on any information provided by Mama Natural, whether in the book or on the website or elsewhere, is solely at your own risk.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, that is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

Finally, the author wishes to affirm that you are a beautiful and intelligent individual, and she looks forward to walking through this wondrous pregnancy journey with you!

contents

So, there I was, stark naked and crouched on all fours in the birthing tub, grunting and straining, overcome with a primal urgea desperate needto bear down and push. In the background, I could just barely make out the hypnosis track Id insisted on playing during labor and delivery in hopes that it would take the pain away. (Um, not so much.) Behind me, perched on the edge of the tub, my husband was working hard to apply pressure to my lower back. (I had the dreaded back labor, meaning baby was positioned face-up and the hardest part of his head pressed against my spine during each and every contraction.) Surrounding us were my midwife, a video camera resting atop a tripod, and not one but two doulas.

I was 8.5 centimeters dilated. Id been in labor for more than twenty-four hours. Id been actively pushing for what felt like a year. Once more, I tucked my chin to my chest, tightened my abs, and let out a guttural groan. Then I looked into the encouraging face of my midwife and thought: What in the heck am I doing here?

Me: a former junk food junkie. Me: who used to be sixty-plus pounds overweight. Me: who once couldnt make it past ten in the morning without a cigarette and a gallon or two of diet soda.

Me: a woman who was ready to throw every- thing she had planned and prayed for out the window and requestno, demand an epidural. Or a C-section! Or maybe some kind of miraculous body swap, so someone else could deal with birthing this baby.

Though I ate mostly balanced, healthy meals growing up, food always had a kind of magnetic hold over me. When I was two years old, for example, I scarfed down a bottle of Flintstones vitamins (and promptly had to have my stomach pumped). At summer camp, I volunteered for kitchen duty just so I could wolf down multiple plates of food. Once Id reached high school, I swung the other way, living off rice cakes, Diet Coke, and carrot sticks. During that phase, I climbed aboard a Stairmaster and flipped through a womens magazine when an attention-grabbing headline caught my eye: Are You a Compulsive Overeater? I figured the answer would be a big fat nohow could I be a compulsive eater if I was thin and wasnt eating all that much?