RESOURCES

This list is a collection of some of my favorite books and websites, as well as the favorites of friends, clients, and colleagues. It is by no means an extensive or inclusive list as there are endless pregnancy, birth, and postpartum resources! If you have any feedback about the resources below or any favorites to add, please send us a message so I can add to the list!

Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)

GENERAL LINKS:

North American Registry of Midwives (NARM)

California Association of Midwives (CAM)

California Families for Access to Midwives (CFAM)

WEBSITES:

Evidence Based Birth is a site written by a nurse and a mother who extensively researches what are standards of care in hospital birth, such as prenatal tests, restricting food/ drink in labor, induction, newborn procedures and much more, to find what research actually supports, giving women information to advocate for themselves.

Mothering: The Home for Natural Family Living

Improving Birth

Waterbirth International

Your Waterbirth

San Diego Birth Network

The Cord Blood Center: This website provides a great overview about cord blood banking- what cord blood is, how is can be stored, what stem cells are, and much more! Cord blood can be banked publicly or privately. Research within this field of medicine is rapidly expanding its’ potential uses.

Dr. Sears is a pediatrician who has written over 30 books on pregnancy, babies, parenting, and more. His website and his books are great resources.

Aviva Jill Romm, MD, is a physician, midwife, mother, and herbalist. She has a fabulous website where you can also find a link to her books about natural pregnancy, vaccines, postpartum health, and raising naturally healthy children.

ICAN- International Cesarean Awareness Network, supports women healing from a cesarean birth and strives to educate women wanting to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) by connecting mothers, sharing stories, and providing women with research based information.

Spinning Babies is a helpful resource for information about optimal fetal positioning before labor begins, and information about turning a breech baby and breech birth. Classes and videos available through this site.

Attachment Parenting resource for infants to older children, a wealth of conscious parenting information and support.

Babywearing International, a great start for all you to need to know about wearing your baby.

Kellymom.com, a great resource for evidence based information related to breastfeeding and parenting.

VIDEOS/ OTHER MEDIA:

The Business of Being Born: a popular movie from 2008 that was very eye-opening! Available to watch online, with links to a couple more movies produced by Ricki Lake about birth and breastfeeding.

PregTastic podcast: I haven’t actually listened to this podcast but a client recommended it to me- let me know what you think!

YouTube: There are so many videos of homebirth, natural birth, waterbirth, twin birth, breech birth, and more posted on YouTube. It can be a great place to get comfortable with the wide range of normal, what birth looks and sounds like, and to help prepare partners or older children to be with women in birth time.

Midwifery Today Magazine: 4 issues/ year, and also Midwifery Today holds conferences around the world with many of the leading practitioners in midwifery care today.

Squat Birth Journal: a radical birth magazine and great resource