Here
is a list of online resources that you may find helpful during your pregnancy
and as you prepare for childbirth and parenting. Overall, I have found
the information on these sites to be valuable, but cannot guarantee the
ongoing accuracy and safety of everything you might read while exploring
them. If you find any broken links, or if you have a favorite site to
suggest, please e-mail me at christina@birthingyourbaby.com.
Visembryo details the stages of fetal development, from one day post-fertilization
to 40 weeks with some pictures and lots of text description. Also includes
an extensive glossary of terms.
Your
Growing Body & Baby offers finely illustrated drawings of a baby's
development through pregnancy and shows how your body accomodates your
baby's growth!
Blue Ribbon Baby is the official
website for Dr. Tom Brewer's nutritional information. This is the basic
plan for the nutritional goals I explain in my classes.
BabyCenter.com has
been the pregnancy/baby website I've used most often. I particularly enjoyed
their weekly bulletins during my pregnancy and still receive updates about
Madelyn's development.
Harvard's
Women's Health Information on pregnancy is excellent. It includes
information on preparing for pregnancy, exercise and nutrition while pregnant,
a pregnancy "timeline", an overview of labor and delivery, and a section
on life with a newborn.
Ask Dr. Sears.com is a comprehensive
website offering Sears' wisdom on pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Updated
regularly with weekly topics and questions. I highly recommend this site
as an extension of their excellent books.
Ivilliage.com offers a Panel
of Experts to advise you on pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Includes
a certified nurse-midwife, two lactation consultants, labor expert Henci
Goer, a pediatrician, parenting experts, a family counselor, etc. Advice
is organized by topic and is easy to navigate to find what you need. An
excellent resource
Patient
Rights at Your Fingertips is a short document detailing your basic
rights as a patient. Want a copy of your medical records? Don't want to
sign that consent form? Click on this link to learn about your rights!
How do I choose my caregiver? The MaternityWise website provides an
insightful overview that answers many of the common questions women have
about choosing a caregiver and explains what types of caregivers provide
maternity care.
Sidelines National Support Network
provides nationwide support for women and their families experiencing
complicated pregnancies. There are excellent suggestions of bedrest activities,
a great FAQ page, a list of questions to discuss with your caregiver,
and lots more, including a very comprehensive links section which is great
for any pregnant or new mom.
This is a very cool due date
& pregnancy timeline calculator.
The Coalition for Improving Maternal Services offers useful downloads
& resources here,
including "The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative", "Having
a Baby? Ten Questions to Ask", and fact sheets on inductions and
cesarean births.
Plus-Size
Pregnancy Website provides evidence-based articles and links to information
geared toward possible concerns of plus-sized women as well as a more
general audience. An excellent resource.
Interested in using medicinal-grade essential oils in pregnancy or birth?
They're available at Young
Living World.
Mothers
of Supertwins is a network of families with triplets, quadruplets
and more. MOST provides information, resources, empathy and good humor
during pregnancy, infancy, toddlerhood and school age.
Pee
on a Stick is a comprehensive collection of home pregnancy test and
ovulation predictor test information and images.
The
Hyperemesis Education & Research
(HER) Foundation provides education & support for mothers suffering
from hyperemesis gravidarum and those who care for them. The FAQ section
is particularly worth reviewing.
Computerized
model of embryonic and fetal development. Need Shockwave (Adobe) for
it to work.
The
Morning Sickness
page on Dr. Sears' website offers great information, including "24
ways to ease morning sickness", a list of "tummy friendly"
foods and a list of "discomfort foods".
Clear
explanation of how a non-stress
test works and how to understand the results.
Listening
to Mothers II Survey results from Childbirth Connection. Learn what
1,600 mothers across the nation said about planning for pregnancy, labor
and birth, being home with a new baby, physical and emotional health after
birth, and opinions about choice, control, knowledge and decision-making
in childbirth.
Preventing
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, an article from Childbirth Connection, offers
valuable information about urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor
dysfunctions - including what factors can contribute to these problems
as well as what you can do to help keep your pelvic floor strong.
Joy M. Jones, RN has created a website, The
Brewer Pregnancy Diet, that clearly outlines Dr. Tom Brewer's Pregnancy
Diet, including an explanation of the eating plan, the physiology of how
and why it works, and a variety of other useful information.
Become an Ex offers
detailed information on how to stop smoking.
Help
Pregnant Smokers Quit - more detailed information on the benefits
of quitting, how to successfully prepare to quit, how to set a quit date,
etc.
Midwifery
Today is a website dedicated to the "heart
and science of birth." It offers searches for doulas and midwives, an
extensive collection of searchable articles, and a number of interesting
forums. A terrific site for expectant couples and birth professionals
covering pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding topics. Ten
Tips for Labor Coaches provides solid advice for labor partners.
A BabyCenter.com resource.
Childbirth
Connection is the website for the former Maternity Center Association.
It offers up-to-date information on evidence-based in a very readable
format. The sections on Ceseraean birth, labor support, and choosing
a caregiver are especially worth reading. Finally, the text of A
Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth is on this website.
This text is an excellent reference for information on evidence-based
care. I highly recommend exploring it.
Is
Natural Childbirth Right for You? is a quiz offered by Ivillage.
I don't know if I would use it as a guide for making this decision…
but it might help you clarify what you need to do to prepare psychologically
for a natural birth.
BirthPlan.com from
Pregnancy Today and the
Interactive Birth Plan from Childbirth.org are two websites I recommend
visiting to help you develop your birthplan. Use these websites to get
a sense of the appropriate language to use in your plan and to think
about the wide range of topics to include.
Trying
to decide whether (or how) to bank your baby's cord blood? Check out
an article
written by Dr. Robert Sears or go to www.cordblood.com.
Planning to breastfeed? Check out this
site to see how the choices you make during birth may affect breastfeeding.
Keep in mind, though, that breastfeeding can be successful even under
less-than-ideal circumstances. Just some food for thought that might
be helpful when drafting a birth plan or talking to your caregiver about
your options during labor.
VBAC.com
is a "woman-centered, evidence-based" resource with information
about having a vaginal birth after cesearean.
International
Caserean Awareness Network's mission is to improve maternal-child
health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing
support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
(VBAC).
Considering
using a doula for your birth? Check out this one-page
chart showing the benefits of doula care.
Want to know what it looks like to have an epidural? Check out this
incredible pictorial
"essay" of what happens. This is somewhat graphic, but
could be an invaluable aid in your decision-making.
Depression
After Delivery is a national, nonprofit organization which has provided
support for women with antepartum and postpartum disorders (PPD) since
1985. It offers information about symptoms, treatment, and resources
as well as information for fathers/partners.
The Postpartum Stress Center
offers excellent resources on Postpartum Despression, with pages on
family support, ways to feel better, where to get help, and talking
to your doctor.
Wonder
what to say when yet another well-meaning friend or family member has
a question or comment about your planned homebirth? Read through this
list of wonderful
responses.
The
wonderful North Carolina
Homebirth website offers lots of information of interest that might
be of interest to families planning (or thinking of planning) a homebirth,
regardless of where they live. It includes resources on "Choosing
a Homebirth" "What Makes a Homebirth Different" and "Safety:
How Homebirth Measures Up" and "What to Say When Others Say
'No Way'" as well how to plan the details - who to invite, how
to prepare, and more. Finally, there's an adorable homebirth
coloring book available too!
List
of ideas for having the Best
Cesarean possible, from Penny Simkin. Information for before, during,
and after the Cesarean for mother and baby.
Homebirth Reference Site
with answers to common "What if..." questions: "What
if you want pain relief?" and "What if the cord is around
the baby's neck?" etc.
There's
No Place Like Home, on the advantages and and joys and of giving
birth where you live, by Birthing From Within author, Pam England.
Resources on Midwives and
Midwifery, from Citizens for Midwifery, including information on
finding a midwife, safety of homebirths, US birth statistics and more.
Pain Relief and Homebirths:
what pain-relieving medications are used in homebirth situations, ideas
for non-medical pain relief for homebirths, and lots of homebirth stories.
Birth
Stories.com offers birth stories from a wide
variety of perspectives. The stories are helpfully indexed, so you can
read (or avoid) certain categories depending upon your interest or mood.
Making Leta is a detailed,
humorous look at giving birth.
Scroll
down on the MoonDragon
Birthing Services website for a list of homebirth stories, many
with great photographs, including the "WaterBirth Story in 100
pictures."
Beautiful slide
show of homebirths created by Open Circle Midwifery.
Birth
Story Diaries offers a wide variety of birth stories, some vaginal,
some cesarean, some hospital, some home, etc. Many of the stories include
photos, and are rated on a scale from modest to very graphic.
Breastfeeding
Know-How
is part of the National Women's Health Information Center. I am very
impressed by the content of this site - it has great pictures and lots
of practical, easy-to-read information. There's also a telephone helpline
answered by trained Breastfeeding Information Specialists. This site
is definitely worth exploring.
Breastfeeding
is Priceless is a fact sheet on the benefits of breastfeeding your
baby. Written by the Center for Improving Maternity Services.
Motherwear.com
is an excellent source of nursing clothes. They have a huge range of
sizes and a great return policy. Check them out if you're looking for
nursing bras or clothes and/or accessories.
La Leche League is one of
the best and most well-known breastfeeding support groups. You can get
answers to common breastfeeding questions here, find out when your local
La Leche League meets, or download their catalog to purchase breastfeeding
supplies (and lots of parenting books). They have a new online bulletin
board.They also offer a breastfeeding mother hotline from 9am-3pm Monday
through Friday, 800-LALECHE.
NursingMother.com offers
a pleasant mix of humor and useful information about pregnancy, delivery,
breastfeeding, and parenting. The nursing bra and breastpump sections
are great. A very nicely done site.
Promotion
of Mother's Milk, Inc. (ProMoM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated
to increasing public awareness and public acceptance of breastfeeding.
This site includes a number of informational articles, a discussion
forum, ways to support breastfeeding, and more.
Pregnancy Today "Ask
the Experts" section on breastfeeding answers a wide variety of
common questions.
Breastfeeding Pharmocology
is a website with thorough information about breastfeeding and medication
options.
This website
offers a selected list of medications approved by the AAP for use in
breastfeeding mothers. Also includes some information about use during
pregnancy. Very easy to understand.
Herbals
and Breastfeeding is a pharmicist-compiled comprehensive listing
of herbals, including uses, safety during breastfeeding, and suggested
alternatives.
Breastfeeding
information arranged in FAQ format by The
Nursing Baby website. Great questions, including information about
milk supply, sore nipples, leaking, inverted nipples and more.
Commonsense
Breastfeeding Topics includes articles on how breastfeeding works,
stories from breastfeeding mothers, dealing with others on the topic
of breastfeeding, and more.
BabiesRUs.com has a useful shop-online site through Amazon.com.
Not only can you register and purchase items online, you can also read
consumer reviews and study the side-by-side comparisons offered for
common products. Even when I'm not buying something online, I often
read the reviews to help me make informed decisions.
One
Step Ahead is another online store that offers a baby registry.
They have lots of practical baby products, including cloth swim diapers
that we've tried and love!
100% Cotton Knit
Sheets offers a huge variety of colors for cribs, baskets, bassinets
and playpens. I had a hard time finding the color sheets I wanted for
my Co-sleeper - until I went to this website.
Bad Baby
Names 5 is a hilarious website with commentary on some "interesting"
(read: unfortunately awful) names parents have inflicted upon their
babies.
The classic source of consumer information, Consumer Reports, has a
special section for baby
equipment. It's not free, but we found it worthwhile for the few
months we made most of our large purchases.
This Homemade
Baby Food page provides basic information about making your own
baby food. There are many advantages to making your own baby food. If
you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Lullaby
Lyrics from BabyCenter.com offers lyrics and melodies of songs you
may want to sing to your baby.
Here
is a list of state exemptions information for vaccinations.
Mom-to-Mom of Maine is a
ME organization to support Maine mothers. Most events seem to be in
Portland, but I think playgroups are organized by other locations. The
"keepers" sections of ideas and resources is great too.
Mothering Magazine presents a
different perspective from many of the other parenting magazines available.
SafetyBeltSafe has everything
you need to know about choosing, installing, and using carseats, including
an extensive Q&A section.
The
Car Seat Lady is your resource for accurate, up-to-date information
about how to keep your most precious cargo safe.
Want to buy books for your baby (or suggest books as gifts) but don't
know what might catch his/her attention? Check out the Starter
Library page from BabyCenter.com for some great ideas.
I haven't bought anything from Wears
the Baby and there are a number of broken links (suggesting it hasn't
been updated in a while…). However! There is some good information here
- the Q&A experts section is worth visiting, and there are a number
of articles about attachment parenting.
Kangeroo
Korner is a website about wearing your baby. It has several very
helpful articles, including step-by-step instructions with pictures,
on how to use several different kinds of slings (padded, unpadded, pouches,
etc); descriptions and links to reviews of different kinds of slings;
many benefits of wearing babies; and, of course, it sells slings. As
someone who has used slings extensively for my two children, from newborn
to 2+years old, I recommend the unpadded slings over the padded ones.
The Maya Wrap is my favorite.
Well-known
doctor and breastfeeding support, Dr. Jay Gordon, has an excellent website.
A
description of Kangeroo
Care and how it works, from Midwifery Today.
The
Ask Dr. Sears website also has a tremendously helpful section called
The Medicine
Cabinet, with information on all sorts of common medicines for children
including comparisons, dosing, usage and more. Very very useful!
Attachment Parenting International
offers interesting articles from an AP point of view, a list of
related links & books, and information on how to find or start an
AP support group.
Dr. James McKenna offers a complete guide to bed-sharing on the Mother-Baby
Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame website,
including sections on guidelines, advantages, long-term effects.
Safe Sleeping
with Your Baby provides recent information on sleep-sharing from
attachment parenting gurus, the Drs. Sears.
Safe Sleeping
tips from Drs. Sears for all babies, those co-sleeping or sleeping
in a crib.
Why Cloth
offers lots of useful information about cloth-diapering - both the benefits
for children and the environment, as well as practical FAQs.
G Diapers are an interesting
hybrid diaper - part disposable and part cloth.
More diapering
basics from Pinstripes and Polka Dots, including how to get started,
care of diapers, and a detailed comparison chart of cloth diaper options.
Have you struggled to keep your child hydrated during a bout of diarrhea?
Here is a website devoted to Oral
Rehydration solutions.
Wondered what to feed your child after a stomach bug and repeated vomiting?
The Pediatrics Department of Palo Alto Medical Foundation has suggestions
on signs and symptoms of dehydration, home treatment, and when to call
your doctor.
The International Chiropractic Pediatric
Association (ICPA) is a non-profit organization of chiropractic
family practitioners dedicated to advancing public awareness and attainment
of the chiropractic family wellness lifestyle. Their website offers
information about the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy
and for young children, as well as a directory to help you find a ICPA
chiropractor in your area.
Muslin swaddling wraps and blankets from Aden
+ Anais.