Pregnancy, Birth & Breastfeeding

This post is intended as a jumping off point or an index to my best posts on these topics...I update this post as I write about new topics. Any topic which is mentioned but not linked is something that I plan to write on but just haven't gotten it done yet!

But first: What "Natural" Means

PREGNANCY

• Prenatal Nutrition (what you need and the best sources for it)
• Pregnancy Super-Foods
• Spinning Babies (because having your baby in a good position for delivery reduces complications)
• Everything I have to say about Miscarriage because, let's face it, 1 in 4 pregnancies goes that way (or, if you're me, 4 of 6)

BIRTH

• A Natural Birther takes on Epidurals (with science and research to back me up!)
• Musings on Birthing Naturally (written less than a week after I did so)
• Musings on a Powerful Birth (written shortly after my second birth, first homebirth)
• My Choice (guest post--another perspective on choosing unmedicated birthing) and a follow up My Beliefs on Birthing Choices
• Expectations When You're Expecting (how preconceived notions affect the realities of labor and birth)
• Concerning Inductions and Encouraging Labor
• Defining 'Mother-Friendly Birth'
• Everybody should check out The Birth Survey and find out what other women have to say about the doctor/midwife you are considering
• Why I like Birth Centers (as compared to hospital or home births)
• Thoughts on Birth Plans
• Thoughts on Birth Contingency Plans (because sometimes birth--like the rest of life--doesn't go according to the plans)
• Why Birth Matters (why we make such a big deal about where and with whom to give birth--and why we should continue to do so)
• Children at Birth--forming healthy views of birth
• Waterbirth (my experience, plus some tips if you want to do it yourself)
• What constitutes "Intervention"
• Some thoughts on tearing--and my beliefs on why I didn't
• My birth stories: Bear, Eagle, and Wolf ('born from my heart' via adoption)

REVIEWS OF BIRTH MOVIES

• The Business of Being Born
• Pregnant in America
• Orgasmic Birth (I haven't written my own review of it yet, but in the meantime I heartily recommend Rixa's review at her blog "Stand and Deliver")

BREASTFEEDING

• A list of links to all the most helpful breastfeeding resources I know
• Breast is Best
• You know you're a breastfeeding mom if... (get ready to giggle!)
• My Thoughts on Nursing in Public
• Nursing a Toddler (is not like nursing an infant!)
• Nursing an Older Toddler (an updated version of the prior post--part of a carnival, so it includes links to other posts about nursing toddlers)
• My Favorite Nursing Bras
• Tips for Gentle Weaning
• Weaning a toddler (my story of weaning Bear at 27months)
• Self Breast Exams when Lactating
• Why Extended Breastfeeding (why I believe in nursing longer than 12 months)
• Health benefits of breastfeeding
• Baby -led eating (starting solids) part 1 (when to start) and part 2 (what to feed)