Natural Health After Birth by Aviva Jill Romm
This book contains a lot of good information, that should probably be read before giving birth (but it never occurred to me). It made me realize how special this postpartum time was, especially the first 6 weeks after birth. Some of the information doubles if you have other of Aviva Romm’s books, but overall it offers a compassionate view of what women go through after birth (and has a lot of herbal recommendations too).
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
La Leche (milk in Spanish) League was founded in 1956 by seven mothers, who had breastfed their babies, happened to be Catholic and wanted to help other women to experience it as well at a time when the breastfeeding rate in the USA had dropped to 20 %. It is today an international, non-denominational organization which has published this book that helped me a lot while I was experiencing many problems nursing my firstborn. It is in its 8th edition at the moment, but if you have an earlier version available, it will be helpful all the same. Some feel that the book is judgemental and one-sided, out there to promote breastfeeding above all, but I never felt that way. I was in Latvia and did not know any breastfeeding consultants, and hence trusted this book. If you are a mom of a new-born, who lives in the US (or another country where they are present) and are hoping to get some much needed advice from this book, I recommend that you contact your local La Leche League chapter as soon as possible, because their in-person (by attending their meetings or talking to a La Leche League leader) help is invaluable (and free) and they usually have a library with all the books too. More about them here. I have noted this book in the post-partum section, even though it can be used all up to the weaning of your child, because that’s when I needed it the most. On the other hand, I would probably go out there and meet other brestfeeding moms now instead of reading the book or rather – on top of it.
karinadoula 