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Resources

by Elise Bowerman {this post updated regularly}

Local Metro Detroit resources here.

Books

Real books are a must-have; not screen books. By handwriting notes, underlining, and highlighting yourself - this will reinforce the information you're gathering. It will also be an easy tool to be reminded of useful ideas later. If you have future children you'll have easy access to all that info!

Pregnancy through First Year Postpartum

Pre-Parenting: Nurturing Your Child from Conception by Thomas R. Verny, MD and Pamela Weintraub

Birth Matters or Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger

The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou, Amely Greeven and Marisa Belger

One of these two for traditional/medical/milestone info:

  1. The Baby Book by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N. 
  2. Mayo Clinic Guide To Your Baby's First Year

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

The Other Baby Book: A Natural Approach to Baby's First Year by Megan McGrory Massaro and Miriam J. Katz

Feng Shui Mommy by Bailey Gaddis

Mindful Birthing: training the mind, body, and heart for childbirth and beyond by Nancy Bardacke

Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds by Cynthia Gabriel

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin

Birthing From WithinAn Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by Pam England

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer

The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins

Yoga Mommas (new to yoga or regular yoginis)

Yoga Mama Yoga Baby: Ayurveda and Yoga for a Healthy Pregnancy and Birth by Margo Shapiro Bachman

Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful by Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

Parenting

The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D.

Healthy Baby Issue by Wise Traditions magazine

The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

Out of Control: Why Disciplining Your Child Doesn't Work and What Will by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

Parenting the Children of Now: Practicing Health, Spirit, and Awareness to Transcend Generations by Meg Blackburn Losey, Ph.D.

The Children of Now: Crystalline Children, Indigo Children, Star Kids, Angels on Earth, and the Phenomenon of Transitional Children by Meg Blackburn Losey, Msc.D., Ph.D

Conversations With the Children of Now by Meg Blackburn Losey, Msc.D., Ph.D

Although the following are deemed controversial by some, our family integrated parts of the Baby Wise, Toddler Wise, Potty Wise and Child Wise books by Ezzo and Bucknam.

Breastfeeding

LowMilkSupply.org

Check out this homemade baby formula we loved using!

Breech or Transverse Position

Spinning Babies.com (optimal fetal positioning)

Chiropractor who has been trained in the Webster Technique

Vaginal Breech Birth Providers - InformedPregnancy.com/resources

Car Seat Safety

Child Passenger Safety Law - Michigan

The Car Seat Lady

Car Seat blog

SaferCar.gov 

The Car Crash Detective

Documentaries

The Business of Being BornExecutive Produced by Ricki Lake

More Business of Being Born, Executive Produced by Ricki Lake

Death by Delivery, 2017

Breastmilk, Executive Produced by Ricki Lake

The Face of Birth and Meet the Experts

When the Bough Breaks: A Documentary About Postpartum Depression

Cesarean Section / Abdominal Birth

International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc.

Research: The natural caesarean: a woman-centred technique, 2008

Research: Promotion of family-centered birth with gentle cesarean delivery, 2014

Childbirth Connection

An All-Natural C-Section?, Parents magazine, 2013

The Natural Caesarean: A Woman Centered Technique, YouTube documentary, 2011

My Gentle C-Section, blogger, 2014

VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)

VBAC.com: a woman-centered, evidence-based, resource

Circumcision

National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Center

Infant Circumcision: Did You Know? YouTube video

International Coalition for Genital Integrity

Circumcision and Foreskin Care Information

Intact America

Saving Our Sons

Doctors Opposing Circumcision

Ask Dr. Sears

Unspeakable Mutilations: Circumcised Men Speak Out book by Lindsay Watson

How Male Circumcision May be Affecting Your Love Life article by Dr. Christine Northrup

Religious Reasons

Beyond the Bris: News & Views on Jewish Circumcision

Christianity and Circumcision Resources

Jewish Circumcision Resource Center

Doula

DONA International (Doulas of North America)

Glucose Testing Alternatives

Takeaways from the articles below:

  1. You have the right to refuse the blood glucose test.
  2. Offer an alternative way to monitor your blood glucose level... found in the articles below.
  3. There are midwives and doctors who will support your decision(s) - so you may like to switch practices.
  4. The more women standing up for what is right for them, the better chance this testing will change. There are more women than men in North America (US and Canada) so if we work together we will make positive changes to pregnancy healthcare protocols, so that instead of something being wrong with being pregnant, it will be a healthy, welcomed experience.

Gestational Diabetes: Please Don’t Drink the “Glucola” Without Reading the Label, Aviva Romm, M.D., 2014

Gestational Diabetes and the Glucola Test, Evidence Based Birth, 2012

Healthy Options for Pregnancy & Prenatal Care, Wellness Mama

Guess How Many Times This Pregnant Mama has Consumed that Orange Glucose Test Drink?, Kitchen Stewardship, 2014

Paleo Pregnancy - Refusing the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test for Gestational Diabetes, What I Gather, 2013

  • Read Comment from Kristin on March 14, 2013

Third Trimester: Glucose Test Alternatives, Today's Mama, 2011

Glucose Tolerance Drink Ingredients, and Alternatives to the Standard Gestational Diabetes Screening, Oaxacaborn.com, 2010

Grief / Bereavement

BabyLossComfort.com

EarthMamaOrganics.com (products for physical healing)

Group B Strep

Group B Strep in Pregnancy: Evidence for Antibiotics and Alternatives, Evidence Based Birth

Group B Strep (GBS) in Pregnancy: What’s a Mom to Do?, Aviva Romm, MD

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)

HER Foundation: Education and Research

Infertility / Fertility

Natural Fertility Info

Banyan Botanicals - article

VPK by Maharishi Ayurveda - article

Midwifery

America College of Nurse-Midwives

Midwives Alliance of North America

Midwifery Today

Research: Outcomes of Care for 16,924 Planned Home Births in the United States: The Midwives Alliance of North America Statistics Project, 2004 to 2009

Mother's Blessing

In addition to, or in lieu of a baby shower. Contact me to coordinate your mother's blessing ceremony.

Blessingways: A Guide to Mother-Centered Baby Showers -- Celebrations Pregnancy, Birth, and Motherhood by Shari Maser

Mother Rising: The Blessingway Journey into Motherhood by Yana Cortlund

Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)

AKA Pubic Symphysis Diastasis (PSD)

Well Mother

PelvicPartnership.org.uk

Preparation: Childbirth Education

Calm Birth

HypnoBirthing

Mindful Birthing 

Prenatal Yoga

The Bradley Method®

Water Birth Solutions

Rhesus Negative (Rh Negative)

An option, if your provider is willing, is to do the blood test at birth. 

Dangers of Rhogam in Pregnancy

Websites and Blogs

Just for Dads

24 Hour Cribside Assitance

National Center for Fathering

Life of Dad

Pregnancy through First Year Postpartum

Mother's Advocate

Evidence Based Birth

Improving Birth

Childbirth Connection

Giving Birth Naturally

Everything Birth

Human Rights in Childbirth

VBAC.com and Patient Rights 

Mothering

A good birth experience is more than the baby being delivered alive, article from The Guardian, 2013

Parenting

Evolutionary Parenting

Healthy Child, Healthy World

Intentional Conscious Parenting

Raising Natural Kids

Renowned UNH Researcher on Corporal Punishment Makes Definitive Case Against Spanking, 2013

How Spanking Harms the Brain, Psychology Today, February 2012

11 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew, July 2013

As a prenatal chiropractor, I have worked closely with Elise and many of her prenatal yoga students in the past 2 years. I consistently find that the women under my care that are also attending regular prenatal yoga classes with Elise experience less discomfort in their pregnancy, report stronger emotional connections to their bodies, and they consistently state they feel better prepared for labor and delivery. If you are looking for a way to safely exercise but also want a beautiful way to connect with your body prior to delivery seek out classes with Sweet Momma Yoga. Lastly, Elise goes above and beyond to create a sense of community for her students. She has created a thriving group of moms that support one another outside of the classes and virtually. - Kelsi McClure, DC, Lone Tree CO
I’ve participated in Sweet Momma Yoga during both of my pregnancies and have benefited each time. Even on days when I feel tired and just wanted to put my feet up, I always felt better after class knowing that I am taking the best care of myself and my baby. Elise does an amazing job of making all of the moms feel welcome and comfortable no matter what previous yoga experience they’ve had. I got more out of Sweet Momma Yoga than I ever expected, benefiting both my pregnancy and birthing experiences. I would recommend to any expecting momma! - Deirdre L., Livonia MI