Stork Talk

Give yourself the best chance of a positive birth in a hospital setting. The pregnancy and labour journey is exciting, scary and magical. Most importantly, you want the overall experience to be a positive one. But what would a positive hospital birth mean to you? Perhaps you're unsure of how to prepare or what choices are available. Perhaps you're considering the possibility of natural birth, but fear the reality of it may be too difficult. Perhaps you've experienced a previous birth that was less than ideal. Whatever your questions, this book will provide you with the tools and strategies to prepare well, birth positively in hospital and move into parenting more easily. Using birth stories from other couples combined with valuable, evidence-based information, Stork Talk helps you understand the emotional, physical, psychological and cultural impact of the challenges you can expect to face. Stork Talk examines: - hospital trends and how becoming informed will assist you in creating your ideal birth - how to choose care providers that meet your needs and identify the right support team for you - what type of birth is best for you and your baby - how to prepare for the intensity of labour and manage pain - steps to prepare for - and enjoy - the chaos of living with your newborn - ways partners can get involved and how the four trimesters look from a dad's perspective. After reading this book you will have more direction, and feel confident, excited and less daunted by the experiences to come. Cheryl Sheriff shares wisdom from her 30 years' experience as a midwife, and doula, and her presence at over 1000 hospital births. She is currently working closely with couples during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period. She lives in Brisbane, Australia, and is passionate about women and their partners experiencing their best possible hospital birth.