Recommended Reading for Expectant Parents

A very dear friend of mine recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. In her quest to feel more empowered than she did with the birth of her first child, she did some homework. A lot of homework! After reading her way through numerous books, here are her "must reads" for expectant parents:

1. Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin
2. Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
3. Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah J. Buckley
4. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
5. The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger
6. Birthing from Within by Pam England
7. Hearts & Hands by Elizabeth Davis
8. The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin

I wish all expectant parents a birth story that's full of ease, grace, and delight.

Postpartum Phone Support Available for Dads

I've written here before about the mounting evidence that fathers experience postpartum mood disorders at about the same rates as mothers: approximately one in ten. The resources available for treatment, however, are much more oriented toward a mother's needs and experiences.

Postpartum Support International is working to correct this imbalance. PSI hosts a weekly "Chat With an Expert" every Monday for men who are experiencing symptoms of PPMD or for others who care about someone who is. Will Courtney, PhD, and Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW, will be taking calls to answer your questions.