Pregnancy and birth are as ordinary and extraordinary as breathing, thinking, or loving. But as soon as you announce you're expecting, you may be bombarded with advice from every angle — well-meaning friends, relatives, medical professionals, even strangers want to weigh in on what you should or shouldn't do, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by their conflicting recommendations.

Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth will help you sort fact from fiction, giving you the most accurate research, up-to-date information, and the firsthand experiences of numerous women who have been exactly where you are today. You'll get the tools you need to take care of yourself and your baby during and after your pregnancy, from tips on eating well during pregnancy to strategies for coping with stress and depression. Learn everything you need to know about:

-- Timothy R. B. Johnson, MD, FACOG, Bates Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Professor ofWomen's Studies, University of Michigan

For decades, millions of women have relied on Our Bodies, Ourselves to provide the most comprehensive, honest, and accurate information on women's health. Now, in Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause, the editors of the classic guide discuss the transition of menopause. With a preface by Vivian Pinn, M.D., the director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause includes definitive information from the latest research and personal stories from a diverse group of women.

Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause provides an in-depth look at subjects such as hormone therapy and sexuality as well as proven strategies for coping with challenges like hot flashes, mood swings, and night sweats. In clear, accessible language, the book dispels menopause myths and provides crucial information that women can use to take control of their own health and get the best care possible.

Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause is an essential resource for women who are experiencing — or expecting — menopause.

THE JOURNEY TO PARENTHOOD1. Approaching Birth with Confidence

2. Choosing Your Health Care Provider and Birth Setting

3. Preparing for Childbirth

YOUR PREGNANCY

4. Your Developing Pregnancy and Prenatal Care

5. Taking Care of Yourself

6. Relationships, Sex, and Emotional Support

7. Prenatal Testing

8. Special Concerns During Pregnancy

9. Childbearing Loss

GIVING BIRTH

10. Labor and Birth

11. Coping with Pain

12. Special Concerns During Labor and Birth

13. Cesarean Births

BECOMING A MOTHER

14. Your Physical Recovery and Your Newborn

15. Feeding Your Baby

16. Life as a New Mother

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

17. Advocating for Better Maternity Care

18. Advocating for Mothers and Families

Resources

Authorship and Acknowledgments

About the Contributors

Disclosures

Index