Pinter & Martin Why it Matters – serie

Oxytocin, or the ‘hormone of health and life’, is a hugely important substance for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding – working in a woman’s body and brain to make changes during pregnancy, optimise labour, increase milk production and support bonding. Research has shown that we can encourage the body’s oxytocin system by supporting mothers’ wellbeing through birth practices and postnatal care. We also now know that oxytocin is present in everyone, of any age, directing a whole system of effects that have consequences for family life, including bonding, stress reduction and social interaction.In Why Oxytocin Matters Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg, a leading oxytocin researcher, shows how a better understanding of our biology can be immensely helpful for new parents and those who work to support families.

During pregnancy the focus of antenatal preparation is the birth itself, and the importance of the postnatal period is often overlooked. Yet postnatal recovery (or a lack of it) can have consequences for the long-term health and wellbeing of both mother and baby. In Why Postnatal Recovery Matters Sophie Messager draws on her experience as a scientist and doula to show that thinking ahead to after the birth can get new families off to the best possible start.

How and when babies eat their first solid foods can be an exciting stage for new parents, but it can also bring confusion and anxiety due to conflicting advice and opinions. When should babies have their first sold foods? What should it be? How much? Is milk still important? Does any of this really matter?Why Starting Solids Matters aims to help readers find answers to these questions by exploring the science behind the headlines. It provides a gentle introduction to the importance of the first year and beyond for the development of long term healthy eating habits and weight with much of the information just as relevant for thinking about the diet of older children and even the rest of the family too.

Hypnobirthing is a method of birth preparation using a series of simple but effective techniques that can facilitate a calm and natural birth. Far from being a modern fad, it is logical, rational and there is a strong evidence base for its use. Many women approach labour with fear because of the negativity surrounding birth and the assumption that it must involve excruciating pain for the mother. Fear has a physiological effect, making contractions less effective and derailing normal labour. Hypnobirthing teaches the mother to relax and believe that her body is perfectly designed to give birth; when the mother is relaxed her body can release natural painkillers that are far more effective than pharmaceutical drugs. Women using hypnobirthing report needing little or no pain relief during labour and their babies are born calm and alert. Mothers need less medical intervention, and if they do they report feeling much more able to deal with it. Calm and confident parents are empowered to make informed decisions about their care, which can contribute enormously to a positive birth experience.In Why Hypnobirthing Matters Katrina Berry looks at the origins and rationale for using hypnosis for childbirth, explains what you can expect from hypnobirthing and dispels common misunderstandings in a lively, informative way.

Many women know, and research confirms, that having an experienced female birth companion, who is neither a health professional nor a part of their social circle, can have a tangible positive effect on their experience of childbirth.Why Doulas Matter is a comprehensive discussion of how a doula can offer expectant and new parents information and practical and emotional support to improve their experience of birth and early parenting.

All babies need feeding – and yet in modern life something so simple has become an issue fraught with difficulty for new parents. Society, politics and culture have worked together to create a situation where parents are presented with a ‘choice’ – breast or bottle? Such a ‘choice’ implies that the product (the milk) and the method of delivery (breast or bottle) are equal, but is this true?In many countries bottle-feeding has become so common that it is never questioned, and indeed is often seen as the answer to parents’ problems. Not sleeping at night? Not enough milk? Mum needs medication? Reach for the formula. Every day women are told by their friends, family and even their doctors that bottle-feeding is the answer. Yet research shows that most mothers want to breastfeed, and that babies who are not breastfed are at increased risk of illness.Why Breastfeeding Matters tackles some of these issues head-on, in a frank discussion intended to help parents and others navigate the world of infant feeding. It is neither preachy nor a ‘how-to’ manual; it outlines some of the reasons why breastfeeding matters, to mothers and their babies, and explains how these issues can affect the way in which mothers use bottles and formula if they need to. Drawing on research, and the author’s experience as a lactation consultant, it is essential reading for anyone wondering about how to feed their new baby.

The Politics of Breastfeeding, first published in 1988, remains a hugely important book. It exposes infant feeding as one of the most important global public health issues of our time, and describes how big business and vested interests influence the intimate relationship between mothers and their babies to the detriment of all, rich or poor, in the West or in the developing world. In Why the Politics of Breastfeeding Matter, the central ideas of The Politics of Breastfeeding are distilled into a concise form, making it the perfect introduction to understanding the complex forces that govern what many think of as a simple choice to breastfeed or not.

Evidence continues to increase on the practical and emotional benefits of babywearing, both to parents and their children. Among many other benefits, babywearing can help parents bond with a new baby, and facilitate both breastfeeding and the care of the baby’s older siblings.Babywearing also has benefits for society at large. Children are more securely emotionally attached and there is evidence of a link between the reduced incidence of postnatal depression and babywearing. In this new book, Rosie Knowles explores all these advantages, along with the practicalities of how to babywear and babywearing culture. She demonstrates how a clearer understanding of babywearing, and the attachment parenting philosophy as a whole, can ultimately lead to a happier, healthier society.

Caesarean birth is a hugely complex and emotive topic that is associated with both positive and negative health outcomes. Women can be left feeling that their body has become a battleground, and it can be hard to distinguish between evidence-based practice and personal opinion.Why Caesarean Matters aims to navigate the research and put women at the centre of their own care so that their birth can be a positive experience, however it unfolds. The clear and evidence-based discussion addresses the questions that women and their care providers may have, enabling women to make positive decisions and feel supported if a caesarean is needed.

Research shows that ‘normal’ infant sleep is not what most experts claim it to be. In fact, many of today’s sleep ‘problems’ with young babies and children predominantly occur in the developed world. In Why Your Baby’s Sleep Matters, renowned gentle parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith demonstrates how nurturing babies at night helps their brain development, and covers the topics every parent of a new baby will need to know about, including naps, SIDS, night weaning, coping with your own exhaustion – and even dealing with advice and criticism from others.

In the 21st century, women are supposed to have a choice about where they give birth. But when that choice is home, women often encounter obstacles, despite robust evidence that birth at home is safe, beneficial and should be available for women who want it.Why Home Birth Matters is a clear discussion of the reality of modern home birth, which aims to show how the home environment supports and powers the birth process, while encouraging parents to consider how it might work for them.

You have probably heard of postnatal depression, but did you know that most cases of postnatal depression actually began in pregnancy? And that most people who have antenatal depression have had depression in the past? And did you know that postnatal depression is not caused by women’s hormones gone awry; men are suffering postnatal and perinatal depression in larger and larger numbers too? This is why “postnatal depression” has now been renamed “perinatal depression”(‘peri’ means around, as in the word “perimeter”).Why is the seemingly joyful event of new parenthood causing so much suffering? Depression seems to be related to the stresses that a modern couple undertake when they have a baby. The lack of support, lack of celebration, overload of expectations, overwhelming responsibility, isolation, judgment, blaming by the media, tiredness, mixed messages, confusion, high expectations and lack of tender loving care serve to eventually break parents and their relationships. And when we break parents, we break a baby. Babies are our future, and if we break a baby, in the long run, we break society. Postnatal depression takes a high toll on society. Dealing effectively with perinatal depression is about valuing love, connection, calm and stillness, over and above productivity, achievement and acquisition.

The human rights in childbirth movement is gathering pace and followers across the globe. From Venezuela to the UK, via America and Uganda, activists, midwives, mothers, doctors and lawyers are coming together to offer rights-based solutions to the problems in maternity care.Just what are human rights though? How do they apply to pregnancy and birth? What happens when dignity is absent? And how are innovators and educators using human rights principles to revolutionise care for the next generation of women?Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter will bust myths around human rights, explain just what your rights in pregnancy and birth are, how caregivers can champion them and provide practical inspiration for mothers, caregivers and campaigners working to improve birth for all women across the world.

Prescribing medication for breastfeeding women can be complex, and often there are no studies to show whether drugs are safe for lactating women. Yet mothers often need medication: whether short term use of painkillers, mental health drugs, or drugs to treat chronic conditionsWendy Jones gives mothers and those treating them the information they need to make decisions about medication, while allaying fears that many have about adverse effects on babies of drugs passing through breastmilk as well as explaining the cautions on patient information leaflets in all medication boxes. Why Mothers’ Medication Matters is a practical, reassuring book that aims to putmothers and babies at the heart of their own care.

Pregnancy is a time of profound physical and psychological change. The transition to motherhood can be complex and difficult, and in all the discourse about pregnancy and birth the huge personal changes that women undergo can be overlooked. In the 21st century it can seem that mothers are blamed and blame themselves for everything, as they struggle to manage their multiple identities as mothers, lovers, sisters and daughters.Why Mothering Matters is a nuanced and revealing discussion of how it can feel to become a mother in modern society. It calls for better recognition of the work of motherhood, and better support for women and families as they learn what parenting looks like for them.

Making infant feeding decisions relies on parents having access to evidence-based information – but when it comes to formula feeding that can be hard to come by. Commercial interests and misunderstandings about the way breastfeeding is promoted can mean that important knowledge about formula feeding is not communicated to parents. Why Formula Feeding Matters aims to address this situation so that parents can make fully informed choices about how they feed their babies. All infants should be fed as safely and effectively as possible, and benefit from the best evidence we have about feeding practices. If you are formula feeding your baby, or thinking about doing so, this book is for you.

In modern maternity systems one in four women have their labour induced. Why Induction Matters provides a comprehensive, evidence-based guide to this common intervention. The induction process is explained in detail, and reasons for offering induction are discussed. Options related to inducing labour or choosing to wait are explored, and women’s experiences are included throughout. The book aims to help parents make their own informed decisions about induction of labour.

When we think about trauma and PTSD we tend to think about war and conflict. But around a third of women feel some part of their birth was traumatic. This experience can impact on their mental and physical health, their relationships and future plans.In Why Birth Trauma Matters, Dr Emma Svanberg, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Make Birth Better, explores what happens to those who go through a bad birth. She explains in detail how birth trauma occurs, examines the wide-ranging impact on all of those involved in birth, and looks at treatments and techniques to aid recovery. By drawing on her own research and the work of experts in the field, and sharing the first-hand experiences of women, she shows how it is possible to begin to move on.

A startlingly large number of women who want to breastfeed have to stop before they are ready, leaving them feeling a range of negative emotions, including grief, anger, guilt, shame and frustration, and often blaming themselves. But in a society that places little value on breastfeeding and mothers' feelings, their painful stories are often swept under the carpet to the detriment of women's mental health and experience of new motherhood.Professor Amy Brown has researched what breastfeeding really means to women, how they can feel when things don't go according to plan and importantly, how we can change things for the next generation of women. Her findings make fascinating reading for anyone with personal experience of breastfeeding difficulties, those who support mothers to make infant feeding decisions that are right for them, or those who simply want to be part of changing the conversation.

Although women are often advised to exercise during pregnancy and after birth, there is little information available about the tremendous benefits of physical activity for both mother and baby, or what kinds of exercise are safe and appropriate. In Why Pregnancy and Postnatal Exercise Matter, Rehana Jawadwala, an exercise physiologist and perinatal yoga teacher, looks at the evidence for supporting physical activity in mothers, as well as how women’s physiology changes during pregnancy and after they give birth, answering in detail the questions that mothers and those supporting them may have.

The loss of a baby, however it occurs, can be heartbreaking and painful and leave parents in need of support as they grieve. While awareness about baby loss is increasing, the suffering and sadness, isolation and loneliness parents feel is often invisible and it can be hard for them to reach out, and for those around them to know how best to support them. Why Baby Loss Matters explores what happens when families experience baby loss or the end of a pregnancy, drawing on the first-hand experiences of parents who have navigated life and the fourth trimester without their baby, and the vital work of charities and services which offer support. By examining different approaches to coping with the loss of a baby and keeping memories alive, the book offers insight into the ways that families have found the support and peace that they need to continue living after saying goodbye.

Many babies are fussy and spit up milk, and in recent years it has become common for them to be diagnosed with ‘reflux’ and medicated with antacids, thickeners and acid suppressants. However, research tells us that reflux is normal in young babies and that many of the symptoms associated with it may in fact be misunderstood baby behaviours rather than clinical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).In Why Infant Reflux Matters Carol Smyth provides a simple and practical guide to understanding reflux that will help you avoid unnecessary medication if a simple change in feeding technique or care can help reduce your baby’s symptoms. She explains what reflux is, why it happens, the difference between reflux and GORD, the role of stomach acid, and what research tells us about treatment. The book also explores the symptoms commonly attributed to reflux and looks at whether they might have other causes, and includes a plan you can work through for your individual baby to help you make informed decisions about their care.

For parents of babies with feeding difficulties, the journey to a diagnosis of tongue-tie and the challenges involved in accessing treatment can be long and arduous. Information is often conflicting, and professionals do not always agree. Why Tongue-tie Matters aims to steer a course through research and practice to explain how tongue-tie impacts feeding, when you should suspect tongue-tie, and how to access assessment and treatment. With strategies that can help alleviate the feeding difficulties associated with tongue-tie, and information about recovery after division and the impact on speech and oral health, the book is an invaluable guide for parents and the health professionals supporting them.

Grandmothers are coming into their own. There have never been so many of them. As Naomi Stadlen explains, they have always mattered, especially in helping their families to survive. Drawing on grandmothers’ own words, Why Grandmothers Matter describes the experience of having grandchildren across many cultures, and discusses the sometimes delicate relationships between grandmother, parent-child and grandchild.This warm and thoughtful book has much to teach us about family dynamics and the role grandmothers play in wider society, and will be valuable for parents as well as grandmothers when they enter into a new phase of family life.

Many parents plan to introduce a bottle early in their child’s life, whether they’re going to use formula or expressed breastmilk. Many more find themselves going down this pathway even though they hadn’t planned to. It can be difficult to find useful information to navigate the journey of mixed feeding, balancing giving formula alongside maintaining the production of breastmilk, and parents often feel unprepared and unsupported with this decision.Breastfeeding Counsellor Karen Hall has been supporting parents to feed their babies in different feeding situations for over 10 years, and draws together her experience and understanding of what parents need to know, to have a positive experience of mixed feeding.