From Library Journal
Broader in scope than similar consumer works, this book includes discussion of the physical, emotional, and social issues commonly associated with the first year of life after delivery. Englishwoman Brown, who writes with the help of Struck, a registered nurse and clinical teaching associate in obstetrics and gynecology at Brown University Medical School, spearheaded this work after she got frustrated with the dearth of materials on her subject. Unfortunately, in attempting to cover every postpartum issue, the authors preclude comprehensive treatment of individual topics. Presented is a mix of helpful and problematic information. Although interesting in themselves, health statistics are presented without source citations or adequate descriptions of conditions and populations; statements of opinion, some highly arguable, are presented as facts. The authors also fail to provide comprehensive treatment by addressing the reader throughout most of the text as a partnered parent with a healthy infant. Those issues aside, the work's major drawback is its liberal recommendations regarding herbal and mineral remedies, which are provided without warnings of contraindications or potential side effects. For instance, comfrey is recommended for lactation support, but according to the second edition of PDR for Herbal Medicines, it is contraindicated for breast-feeding and pregnancy. Oral ingestion of silver, which has not been shown to be efficacious and has potentially harmful side effects, is recommended to lift postpartum spirits. Not recommended. Noemie Maxwell, King Cty. Lib. Syst., Seattle
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Brown started writing The Post-Pregnancy Handbook after becoming disillusioned with life after her baby was born. No one told her how ravaged her body, or how topsy-turvy her emotions, would be. With nurse and clinical teacher Struck's aid, she aims to put all the unpleasantness out there, so that new mothers can be better informed. Her advice is practical and descriptive, dealing with such mundane but necessary matters as stretch marks, hair care, diet, and bodily functions during the first few weeks after giving birth; she and Struck suggest traditional and alternative remedies for those and other concerns. They briefly address the psychological ramifications of parenthood, too, with helpful tips on understanding what a new father might be feeling and on regaining intimacy with one's partner. Particularly insightful is the chapter "The Mother in You," which helps a woman manage her expectations of herself as a mother, given the practicalities of everyday life. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
While a number of books exist which deal with various aspects of the postnatal experience - breastfeeding, exercise, motherhood, post-partum depression - this is the first complete source of information on what a woman experiences both physically and emotionally in the days, weeks and months after childbirth. It is also the only book in its field which balances medical advice with practical tips and numerous references to alternative remedies. From Sylvia Brown, a mother, and Mary Dowd Struck, RN,MS,CNM, a nurse/midwife, comes The Post-Pregnancy Handbook, a wonderfully comprehensive, honest self-help guide which every new (and repeat) mother should keep by her bedside. Brown and Struck give detailed guidance on:
The First Few Days
- alleviating discomfort from the after-effects of labor or a ceasarian
- making the hospital stay more pleasant
- coping with possible medical complications
The First Few Weeks
- organizing home life with a new baby
- surviving fatigue
- breastfeeding successfully
- managing older siblings, parents and friends
- introducing a new dimension to the couple (returning to sex after childbirth)
- navigating the new mother's dietary needs
- identifying and overcoming a range of emotional difficulties from "baby blues" to severe postnatal depression
- dealing with stress, guilt and that elusive maternal instinct
The First Year
- achieving a complete physical recovery: how to get back into shape from the inside out
- restoring strength and tone to the pelvic floor
- countering the legacies of pregnancy: problems with hair, skin, and varicose veins
A thorough, straightforward guide to helping the new mother achieve an effective and harmonious recovery.
The First Few Days
- alleviating discomfort from the after-effects of labor or a ceasarian
- making the hospital stay more pleasant
- coping with possible medical complications
The First Few Weeks
- organizing home life with a new baby
- surviving fatigue
- breastfeeding successfully
- managing older siblings, parents and friends
- introducing a new dimension to the couple (returning to sex after childbirth)
- navigating the new mother's dietary needs
- identifying and overcoming a range of emotional difficulties from "baby blues" to severe postnatal depression
- dealing with stress, guilt and that elusive maternal instinct
The First Year
- achieving a complete physical recovery: how to get back into shape from the inside out
- restoring strength and tone to the pelvic floor
- countering the legacies of pregnancy: problems with hair, skin, and varicose veins
A thorough, straightforward guide to helping the new mother achieve an effective and harmonious recovery.
About the Author
Sylvia Brown wrote The Post-Pregnancy Handbook in response to her own frustration at the lack of comprehensive information on the mother in the weeks and months after childbirth. This is her first book.
Trained as a nurse midwife at Columbia University, Mary Dowd Struck,RN, MS, CNM has been Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island since 1986 and has been a Teaching Associate in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brown University School of Medicine since 1994. Before her current appointment, she was both a nurse and administrator at hospitals across Rhode Island and New York.
Trained as a nurse midwife at Columbia University, Mary Dowd Struck,RN, MS, CNM has been Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island since 1986 and has been a Teaching Associate in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brown University School of Medicine since 1994. Before her current appointment, she was both a nurse and administrator at hospitals across Rhode Island and New York.
