 These are some of my favorite books for the ‘childbearing year’. It is so important to fill your heart and mind with positive, helpful, inspiring and encouraging information about this sacred season of life. We are beautifully created by the Author of Life, designed with the strength, courage, intuition, flexibility and creativity needed to bring forth children. There is no fruit in listening to anyone tell you otherwise :)
(Disclaimer - I don’t necessarily agree with the worldview of all of the authors nor 100% of the content of these books) -Birth Becomes Hers by Bree More. This is a book about free-birthing, or the practice of having babies independently without the attendance of midwives. While I personally prefer to have my home births in the presence of my dearly trusted and well-trained midwives, this book is still an excellent resource about physiological birth, spirituality in birth, and is full of triumphant and joyful home birth stories that will make you actually look forward to labor! I believe the main part of the book as well as some of the birth stories are written from a Mormon perspective, I appreciate this book as it points our eyes toward our Creator for strength and peace, rather than inward as so many birth books do. -Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. This is THE classic text on natural childbirth. I read this each time I’m pregnant. Half of the book is an illuminating introduction to natural childbirth and the GOOD design of a woman's birthing body ("You are not a lemon" is a favorite quote"), the other half is a series of wild and inspiring birth stories that open one's eyes to what a woman's body is capable of. -The Christian Childbirth Handbook by Jennifer Vanderlaan. A Christ centered, Scripture-rich introduction to natural childbirth. This is the only truly Christian childbirth book I've read, and I found it enjoyable and encouraging. -Natural Health After Birth by Aviva Romm This book is a rich, holistic, practical guide to postpartum care, filled with tips and natural remedies. The postpartum time is such a vital healing, bonding, and building time for both mother and baby and too often neglected in our childbirth preparation. This is a book I have on hand for reference, and I typically pull it out anytime I or a friend has a baby! -The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by the La Leche League. Another classic text for new parents, this is a must read for anyone hoping to breast-feed (or even if you aren’t sure yet!). My copy is quite dated and I know there are new editions out there that contain new information pertinent to modern life. -The 7 Standards of Ecological Breastfeeding and Breastfeeding and Natural Child spacing by Sheila Kippley. These precious books have taught me more about attachment parenting and mothering infants than any others. I have found them to be deeply challenging to societal expectations of what life with a baby looks like and how important maternal attachment is to lifelong emotional and physical health. Of course, these books are also full of useful information about the relationship between breast-feeding and suspension of fertility, which are typically only briefly mentioned in other natural family planning resources. What are your favorite resources for pre-conception, pregnancy and postpartum? What should I read next?
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I'm always on the lookout for alternative therapies to improve menstrual cycle health. So many women turn to powerful artificial hormones such as oral contraceptives for symptoms such as irregular periods, period pain, and even hormonal regulation. While therapies such as the Pill may mask symptoms temporarily, they do nothing to address the root cause of women's symptoms or balance a women's own hormones. I've long been aware of a unique kind of abdominal massage called Arvigo® Therapy, but practitioners with this kind of specialized training are few and far between. So I was delighted to discover that a homebirth midwife in my area is a certified Arvigo® practioner! She graciously agreed to an interview so that all of us could learn more about this fascinating modality and how it can benefit cycle health, fertility, and childbearing.  Anja Farin, CPM, IBCLC, Certified Arvigo Practioner Rebecca Menning: Hi Anja! Thanks for chatting with me. Would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about what you do? Anja Farin: I'm Anja Farin, Certified Professional Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Certified Arvigo® Practitioner with Advanced Training. I’ve been involved in birth and breastfeeding support since 1996, doing independent childbirth classes and doula work, and then eventually becoming a midwife in 2010. RM: What is Arvigo® Therapy? AF: Arvigo® Therapy is a type of Maya Abdominal Therapy that has been codified and taught by Dr. Rosita Arvigo, a napropathic doctor who trained with indigenous healers in Belize including midwives and herbal doctors. It works the abdomen as well as back, hips and sacrum to improve flows of blood, lymph and nervous system messages into the abdominal and pelvic regions. It is beneficial for digestive issues, menstrual issues, preparation for pregnancy, fertility, pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Several other treatment types including herbal remedies from the Rainforest, vaginal steaming, castor oil packs and use of a supportive wrap called a faja may also be included in Arvigo® treatments. RM: What drew you Arvigo® and what has your training been like?
AF: As a midwife, I had one pretty challenging year with a lot of difficult births, and I started looking for additional training to see if there was something that I could do to help laboring clients have an easier birth. As I read more about Rosita and her adventures as well as the treatment, I began to see how useful it could be for any pregnancy, and especially for postpartum recovery. My training has been four separate workshops, all of which required traveling. The first class in the series is Self-Care, and I really think it’s a brilliant way to start teaching a healing modality to practitioners. So often, we don’t practice what we preach, and we give and give until we burn out. It’s been great to have this frequent reminder to take care of myself, too. (This article may contain affiliate links) When looking for resources about women's health and fertility, the sheer amount of information available can be overwhelming. There are countless books, blogs, magazines, websites devoted to the topic, some of which offer conflicting advice. I'd like to start writing some reviews about resources that I've found to be informative, research-based and useful. The first one I'd like to share with you was easy to pick - I use this book as a reference on at least a weekly basis! It's called Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon, M.A., and it is by far my favorite book on menstrual health that I've ever read. The author holds a master's degree in human physiology and biochemistry, and she has a special interest in nutrition and reproductive health. She is also a natural family planning instructor with decades of experience.  Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition could be read through from cover to cover, but it may be more suitable as a reference guide for everything related to nutrition and menstrual health. Part One of the book consists of basic nutritional advice - useful for everyone, not just women! Chapter titles include Twelve Rules for Better Nutrition, Obtaining and Preparing Nutritious Food, and Basic Supplements to Consider. Part Two, which encompasses the majority of the volume, is titled Overcoming Reproductive Problems and Challenges. Shannon describes a number of ways that nutritional deficiencies can lead to or exaggerate reproductive issues, and how proper nutrition, supplementation, and other natural remedies can provide significant improvement. This section deals with a variety of topics including PMS, painful periods, thyroid function, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, luteal phase deficiency, yeast and vaginal infections, low sexual desire, endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage, and more. There are also sections focusing on optimal health for pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding. Throughout her book, Shannon gives specific vitamin recommendations, including dosage, to support various conditions. Her advice is clear, practical and easy to implement. Best of all, Shannon's background as a natural family planning instructor means that she readily understands and describes how charting fertility signs and interpreting that chart can provide valuable clues to a woman's overall health. I highly recommend this book to any woman of reproductive age, whether avoiding pregnancy, trying to conceive, or simply looking to improve her menstrual cycles and general well-being. The latest edition can be found here. 
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You may be familiar with raspberries as a favorite summertime treat. But you may not know that the red raspberry plant (rubus idaeus), particularly its leaves, has long been celebrated for its reported health benefits. Naturally full of nutrients such as vitamins A, B, C and E, this versatile plant is especially appreciated as an effective support for many aspects of women’s health. This plant is considered to be safe for women of childbearing age, including pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Here are just a few of the ways that red raspberry leaf has traditionally been used: |
Wellspring Fertility Education
wellspringfertility@gmail.com
2021
wellspringfertility@gmail.com
2021