Product Description

Written by one of the world's leading obstetricians, this extraordinary book takes a totally fresh look at what parenting means at the beginning of the 21st century. Addressing both parents, the book looks at all aspects of life, through the nine months of pregnancy and the following nine of the baby's life. It is both a practical handbook for pregnancy, birth and the early months of a new baby's life, and a stimulating exploration of this period of enormous transition. Taking a holistic approach, it advocates integrated health care, i.e. both conventional and complementary therapies, and, with its exhaustive medical content, including a 160 page A-Z section, also acts as a superb source of reference.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22232 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 544 pages

Review
'The definitive guide to your pregnancy, your birth, your family - from minus nine to plus nine months' written by one of the world's leading obstetricians. Dr Gordon combines both conventional and complementary therapies and includes a 160 page A-Z reference section.

From the Publisher
A groundbreaking book on childrearing which will do for the 21st century what Dr Spock and Dr Penny Leach did for the latter part of the 20th century.

About the Author
Educated at Witwatersrand Medical School and the University of London, Yehudi Gordon went on to become one of the pioneers of active and water birth in the UK. He is an internationally respected figure and now runs the Birth Unit in North London which is widely recognised as the model for effective, alternative but integrated, safer birthing practice. Actress and writer Emma Thompson was one of his recent high profile clients.

Customer Reviews

Two good books in one great volume
I bought this book in a panic after my wife developed mastitis - it had coincidentally been highly recommended in a UK newspaper the previous week. Immediately it is a reassuring read, both in it's size and in the way it is written.

There are effectively two books in one:
- The first section is a chronological journey through pregnancy and the nine months following the birth. The tone is very positive and down-to-earth and pleasingly approaches parenting as a joint effort - many books and magazines tend to make the father feel neglected. As well as frequently referring to the baby's own viewpoint, there are also several practical tips on development and upbringing. The overall message is that there are no rules and "correct" methods - just useful advice to absorb and apply in your own way.
- The second section is a large reference section covering health issues, etc. in great detail. This can be dipped into as and when necessary and as in the first section, is written in an easy-to-understand style but with additional medical explanations. There are a variety of remedies described for each ailment including non-conventional medicine, which is typical of the book's open-mindedness.

With so many parenting books available and so many other baby items eating up my salary, it's difficult to know what is worth spending money on but without doubt, "Birth and Beyond" is excellent value if only for the peace of mind and self-confidence it instills in us as new parents.

No question yet unanswered!
I boought this book recently and am in the early stages of pregnancy. so far it has answered every question I have thought of or worried over! The book is well organised with sections for Dad, baby development updates and changes to my body, as well as fantastic question sections both throughout and also at the end of the book.
Definitely worth a buy!

A Breath of Fresh Air
This book is fabulous. If you like to be well informed and in control from first days to after the birth, I would highly recommend it. It approaches topics in a refreshingly open-minded manner, giving you real insight into issues before, during and after pregnancy.

We bought this book for our first baby, and it was with us all the time. The tips provided have served as a real help. The fact that the book makes an effort to document alternative therapies means this is the ideal book for you if you don't like being smooth-talked by your doctors.

There is an extensive section on pain relief methods during birth, and the pros and cons of the standard hospital methods, as well as a wealth of information on how to stay in control without too much intervention.

The A-Z Reference at the back is ideal as a look-up when something comes up. We still use it to refer to if Baby gets a bit down.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be involved in their pregnancy and not just leave it all to the doctors.