Overview

Do you want real life, positive birth stories to help you decide what is important to you? Do you feel that pregnancy, birth and motherhood is a turning point in a woman's life? This is not a week-by-week book about how your baby is developing, but a book focused on the inner journey that the expectant mum takes. The book focuses on how thoughts and feelings through pregnancy may positively affect the birth and how to prepare mentally for labour beyond simple (but important) relaxation. It's particularly suitable from the second trimester onwards and the longer you have to read and practice, the better. (Although women have also benefited even at 39 weeks.) The real-life birth stories cover a range of birth outcomes, including homebirth, waterbirth, induction, breech baby, caesarean, and vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC). The criteria for the stories to be in the book were that the parent looked back on the birth positively. The realistic approach to labour means that you can learn from these parents' experiences, and plan for the birth that is right for you. The author is a mother of two and has been a pregnancy yoga teacher for over 15 years, teaching nearly 1000 women. Her insights on the physical body, the external environment, and the importance of addressing the mental journey towards birth are based on hundreds of birth stories that she has received from her clients. It's a book that you can refer to again and again, with key techniques, reflection and resources sections, and a relaxation track and handouts easily accessible from the website. The book is also suitable for pregnancy and birth professionals like doulas and specialised yoga teachers, with reflections and further resources at the end of each chapter. The content goes beyond the possible flight, fight, freeze response to the labour itself, to look at deeper barriers to feeling safe and how to overcome them. Big topics such as body sovereignty are covered, and the chapters could be used for reflective practice in a reading group. The book aims to help pregnant women feel less overwhelmed and alone as they find how they will approach the birth. The real birthing experiences are written in a positive way so that they are informative and not scary. They contain all the details that many expectant mothers crave, especially the first time, so that they go into this transformative experience with their eyes open and their hearts ready.

Full Product Details

9780993375187

Table of Contents

Reviews

Reading Pearls of Wisdom was such a joy. Tessa gives wonderful insight into this unique time of your life, offering a wealth of knowledge, practical suggestions including resources, effective exercises, birth stories and much more. Whether this is your first, second or multiple pregnancy, you will discover hidden gems and truths in this aptly named nugget of a book. It is an absolute must read for women who wish, to empower and prepare themselves, and their birth partners in preparation for labour and birth. If like me you like to keep your books in pristine condition, I suggest you purchase a second copy! Callie Fontain (Doula, Secondnurture.co.uk) Every birth story is unique and amazing, this is your opportunity to read several in one go and to appreciate the thread of common humanity that links all of us. A space to reflect which will help support mothers' mental health at this turning point in their lives. Jessica Hottinger (CBT therapist, BABCP accredited) I loved reading the birthing stories. Not only do they illustrate beautifully the benefits that can be derived from practicing yoga, breathing techniques and yoga nidra during pregnancy but they are also heart warming. The parents Tessa has supported through their pregnancies bring us into their homes & hospitals so we can live with them their extraordinary births - all birth feels extraordinary to me! We come to understand through their sharing how wonderful this rite of passage deserves to be for every parent. Julia Davis, Finchley Yoga and Founder of Yoga Teachers Forum This book changed my views on epidural and pain relief since coming to classes and reading book l would like to have as natural a birth as possible. This book and my pregnancy has made me reflect on my mum's journey. I was born during a power cut during a cold Dec 1973. My mum said there was loads of people in the room as it was twins and my sister was breech. We were also massive so l'm grateful to her as it was not an easy birth. I used the Golden Breath technique when l had a panic attack this week (I felt couldn't breathe with a cold) with a positive affirmation 'All is well'. I think it can be all to easy to focus on the clinical side of birth. But this book has made me more in tune with the mindfulness side and being in tune with your own body. A very uplifting read that celebrates women and birth but also includes the role of the partner and family and friends. Liz Arnold (Expectant mum and teacher) It is a very insightful book that touches in a lot of important questions in modern medicine and around women, not only in pregnancy. I love 'your vision' at the end of the book; a very discerning view of the changes needed in society to become more human, healthy and connected. It certainly helped me navigate this life changing experience called pregnancy as a first time mum, not only to understand the process, but to make me stop and look inside me, answer some difficult questions and have confidence in following my instincts. Marina Sevilla (Expectant mum and dentist)

"""Reading Pearls of Wisdom was such a joy. Tessa gives wonderful insight into this unique time of your life, offering a wealth of knowledge, practical suggestions including resources, effective exercises, birth stories and much more. Whether this is your first, second or multiple pregnancy, you will discover hidden gems and truths in this aptly named nugget of a book. It is an absolute must read for women who wish, to empower and prepare themselves, and their birth partners in preparation for labour and birth. If like me you like to keep your books in pristine condition, I suggest you purchase a second copy!"" Callie Fontain (Doula, Secondnurture.co.uk) ""Every birth story is unique and amazing, this is your opportunity to read several in one go and to appreciate the thread of common humanity that links all of us. A space to reflect which will help support mothers' mental health at this turning point in their lives."" Jessica Hottinger (CBT therapist, BABCP accredited) ""I loved reading the birthing stories. Not only do they illustrate beautifully the benefits that can be derived from practicing yoga, breathing techniques and yoga nidra during pregnancy but they are also heart warming. The parents Tessa has supported through their pregnancies bring us into their homes & hospitals so we can live with them their extraordinary births - all birth feels extraordinary to me! We come to understand through their sharing how wonderful this rite of passage deserves to be for every parent."" Julia Davis, Finchley Yoga and Founder of Yoga Teachers Forum ""This book changed my views on epidural and pain relief since coming to classes and reading book l would like to have as natural a birth as possible. This book and my pregnancy has made me reflect on my mum's journey. I was born during a power cut during a cold Dec 1973. My mum said there was loads of people in the room as it was twins and my sister was breech. We were also massive so l'm grateful to her as it was not an easy birth. I used the Golden Breath technique when l had a panic attack this week (I felt couldn't breathe with a cold) with a positive affirmation 'All is well'. I think it can be all to easy to focus on the clinical side of birth. But this book has made me more in tune with the mindfulness side and being in tune with your own body. A very uplifting read that celebrates women and birth but also includes the role of the partner and family and friends."" Liz Arnold (Expectant mum and teacher) ""It is a very insightful book that touches in a lot of important questions in modern medicine and around women, not only in pregnancy. I love 'your vision' at the end of the book; a very discerning view of the changes needed in society to become more human, healthy and connected. It certainly helped me navigate this life changing experience called pregnancy as a first time mum, not only to understand the process, but to make me stop and look inside me, answer some difficult questions and have confidence in following my instincts."" Marina Sevilla (Expectant mum and dentist)"

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available