Website References for Pregnancy and Birth and Beyond

• www.panda.org.au
• www.beyondblue.org.au
• www.bellybelly.com.au
• www.mothering.com
• www.thescientificparent.org
• www.newbornmothers.com
• www.kidspot.com.au
• www.thebirthhub.co.uk
• www.nourishingthemother.com.au
• www.birthing4blokes.com
• www.sarahhockwell-smith.com (gentle sleep information)
• www.medscape.com (vaginal births v caesarian!)
• www.babymind.org.au (cue based infant massage)
• www.breechbirth.org.uk
• *www.sarawickham.com (good midwifery research articles)*
• *www.nice.org.uk (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). Guidance, advice and information services for health, public health and social care professionals.*
• https://purplecrying.info

Books and Information on Pregnancy and Birth

Parenting:

Sleeping with your Baby. A Parents Guide to Cosleeping, by James J. Mckenna.

Safe Sleep Space – Step to step guide to Settling by Helen Stevens. (Book and DVD)

The Gentle Parenting Book and Gentle Sleep by Sarah Ockwell Smith.

The Wonder Weeks by Hetty Van De RijtPh.D and Frans PlooijPh.D

The Aware Baby Book by Aletha J Solter.

No More Tears Colic Relief by Gai Williams.

Why Love Matters by Sue Gerhardt.

Becoming Us: 8 Steps to Grow a Family That Thrives: by Elly Taylor.

Sleeping Like a Baby, Parenting by Heart, Toddler Tactics, and 100 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby – by Pinky McKay.

Dunstan Baby Language – www.dunstanbaby.com (listening to your baby’s sounds)

OTHER BOOKS OF INTEREST

The Incarnating Child: by Joan Salter.

Heart to Heart Parenting: by Robin Grille.

Human Behaviour from Birth: The Child within the Lotus by Margaret Stephenson Meere.

More Good Authors for help with Sleeping Solutions.

Nighttime Parenting: How to get your baby and child to sleep: by William Sears M.D.

No Cry Sleep Solutions by Elizabeth Pantley.

Three in the Bed, The Benefits of Sleeping with your Baby, by Deborah Jackson.

Mothering.

MORE WEBSITES ABOUT PREGNANCY AND PARENTING

Austprem

www.austprem.org.au

Set up by families who have experienced the challenge of parenting a premature infant. Includes information about emergency caesarean birth, premature babies.

Australian Breastfeeding Association

www.breastfeeding.asn.au

Informative and reputable site run by mothers for mothers; women supporting each other with breastfeeding.

Australian Multiple Birth Association

www.amba.org.au

For families with twins, triplets, quadruplets or more. Support from ‘those who know’.

Better Health Channel

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Health information site of the Victorian State Government. Includes information about pregnancy and parenting, links to more complex information and details on how to access practitioners and support groups.

Birthrites

www.birthrites.org

Comprehensive resources and information on Vaginal Birth After Caesarian (VBAC).

Calmbirth – Childbirth education program.

www.calmbirth.com.au

3 Centres Collaboration

www.3centres.com.au

Collaborative site of three major hospitals in Melbourne – the Royal Women’s Hospital, Monash Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, and Mercy Hospital for Women – which provides guidelines on pregnancy care.

Child and Youth Health

www.cyh.com.au

An independent state government health unit, funded primarily by the Victorian Department of Human Services. Features more than 300 articles about child health and parenting.

Cochrane Consumer Network

www.consumers.cochrane.org

Comprehensive information and review of journal.

*COPE – Centre of Perinatal Excellence*

www.cope.org.au

Pregnancy and Motherhood – it isn’t always easy.

Feel prepared and reassured.

Sign up at; readytocope.org.au

Receive trustworthy and supportive emails when you need them most.

Ready to COPE is a free e-newsletter that helps you cope with the emotional realities and challenges of pregnancy and life with a new baby, whether you are a first time or experienced mum. It’s personalized based on your baby’s due or birth date, so hyou can receive relevant insights and tips from 6 weeks pregnant right through to your baby’s first birthday.

Find Your Nearest Perinatal Psychologist

A national network of psychologists specialising in parent and infant wellbeing.

Practitioners specialising in working with MEN, Relationships and Emotional Trauma.

Dr Anthony Mackie – South Yarra.

0401 655 898

Dr Christina von Cohausen – Franskton.

Hurstwood Clinic

0402 432 607.

Raising Children Network

www.raisingchildren.net.au

An excellent Australian parenting website with parenting information, relevant to parenting newborns through to school age children.

SIDS

www.rednose.com.au

For safe sleeping recommendations.

The Royal Women’s Hospital

www.womens.org.au/health-information/fact-sheets/

Offers a range of information fact sheets, about pregnancy, labour and birth, breastfeeding and parenting, as well as information about broader women’s health issues.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND INFORMATION SERVICES

Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)

03 9885 0855

ABA Breastfeeding helpline

1800 686 268

24hrs!

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement

03 9265 2100

Caroline Chisholm Society

9361 7000

1800 134 863 (country callers)

For assistance with material resources.

Centrelink

136 150

Glow – Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Clinic (Berwick)

9769 5606

Immunisation Information Line

1800 671 811

Lifeline

131 114

Maternal and Child Health Line

132 229 (24hr telephone and info service)

O’Connell Family Centre

8416 7600

PANDA

Post and Antenatal Depression Association.

1300 726 306

Parentline

132 289

Poisons Information Centre

131 126

Queen Elizabeth Centre

9549 2777

Noble Park

Quitline

137 848 (24hr telephone and information service)

Monash Children’s Hospital Clayton

8572 3000

RAPHAEL CENTRE (SJOG)

9707 3988

SANDS

1300 072 637

Telephone support for pregnancy loss.

SIDS and Kids Victoria

1300 308 307

Tweedle Family Centre

9689 1577

Residential Unit, Footscray.

Koo Wee Rup Sleep School

www.kooweeruphospital.net.au

Early Parenting Unit (open Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm)

5997 9679.

See below for downloadable PDF’S

 1.  Key things to think about as you start your journey.

Consider your options for care carefully: will it give you what you truly need? Don’t settle, this is an important decision.Continuity of Care is the key. The best models of care make sure that there is some continuity of care in the Antenatal and Postnatal Periods.Check in to how you are feeling emotionally – have you been suffering with anxiety or depression, or any mental health issues?  If so, start thinking how you are going to “Unpack your Stuff!Emotional baggage is never easy to sort or deal with, but don’t put it off, make a start. Otherwise baby has to deal with it too! his is the start of your SELF CARE – start talking about how you FEEL.
What things do you enjoy?  Start adding these into your day.

• Make room for physical activity in some form, it helps with the pregnancy changes and helps you to feel good about your body, it is also going to strengthen it for birth.

• Eat well, not for 2. It is all about quality not quantity. Keep an eye on the carbohydrate portions and watch thatsugar! You will get a leaflet from your Practitioner called: Healthy eating during your pregnancy (www.eatforhealth.com.au) This leaflet gives you guides on portion size. There is also abook by Lisa Neal: Feeding the Bump. Recipes for Pregnancy.

Let your employer know as soon as you can, so they understand you may need time off for appointments, and if you are sick or overwhelmed. Never agree on a Finish Date. You may need to change your mind. Make 32-34 weeks your limit if at all possible. Certificates of Attendance can be given by your GP, Consultant and Midwife for visits attended during work hours.

Make sure you book a holiday before baby comes – even if you just have a weekend away with your partner or family.Think about what birth preparation classes appeal to you, many of them require bookings by 20 weeks of pregnancy.

My top tip: whatever class you choose, make sure they will give you balanced information, because not all births go to plan. Don’t be taken by surprise. Please remember, your birth should not define you, you cannot control it, it is baby’s choice, and the start of their life’s journey.

Start to surround yourself with people who understand you and make you feel good about yourself. People who give you confidence and share useful information, people who nurture you. Avoid people who only give you their horror stories drain you, and make you more fearful.

Learn about Motherhood before the baby comes, what to expect physically and emotionally, and how to care for your baby in the first 6 weeks (The Baby Moon!).

2. MICROSOFT POWER POINT – POSTCARD

BABY IS ON THE WAY

5 STEPS TO EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

3. Consumer Fact Sheets: Anxiety, Depression and Bi Polar etc.

4. Reflexology & Childbirth

Whenever stress and nervous tension are present, reflexology, like massage and aromatherapy can be very effective in inducing relaxation. It will also help to ‘balance’ organs and tissues throughout the body and, acting through the nervous system, actually help strengthen and normalise the circulatory system. In this way, it can help activate the body’s own healing force to aid recovery.

Reflexology may also be employed to help stimulate the reproductive organs through the autonomic nervous system and so help strengthen and correct under functioning organs and balance hormonal function. Although there are no controlled studies on the subject of reflexology and infertility, there have been research studies relating to the effects of reflexology and childbirth.

A study at the Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen revealed that reflexology is beneficial to women during the labour of childbirth. 58 out of 60 women giving birth experienced “outstanding pain relief using reflexology treatment”, and 11 out of 14 women were able to avoid surgery under general anaesthesia. Dr Carsten Lenstrup was so impressed by the results that he said: “Taken as a whole, the results are so good that am not in any doubt that reflexology can give many women a better, easier and less painful delivery than they would have had otherwise.” (2)

The findings of the Gentofte study were supported by a further study carried out by Dr Gowri Motva at the Jeyrani Birth Centre on the effects of reflexology on pregnant women. 37 pregnant women completed a course of 10 reflexology treatments with remarkable effect. The average length of the first stage of labour was 5 hours whereas the text book average is 16 – 24 hours; the second stage of labour lasted an average of 16 minutes compared to the text book expectancy of 1 – 2 hours, and only 5.4% of the women who had reflexology treatment required emergency caesarian section compared to an average of 13% in Newham district which was the district where the study was conducted.(2)

(1) Reported in “Berlingske Tidende” 15 July 1988(2) Reflexology Association – Research Co-ordinator Kristine Walker

http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/WomensHealth/Childbirth-Index.htm#Reflexology & Childbirth

. Categories: 1988, childbirth, Denmark, pregnancy

About Shelley Lemaire.

Shelley Lemaire teaches the world to see through the eyes of the incoming souls, to listen and feel their existence, to understand conception from the perspective of the one conceiving, birth from the one who is being birthed, and embodiment from the one creating the body.  Her work with fertility, pregnancy and birth over the last 20 years has brought experiential understanding of the nature and evolution of human embodiment, consciousness and form.  Shelley is the voice of the incomings, teaching purely through listening to and receiving the essence and architecture of the incoming souls.  She teaches parents, birth-workers and practitioners to listen at the highest level, following the lead of the incoming soul, receiving them beyond imposition, beyond existing constructs and duality thought, allowing a pure revealing of their truth and creation.  Shelley teaches and shares their continually unfurling story.

Each incoming soul brings a story that is both unique and universal.  The soul consciousness of the child can be felt, seen, touched and received into the body as pure essence, directive and clear.  Each soul arriving in preparation to birth also informs the cellular structure and consciousness of the mother in waves that are universal, fluid and interconnected.  As we evolve our consciousness on this planet, this architecture also evolves and the preparation of the incoming souls consistently presents an expanding and ever-changing picture and understanding.  Their origin. Their purpose.  The incredible weave of soul and body that takes place, that enfolds us all within their creation.

Shelley’s work is truly unique and original, revealing the potential of all we are, a reference point for a new reality that changes fluidly in each moment with each conception, each birth.  Meeting each incoming soul at this threshold in reverence and purity, taking each step beyond the known to meet them there.

Shelley works with Rony Reingold and Joan Harold as Incoming Souls, sharing this work as teachers, consultants, practitioners, speakers and mothers.