These resources are mainly UK-based so find out your local resources as part as your preparation to birth and become parents:
Do as much research as possible before birth to make sure you can make truly informed choices. I suggest preparing by writing 3 lists in pregnancy. One of useful contacts for pregnancy with further information to look up, one for labour with who you can phone and useful links to labour self-help techniques etc, and one for who can help and useful helplines for after birth.
Pregnancy Support and information
AIMS – have so much information to support your rights and choices in pregnancy and birth and have a helpline for those struggling to get good quality and respectful care and advice.
Birthrights – also have great information on your rights and choices.
National Childbirth Trust – have lots of easy to understand information for pregnancy, birth and parenting.
The Cochrane database – for anyone who likes to look at scientific studies behind any care or intervention offered.
See here for the basics of breastfeeding
Natal Hypnotherapy for Online Hypnobirthing and hypnobirthing CDs
Birthing for Blokes Online birth preparation for blokes
Birth
Unassisted birth rights by Birthrights.
Helping baby breathe St John’s Ambulance
Postnatal
Blood loss after birth – What to expect in the days after birth.
MIND for pre and postnatal anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
CRY_SIS Has a helpline and lots of information for parents of crying babies.
Women’s aid Domestic abuse information and help by messaging and email.
BLISS for parents of babies requiring special or intensive care.
SANDS Support for families affected by baby loss
Feeding
La leche league international – Have lots of online information and a helpline.
Breastfeeding network – Have lots of online information and a helpline. They are particularly useful if you are ever prescribed drugs whilst you are breastfeeding and what to know possible effects on your baby.
Dr Jack Newman has lots of brilliant videos on how to breastfeed and get a good latch
International board of lactation consultants for anyone who needs a professional assessment of their baby’s feeding problems.
Tongue tie information
Baby care
Baby safety – please read this if you don’t manage to read anything else.
First aid courses – for babies and children.
This baby behaviour video is particularly useful if you have little or no experience of babies.
Safe sleep safe sleep position and safety measures.
How and where babies sleep – what’s normal for babies, and making sure baby is safe if you are bed sharing whilst breastfeeding.
Calming baby Sarah Ockwell-Smith writes a great blog as well as books on gentle baby calming techniques
What’s in a nappy – a great visual guide of what to expect in the first week.
Weleda natural baby products – no chemicals and 100% natural ingredients in nappy change cream, baby oil etc.
Birth videos – I advise watching these videos to see what newborns may look like at birth, and what a gentle transition looks like for babies being greeted without medical interventions.
French woman giving birth – just because it is a joyful film of birthing. Imagine how it must be for the baby to be welcomed this way.
Birth in the squatting position – shows how babies look at birth, being a lavender colour and with funny shaped heads, and also how they can be born gently and welcomed by their families in the golden hour after birth
Books
Birthing from within – is a great preparation for birth, and addressing fears through art.
Ina May’s Guide to childbirth by Ina May Gaskin a great all round book with birth stories included. Ina may Gaskin is a famous American midwife who set up a birth centre in the middle of nowhere and is still there today. The statistics for normal birth, without doctors or technology, in this book are phenomenal.
Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin – the older 1970’s version which is just gorgeous. It is full of birth stories as well as midwifery information.
The Birthkeepers by Veronika Robinson is a great book about freebirth.
Your amazing newborn By Marshall Klaus and Phyllis Klaus celebrates a baby’s extraordinary abilities in the first hours and days of life.
The wonder weeks book or app. This award-winning guide is based on ground-breaking behavioural research that explains how babies experience ten magical “leaps” during the first 20 months of life. It reassures parents that fussiness, regression and wakeful nights are necessary for growth and won’t last forever.