Resources Secti
This is a little library of signposts for you. There are resources here to help you go deeper or information that you may like to share with clients. We will be adding to this resource as we go along, so if there is something you think could be added here, do let us know.
Listening and the Soft Skills
5 Ways I Listen to Women – Maddie’s blog post about the importance of listening and how to do it.
This presentation focuses on 5 specific tools to improve one’s Active Listening skills.
Defining the Doula Role
Defining the doula’s role: fostering relational autonomy
DD Nikki Mather writes in the AIMS journal about the role of the PN Doula
Bonding and Attachment
The importance of early bonding on the long-term mental health and resilience of children
Dr. Nils Bergman: Skin-to-Skin Contact
(PDF) Potential Therapeutic Benefits of Babywearing
Attachment Parenting International | Nurturing Children for a Compassionate World
What Newborns Need for a Healthy Psychological Start (includes useful references to sleep)
Why Love Matters, by Sue Gerhardt – goes deep into why oxytocin is so vital.
The Politics of Breastfeeding
The Politics of Breastfeeding – the book that is required reading for everyone working with new families. Understanding the way the formula manufacturers manipulate and pressurise parents not to breastfeed will shape the way you see the world.
Baby Milk Action . The UK organisation that is part of IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network). Around the world member organisations campaign for the seven principles that details the rights of parents and children to appropriate, nutritious food and support to breastfeed, free from undue commercial influence. This article on IBFAN details how breastfeeding is undermined by commercial influences
First Steps Nutrition where you can find the truth about the contents of commercially available infant milks and weaning foods.
The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. This is the Code that was adopted in 1981 to safeguard the rights of infants to safe and appropriate nutrition, free from commercial pressure. Some countries brought the code into their legislation so it became law in its entirety. The UK did not do that so some parts of the code are law and some are not. You can read about the Code on the unicef website
The Baby Friendly Initiative was created to ensure that all maternity staff have adequate knowledge and skill to protect, support and promote breastfeeding. Introduced to the UK in 1994, the Baby Friendly accreditation programme is recognised and recommended in numerous government and policy documents across all four UK nations, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. The programme supports maternity, neonatal, community and hospital-based children’s services to transform their care and works with universities to ensure that newly qualified midwives and health visitors have the strong foundation of knowledge needed to support families.
Services which implement the Baby Friendly standards receive the prestigious Baby Friendly award, a nationally recognised mark of quality care. The programme supports services by:
Assessing progress by measuring the skills and knowledge of health professionals, and interviewing mothers to hear about their personal experiences of care.
Setting standards which provide a roadmap for sustainable improvements
Providing training and personalised support to help services implement the standards
Every Trust with Baby Friendly Accredication has to follow the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
https://www.autisticparentsuk.org
https://www.themazegroup.co.uk/ (for parents and children)
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Sleep Signposts and Resources for New Parents
- Books:
- The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley – Offers gentle, parent-centered sleep strategies.
- Sweet Sleep by La Leche League International – Provides advice on safe bed-sharing and breastfeeding at night.
- Websites:
- KellyMom – Offers evidence-based advice on breastfeeding and infant sleep.
- The Baby Sleep Information Source (BASIS) – Provides research-based information about infant sleep patterns and behaviour.
- Support Groups:
- La Leche League International – Provides support for breastfeeding mothers, including advice on night feeds and bed-sharing.
Baby Led Weaning Resources
http://www.babyledweaning.com/
http://www.baby-led.com/
Getting Feeding Off to Good Start
You can read a longer version of the chapter in Maddie’s book ‘Why Doulas Matter’ here.
And here are Maddie’s tips for new parents, written for Doula Naomi Kemeny’s book, ‘Nurturing New Families‘
Getting Breastfeeding off to a good start – an article from Unicef
Engorgement
Whether your client decides (or ends up) breastfeeding or not, around day 4 the quantity of milk in their breasts will increase dramatically. Here is what La Leche League has to say on the topic.
Safeguarding Reading and Resources
- NSPCC Website: www.nspcc.org.uk – A great source for resources on recognizing and reporting child abuse.
- Safeguarding Adults Network: safeguardingadultsnetwork.org – Offers information and resources on protecting vulnerable adults.
- Gov.uk – Safeguarding and Child Protection: A government resource on laws and guidance for safeguarding in England.
Books
https://www.motherkind.co/about Book and podcast by Zoe Blaskey
Matrescence
A study on Motherhood, Breastfeeding & Identity
Matrescence by Lucy Jones
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing The Mother, by Heng Ou
Why Mothering Matters, by Maddie McMahon
The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality, by Kimberly Ann Johnson
The Little Book of Self-Care for New Mums, by Beccy Hands and Alexis Strickland
Newborn Mothers: When a Baby is Born, so is a Mother, by Julia Jones
Your Baby Skin to Skin: Learn to trust your baby’s instincts in the first year, by Rachel Fitz-Desorgher
What Mothers Do, Especially When It Looks Like Nothing, by Naomi Stadlen
The Oxytocin Factor: Tapping the Hormone of Calm, Love and Healing, by Kersten Uvnas-Moberg
Breastfeeding
The Positive Breastfeeding Book: Everything you need to feed your baby with confidence, by Amy Brown
Breastfeeding Uncovered: Who Really Decides How We Feed Our Babies? By Amy Brown
You’ve Got it in You: A Positive Guide to Breastfeeding, by Emma Pickett
Breastfeeding and the Fourth Trimester by Lucy Webber, A supportive, expert guide to the first three months
Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets by Kathryn Stagg – A guide for Professionals and Parents
Weaning
Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food, by Gill Rapley
Why Starting Solids Matters, by Amy Brown
Complementary Feeding, Nutrition, Culture and Politics, by Gabrielle Palmer
Infant Sleep
The Gentle Sleep Book: For calm babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers: Gentle, No-Tears, Sleep Solutions for Parents of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds, by Sarah Ockwell-Smith
Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family, by La Leche League International, Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, Linda J. Smith and Teresa Pitman
Infant Sleep
(with some signposts for toddler sleep too, because this is also sometimes an area that PN doulas are asked about.
https://birth-ed.co.uk/podcast (Excellent series. No 7 discusses normal infant sleep patterns)
https://feedsleepbond.com/sleep/ (Some good blogs from Lyndsey Hookway)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holistic-Sleep-Coaching-Alternatives-Professionals/dp/1946665215 (Book by Lyndsey Hookway)
Skin to skin contact https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/implementing-standards-resources/skin-to-skin-contact/
And infant development timeline https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/parenthood/developmental-milestones-baby
Breastfeeding support and information
Signposts for Further Reading about Postpartum nutrition
- “The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother” by Heng Ou: This book dives deep into the concept of postpartum nourishment, offering recipes and advice inspired by traditional wisdom.
- “Real Food for Pregnancy” by Lily Nichols: While focused on pregnancy, Nichols provides detailed insights into the nutritional needs that extend into the postpartum period, especially for breastfeeding mothers.
- “Ayurveda for Women: A Guide to Vitality and Health” by Dr. Robert Svoboda: This book includes Ayurvedic principles for the postpartum period and offers guidance on creating a balanced diet for recovery
Mental Health Resources and Support:
- https://www.gurlstalk.com/
- https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/
- https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/
- https://forbabyssake.org.uk/
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/perinatal/maternal-mental-health-services/
- https://www.help4mums.co.uk/the-big-mental-health-charities
- samaritans.org
- apni.org
- youngminds.org.uk
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
- blackmothersmatter.org
- fivexmore.org
Podcasts
In our time, the infant brain:
Child:
Birth Trauma Resources and Support
- Birth Trauma association: birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
- Masic Foundation: masic.org.uk
- Birthrights: birthrights.org.uk
HouseHold Tasks
Infant Crying resources
Siblings Resources:
Signposts:
- The Second Baby Book – Sarah Ockwell Smith
- From one Child to Two – Judy Dunn
- The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast episode with Natalie Meddings on second babies
Matrescence
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pregnancy-and-childbirth-reshape-the-brain-in-profound-sometimes-lasting/
Further Study on Neonatal Reflexes
For more in-depth exploration of neonatal reflexes and development:
- Zero to Three: Baby Development
- Stanford Medicine – Newborn Reflexes
- Harvard Center on the Developing Child
https://www.brazelton.co.uk/parents/babycaretopics/ (videos for parents) lots of stuff on this website for professionals too