Naturally Healthy Pregnancy [Paperback]

Shonda Parker (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 2003

This book asnwers all the questions about nutritional and herbal medicine for optimum health during pregnancy. Beginning with God's design for health and nutrition, the following is covered in detail: how to eat for a healthy baby, which herbs are safe and which are dangerous during pregnancy, and the best ways to minimize those times of nausea and discomfort. Shonda Parker provides information to guide the pregnant mom and her baby to good health with a balanced approach to herbal and traditional medicine.

A broad range of information and research, coupled with years of experience has emerged to create this health and nutrition book that encompasses far more than the health needs of present and future pregnant women. The author's warm, personal style, combined with an educational powerhouse of information makes The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy essential to a healthful, joy-filled pregnancy. A treasured gift!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shonda Parker, Professional Family Herbalist and Certified Childbirth Educator, combines her previous medical assistant experience with years of practice in the Parker Home Health Unit, evaluating, diagnosing, and administering care to her five children, while seeking outside care as necessary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; 3 edition (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929125127
• ISBN-13: 978-1929125128
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #224,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best all natural pregnancy book November 7, 2005

By Stonewall

Format:Paperback

I have read about six different all natural pregnancy books, and this one is the best. First of all, if you are looking to birth in a hospital and are against the use of herbs, this book is not for you. Shonda is very well educated in the use of herbs for she is a family herbalist and a certified childbirth educator. This definately comes through in this book.

Shonda breaks the book into sections: before conception; and the importance of diet, during pregnancy; all the discomforts and herbs that will ease these things, during labor, and postpartum. She even has a section on if there is a miscarriage. she is very sensitve to this issue having experienced these herself. She also lists some herbs to help with previous miscarriage.

At the end, you can find tips on good family planning if you choose to go that route. Our family believes that God is our birth controller. Excellant book if a homebirth or a midwife is what you desire. God bless you and your future deliveries!

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful women's resource February 3, 2001

By Vickilynn Haycraft

Format:Paperback

I found this book to be a great help to me before my pregnancies as well as during and after. The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy has a great deal of information about herbs and natural methods for dealing with women's health issues and especially those of pregnant women and being a new mommy.

I particularly like the way the author writes, very warm and personal and easy to read and I enjoyed the personal pictures. I like the way the book is laid out and the information is easy to find.

My own midwife buys this book by the case and gives it to all her pregnant clients. I think this book is a must!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a very helpful book. March 30, 2010

By Daniel & Rebecca

Format:Paperback

Since I am in my first pregnancy, I have been trying to filter through which books on pregnancy and child rearing are necessary to read and which should be left on the shelf. On the recommendation of a friend, I borrowed this book and read it through in a couple weeks. I found it full of such invaluable information that I am going to buy it for myself! As some other people stated, it has bonus info that does not directly relate to pregnancy, although a pregnant woman could certainly be suffering from any of those ailments listed. I appreciate Shonda's pleasant, objective writing style and how she brings all into focus with Scripture and Biblical teaching. I believe that to truly understand one's body, one must believe and accept the God who made us! Her obvious knowledge and skill as an herbalist is definitely evident here, as well. This book is a must read for a Christian woman endeavoring to have a healthy, balanced pregnancy and labor.

I give the book 5 stars for vital info, easy reading and a refreshing perspective! Now I just have to go find one of my own...

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable for mothers and professionals April 1, 2013

By JulieBeth

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There is an amazing amount of information in this book, far beyond all my other doula/CBE resources. I am very thankful to have this reference to help my clients have healthy pregnancies and births.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best natural pregnancy guide! August 4, 2012

By Csikes

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the best natural pregnancy book overall. I have my own private library of naturally healthy pregnancy books and this is hands down my favorite. This book is the go to book. Shonda Parker's books were recommended to me strongly by my midwife who like myself is conservative. We believe in a womans ability to birth on her own and Shonda gives you the tools necessary. Shonda has such wisdom and experience you can't help but reread the pages over and over.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for the pregnant woman!! May 24, 2001

By Amy Maus

Format:Paperback

I love both of Shonda's books. She not only gives very good recommendations but also backs them up with sound research. This book contains a listing of potential "problems" a pregnant woman may experience during pregnancy and then she gives many possible solutions. In addition, there are sections about infertility, after baby care and miscarriage. I would highly recommend this book and Shonda's other book, "Mommy Diagnostics".

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great natural resource April 13, 2008

By Spudmom

Format:Paperback

This book was recommended to me by a friend when she learned I had possible pregnancy induced hypertension. I learned alot from this book on how to approach pregnancy from a natural viewpoint. I prefer to appraoch things from a natural way if possible, while not totally discounting traditional medicine. This, along with What to Expect were the most read during my last pregnancy.

7 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for new mothers November 30, 2008

By T. McGoughy

Format:Paperback

As a first time expectant mother looking for objective information on having a healthy natural pregnancy, this book fell short of my expectations. First, the author has four children and this reflects in her writing. There is very little information that explains what your body goes through during pregnancy. For someone who has been through this before, this information may not be important or necessary but it is very important to me. Second, the author offers very little advice for eating during the first trimester when most women develop aversions to certain foods and/or experience nausea/morning sickness which makes eating a balanced diet difficult. The most I was able to get from the section about what a pregnant woman should eat is that lemon water helps alleviate nausea. Third, the author uses Bible scripture to support many of her opinions. Every topic from eating a vegetarian diet to breastfeeding used bible references as "proof" that this is what mothers should do. I have no problem with the bible or religion but bible interpretations are subjective. It can hardly be cited as a factual source.

The bulk of the book is a natural remedies section in the middle of the book. I could not see how most of the ailments had anything to do with pregnancy nor did the author bother to explain what relevance they had to pregnancy and under what conditions an expectant mother may experience these ailments. I read the section mostly feeling bewildered about how it relates to the rest of the book. There were a few ailments that were clearly related to pregnancy but not many.

Perhaps the only helpful section in the book is the section on breastfeeding.... Once you get past the author's diatribe against mothers who feed their babies on a set schedule versus when the baby is hungry, there is some good information here. Why the author's diatribe warranted an entire chapter is unclear to me. Any parent who does not feed a clearly hungry child because it's not the scheduled time is guilty of neglect, period. There is no need to dedicate an entire chapter to it. Read more ›