Dr. Joel Evans is one of a handful of obstetricians in the United States to be board certified in both holistic medicine and modern obstetrics / gynecology. Now he brings his wealth of knowledge in complementary and conventional medicine to one revolutionary guidebook: an easy-to-use, jargon-free, illustrated resource that covers a broader range of options than any other book in the pregnancy / childbirth category. Empowering women with the information they need to make their own decisions and take charge of their prenatal care,

The Whole Pregnancy Handbook features:

  • Complementary treatments and techniques to improve preconception health and fertility
  • Massage, mind / body exercise, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other techniques to relax and ease pregnancy symptoms
  • Effective pain management for labor - from epidurals to hypnotherapy
  • The best practices of doulas and midwives as well as pros and cons of giving birth in a hospital, a birthing center, or at home
  • Comforting and insightful ideas on how to prepare for labor - as well as everything a woman needs to know about inductions, assisted deliveries, and C-sections
  • Candid recollections in the words of mothers themselves and case studies from Dr. Evans' own practice, The Center for Women's Health
  • A fully illustrated chapter on prenatal yoga, with pose variations for all three trimesters
As complementary and alternative health care becomes ever more popular and mainstream, and as the continued success of books like Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and Healthy Child, Whole Child prove, women are eager for a comprehensive pregnancy guide by a physician on the best conventional, complementary, and alternative medical practices. The Whole Pregnancy Handbook will offer just that - information from a trustworthy authority that cannot be found in any other pregnancy book on the market.

Excerpt: What does it mean for an obstetrician to practice holistic medicine? It means that I look to the women I work with, my patients, to be active participants in their care. It means that instead of focusing on individual symptoms, I try to understand a woman's emotions and how the situation she faces in her daily life may be affecting her health. It means I always try to use gentle, noninvasive treatments that promote overall wellness and build on the body's ability to heal. This approach is especially important when a woman is pregnant or trying to conceive. I firmly believe that conception, pregnancy, and childbirth are extraordinary biological events that the body has the wisdom to guide.

Read the foreword written by James S. Gordon, M.D., Founder and Director of the Center for Mind/Body Medicine and past Chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Health Policy.