Mama's Little Baby: The Black Woman's Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby's First Year

Created specifically for the needs of the African-American mother-to-be, this wonderfully comprehensive reference contains everything the pregnant woman needs to know about conception, prenatal care, labor, delivery, and baby care. Many issues make an African-American woman's pregnancy different. Health risks such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and sickle-cell anemia, which blacks suffer from disproportionately, are given additional focus, as are the down-home cooking traditions that can wreak havoc on a pregnant sister. Black fathers and single moms receive personal attention in chapters written especially for them. A special feature, Mother to Mother, provides helpful, humorous, and comforting stories from black moms. Also included is a complete chapter on the spiritual significance of naming your baby, with an outline for how to host your own naming ceremony - African style or your style.