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| Introduction | |
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| Preparing for a Great Postpartum Experience | |
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| How Your Birth Experience Affects Your Postpartum Experience | |
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| Avoiding Interventions | |
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| Creating a Hospital Postpartum Plan | |
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| Creating a Support System | |
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| Getting Help at Home and with Other Children | |
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| Stocking Up for Postpartum | |
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| Professional Help | |
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| Take Advantage of This Time | |
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| Last-minute Considerations | |
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| The First Few Hours after Birth | |
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| The Third Stage of Labor | |
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| The Fourth Stage of Labor | |
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| Your Uterus after Birth | |
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| How You May Feel Physically | |
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| Effects of Medication | |
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| Your Emotions | |
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| Your Appearance | |
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| Getting Ready for Recovery | |
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| The First Week after Birth | |
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| How You May Be Feeling | |
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| Dealing with Afterpains | |
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| Medical Pain Relief | |
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| Caring for Stitches | |
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| Handling Visitors | |
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| Why Breastfeed? | |
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| Beginning Breastfeeding | |
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| Breastfeeding at Home | |
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| Your Hospital Stay | |
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| What to Expect from Hospital Staff | |
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| Eating Healthfully in the Hospital | |
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| Rooming In Versus Rooming Out | |
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| Personal and Professional Visitors | |
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| Paperwork | |
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| If Your Baby Has to Stay | |
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| Recovering after a C-section | |
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| Preparing for a C-section | |
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| Recovering in the Hospital | |
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| Recovering at Home | |
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| Emotional Issues after a C-section | |
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| Talking about Your Feelings | |
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| Moving On | |
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| Bonding with Your Baby | |
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| Breastfeeding after a Cesarean | |
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| Postpartum Complications and Health Concerns | |
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| Infections | |
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| Hemorrhage | |
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| Hematoma | |
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| Bruised, Sprained, or Broken Tailbone | |
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| Pelvic Floor Injury | |
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| Gallbladder Issues | |
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| Tips for a Healthy Postpartum Period | |
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| When to Call Your Doctor or Midwife | |
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| Weeks Two to Six | |
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| How You'll Be Feeling | |
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| How You'll Look | |
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| Getting Out of the House | |
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| Nursing in Public | |
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| When Your Partner Returns to Work | |
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| Breast Care | |
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| What's Going On in There? | |
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| Can You Breastfeed? | |
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| Breastfeeding and Lifestyle Changes | |
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| Breastfeeding Positions | |
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| Sore Nipples | |
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| Ruling Out Thrush | |
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| Other Breast Issues | |
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| Everyday Breast Care | |
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| Sleep | |
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| How Much Newborn Babies Sleep | |
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| You Need Your Sleep, Too | |
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| Mastering Naps | |
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| Where Should Your Baby Sleep? | |
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| Maximizing Sleep Time | |
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| Ignore the Critics | |
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| Skin and Hair Care | |
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| Skin Changes Left Over from Pregnancy | |
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| Excessive Sweating | |
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| Stretch Marks | |
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| Changes to Your Complexion | |
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| Making Time for a Skin-care Routine | |
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| Changes to Your Hair | |
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| Am I Balding? | |
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| The Six-week Checkup | |
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| What to Expect | |
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| Sex, Breastfeeding, and Birth Control | |
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| Barrier Methods | |
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| Hormonal Contraceptives | |
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| Emergency Contraception | |
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| Natural Family Planning | |
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| Sterilization | |
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| Exercise | |
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| Are You Ready? | |
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| Exercises for the Early Weeks | |
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| Taking It Up a Notch | |
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| Working Out with Baby In-arms | |
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| Getting the Right Stuff | |
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| Getting Support | |
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| Getting Back to Your Normal Shape | |
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| Weight Loss and Nutrition | |
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| Getting the Nutrition You Need | |
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| Breastfeeding and Calorie Needs | |
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| Nutrition for Nursing Moms | |
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| Special Diets and Breastfeeding | |
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| Losing Weight Healthfully | |
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| Tips for Postpartum Weight Loss | |
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| Your Postpartum Wardrobe | |
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| The Early Weeks | |
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| Beyond Maternity Wear | |
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| Dressing for Work | |
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| Minimizing a Large Bust | |
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| Nursing Wear | |
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| Selecting a Bra | |
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| Nursing Wear for Nighttime | |
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| Postpartum Depression and Other Postpartum Mood Disorders | |
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| What Is a Postpartum Mood Disorder? | |
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| Postpartum Depression and Anxiety | |
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| Other Postpartum Mood Disorders | |
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| Is It Your Thyroid? | |
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| Preventing Depression | |
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| Treating Depression and Anxiety | |
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| Postpartum Sex | |
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| Are You Physically Ready? | |
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| Emotional Concerns | |
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| Comfort Issues | |
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| Lack of Desire | |
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| Finding the Time-and Place-for Romance | |
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| Being Intimate Without Having Sex | |
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| Adjusting to Motherhood | |
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| Motherhood: Myths and Realities | |
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| Bonding with Your Baby | |
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| Feeling a Sense of Accomplishment | |
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| Your Mothering Style | |
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| Caring for Yourself | |
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| Your Social Network | |
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| Tools that Will Make Your Life Easier | |
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| Your Partner | |
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| Your Partner's Feelings | |
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| Parenting Disagreements | |
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| Keeping Communication Strong | |
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| Making Time for Each Other | |
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| Who's Doing the Housework? | |
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| Postpartum Depression for Dads? | |
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| Special Circumstances | |
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| Single Moms | |
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| A Single Mom's Emotional Life | |
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| Multiples | |
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| If You Had a Traumatic Birth | |
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| If Your Baby Has Special Needs | |
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| Postpartum Care after a Loss | |
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| Going Back to Work | |
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| Maternity Leave | |
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| Getting a Longer Break | |
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| Breastfeeding and a Job | |
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| Dealing with Guilt | |
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| Making Work Work | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Resources | |