Sample from the audio book of Ania Witkowska's Understanding Babies: How engaging with your baby's movement development helps build a loving relationship, published by Pinter & Martin, read by Alice Allan

The first three months of your baby's life, sometimes called the 'fourth trimester', is a transitional phase, in which each of you is processing the birth experience you shared and acclimatising to a new way of being. It can be hard to interpret your new baby's behaviour: is she arching her back because she has tummy ache, or does she simply enjoy a stretch? Does sucking his hands indicate hunger or something else? As you navigate these early days your emotions might be all over the place and it can be hard to find and trust your instinctive need to connect with your baby.
In Understanding Babies, experienced movement specialist Ania Witkowska looks at what your baby needs to thrive, and how they show you they need it, revealing how you can tune in to your baby so that both of you can relax and enjoy your new life together. By explaining how your baby's development is supported through movement and interaction, and guiding you through simple exercises and activities, she helps demystify the early days of parenting so that you can feel more joy and less anxiety as you and your baby flourish.

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Understanding Babies – audiobook sample

A sample from the audio book A State of Fear, written and narrated by Laura Dodsworth.

This is an audiobook about fear. Fear of a virus. Fear of death. Fear of losing our jobs, our democracy, our human connections, our health, and our minds. It's also about how the government weaponised our fear against us - supposedly in our best interests - until we were one of the most frightened countries in the world.

But why did the government deliberately frighten us. How has this affected us as individuals and as a country? Who is involved in the decision-making that affects our lives? How are behavioural science and nudge theory being used to subliminally manipulate us? How does the media leverage fear? What are the real risks to our well-being?

Ahead of any official inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Laura Dodsworth explores all these questions and more, in a nuanced and thought-provoking discussion of an extraordinary year in British life and politics. With stories from members of the general public who were impacted by fear, anxiety, and isolation, and revealing interviews with psychologists, politicians, scientists, lawyers, Whitehall advisers and journalists, A State of Fear calls for a more hopeful, transparent and effective democracy.

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A State of Fear - audio book sample

This is a sample from the audio book of Flourish: A Practical and Emotional Guidebook to Thriving in Midwifery by Kate Greenstock

The only book addressing the stark psychological impact of midwifery work while giving midwives the tools to choose a brighter future. Flourish aims to support you as a midwife to do two things: to name what’s going on around you and within you, then to find and claim your distinctive place in the midwifery world. You might be a newly qualified or early career midwife facing the challenges of finding your voice as well as your feet. Maybe you’re an established midwife but feel as though you have lost your way – and with it the energy to reshape either yourself or the environment you work in. Perhaps you're a team leader seeking to find the vocabulary to connect with your team, acknowledge what they might be feeling and reach out for resources and tools to support them to thrive, reflect and grow.

As a guidebook, Flourish is a tour of discovery that reveals how ‘standard’ maternity environments and practices might be impacting you personally, and then invites you to reconnect with the core of your personality and purpose. You'll recognise more clearly the realities of trauma exposure, burnout, compassion fatigue and moral injury, and explore what's really needed for psychological safety. You'll choose from an array of exercises to practice living well in the day to day, and you'll find a way back 'home', to a place where your sense of motivation for being a midwife is rekindled – a place where you can reconnect to your values, strengths and your unique voice. Once there, you will be able to make real, rich choices about your life and your career. Kate Greenstock is a distinctive combination of practising midwife and coach, bringing the flavours of both: reality and possibility; rawness and hope.

Flourish - audio book sample - Introduction

Flame of Freedom is a 5-part audio of Dona Holleman talking about peripheral vision and hearing, breathing and other topics complementing the book, including practical exercises.

Grounding Savasana

Accentuated Awareness

An Experiment With Breathing

Peripheral Hearing

Peripheral Vision

Hosted by Karen Hall and Mark Harris, with Maddie McMahon.

Sprogcast - Episode 1 -  Breastfeeding (January 2015)

Sprogcast - Episode 10 - Hypnobirthing (February 2016)

Mark and Karen keep it brief in episode 39, with a quick chat about Sara Wickham's new book on induction, and Maddie McMahon's Doulavation course, and then hand over to Mars Lord who has something to say about cultural competence.

Sprogcast

Sprogcast - Episode 39 - Cultural Competence (July 2018)

Script 6 - Caesarean birth

Script 4 - Fear-release script

Script 3 - Safe place and confidence relaxation – partner

Script 2 - Safe place and confidence relaxation – mother

Script 1 - Breathing practice and positive affirmations

Disclaimer

These are the hypnobirthing scripts from the book Let's talk about preparing for your baby's birth by Jackie Kietz. This scripts include background music - a version without music is also available.
In this ‘antenatal course in a book’, experienced hypnobirthing and antenatal practitioner Jackie Kietz discusses labour and birth in the way that it would be covered at face-to-face birth preparation classes.
From how to tell whether you’re really in labour, to choosing where and how to give birth and communicating your wishes to healthcare staff, the book is packed with essential information for new parents. As well as practical details, there are also MP3s and suggestions for ways to relax using hypnobirthing and breathing techniques to help you think positively about your upcoming birth.
As a useful reminder of what’s covered in a course, or as a substitute if you don’t want to or can’t attend classes in person, this friendly, easy to follow and reassuring book is invaluable for anyone expecting a baby.

Script 10 - Short mindfulness exercise (music)

Script 9 - Leaves on the stream (music)

Script 8 - General relaxation and confidence (music)

Script 7 - Induction of labour (music)

Script 6 - Caesarean birth (music)

Script 5 - Top-to-toe tension release/Pre-surge body scan (music)

Script 4 - Fear-release script (music)

Script 3 - Safe place and confidence relaxation – partner (music)

Script 1 - Breathing practice and positive affirmations(music)

Script 2 - Safe place and confidence relaxation – mother(music)

MP3s of exercises accompanying the book Understanding Babies: How engaging with your baby's movement development helps build a loving relationship by Ania Witkowska.

The first three months of your baby's life, sometimes called the 'fourth trimester', is a transitional phase, in which each of you is processing the birth experience you shared and acclimatising to a new way of being. It can be hard to interpret your new baby's behaviour: is she arching her back because she has tummy ache, or does she simply enjoy a stretch? Does sucking his hands indicate hunger or something else? As you navigate these early days your emotions might be all over the place and it can be hard to find and trust your instinctive need to connect with your baby.
In Understanding Babies, experienced movement specialist Ania Witkowska looks at what your baby needs to thrive, and how they show you they need it, revealing how you can tune in to your baby so that both of you can relax and enjoy your new life together. By explaining how your baby's development is supported through movement and interaction, and guiding you through simple exercises and activities, she helps demystify the early days of parenting so that you can feel more joy and less anxiety as you and your baby flourish.

Settling Your Brain

Starfish Adult Exploration

Exploring Body Language

Being Inside Adult Exploration

Spinal Adult Exploration

Symmetry And Rolling Adult Exploration

Sprogcast is an independent podcast about birth, pregnancy and early parenthood, hosted by Karen Hall and Mark Harris, and sponsored by Pinter & Martin.

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