This tape is geared toward helping you manage pain during labor and delivery. Hosted by Patty Duke Astin, it is meant to be used in conjunction with prepared childbirth classes. It explains the Lamaze (www.lamaze-childbirth.com) method of mind over pain, developed by French obstetrician Fernand Lamaze in 1951. The method gives you tools to learn how to relax, which Lamaze thought was key to diminishing fatigue and pain. Relaxation is taught through modified progressive relaxation, massage, release to touch, attention focusing and imagery. Breathing techniques, such as slow-, modified- and patterned-paced, are also explored.

This Emmy Award-winning program is part of the NOVA series on PBS (www.pbs.org). (Original broadcast date: 12/15/83.) Your 60 minute journey through the human body begins as the egg is released from the ovary and the sperm is released from the testes. From there, you will see what actually happens during pre-conception, conception, and after. Beautifully filmed with magnification of up to half a million times actual size, you'll see the sperm fertilize the egg after its incredible journey through the female body, then follow the development of the embryo as it changes into a fetus. The program culminates in the birth of the baby. A must see as you try to conceive or during early pregnancy!

This video, produced by PT expert adviser Kelly Lott, goes hand-in-hand with Lott's feature article in the October issue of PT. It demonstrates how the birth partner can relieve many common discomforts of pregnancy. Lott gives step-by-step instructions on pregnancy massage and shows how the techniques can enable pregnant women to have easier pregnancies through the art of massage. The video is endorsed by the owner of the Chicago School of Massage, the author of Massage During Pregnancy, and a Certified Nurse-Midwife, among others. If you are interested in what massage can do for you, check this out. Call 1-888-274-9904 to order.

Another approach to making pregnancy more comfortable and relaxing, Hatha Yoga is said to reduce discomfort in the upper and lower back, strengthen and tone muscles, improve circulation and reduce fatigue. This tape is hosted by PT expert adviser Dr. Suzan Smith, a licensed chiropractor who personally experienced the positive results of Hatha Yoga during her own pregnancy, and who has been teaching it since 1980.

Hosted by Ines Benedict, a licensed neuromuscular therapist, this video gives a step-by-step lesson in baby massage techniques, including special strokes to enable parents to tailor the massage to their individual child's needs. Also included is a question and answer session with a registered nurse and childbirth instructor with the Better Birth Foundation.

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