::BOOK REVIEW:: The Fourth Trimester Companion by Cynthia Gabriel
I was provided a copy of “The Fourth Trimester Companion: How to Take Care of Your Body, Mind, and Family as You Welcome Your New Baby” by Cynthia Gabriel, in exchange for my honest review.
As a doula, I am often asked for recommendations on books, articles, videos, and other resources that will help families be as prepared as possible for their new reality of bringing a baby into their lives.
I am a HUGE bookworm (I actually meant to do this review a long time ago, and thought “oh I’ll read it as soon as I’m done with my current book” - well unfortunately that book was Doctor Zhivago :P ) so I’m always consuming those resources when I find them to be able to vet the best ones for my clients.
I’m very excited to share this book with you, as I believe I’ve finally found “the one” when it comes to postpartum recovery. Cynthia Gabriel’s earlier book, “Natural Hospital Birth”, (which I’ve also reviewed on this blog) is one of my go-tos when it comes to a resource for my clients who are planning an unmedicated birth at Wesley or Via Christi, so I knew she would have really good things to say about the next phase as well.
Cynthia Gabriel, PH.D is a doula and a cultural anthropologist who has a great deal of knowledge and first hand experience into the needs of postpartum families, here in the U.S. and all over the world. She has created a guide that truly speaks to the heart of what new mothers need, and how to put the systems in place so that they have their needs met.
The book is chock-full of wisdom to help you have a realistic handle on topics like:
managing grandparent expectations
expectations on infant sleep
postpartum sex
what proper rest and recovery should look like
protection from postpartum mood disorders
and many other topics that aren’t handled with as much truth and compassion in other books.
A couple of my favorite sections were the ones on managing grandparent expectations, and expectations on infant sleep. I don’t know of any other book that has handled these topics so gracefully. Parents are really going to benefit from opening their minds to the past and present roles and viewpoints of grandparents, and surprisingly realistic advice on sleep that isn’t the pendulum-swinging “make the baby cry it out” or “tough it out for two years” liners you usually find in parenting books.
I certainly do my best, but it’s hard as a doula to convey in a couple of prenatal meetings the depth of my wisdom for a smooth postpartum recovery. While I hope that my labor clients will utilize my postpartum care services as well, that’s not always the case, so I am delighted to be able to recommend this easy-to-read-and-digest guide for everything they need to know when I’m not there.
Keeping this one on my shelf for sure - and not loaning it out, either! ;) I’ve been sharing some gold nuggets from it occasionally on my Instagram, but if you’re expecting a baby or have one in arms I implore you to get your own copy and read it! Affiliate link below.