"Now fully revised in its fifth edition, The Birth Partner remains the definitive guide to helping a woman through labor and birth, and the essential manual to have at hand during the event. The Birth Partner includes thorough information on: preparing for labor and knowing when it has begun; normal labor and how to help the woman every step of the way; epidurals and other medications for labor; pitocin and other means, including natural ones, to induce or speed up labor; non-drug techniques for easing labor pain; Cesarean birth and complications that may require it; breastfeeding and newborn care; and much more."--Publisher description.