Interesting books

Touch for life

In the course of the various training courses, lectures, meetings and discussions with other therapists, Continuing development, etc, I come across and collect a large number of books.

I have found the following list to be of particularly interest to myself and other parents and health professionals. These books may be available through the local library, and they can often be found on web based book sites like www.amazon.com or www.bookdepository.co.uk :

In this book Dr Montague shows the relation of the skin and touching to mental and physical health, the discovery of the immunological functions of the skin; the importance of touching, especially for older people and infants, and the uses of touching in psychotherapeutic situations.

This book examines the research base of touch or massage therapy, and describes the practical application of these results in practice. Written by the director of the world renowned Touch Research Institutes in the USA, each chapter gives a clear and authoritive review of what is reliably known about the effects of touch in a variety of clinical conditions, especially in the areas of;

Stress reduction
Pain reduction
Growth and development
Immune function
Auto- immune disorders

In recent years there have been exciting scientific discoveries about a hormone whose amazing role in the human body has long been neglected. Oxytocin is the powerful hormone involved in bonding, sex, and childbirth, as well as in relaxation and feelings of calm. It is the mirror image of the stress hormone, adrenaline, which triggers the "fight or flight" systems in the body. Much has been written about the latter, but the many-sided importance of oxytocin is often known only to those in obstetrics and physiology and to some psychiatrists.

The Oxytocin Factor is the first book to reveal the importance of the whole oxytocin system for a general audience. Both the new research findings and the potentially beneficial applications of this hormone - which biotech firms are now trying to synthesize - in reducing anxiety states, stress, addictions, and problems of childbirth are fascinating and of great significance in all our lives.

The author of the book founded The International Association of Infant Massage (I.A.I.M.) in 1981 in the United States. Vimala learnt about the wonders of infant massage whilst she worked in India during the 1970s. She saw mothers in even the most poverty stricken areas massaging their babies as part of a daily routine. The positive touch of massage allowed these babies to experience and appreciate tremendous love and the feeling of security. Vimala's vision is that infant massage will become a parenting tradition throughout the world community.

This book describes the ancient art of baby massage as described by a renowned obstetrician who fuses the wisdom and knowledge he absorbed in the East with personal, poetic expression - in words and photographs. The book explains the simple techniques of massage by following a young mother, Shantala, whom the author met, observed and photographed with her babies in Calcutta. Through the photos you can watch her communicate her love and strength to her children through the primal language of touch.

A new Mum, on discovering this book at a massage class said she would buy this as a present for all expecting parents. It is easy to read, containing many pictures from real video footage it shows how aware and what new babies are capable of.

The knowledge and understanding gained from "The Social Baby" could help all those concerned with the care of young infants to relate more sensitively and responsively to the babies who depend on them. Also enriching their own experience and enhance their enjoyment.

Recommended by many Mums, it can help mums feel 'normal' and help prepare 'new parents to be' of the many new emotional experiences ahead. Helpful for partners as well.

Drawing on over 800 research studies worldwide, author Margot Sunderland (director of Education and Training for the Centre for Child Mental Health in London, a child psychotherapist with 20 years’ experience of working with children and families), reveals the true influence our parenting techniques have on a child’s brain, both in the moment and for the future. The awesome and sobering reality is that how we treat our children literally hardwires their brains for emotional wellbeing or the reverse, directly impacting on their ability to form relationships, manage anger, seek out adventures and follow their dreams.

The aim of the book is not to scare parents but rather to present them with the facts, and support them in all their crucial child-rearing decisions. Dispensing with opinion, dogma, and fashion, Sunderland offers practical advice based on hard evidence. Despite the scientific backing, The Science of Parenting is easy to read and very much a ‘what to do’ book, providing step-by-step guidance on how to react in common every-day parenting situations.

This is an American edition of (much loved but out of print) English edition of Why they Cry. In this book you’ll discover the specific times during the first 14 months when all babies take eight major developmental leaps, and learn how to help your baby though the “eight great fussy phases” that mark these leaps within a week or two.

This book can be very reassuring when your baby may be clingier, more difficult, or simply “different”. It can help you understand the needs of your baby and allow you to go through life with less stress and frustration.

Send mail to rosie@touchforlife.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2009 Touch For Life Last modified: 13 October, 2009

Send mail to rosie@touchforlife.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2009 Touch For Life
Last modified: 13 October, 2009