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  • Published: 29 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9781775538523
  • Imprint: Random House NZ
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 496
  • RRP: $36.99

Oh Baby

Birth, Babies & Motherhood Uncensored




Much-recommended by new mothers, this is the only book you'll need for the best baby advice. Now completely revised and updated.

Much-recommended by new mothers, this is the only book you'll need for the best baby advice. Now completely revised and updated.

Refreshingly honest, openly frank and candidly blunt, this book has been written by a mother (who is also an experienced midwife) for other mothers. It oozes warm fuzzies, exudes realism in every paragraph and is refreshing in its guiltless honesty.

Modern first-time mothers are often alone - devoid of once-traditional motherhood knowledge and practical support. Often previously self-confident women find themselves isolated, fumbling over everyday mothering tasks, enduring sleep deprivation, feeling desperately despondent - and aching and leaking everywhere.

This book provides supportive, caring advice - one mum to another - while at the same time serving as an encyclopaedic medical reference regarding the mother and baby. Checked thoroughly by medical professionals, this book is a unique blend, like having access to a kind and gentle GP as well as to all the gems of wisdom of years of mothers' coffee groups.

This title clearly and compassionately explains the ups as well as the downs which are perfectly normal aspects of giving birth and mothering in today's society.

  • Published: 29 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9781775538523
  • Imprint: Random House NZ
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 496
  • RRP: $36.99

About the author

Kathy Fray

Kathy Fray, wife, mother, midwife and popular author, has updated the best-selling Oh Baby . . . Birth, Babies & Motherhood Uncensored. Kathy is a self-employed north Auckland midwife, founding director of SOMCANZ (global inaugural Symposiums on Integrative Maternity Healthcare), founding director of BabyOK™ Products (creators of the ever-popular Babe-Sleeper attached sleepbag). See kathyfray.com

Often called ‘a mother’s Bible’, Oh Baby focuses not only on the baby, but also explores the mother’s experience and needs, reading like a big sister giving you wise advice and practical assistance.
Her style has been described as ‘punchy’ (by maternity guru Sheila Kitzinger) and ‘energetic’ and ‘alive’ (The Press). The New Zealand College of Midwives said: ‘Oh Baby reads like a long, loving chat with a wise aunty ... She is insightful, blunt, compassionate, self-deprecating, affectionate, funny.’

New Zealand Doctor ruled Oh Baby ‘a lifesaver’ in ‘an era where many women are stand-alone family makers without the support of extended family all round them, [which means] much knowledge is lost which would previously have been passed down’. In PUT praised the pairing of ‘supportive, caring advice’ with ‘encyclopaedic medical reference material’ — ‘like having access to a kind and gentle GP as well as to all the gems of wisdom of years of mothers’ coffee groups — and singled out for especial praise the covering of intuition and that ‘dads are also not forgotten’.

Ten years on from the original release, and with another 500 births under her belt, Kathy's updated edition of OH BABY includes a much extended chapter on labour and birth including loads of extra wisdom, hints and tips.

Kathy is also an inspirational and entertaining motivational speaker, who teaches triadic holistic parenting of the child's body, mind and essence.