The Chiswick-based broadcaster compiles an A-Z on pregnancy, birth and parenting

Having a baby can be the best time of your life, but if you are not prepared you can be overwhelmed by the physical and psychological demands. Chiswick -based broadcaster and journalist Beverley Turner is determined to empower women (and their partners) to have the very best experience possible.

To this end, The Happy Birth Book (co-authored with senior midwife Pam Wild), has been written not just for those having their first baby, but those who had a bad birth experience first time around. There is also a section devoted to birth partners.

The Happy Birth Book, (Little Brown) has been published in possibly one of the busiest weeks of Beverley's life. As her husband (Olympic rower) James Cracknell was caught up in the selection process for the Conservative seat in Brentford & Isleworth, Beverley (or Bev as she is known to friends), was promoting the book launch along with juggling the everyday demands of three children and a broadcasting job on LBC.

Beverley and Pam Wild, co-author of the book

Presented in an easy-to-read, A–Z format, The Happy Birth Book takes the reader through every physical, emotional, social and practical detail needed to increase their chances of a happy birth, whether that is a home water birth or a planned pre-labour Caesarean birth – and everything in between. Empowering parents about the process of pregnancy and parenting has been one of Beverley's main interests. A few years ago she set up The Blooming Bunch , now based at the City Barge in Stand on the Green, a sort of alternative ante-natal class for prospective parents which invited experts to speak on a whole range of associated topics.

Beverley and James with two of their three children

Originally from Lancashire, Beverley's career also included spells as a model, TV presenter (From Food to Formula 1, cycling and basketball), author (The Pits: The Real World of Formula 1) and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter. She also co-authored Touching Distance, a book about how she and James navigated life after his life-changing accident in America when his motorbike was involved in a collision with a truck and he was badly injured. But she takes all of life's challenges in her stride. Her down to earth approach to life has endeared her to listeners of her Saturday talk radio show on LBC and audiences have trebled in the slot, particularly female listeners.

She and James live in Grove Park with their three children.

Pam’s clients include Davina McCall and actresses Jemma Redgrave and Thandie Newton and she has helped deliver more than 4,000 babies throughout her career.

April 27, 2017