A SOUTH Lakeland writer’s book that aims to take parents through pregnancy, birth, and their baby’s first nine months has been highly commended by a leading doctors’ organisation.

Birth and Beyond was named in the popular medicine category of the British Medical Association’s annual book competition. The category is for books aimed at the general public on any health subject.

Although the book is listed as being written by Yehudi Gordon, it was a team effort between the obstetrician and Levens-based freelance writer Harriet Sharkey.

She said of the award: “It’s fantastic. It’s really nice to be recognised by the medical world.

“A large part of the book is an A to Z health reference guide for mother and baby, and I think that’s what people seem to be using the most.

“We give nutritional and lifestyle advice as well as medical advice and we also had a homeopath and paediatrician working with us, so it’s an holistic guide but it’s designed to cover the mainstream health issues.” Other professionals involved in the book include midwives, counsellors, health visitors and nutritional therapists.

Mrs Sharkey, 33, started work as a travel writer but stopped travelling when she had children.

Birth and Beyond, which is published by Random House, grew out of work she did producing in-house hospital publications on pregnancy.

Mrs Sharkey and her husband Dee have two children, aged six and three, and writing the book coincided with their own experiences of pregnancy and child- rearing.

Mrs Sharkey and Dr Gordon already have ideas for further collaboration.