Suggested Reading
The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
Award winning medical writer and birth activist Henci Goer gives clear, concise information based on the latest medical studies. Goer will help you compare and contrast your various options and show you how to avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, restrictions, and tests. She analyzes and makes sense of a prodigious amount of recent obstetric research, boils it down, and summarizes its findings. And, on the basis of these findings, she makes practical recommendations for better births. Not one to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, Henci lets the reader in on her whole thinking process, providing scientific references, summaries of the articles, and logical recommendations — all in a highly readable, user-friendly format.
Natural Childbirth: The Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
Since the Bradley method was first introduced in 1970, a growing number of expectant parents have opted for natural childbirth, knowing that it’s safer than medicated or surgical delivery. But where can parents-to-be go for information on how to have a successful Bradley birth? This book provides all the answers, offering sound advice on how to prepare physically for labor and what to expect during each of its stages. Photos & line drawings.
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
Intended to help the partner of the woman giving birth (baby’s father, doula, or loved one) prepare to support the woman. It includes detailed information about labor and delivery, explanations of what she may be experiencing, as well as suggestions for support. It also includes discussions of the possible emotional reactions of the partner during challenging aspects of childbirth.
The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears
Prepare for a safe and joyful birth-with the help of America’s foremost baby and childcare experts Since women enjoy more birthing options today than ever before, the path toward a safe and satisfying birth can be fraught with important decisions. Planning, understanding the resources available to you, and developing your own birthing philosophy can make all the difference. In this comprehensive, reassuring, and authoritative guide, Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, the pediatrics specialists whose books on pregnancy, babies, and parenting have become widely praised bestsellers, thoroughly explore the abundant choices couples face when anticipating the birth of their child.
Husband Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method by Robert A. Bradley
The Bradley Method has changed the way men and women—and the medical establishment—think about childbirth today. Now this new, updated edition of the groundbreaking work by Robert A. Bradley, M.D., has all the information you need to approach a natural childbirth safely, confidently, and wisely. From the reasons to choose the Bradley Method to the steps you will take as your birth day approaches—and after the birth of your baby—this book is designed to help couples share completely in the birthing experience.
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nation’s leading midwife, shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.
A Good Birth, A Safe Birth by Diane Korte
Thorough, sensible, and extremely well organized, these knowledgeable authors cover topics of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum care for mother and child in an accessible, very easy-to-follow format. The authors present clear-headed information on everything from finding a birth attendant to questions for the hospital to understanding your feelings about it all.
Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
Here is a holistic approach to childbirth that examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a medical event but as an act of self-discovery. Exercises and activities such as journal writing, meditation, and painting will help mothers analyze their thoughts and face their fears during pregnancy. For use during birth, the book offers proven techniques for coping with labor pain without drugs, a discussion of the doctor or midwife’s role, and a look at the father’s responsibilities. Childbirth education should also include what to expect after the baby is born. Here are baby basics, such as how to bathe a newborn, how to get the little one to sleep, and tips for getting nursing off to a good start. Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is a process of continuous learning and adjustment; Birthing From Within provides the necessary support and education to make each phase of birthing a rewarding experience.
Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block
A provocative and incisive analysis of childbirth in the age of machines, malpractice, and managed care. In the United States, more than half the women who give birth are given drugs to induce or speed up labor; for nearly a third of mothers, childbirth is major surgery – the cesarean section. For women who want an alternative, choice is often unavailable: Midwives are sometimes inaccessible; in eleven states they are illegal. In one of those states, even birthing centers are outlawed. When did birth become an emergency instead of an emergence? Since when is normal, physiological birth a crime? A groundbreaking journalistic narrative, Pushed presents the complete picture of maternity care in America. Crisscrossing the country to report what women really experience during childbirth, Jennifer Block witnessed several births – from a planned cesarean to an underground home birth. Against this backdrop, Block investigates whether routine C-sections, inductions, and epidurals equal medical progress. She examines childbirth as a reproductive rights issue: Do women have the right to an optimal birth experience? If so, is that right being upheld?
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International Staff
In the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, you will discover how to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy, the effects on newborns of medications used during labor and delivery, how to maintain an ample milk supply, how to pump and store human milk, how to recognize and overcome common breastfeeding problems, breastfeeding a baby with special needs, how nursing mothers can exercise and lose weight safely, breastfeeding tips for the working mother, and current research on the benefits of breastfeeding, including improving your baby’s IQ. Filled with time-tested parenting information, along with personal stories from mothers, and fully backed by health care professionals.
Creating Your Birth Plan: The Definitive Guide to a Safe and Empowering Birth
Creating Your Birth Plan helps expectant mothers make informed decisions about the assistance they’ll require for childbirth. Designed to encourage collaboration between pregnant women and their caregivers, it includes information on: What to expect when delivering in a hospital, in a birthing center, or at home, how to select an advocate to ensure expectant mothers’ wishes are honored by their caregiver, the natural stages of labor in a problem-free birth, explanations of various medical or surgical interventions, and potential complications and benefits of each, and natural alternatives to drugs, technology, and surgery.
