If you were going to read ONE book about childbirth–not pregnancy, but just childbirth–what would it be?
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Active Birth
This is a second-hand rec, because I haven’t gotten the book yet, but Moxie at Ask Moxie highly recommended The Big Book of Birth, by Erica Lyon in her review.
http://moxie.blogs.com/askmoxie/2007/02/book_review_the.html
Penny Simkin’s Labor Progress Handbook
Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin. It is written for those who are a woman’s support during labor and delivery, but was really useful to read for those going through it. Explains both the physical and the emotional aspects of each stage of labor. I recommend it to EVERY pregnant woman I know.
Oh yes – having read a few posts, I was coming back to change my reco to Simkin’s The Birth Partner.
oldie but a goodie, Sheila Kitzinger helped me through my births and made me feel like I deserved to be in charge.
Yup, Penny Simkin’s “The Birth Partner”. My partner didn’t read it, but it helped me prepare for my birth and analyze it afterwards!
The Hypnobirthing book, because it explains the fear-tension-pain cycle. Understanding that and learning how to let go of fear was a big part of my successful, natural childbirth (that took 28 hours).
Sheila Kitzinger — yes! The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth.
I know you said not pregnancy, but “What to expect when you’re expecting” has a great section on the childbirth part.
Birthing from Within.
But I can be flaky like that.
Birthing From Within.
The Ina May Gaskin book — Spiritual Midwifery? It’s a little goofy in places, but it has LOTS and LOTS of different births, described in loving detail.
I’m another one who could almost have got by with just reading ‘The Birth Partner’ (But also loved and relied heavily on ‘Birthing from Within’ and ‘Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn’ by Penny Simkin. ‘Spiritual Midwifery’ was what I read and re-read whenever I got too anxious about the whole thing).
I would read Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. It’s the 90′s version of Spiritual Midwifery, so it’s a little less loopy and gives more concrete details about why and how natural childbirth is possible and amazing. It’s good empowering background information, even for moms who might ultimately choose a more medically managed birth. After that, I would read The Birth Partner for a more even-handed approach to all the birthing options.
Birthing from Within….some of it a tad corny for me, but otherwise good stuff!
Probably Birthing from Within, but maybe Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth.
Yep, Ina Mae’s Guide to Childbirth would be my suggestion, keeping in mind that I’ve never birthed anyone nor been any sort of participant in a birth. Still, though, I thought she was straightforward, a good writer, and not as prone to trying to scare the hell out of her readers as some authors, which I appreciated.
Re: the recs for Sheila Kitzinger — yes! The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth.
oh yes oh yes oh yes! All her books are fabulous — grounded and connected and woman centred and family centred.
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