Thinking about a Home Birth or Natural Birth? Some Books You Should Read!

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Written by Greta Blau

Wednesday, 15 October 2008

When I was pregnant with my son, I hadn't really considered a home birth as an option until we saw the hospital where we were planning on having him. Walking around and changing positions was discouraged, most of the babies were in the nursery instead of with their mommies, and there was an O.R. nurse blowing her nose profusely in a tissue that she would then fold in half and use again.

I am the type of person who will research very thoroughly any endeavor (or as my husband calls them "projects") I find myself involved with. Because of this, I had read many books about pregnancy and was planning a natural birth at the hospital.

Little did I know, this is not something that is necessarily encouraged or easy to do in a hospital setting, although some people manage just fine. Here are some books about home birth and natural birth that helped me make the decision to have a home birth with midwives and a doula ("A woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth." From Merriam-Webster Online).

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (by Ina May Gaskin)---Ina May Gaskin is the well-known midwife who founded one of the first out-of-hospital birthing centers 25 years ago in rural Tennessee called The Farm Midwifery Center . In her book, she talks about the power of a woman's body to give birth and shares some positive stories about women giving birth at The Farm. She also gives interesting statistics about home births and hospital births.

Misconceptions: Truth, Lies, and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood (by Naomi Wolf)---I actually read this long before I got pregnant because I'm a fan of Naomi Wolf. She talks about her disappointing first birthing experience and her more fulfilling second birthing experience at a stand-alone birthing center. It's not the normal, happy pregnancy book, but its honest and uplifting in the end.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation (by England and Horowitz)---England, a Certified Nurse Midwife, describes her "birthing from within" techniques in this more "holistic approach to childbirth." She advocates a more mind-body-spirit approach to natural birth. This is a great book for birthing partners as well.

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth (by Goer and Wheeler)---It's clear when you read this that Goer, a doula and Lamaze instructor, has done her research. This is a book that gives women as much information as possible about pregnancy and birth and then allows them to make informed decisions based on these facts. She also gives advice on all of the topics. If you want to know the gritty details, this is the book to read.

Greta is a slacker mom masquerading as a type-A mom. She is the owner of Wooster Square Publishing Services in New Haven, Connecticut, where she lives with the coolest little boy and the most patient husband in the world.