Good reading material?

[Nala]

With my DD I did the flat on the back epi thing and I want this labor to be much different (I almost made it without the epi but the nurse telling me over and over that I should take the epi wore on me and I gave in...) I am hoping to go natural with this baby and am going to be working with a Midwife and a Great high risk OB. they agreed I can see the midwife until something goes wrong (if it does) Anyway can anyone recommend some good reading or resources to help me feel more confident in my natural delivery? And did anyone do Bradley classes? I have never taken a Birth class but this time we want to, I was thinking about Bradley but has anyone had experience with it?? Thanks!!

[othersomethings]

Did bradley. Very helpful, but wish I'd taken a better "class"

Books that helped me the most:

Anything by Ina May Gaskin...super awesome. Totally got me into the mindset "I can DO THIS!"

"The thinking woman's guide to childbirth" by Henci Goer, made me feel a lot better about my natural choices. Great for the analytical mind that needs the facts and figures.

[funkymum]

I had a happy homebirth with DD and found that taking a yoga-based prenatal class helped both husband and I learn how to breathe through contractions, ground ourselves, and work together without medications. We actually had a hospital transfer because the birth wasn't progressing after 40+ hours at home, and still delivered naturally in part to our "be ready for anything" attitude and quality caregivers.

Reads: Yoga and Pregnancy, Janet Baleskas; Spiritual Midwifery, Ina May Gaskin; Beautiful, Bountiful, Blissful by Gurmukh.

I hope this helps!

[ScarletBegonias]

*ina may's guide to childbirth by ina may gaskin
*spiritual midwifery by ina may gaskin
gentle birth, gentle mothering by sarah j buckley
the thinking woman's guide to a better birth by henci goer
*active birth by janet balaskas
the natural pregnancy book by aviva jill romm
wise woman herbal for the childbearing year by susan weed
*motherhood naturally (a collection of natural birth stories)
birthing from withing by pam england

read as many natural-birth stories as you can. there is a great forum on mdc just for birth stories. reading stories of unassisted birth is really good too because it can give that confidence that you CAN do it without pain meds!

active birth explains this:

during birth your sacrum actually swings up out of the way to allow baby to come down easily. when you're on your back, the sacrum can't move and your pelvic outlet is about 30% smaller. that could mean the difference between birthing your baby vaginally and having a a c-section because "the baby is too big to fit", or the classic CPD diagnosis.

eta: i like active birth because it kept me focused on all the different position i could get into, and that moving around helps to cope with pain better.

[tcooper]

Are you high risk?
This is the problem with America - You were told you can see the midwife until something 'goes wrong'. Pregnancy and childbirth are normal, natural functions. Women are made to think quite the opposite. That pregnancy and childbirth are medical incidences that need careful monitoring.
Our bodies know what do to. We know how to do this. Women in a coma, will birth. It is a physiological function. We get in our way. OBs get in our way. It really bothers me that they do that.
I took Bradley with my first and thought it was great. I had a hospital birth, with midwife. Things weren't progressing and they kept on me about drugs to get things moving (I had exhausted all natural means of encouraging labor). Finally, it was drugs or cesarean. I chose the drugs. After all that, I decided I needed to do something in the world of birth. I wanted to be a Bradley teacher. They wouldn't let me - because I had failed in my birth. I got the drugs. Wow, talk about making a woman with birth trauma feel worse.
I am now a HypnoBirthing Educator. I highly recommend the book and classes, if they are offered in your area. Also, all the books recommended by Scarlet are fantastic. I love Ina May. Remember, you can do this. Do or do not, there is no try. Find a provider that is TRULY supportive of childbirth. Get a supportive birth companion that will tell nurses to get out if they are offering things against your wishes. Get a solid birth plan and hand it out to everyone who enters - twice. Post it on the door. Have your birth companion memorize it. You can do it! I know you can!!

[rightkindofme]

HypnoBirthing is pretty awesome. I'm not a perfect HypnoBirther, but I blame that on my lack of practice, not on a flaw in the program.

[Surfacing]

Originally Posted by ScarletBegonias

*ina may's guide to childbirth by ina may gaskin
*spiritual midwifery by ina may gaskin
gentle birth, gentle mothering by sarah j buckley
the thinking woman's guide to a better birth by henci goer
*active birth by janet balaskas
the natural pregnancy book by aviva jill romm
wise woman herbal for the childbearing year by susan weed
*motherhood naturally (a collection of natural birth stories)
birthing from withing by pam england

read as many natural-birth stories as you can. there is a great forum on mdc just for birth stories. reading stories of unassisted birth is really good too because it can give that confidence that you CAN do it without pain meds!

active birth explains this:

during birth your sacrum actually swings up out of the way to allow baby to come down easily. when you're on your back, the sacrum can't move and your pelvic outlet is about 30% smaller. that could mean the difference between birthing your baby vaginally and having a a c-section because "the baby is too big to fit", or the classic CPD diagnosis.

eta: i like active birth because it kept me focused on all the different position i could get into, and that moving around helps to cope with pain better.

[Nala]

I am considered high risk because of history of not carrying to term. I lost a baby at 17 weeks in September, I had a stillbirth 9 years ago and have had a slew of miscarriages. Along side all that when I was pregnant with y living daughter I had an amniotic leak. It took me forever to find a practice that would let me see a midwife and I had to agree that I would see her but switch to the ob if the midwife at anytime felt uncomfortable with the way my pregnancy was progressing.
I think that the OB if pretty supportive of doing things naturally but I just want to educate my self as much as possible. thanks for the reading suggestions I just ordered a few of the books!

[crbyard]

DDC crashing, although I'll lurk here since I'm due in Late June. An absolute MUST read is "Pushed" by Jennifer Block. Hands down the best all-inclusive picture of modern American birth culture and how to have the birth that you want.