Information on birth positions, etc, please

[NotAMama]

Hi ladies,

my cousin is due to have a little boy in the beginning of April. I have already bombarded her with anti-circ info (and I hope she will make the right choice!), now I would like to give her some info to help make her labor go more smoothly.

I do not know what sort of labor she is planning (Bradley, hypnobirth, drugs the moment she walks into the hospital) but I would like to get her some information on dealing with the pain with out drugs and different birthing positions so that she is not stuck on her back for the entire thing and inviting complications. I know this is probably too late to truly help her, but I would feel better if I could give her even just a little information. I would prefer articles seeing as I just spent over $75 on baby supplies for her shower and I am pretty much broke as far as that portion of my budget goes, but if you know a REALLY good book I could possibly get at a used book store, I will check it out.

TIA!!!

[Tanibani]

Active Birth by Janet Balaskas is probably the book you are looking for. I have it and can't wait to read it. It looks really good.

[stafl]

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
You may not be able to find it used, but paperback only costs around $10

[jaredsmom]

A Good Birth, A Safe Birth was the book that turned me into the natural childbirth experience. Sorry, I don't remember the author's name, but I loved what she had to say. She included birthing positions, the posible medical interventions, finding the right birthing team, and talked about the different types of childbirth classes/techniques.

Also, did you do a search on the Mothering homepage for some archieved articles? That would be an inexpensive and great resource. I looked at some of the articles with a search on "birthing positions," and some of the articles women who shared their birth experiences are great since they tell/told it like it is.

[georgia]

Peggy O'Mara/Mothering Magazine's Having a Baby, Naturally would be a good resource, too. It's kinda new, so I don't know if it's easy to find used.....but not too expensive either way. Best wishes,

[Quirky]

Check out www.overstock.com and www.half.com (shipping is cheap on the former but can add up on the latter) for cheap books. I can almost always find what I'm looking for on overstock.

[NotAMama]

Thank you all very much for your responses. I will look for some of the archived articles, and check out the books you mentioned and see about getting her one of those as well.

Thanks again!!!

[mamallama]

I'm glad you have your cousin's best interests at heart. Good for you!

I have many young, first time moms in my family. Of course, I want them to have the best and safest birth experiences. Given my background and the years of study I have dedicated to safe and satisfying childbirth, I am in a good position to give them information. NotAMama, seeing how you hang out on this forum at MDC, I would guess that you have a good deal of information to share as well.

I have found that my conversations with expectant moms who are part of social/family circle (as opposed to the expectant moms who hire me) go best when the tone is very conversational. I ask what their plans and expectations are, and then I'm respectful of that.

I give books or book recommendations based on what the mom is all ready thinking. Ina May's book is awesome, but I can see some moms I know dismissing it out of hand because it is just so far from the point they're at now. If that is the case, it might be better to go with something a little less "radical," if it means there's a chance she'll actually read it-kwim?