Childbirth/pregnancy books you are loving?

[Blessed_Bess]

I am 27 weeks pg and planning a VBAC but have very recently started thinking about a homebirth. I have some books I've been reading that are showing me this is something I really may want to do. I know there is a lot of online information, but I simply can't sit at the computer too long (for a variety of reasons) and I like reading books in bed.

At the moment I am reading Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah J. Buckley and wish I had read it before I'd had my first child! I think I would've made some very different choices (no induction, no epidural, and of course no C/S but that wasn't my choice anyway.)
I also just last night began reading Ina May's Spiritual Midwifery and enjoy the birth stories but also find them a bit hippy-dippy (even though I consider myself a hippy.)

So, I wonder what pregnancy/childbirth/parenting books helped you make your birth choices, or that you wish you'd read sooner? Or, which books did you read that were unhelpful? There are a lot of childbirth books at the library and I want to pick the good ones.
I know I could post this in the media forum (mods feel free to move it if need be) but I thought this would get a better audience..

Thanks for your ideas!

[L J]

Childbirth Without Fear, by Grantly-Dick Read is my favorite. Its timelesss!

[kitkat5505]

Originally Posted by L J

Childbirth Without Fear, by Grantly-Dick Read is my favorite. Its timelesss!

I just started reading that a few days ago and it's given me a lot of insights into how my last birth turned out. I think the main reason my baby's heartrate was low leading to the emergency c/s was because by the time I got to the hospital I was pretty much a ball of pain and fear and so tensed up that my body was just locked up and not doing anything productive anymore and stressing out baby. Hoping the book will give me some ideas on how to let go of the fear for this upcoming birth.

In previous pregnancies I've also enjoyed Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, Hypnobirthing, Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, and Birthing From Within.

[SeekingJoy]

Birthing from Within

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

Pushed

[annablue]

Sheila Kitzinger's Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth. The edition I have is a little old, but it has tons of pictures, drawings and diagrams, which I really like. I also like how everything is explained in a comprehensive but easy-to-understand way.

[Funny Face]

It's not exactly a childbirth book but I love reading Baby Catcher every time I'm pregnant. Nothing like hearing birth stories to get me focused and excited about birthing!

[AustinMom]

If you like the birth stories in Spiritual Midwifery, but find them a little hippy (as I do) You'll love her second book Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth. It's the same thing essentially, birth stories, then info on birth, and it's great.

A great book like those is Artemis Speaks, it's a book with TONS of VBAC/HBAC specific stories in it, I loved it. Some of the info in it is a little out-dated, but the stories are always wonderful.

Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

Gentle Birth Choices come with a DVD as well, so that's a plus

The Complete book of Pregnancy, Childbirth and the newborn is wonderful also.

Pushed is great, but I'd not recommend it for a positive pregnancy read, but it is a GREAT book, kinda along the lines of Silent Knife in atmosphere.

[April422]

Painless Childbirth and Calm Birth are two great ones to add to the Buckley book.

[kltroy]

Also The Birth Partner, by Penny Simkin.

[Blessed_Bess]

Thanks for all these great suggestions! I have put some on hold for me at the library and may have to buy some of the others that the library doesn't have.
I own quite a few pregnancy/childbirth books that I've gotten at thrift stores and most have fallen short of helpful.. It's kind of astounding the amount of books that are out there and the number of them that really don't cater to natural childbirth or alternative ideas. Guess it's just indicative of the general birth atmosphere in our society.
I'm glad there are resources, though they're not as easy to find.

[Sudonk]

Journey Into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Childbirth by Sheri Menelli is impossible to put down! It has almost 50 stories told by the moms, and includes tips on how she prepared and what you can do to improve your chances of having a great birth. It's wonderful!

[suddenlyamama]

another vote for Birthing from Within It is really a lovely book that gives you space to search your emotions about birth and pain.
Also, don't know if it was mentioned but if you are yogic minded Bountiful, Blissful, Beautiful is also fantastic!
Happy reading!

[AustinMom]

DO NOT READ WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING It's full of crap, and any mom who has it, should not read it, and burn it!!!! Ok, that's a little extreme, but it's totally what you said about our society and the warped conception about birth.

[LilMommaR]

I agree with all of the above posts (The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth is one of my favs), and I also really liked Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, Homebirth in the Hospital by Stacey Marie Kerr, and even The Complete Idiot's Guide to Natural Childbirth. I'm also a frequent library childbirth-book-borrower.

[rparker]

I really liked Ina May's Guide to Childbirth last time. I didn't like Birthing from Within so much.

This time I read Active Birth and I highly recommend it. I can take or leave the childbirth prep info in it (it's "good" but Ina May is better), but the exercises and stretches are amazing... the book is worth buying for those alone.

[Aka mommy]

Heart & Hands (by Elizabeth Davis i believe), The Baby Catcher, and Painless Childbirth. I believe that Painless Childbirth is what helped me really grasp and attain a gentle birth this last time around!