Great VBAC books? - Page 2

[Megs Mom]

Thank you so much for this thread, for this forum, and for making the thread a sticky. I can do this, go me!

[cchoudhury]

my books

: I read 'silent knife' postpartum and it did make me cry, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it helped me immensly deal with my c/s birth and the loss I felt. Overall after reading it I came away with the feeling that my body is healthy, strong and healed. I really like 'birthing from within' and 'immaculate deception too.

[sistermama]

I found a great book before I had either of my kids -"Reclaiming the Spirituality of Birth" I think it is really good for someone who had any type of traumatic birthing experience, but also would be especially helpful for someone going for a VBAC.

[KKmama]

I loved The VBAC Companion. It was my favorite VBAC book. I guess I found it gentle and complete (and I read it while I was pg, and I'm a hormonal gal while pg ).

Ina May Gaskin's stuff--while not VBAC specific--is very empowering, and I highly recommend it. Especially for during pg.

For *me*, Silent Knife was kind of scary. Yeah, I'd agre that it's not something for pg (particularly late pg).

I love Birth Partner, too.

[Mom_on_the_move]

"The Caesarean" was just recommended to me by our doula. I have yet to read it, but I will be soon.

[strollermom]

vbac books

I am just 4 days away from my due date and VBAC. My favorite resource has definitely been The Thinking Womans Guide to Giving Birth, with lots of great advice related to VBACs or at least avoiding Csections.

[mimiharshe]

Books that are helping me...

I just read Hypnobirthing the Mongon Method. This is a great way to relax for the VBAC uterus!

I'm reading Spiritual Midwifery right now and it is interesting to see how these women went back to "the basics" of how women are meant to birth. The stories are great.

Next I'm reading Birthing from Within. We'll see how that is, but I've only heard great things!

[Megs Mom]

Just a quick encouragement to you all - I had my dream birth with my baby #4 VBAC!!!

[wombatclay]

I didn't see Artemis Speaks: V.B.A.C. Stories & Natural Childbirth Information by Nan Koehler in the previous lists (apologies if I missed it!), but it's a wonderful book...it's practically required reading at my OB's office for VBAC mamas (they have a "top five" list and it's always there).

Also, I thought Silent Knife was okay, but the VBAC book that really made me cry (in a good way) was Nancy Cohen's next book, "Open Season". The chapters on emotional healing and accepting and growing beyond the c/s were/are amazing.

[mainesax]

I know this is an older thread, but I have a GREAT book that has a lot of research and is written by an 'insider' in the medical field. The author was an OB, but also worked for the WHO - he knows his stuff, and is very open about the problems he's seen as a physician and a lot of the politics within ACOG. He actually advocates for the use of midwives for all except complicated pregnancies. It is a book that can get a gal a little fired up, so if you have PIH, you might want to stay away.

Has a ton of info on VBAC!

"Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First" by Marsden Wagner

[FlowerMomma]

My midwife just loaned me a book titled Natural Childbirth After Cesarean. I am only halfway into it, but I am very impressed so far. Lot's of research and VBAC stories. It does a really good job of revealing the myths regarding uterine rupture. Both of the authors have had a VBAC, one of them even with an inverted T incision. The authors names are Karis Crawford, PhD and Johanne C. Walters, BSN, RN.

[mamalove07]

I think every all pregnant women, not just VBAC women, should read "Open Season." Had I read that book before I probably would not have had a cesarean! I'd have had so much more knowledge about the "complications" that often lead to c-sections in hospitals ... also I'd have had a lot more confidence in myself to deliver natually instead of believing I had to rush to the hospital and get hooked up to IVs and the almighty epidural.
I also agree anything by Ina May is worth reading.

[FlowerMomma]

I am at the bookstore and just came across a book that has lots of great information and statistics. The title is PUSHED: The Painful Truth About Childbirth And Modern Maternity Care. The author is Jennifer Block. There is a chapter titled "Denied Birth" that covers the issues of vaginal breech birth and VBAC very very well. I was very impressed and validated in my decision to have a HBAC.

[aussiemo2]

I just finished Natural Childbirth after Cesearean by By Johanne C. Walters , Karis Crawford and found it to be an excellent practical guide and it includes a lot of resources at the end.

[athensmama]

Pushed by Jennifer Block - just published this summer

http://www.amazon.com/Pushed-Painful...5964150&sr=8-1

I am reading it now. It is definately one of those "get you fired up" books. I read the first 20 pages and then put it down because I was too "fired up." Then I picked it up again and can hardly stop reading it. I am 5 weeks pregnant, and I am determined to have my vbac or hbac after reading this.

[aussiemo2]

The best one I have read so far is:
Natural Birth After Cesarean: A Practical Guide by Johanne C. Walters , Karis Crawford

I recently got the VBAC Companion and didn't get anything out of it at all. I wouldn't recommend it.

[theresa_caine]

I know these books have already been mentioned, but I wanted to just second the recommendations for Open Season by Nancy Wainer Cohen and The VBAC Experience by Lynn Baptiste Richards. Both were incredibly informative and encouraging, especially in regards to homebirthing. It seemed like so many hospital vbac mamas had to fight tooth and nail for ANYTHING, where the homebirth mamas were able to just relax and birth. Of course, that's not 100% true in the books or in real life, but it confirmed to me that using the hospitals in my town would inevitably end up in a rcs.

Don't Cut Me Again (not sure of the author) was also a good read; just a collection of vbac birth stories without the stats/education aspect. Again, this also really 'sold' me on homebirth just in the differences of the stories.

(We had a very successful hbac, btw!)

[bellymama]

i loved Silent Knife, it made me feel empowered.
also enjoying Birthing From Within, the birth art and journaling are helping me...and Reclaiming the Spirituality of Birth is great too...
Thinking Woman's Guide to Pregnancy, and Ina May's Preperation for Childbirth is awesome.

[natural&organicmom]

Thanks for this... I'm focussing on the same thing and praising God for the opportunity I have to HBAC this time around. :-)

[sapphos]

subbing a great thread