Good Birth Books to Read?

[Prism]

What have you read that's really helped?
What do you want to read or heard that's good?

[CozMama]

Birthing from Within
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

[jr'smom]

I definately like Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. I wish I would have read it before my first birth--or second for that matter.

[thismommy]

Active Birth by Janet Balaskas. Its got great science information on the process of birth and why which positions for labor and delivery are better. Its great!

[mclisa]

Spiritual Midwifery

I have a hypnobirthing program that I want to do.


I'm going to read Ina May's too.

[D'sMama]

It's not really a birth book like I think you mean, but Pushed by Jennifer Block is great. I've given it to DH to get him on board my homebirth, midwife-assisted train, and I'm also making it mandatory reading for anyone who argues with me that homebirth is unsafe!
All the other ones PP's listed are great - I'm falling in love with Henci Goer and Thinking Woman's Guide.
I also suggest Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper.

[ainh]

Originally Posted by cosmostar

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

This is the only book I read last time and I thought it was great. I've sent it to all my preggo friends...not that any of them really got into it.

I guess I also read some Dr Sears stuff as I was starting to labor. (I didn't think I'd have a vaginal birth, as my guy was breech, so I got too depressed reading anything about birth. Then they flipped my guy with an external version -- best decision ever -- and I started cramming a bit, though I still expected to have a c-section at that point. Luckily I passed the test, despite not studying )

[Prism]

I have read all those listed, and am reading Pushed right now.
It makes me so angry with our entire health care system regarding birth!

On top of that we have an hmo which is proving impossible to find coverage of any sort for a homebirth. Makes me so angry to have to pay out-of-pocket when isn't this what I have insurance for???? Oh, and of course pregnancy isn't considered a "life event" in order to switch to a ppo.
Ugh, I am frustrated!

[quietserena]

I loved The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin