[mzmum]

Hi ladies,
I am not yet pg, but we are trying

. I have had two unmedicated hospital births and am really think about hb for this next child. Can anyone give me some reccomendations on good informational books about hb for me and dh to read?
Thanks so much!

 

[Beauchamp]

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin (lots of HB stories plus other very good info)

for more of a "fun" read, i.e. not so sure a DH would enjoy this...Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent (this is a memoir, i.e. more of a story, written by a HB midwife who practiced from the 1960's and on, I believe. ...so it does show some of the "evolution" of OB/GYN/midwifery care)

Also, for you and DH, watch the DVD of The Business of Being Born. That might be a good place to start.

Good luck!

 

[GoldmanBaby09]

Ina May's is a must. I have also enjoyed Immaculate Deception II by Suzanne Arms and a Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer. Those books are not specifically about home birth, but about making alternative choices and are very informative. For fiction, I love The Red Tent by Anita Daimont. That is about a fictionalized biblical character who becomes a midwife. Great read!

 

[firewoman]

Sheila Kitzinger has written a book simply titled Homebirth. I'd pick that up along with Ina May's books. Orgasmic Birth is an excellent movie (don't be put off by the title), too. I like it even better than the Business of Being Born, but they are both along the same lines. Good luck and as the mother of four children (the last two born at home)....I highly recommend homebirth!

 

[mzmum]

Thanks ladies!

I was at the bookstore yesterday browsing what they had and almost bought Baby Catcher. It was the only thing they had in stock close to what I was looking for. I'll porobaby have to get others online.

 

[*MamaJen*]

"Pushed" by Jennifer Block
"Gentle birth choices" '
Ina May Gaskin's books
Babycatcher
the DVD The Business of Being Born
And birth stories here on MDC

 

[witchypants]

Quote:

Originally Posted by firewoman Sheila Kitzinger has written a book simply titled Homebirth.

Where did you find that?! I want it sooo bad but have been having a pickle of a time finding it!

 

[Belle]

In addition to what the other ladies said:

A good birth, A safe Birth by Diana Korte and Roberta M. Scaer
Homebirth: a practical guide by Nicky Wesson

Quote:

Where did you find that?! I want it sooo bad but have been having a pickle of a time finding it!

It looks like its out of print. You may be able to find a used copy on Ebay or Here.

Also, I see nobody mentioned Spiritual Midwifery also by Ina May Gaskin

 

[trauerweidchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauchamp Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin (lots of HB stories plus other very good info) for more of a "fun" read, i.e. not so sure a DH would enjoy this...Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent (this is a memoir, i.e. more of a story, written by a HB midwife who practiced from the 1960's and on, I believe. ...so it does show some of the "evolution" of OB/GYN/midwifery care) Also, for you and DH, watch the DVD of The Business of Being Born. That might be a good place to start. Good luck!

These would be on the top of my list, too. Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwifery is also great, as someone mentioned, but I think Ina May's Guide to Childbirth takes a more "modern" approach that you might relate to more easily at first. It's the book I'm making my DH read to prepare for labor. I've read so much from her books now that I'm afraid I have an unrealistic expectation about how easy labor can be.

If you're in to statistics and the birth environment in the US in general, Marsden Wagner's Born in the USA is also good.

Another video to check out is Pregnant in America. Many people like this even better than The Business of Being Born, and although I actually prefer BOBB, I enjoyed both films quite a lot. In Pregnant in America you explore birth in America with an expecting couple throughout their pregnancy and birth at home with a midwife, so you can relate to the process as they go through it. I like that both films don't just deal with the "ideal home birth" but also handle the issues of transferring and unexpected circumstances, without fear-mongering.

Good luck, and congratulations on considering a homebirth! Both my brother and I were born at home and my mother still raves about how wonderful it was. Even before I got pregnant, I knew that's how I wanted things to be.

 

[Beauchamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trauerweidchen Ina May's Guide to Childbirth...It's the book I'm making my DH read to prepare for labor.

Is he going to read the whole thing? I would love for my DH to read this book cover to cover, but I don't know if that's realistic for us.

 

[littlebb]

The ladies before me have given all of the suggestions I would give. I agree that watching all of the documentaries would be great for you and especially for DH. My DH will read a few things from books here and there, but he is totally tuned in when we watch the movies. From the very first one he was so supportive of a homebirth and cries right along with me watching the beautiful, natural homebirths. All of those documentaries mentioned are beautifully done and offer a lot of good information and statistics.

The only book I would add is "Birthing from Within" by Pam England. My midwife gives a copy to all her clients and it's 'required reading' since it has so many useful techniques (physically and mentally). I agree that Ina May Gaskin is essential to homebirthing.

 

[lthw]

Pushed was incredibly informational and I felt fully ready to make the decision to homebirth after reading it. Well researched, well written.

I also bought Spiritual Midwifery & Ina May's Guide. And I read a different book called Home Birth by Alice Gilgoff which was also great.

Good luck!

 

[srlpenny]

Not a book, but the Business of Being Born was huge for me.
I also got Ina May's Guide to Childbirth??? not Spiritual Midwifery, the newer one and it had some great hb stories in it.

 

[trauerweidchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauchamp Is he going to read the whole thing? I would love for my DH to read this book cover to cover, but I don't know if that's realistic for us.

I didn't think it was realistic for us either (not because he wouldn't try, but because he's working full time and a part time student), so I picked out about half a dozen of the birth stories that I thought were especially good about mentioning the partner's role/approach, and I marked about half a dozen other shortish sections so he knows a bit more about labor/delivery and how he can help me through it. He's already fairly knowledgeable about the process because I talk about it so much (

), and he's watched BOBB with me. I'm encouraging him to read more of the book if he wants to, but I think we're covering the bases pretty well.

 

[Beauchamp]

That's a good plan. I highlighted certain sections for me, but I guess I should read it again and mark some places for DH, too.

 

[mzmum]

Thank you all so much ladies!

I really appreciate all the suggestions.

 

[AlDente]

Quote:

Originally Posted by witchypants Where did you find that?! I want it sooo bad but have been having a pickle of a time finding it!

I just googled it, and apparently it's been re-released as Birth Your Way. Here's the link:

http://www.sheilakitzinger.com/Homebirth.htm

Looks interesting...I'll have to read it!

 

[witchypants]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlDente I just googled it, and apparently it's been re-released as Birth Your Way. Here's the link: http://www.sheilakitzinger.com/Homebirth.htm Looks interesting...I'll have to read it!

Oh thank you so much!!!

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