[NYCVeg]

Hey, mamas (first-timers especially). What are you reading and how do you like it? What are you planning to read?

I just got a basic "starter pack" of books--Sears' Pregnancy and Birth books, Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery, and Birthing from Within. (It occurs to be that what most people would call a "basic starter pack" of books is What to Expect When You're Expecting and an Enfamil pamphlet).

I read the Sears Pregnancy Book through month 3, and actually found him a little disappointingly mainstream for me (you know you've been spending too much time at MDC when...). But Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is wonderful! I especially like her comparison of a standard hospital birth to trying to poop in a brightly lit room, surrounded by strangers shouting at you about how to do it.

I'm also planning on reading Henci Goer's Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth and Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way--though that one is more for dh. Our mw also recommend a birth partner book that he's going to read, although I can't remember the name off the top of my head.

So...what's on your bookshelf?

 

[Mom2Adam]

NYCVeg -

Hi - This will be baby #2 for me - but with the first pregnancy I read all the books that you listed! I really loved Spiritual Midwifery. I was also going to say (before you did!) that those wouldn't be considered basic in the mainstream world! I started the What you can expect - and threw the book away in disgust after the first chapter!

I also read - The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Sheila Kitzinger) and Pregnancy the Natural Way (Zita West) which has complementary Therapies for Pregnancy trimester by trimester.

Another good read was "Active Birth" (can't remember the author) but I read this in late 3rd trimester - alot of it was repeated from our Bradley reading though.

This time - I plan on getting some more Goer's books and I probably will re-read Spiritual Midwifery since we are having a HB this time.

 

[nmm2112]

I just ordered Ina May's guide to childbirth and her Spiritual Midwifery books along with An Active birth... haven;t read them yet but they had really good reviews on barnes & Noble!

 

[luckylady]

I have but have not read yet Birthing from within and am reading gentle birth choices by Harper. I have in my shopping cart at Amazon

Soul Trek - meeting your children on the way to birth
The secret life of the unborn child
the thinking woman's guide to a better birth

I better get reading!

 

[dshields]

Ha! I've got the same books you have NYCVeg! I agree with you on Sears being more mainstream, but I still want to use his birth book as a quick reference, as I do with the pregnancy book. I want their breastfeeding book and the LLL nursing book too.

 

[flowmom]

One of my favourite books for pregnancy is Henci Goer's Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. I like her evidence-based approach.

The best information that I got about birthing naturally, though, was reading hundreds of real birth stories. It's amazing how you start to recognize patterns in labour, and also in how interventions mess things up. Those stories only reinforced my desire to have a natural home birth. During labour I also got a lot of reassurance from remembering birth stories in which the labour was similar to mine. My labour sure as heck was not what was described in the birth prep class! For hours I had no breaks between contractions due to back labour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dshields I agree with you on Sears being more mainstream, but I still want to use his birth book as a quick reference, as I do with the pregnancy book. I want their breastfeeding book and the LLL nursing book too.

I did not find the Sears breastfeeding book that complete. I had major oversupply and overactive let-down issues and the book really did not discuss that in adequate detail. Better than any breastfeeding book that I've read is the info at kellymom.com

. Her site is really complete, has excellent links, it's constantly updated, and it's based on research. Read it! Study it! Give her a donation! If you can't find the information you need there, you probably need a lactation consultant.

 

[NurseLaurie]

I have Birthing from Withing (which I am currently reading). I also have a Pregnancy Month by Month thing that I look at for fun every now and then just to see what the little bean is up to. I have thumbed through the Bradley method and found it a little too much to expect from DH so we are using it as a practical reference only. I have the Sears Breastfeeding book, but I'm pretty sure I will leave it on the shelf. I also had the Runner's World Guide to Running Through Your Pregnancy... but 6 weeks of miserable sickness and headaches have made that a distant memory. I'll pick the running up again after the baby is here.

 

[KatSG]

My favorite book for getting my head in the right space was Spiritual Midwifery. I read the original and the updated versions.

My favorite refrence book is Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Penny Simkin. There's room for everyone in that book, and it's very no-nonsense and practical. I pulled it out again and read the parts about the second-time mom, and felt so relieved that it's okay to feel overwhelmed and ambivelant!

If you can, avoid What to Expect When You're Expecting. It's basically "What Can Go Wrong and What You Should Feel Guilty About When You're Expecting." It's rubbish.

I've always had a lot of respect for Dr. Sears' Baby Book (haven't read the pregnancy books) but also found him mainstream and sort of felt...I don't know, like there was too much philosophy and not enough "trust your gut." It's been a while since I read it, though. Eventually I put down all the books when dd was about 3 months old. I didn't feel like they were improving my parenting, but only making me worry and wonder about things I didn't have control over.

 

[NYCVeg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatSG If you can, avoid What to Expect When You're Expecting. It's basically "What Can Go Wrong and What You Should Feel Guilty About When You're Expecting." It's rubbish.

I've heard it referred to as "What to Freak About When You're Expecting" and "What to Expect if you Want an Eating Disorder" (because of the highly restrictive and guilt-inducing "Best Odds Diet"). I took one look at that book and knew it was NOT for me. Of course, it's the only book most people I know read when they're pregnant.

:

 

[nitareality]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksenia Better than any breastfeeding book that I've read is the info at kellymom.com . Her site is really complete, has excellent links, it's constantly updated, and it's based on research. Read it! Study it! Give her a donation! If you can't find the information you need there, you probably need a lactation consultant.

I second this completely! That site is amazing! It really has helped me through all stages of my nursing relationship with my son, and continues to now. I'd like to add that the site being searchable makes it all the easier to locate the information you're looking for in a jiffy. It's such a well organized site with fabulous (exactly) evidence based information!!

 

[Unreal]

well, I'm in a slightly different boat than most because I'm currently working my way through my childbirth educator certification reading list.

So...I get lots of strange books to read

So far, I've read

Birth Reborn, Michel Odent (interesting, quick read about Odent's 'discovery' of how powerful and natural childbirth really is.)

Essential Exercises for the CHildbearing Year. Elizabeth Noble (Awesome book!)

and, one that wasn't a great pick for soothing my preggo mind:
Ended Beginnings. Panuthos and Romeo
But it is a good book, and if you've had past losses, I do recommend it.

I have lots more to read still....looking forward to some, less to others.

If anyone wants the full reading list, I'll post it

Other than those, I

Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.
I also have, and really liked:
Gentle Birth Choices : A Guide to Making Informed Decisions about Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth, and Hospital Birth By Barbara Harper (and a forward by Suzanne Arms)

I have Sear's Baby book (my original copy from 1994 with ds1!)
and Mendelshon's I have How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor.
Neither are really pregnancy/birth books, but both have some good info in them and are awesome resources once the babe is born

 

[Sydnee]

I'm reading nothing right now. I gave all my mainstream books to my SIL who is expecting in march, and veeery mainstream.

Which is just fine.

But I have been wanting to get "Birthing from Within" and "Birthing Naturally" (or at least I *think* that's the name). And that Ina May book I've heard alot of good stuff about. Just need to either order them, or go to B&N.

 

[momatheart]

NYCveg- I totally agree about the Sears book. I cracked up at the "you know you've been at MDC when...." comment.

My SIL and I have had that same conversation about what we read here vs. what's in the mainstream.

I just started "Birth from within" last night and I think it will be great. I checked out "An active Birth" from the library along with the excercise book that Unreal mentioned, but haven't had a chance to read them yet.

I also read/skimmed "The Thinking Woman's Guide" last spring when we were TTC. It was very cool, giving you the research on different obstetric practices and the most helpful was the alternatives it offered. I think we'll buy it to have as a reference.

 

[quirkylayne]

Not a pregnancy or childbirth book but I'm reading "Emotionally Intelligent Parenting" and I like it. I'm not sure I will do everything in it because there is alot, but it can be added gradually. I really like the behavioral approach they take.

 

[nitareality]

I'm still trying to decide what I'll read so for now it's just "Adventures In Tandem Nursing".

 

[~*max*~]

I am reading, and enjoying, Having a Baby Naturally by Peggy O'Mara and The Whole Pregnancy (author?). Both great books. Very informative, nurturing, and "crunchy." When I get closer to the end, I'll borrow Ina May's birth books again from the library. I love the birth stories. But if I read them too soon, my pelvis starts hurting. I am not kidding. I had major pelvic pain last pregnancy and when I read birth stories it brings it all back and I am actually in pain again. The mind works in mysterious ways!