A Good Birth, a Safe Birth: Choosing and Having the Childbirth Experience You Want

There are so many (too many) how-to books for pregnant moms to read, and each seems to have a bias, a slant, a message to sell. This is the book you need. I was a midwife in Berkeley for 15 years, and I always included A Good Birth, A Safe Birth on my recommended reading lists for clients. It doesn't preach. It gives straight, evidence-based information. Most of all, it helps women to know what questions to ask - and how to ask them so they'll be assured of straight answers.Valuable information for everyone associated with childbearing, from moms to doulas to nurses to midwives - and darn, I sure wish a few obstetricians would climb out from behind their desks and read it, too!Buy it, and buy another one for a pregnant friend.

The birth of my first son did not go as I had wished, it ended up being an overly medicalized affair. I thought I had read enough and educated myself enough but I was wrong. I wanted a second child but was more scared of childbirth after having gone through that bad experience. Knowing there had to be a better way, I began reading more books. I read a dozen books before and during my second pregnancy. Each book had a different twist and something to learn from. These authors make bold statements regarding childbirth issues, compared with some of the popular mainstream childbirth books. But just when I was thinking that maybe they were wrong, they cited a reference. Everything these authors state is backed up by references and is credible. The reference section that lists these studies is 34 pages long! There is a very detailed index, which is helpful. One unique feature this book has is a wonderful chapter on why OB/GYN physicians do what they do. It is explained in detail how the training of an OB is medical in nature, that they are trained to look for and solve medical problems and that they are surgeons by training. This was the only book that really explains in detail why a midwife and an OB have different attitudes toward pregnancy (a medical event vs. a normal life process for a woman). The authors don't doctor-bash, but are very clear about why things happen the way they do in a hospital setting and/or with an OB as the health care provider. For those interested in home birth, it is discussed and cited as the most safe for both mother and baby, and the references are there (for anyone who doubts that issue). This book was so full of good information that I ended up highlighting many passages, which I usually never do (as I want to keep my books clean). To get the birth that one desires, one must know much of this information before beginning care with a health care provider. I urge anyone considering pregnancy to research the childbirth issue in the beginning. The chapter on controlling the progress of labor and pain relief is very enlightening and should be mandatory reading for all pregnant women. In the end I realized that we have to advocate for our own healthcare, by choosing a provider whom we trust and who shares the same concepts on pregnancy, labor and delivery. This book covers topics such as what your options for birth are, different types of health care providers, different types of birth settings, OB training and belief system, how to find a provider, questions to ask your provider and hospital, cesareans: why they are popular and when are they medically necessary?, getting support, the nurses role, childbirth support, doulas, and the woman's emotions. The overall tone of the book is positive and "matter of fact". Oh, and in the end I had the birth I wanted, a normal birth in a hospital setting, with no interventions at all, attended by my midwife, my doula, my husband, and I delivered a healthy 11 lb. 11 oz. baby boy!

After a "high-tech" and eventful birth experience with my son, I found myself anxious regarding the upcoming labor and delivery of my new baby. When I began to read this book, I felt as if the authors had written it for me. It was if someone was acknowledging what I had been through before and providing me with the information and resources to place me in control of my next birthing experience. The book is based on the real experiences of real women like myself. It was often an emotional and cathartic experience just reading the book. I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn what it's like, and can be like to give birth in the United States today.

This is a super book with lots of information about the different "controversies" in birth today. Some of the topics included are: monitoring, cesarean, episiotomy, VBAC, doulas, and much more. They offer practical advice about how to get information you need to make an informed decision. A must read!