Labor Pains and Birth Stories: Essays on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Becoming a Parent

Have you loved a child, but had to say goodbye? Have you experienced the incredible devastation of a miscarriage? Have you birthed in joy and gratitude, only to see again and again the fragile connection that tethers us here? Loss, heartbreaking love, fear - few anthologies about birth have conveyed the full spectrum of what we face as parents, whether we are expectant, hopeful, or grieving ones, but this one does. As a birth professional and activist, I found myself frustrated at times by things I saw as "going awry" in these birth stories: too many interventions, women not standing up for themselves, and other miscellany. But these things ceased to matter once the stories gripped me. For these are no ordinary birth stories;they are people tearing down facades to bare their hearts to us and give us a glimpse of what it means to be fully human. Ms. Powers has gathered a shining collection of essays by writers who are beyond skillful. Every one of them will move you to greater understanding of the experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and even grief. You will not finish this book unchanged. I recommend it for anyone interested in pregnancy and birth, but also for those who admire great writing; for parents, birth professionals, and people who have mothers and fathers - this anthology is a rare find.

I loved this book....each story is different, some absolutely hilarious, some heart wrenching, and all very well-written. I think anyone who has given birth, will give birth, or wants to give birth should read this...including husbands/significant others! It's such a great variety of experiences. The cover artwork is wonderful too! Many thanks to the authors for sharing their personal stories. I could not put it down easily...stayed up way too late some nights reading it!!!

Maternity is more than putting on a little weight and having a baby show up nine months later. "Labor Pains and Birth Stories" is a collection of anecdotes covering the adventure and misadventure that is oncoming motherhood - as well as oncoming fatherhood. Maternity is a nine month span of joy and worry; joy because of the arrival of a new soul to the world, and worry that every little thing you do during this time could screw them up for life. "Labor Pains and Birth Stories" is a fine choice for future mothers, and should not be ignored by future fathers either.

This anthology is a gem of a book. The essays are deeply personal, powerful, and cover a wide range of birth experiences from the joyful to the comic to the tragic - the stuff of life. I couldn't put it down and felt humbled by the writers' openness and skill in sharing such history. The male writers have as much to contribute as the women themselves who have given birth.