The Pregnancy Herbal: Holistic Remedies, Nutritional Therapies, and Soothing Treatments from Nature's Pharmacy for the Mother-To-Be

I think this is a great book. It not only covers lots of herbal information that's helpful during pregnancy but also offers a very nurturing attitude and practices. It covers natural remedies to common problems such as indigestion, constipation, all kinds of conditions. It has lots of recipes for herbal teas, infusions, baths, some aromatherapy and recipes for eating. It even includes recipes for making home-made baby formula and cheeses! I find the ingredients will not be hard to find at a whole foods store or on-line. And the methods are not complicated. I am a beginner at home-making herbals but do cook a lot and its just like cooking. As one commenter posted, it does not talk about the various deliveries available...nor does it claim to. Its an herbal book, not a delivery book! If you want to read about natural birthing options, I recommend Active Birth by Janet Balaskas. I think her honesty about her decisions is refreshing and encourages us to be ourselves despite nay-sayers comparing them to some idealized standards. It is a great resource to get women to really nurture and pamper themselves with natural substances during this most important time of growing a baby! In fact, it has excellent inspirations for women in general. I will definitely go check out her other book.

A wonderful little book brimming with great ideas and tips for pregnancy care and either maintaining or introducing herbs into the home. I found it a fascinating read, and although I do not practice herbalism, I feel that it offers a new, adaptable and exciting alternative outlook on both mother-to-be and newborn care. I only wish this book had been around when I was pregnant, a time when hospital birth was the only option. It makes a cesarean birth seem less frightening and with all the advice on breast feeding, milk production preparation and breast care, I know a lot of women will find comfort in their choices to nurse, or not. More importantly, this book truly makes the pregnant women feel 'loved' and special, even if she's going it alone, and who wouldn't want to feel pampered nine months and counting?

Too many books on pregnancy follow a doctor/patient cycle of what to expect, what to eat, how to exercise, and so on. I found that The Pregnancy Herbal came across as a GIFT to all women who want to experience a CHANGE in opinion - It isn't about natural birthing, it's about supporting and creating a happy and beautiful mother and a healthy fetus/baby, during pregnancy. With medicinal, cosmetic and nutritional herbs, I found that Ms Harper-Roth's own pregnancy experiences and research filled her little book with hundreds of easy to follow ideas to make every woman feel special, loved, and self-expressive. Cesarean or natural birth, at home or in a hospital, it's a birth experience. What matters, and I feel what comes across as important in this book, is that the pregnant woman herself, is made to feel pampered from conception to birth.