Recommend your resources...

MLS0630

...on what best informed and prepared you to have a successful natural birth.  I just don't know where to start...I am planning to pick up Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, but not really sure where else to look for pain management or birthing methods.  TIA!

Foxinsocks

I really enjoyed my Bradley classes. It's a long time (12 weeks), but it was a big part of my successful natural childbirth.

I also recommend Ina May's Birth Matters book. It's not a pregnancy guide, but more of a history of birth and the OB field (and near death of midwifery). It's an awesome read.

 I am starting The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better a Birth on a suggestion of a friend.  

tokenhoser

FAQ linked in siggy.

Best book: "The Birth Partner". I actually (gasp) hated Ina May's books. I'm just not emotional enough to connect to them, I guess. I liked the more practical stuff - "Your Best Birth" was also really good.

aylafsu88

We loved out Bradley classes. They did a great job on educating H on childbirth and teaching him how to be a great coach.  I loved reading up on natural birth and the books by Ina May and Henci Goer were excellent.  I also loved laboring in the tub for pain management, especially since I had bad back labor.  The best thing you can do is read up on natural birth and childbirth classes (Bradley, hypno etc.).  Get an idea of each class/technique and pick the one that you think will work best for you.  As for pain management, that will come when you are in labor.  I thought I would love to walk around and labor on hands and knees.  Instead the only think I wanted to do was be in the tub or on the toilet.  I had H and my doula use counter pressure and pour hot water on my back to ease the pain.  You will find what works for you when you are in labor.  GL!

nosoup4u

Childbirth Connection is a website with really great info about all matters of labor and birth. The Thinking Woman's Guide to Birth is old, but a good read about typical interventions. And Active Birth has good info about med free birth techniques.

I took a prenatal yoga class when I waspg wwith my first, and it had lots of techniques I used during labor.

amberthehobbit

Surround yourself with like minded people.