Recommend your NCB reads...

sadsadie · September 2012

Hi! I'm gearing up for what I hope will be a NCB at the end of November. We have hired a doula and are going to take some additional classes that have some focus on NCb, but I still don't feel prepared. Can anyone recommend a good read with breathing/relaxation/coping techniques that I can turn to during labour? I'm not sure I need or want to go full-out Hypnobabies (not my style); just some good, solid, time-tested techniques.

Many thanks!

tokenhoser · September 2012

"The Birth Partner" is by far the most useful book I read. The latest edition of the Lamaze handbook is also pretty good.

ClaireOtoms · September 2012

tokenhoser:
"The Birth Partner" is by far the most useful book I read.

Yes I second this. I felt it was the most comprehensive, and gave a lot of practical information instead of just theory. When I was in the hospital and needed to know what to do, that was the book I had in my bag to reference.

I also found these books to be very, very good:

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon

Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

But again, if I had to pick only one, it would be The Birth Partner.

sadsadie · September 2012

Awesome! Just downloaded the Birth Partner for my husband and I. Thank you!

3GirlsMama · September 2012

I love Birthing From Within also.

drubie · September 2012

The hypnobirth book (Marie Mongan) goes through quite a few breathing techniques, visualizations, and affirmations. We didn't do the course (though it's supposed to go along with the course), but those parts of the book were helpful. We also came up with a routine that we practiced every night - some breathing practice, stretches and squats, trying different positions, writing and saying affirmations, and focused/guided visualizations.