Books on labor & delivery

Re: Books on labor & delivery

• morganabyrd member

  July 2015

  A few years ago I read "Call the Midwife" and the subsequent series, and it really got me interested in birth! I figure you're looking for more research-based reading, but it was both informational and entertaining. "Childbirth Without Fear" and "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" are usually highly recommended, too.

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• LATXwoman member

  July 2015

  I'm almost finished with "the birth partner". it's designed for whomever you plan to have actively at your side during L&D but I've found it incredibly informative. It's a very pro-doula book, but also goes into great, fairly non-judgmental detail about medical interventions and medications that natural birth proponents tend to be biased against. It's very clear, non-frightening and walks you step by step through early labor thru first few days trying to breast feed written by a longtime doula.

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• babealertz member

  July 2015

  I second Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It may be too granola for a lot of people, and I thought it might be for me at first. Instead, it helped me figure out what I really want when I'm giving birth--to be in a hospital with doctors and medical equipment, but to be left alone to do the kind of hippie stuff they do on Ina May Gaskin's Farm as much as possible. I just hope I can pull it off.

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  Childbirthconnection.org
  Spinningbabies.com
  Evidence Based Birth (kind of a blog but great sources, crediting of sources, and so informative)
  
  Ditto Ina May's book and childbirth without fear.
  
  The Birth Book by Dr Sears

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• morganabyrd member

  July 2015

  Then can we all take a field trip to The Farm?! My cousin and I always say we're going to drive up there one day just to take a gander.

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• mightyk23 member

  July 2015

  I've began reading a book on HypnoBirthing. While it's used for natural births I think that it is very helpful in dispelling fear of birth and it's giving me confidence in my bodies ability and my babies ability to have a safe and near pain free birth.

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• leah665 member

  July 2015

  I second Ina May. I'm reading it right now. It can be a little too crunchy at times, but I think the overall message is good.

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• farwellmama member

  July 2015 edited July 2015

  Here is my list of recommended reading from my midwife...I had forgotten about it and now I have some reading to do! Good thing I am a teacher on summer break Thanks for the reminder!
  
  Just fyi...I'm having a home birth so these won't all apply to everyone, but some will
  

  image.jpg 1.3M

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• VioletandRose member

  July 2015

  Can anyone recommend books that aren't so heavily focused on natural childbirth?
  

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• leighann1 member

  July 2015

  VioletandRose said:

  Can anyone recommend books that aren't so heavily focused on natural childbirth?
  

  To answer my own question a bit, the one I have read is Expecting Better by Emily Oster. It covers the whole span of pregnancy, but I am currently re-reading the section on third trimester and labor and delivery. It's a pretty short section but informative. 

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• saintpaulJess member

  July 2015

  Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is the best!

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• leighann1 member

  July 2015

  @komorebi I'm checkng out the Evidence Based Birth site right now, and it looks awesome! Just the kind of thing I was looking for. 

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  morganabyrd said:

  Then can we all take a field trip to The Farm?! My cousin and I always say we're going to drive up there one day just to take a gander.

  The first childbirth education class i took was taught by a girl born on the farm. Everybody in the natural birth scene Gainesville knows somebody born there. I'd love to go.

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  leighann1 said:

  @komorebi I'm checkng out the Evidence Based Birth site right now, and it looks awesome! Just the kind of thing I was looking for. 

  That's my kind of reading too. I'm glad you like it. It's not for the light reader but i personally want to know everything i can.

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  VioletandRose said:

  Can anyone recommend books that aren't so heavily focused on natural childbirth?
  

  The birth book by Dr Sears covers all the bases.but you can find good information about epidurals, csections, induction of labor on childbirthconnection.org.

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• jefinley1 member

  July 2015

  @komorebi Thank you so much for digging into all of your resources! I'm always impressed with how you consistently have references for your opinions and am excited to break into them as I'm a research nut. Since you seem to be such a font of info, would you happen to have any ideas off the top of your head for books or resources that go more into child-rearing that you've found to be helpful? I feel like I'm relatively well covered for the pregnancy, labor, and delivery part, but I don't want to be completely lost after, wondering why I didn't think more about what comes next! I've been struggling to find more evidence based books like I've been able to find for pregnancy for the next phase. 

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  @jefinley1 that's very sweet. I'm worried I'm beating a dead horse with my resources. Lol. I'll check my computer files for my parenting books when i get home. Dr Sears is great for those too. Some people think he's anti vax but he's not. He's just pro parental consent and actually gives great alternative schedules for parents like me who want to vaccinate but aren't comfortable with the time line of the traditional schedule. Also, his sick kid advice has calmed me down many times and saved me many useless er trips.

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• jefinley1 member

  July 2015 edited July 2015

  @komorebi Don't go digging on my account, I just thought I'd check! Normally I'm pretty good at finding stuff on my own, but if someone already has a list of favorites, I'm certainly not above taking notes off it. Haha. I will check out Dr. Sears, as that sounds about like what I would want to start with. I just like resources that actually tell me where they're getting their info, and I'm finding so many generic "because I'm an M.D., that's why" type books. I like to see a nice thick reference to studies section in the back!

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• komorebi member

  July 2015

  I can literally copy and paste. No problem!

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• leighann1 member

  July 2015

  @jefinley1 the two books that have been recommended to me most often are The Happiest Baby on the Block and Bringing up Bebe. Interested in other suggestions also, though! My reading list is getting longer...

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• jefinley1 member

  July 2015

  @leighann1 Bringing up Bebe was the first book I bought when I found out I was pregnant. I needed to know there was a tried and true alternative to helicoptering and complete denial of self for parenting! Haha. And I have Happiest Baby in my reading list. Great minds think alike! I also got Baby's First Year as a general reference. But I would love a more "recent studies and knowledge" option as it seems to be very a traditional, one size fits all parenting and care guide. To give an additional answer to your original question though, as I've now hi-jacked your great thread; I love(d) Bumpology. It skims the surface but hit so many questions I just wasn't even finding to be addressed at all elsewhere, or that I hadn't thought to ask. It focuses on all of pregnancy, but I found the second and final sections on L&D and post-labor to be really helpful.

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• KarinaSolAbrJohn member

  July 2015

  I am reading Ina May & The Bradley way. I found them useful and informative.

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