Childbirth Resources - Part 1 - Book Recommendations

I've done alot of reading this pregnancy and people have asked my thoughts.  This is post one of two on pregnancy resources I'd recommend. This post will highlight books only - since I have quite a few thoughts and titles. The next post will highlight other resources I found useful.

Books I read that I would HIGHLY recommend:

• Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake
  Don't worry - Danny gave me enough grief about reading a birthing book by Ricki Lake that he saved all of ya'll the trouble. However, I didn't really know where else to start, I'd already watched her video (The Business of Being Born) months and months ago, and I ended up LOVING this book. It was an very readable, understandable introduction to childbirth. I thought it was would bash me over the head with natural childbirth, but I feel like it gave a very unbiased presentation of all types of childbirth (hospital, c-section, birthing center, etc.), which is why it was such a fabulous first read. It gave me a great overview and things to think about.

• Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
  If you are thinking of having a natural/unmedicated childbirth you really shoudl read this book. I was forewarned (and very rightly sow) about the graphic pictures, but other than those I LOVED this book. It was the most practical and easy to understand book about how to prepare for the pain and endurance of labor.
  
  It gave a great overview of what goes on in your body during labor/delivery (most of which I had no idea), gave great explanations of the entier childbirth process, and then walked you step-by-step on positions, techniques and things to practice in order to be prepared for labor.  This book and our Bradley birthing classes calmed all of my fears about labor/delivery and have transformed our attitudes about childbirth from apprehension to excitement.

• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
  I could not put this book down. I absolutely LOVED all of the birth stories in the first half of the book. They were emotional, encouraging and inspiring. They also contained so many practical tips on getting through labor and delivery that I was taking notes the entire time.  The second half of the book was a very practical guide to having a natural/unmedicated labor & delivery. It is written from the perspective of women who give birth with midwives at home (or on the Farm) but I think most of the pain coping techniques are applicable even if you plan on having an epidural at the hospital. Ina May also gives a pretty good overview of risks and complications associated with different childbirth procedures.

• The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
  This book contained tons of data and statistics and was also quite biased towards natural births at home - so it was a little tedious to get into. However, if you like stats and facts, then this might be a great read for you.
  
  Once I got into it though, this book provided a very thorough overview of the different birthing options and included some great questions to ask doulas, doctors, midwives, hospitals, birthing centers, etc.
  
  This was one of the last books I read, so it affirmed our desires to have an unmedicated birth, so if you're planning on delivery in a hospital with pain medication or a c-section you might not enjoy this read as much.

Books I read that I might recommend if you're wanting to go more indepth:

• Husband-Coached Childbirth by Robert BradleyThis was the second book I read on childbirth and I wish I would have put it more towards the bottom of the stack. Not because it wasn't good, it is just very indepth, very historical and was a little intense to get through and understand for someone without much understanding/background of labor/delivery. It did have some very prenatal exercises/stretchs/positions that were good and also briefly covered some pain-coping techniques. But overall, it was more about the history of the Bradley method than about practical tips for a pregnant mom.

Books on fitness/exercise during pregnancy:

• Maternal Fitness by Julie Tupler
  This was a great resource for mainting strength and endurance during pregnancy. My doctor told me I could continue running and working out up until delivery (obviously he's never run with a bowling ball in his belly before), so I wanted to do some research on exercise and physical fitness that was safe for a growing belly. The basic exercises/stretches were great and easy to do before bed. I also appreciated that she emphasized strengthening my core in preparation labor.

• The Alexander Technique Birth Book by Ilana Machover
  This book starts out with an overview of the Alexander Technique (simple movesments to ease physical strain). It was a little slow to read at first, but half-way through it gave GREAT descriptions of childbirth and provided cooping techniques that lined up with what I'd read in the Bradley books and Maternal Fitness. I felt confident in the exercises and stretches I was doing every day after reading about them in three different sources.

Books that I still want to read on childbirth (let me know if you've read any of these, or if you have any good recommendations that aren't on my list!)

• Easy Labor - William Camann
• Creating a Joyful Birth Experience - Lucia Cappachionne
• An Easier Childbirth - Gayle Peterson
• Enjoy Your Labor - Gilbert Grant
• Birthing from Within - Pam England
• Childbirth without Fear - Grantly Dick-Read
• Active Birth - Janet Balaskas
• A Good Birth, A Safe Birth - Diana Korte
• Birth without Violence - Frederick Leboyer 
• Pregnancy Childbirth and the Newborn - Penny Simkin
• Gentle Birth Choices - Barbara Harper
• How to Relax and Have Your Baby - Edmund Jacobson
• The Birth Partner - Penny Simkin
• Fearless Pregnancy - Victoria Clayton