Books!

Let the research begin. I have my haul of books and I'm starting to learn all about this birth thing. Here is my reading list:

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin - Sounds a little like an etiquette book, doesn't it? Chapter 1: What to serve guests when you are 5 cm dilated. Deviled eggs! No, it's actually the bible of the modern midwifery movement. Ina May is this badass hippie who taught herself to deliver babies born on the Farm (a big old hippie resort in Tennessee that was a hotbed in the 60s and 70s). She discovered that by trusting women to give birth, as a natural event that women know how to do, and creating an emotionally and physically supportive environment, the need for C-sections, forceps, vacuum and episiotomies was drastically lower than hospital rates. Most modern midwifery springs from her movement to encourage women to have positive spiritual experiences with birth, that it is nothing to fear but rather cherish and embrace. It's a good read even if you aren't pregnant because it is amazing to read stories of birth that are so different from the standard Hollywood hospital scene.

The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger - It's kind of a progressive "What to Expect...". An overall reference book about everything, but with all kinds of birth acknowledged and respected. She challenges women to be informed and vocal about what they want, whatever that may be, and not to be railroaded by the system. This is not a problem for me, but I trust the book more because I respect her thinking.

Active Birth by Janet Balaskas - Chock full of different positions and exercises and breathing for both before and during birth. It gets to the most important tools - massage, breathing, yoga and specific positions that help not only with pain management but also with progressing labor efficiently. I'm all about the efficiency of my efforts.

Easing Labor Pain by Adrienne Lieberman - There might be some big crossover here with the Active Birth book. It is just an entire book dedicated to ways to manage labor. I'm taking all the suggestions I can get.

Mind Over Labor by Carl Jones - This is strictly dedicated to the act of visualization and has a specific program. Where the other books might have a small section on it, this one is in depth. It seems like an important skill, so I want to learn as much as I can about it.

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon - This one I got because I want to learn about the Bradley Method. I might be able to integrate some of it into what works for me. The Bradley Method was the next big 'natural' childbirth method to become popular after Lamaze - so I want to know what the fuss is about. However, the original book by Dr Bradley was titled "Husband Coached Birth" which really biases me against this method in theory. It doesn't imply the kind of female empowered experience I am looking for. Yes, I know Donavon will be my INCREDIBLE support. He is amazing at it and I believe it will be a huge help to me that I look forward to. But I'm not about to prioritize his role to the title of a book. I'm the one having the baby. Couldn't Bradley have at least said "Birth as a Couple" or "Delivering Together"? Ew. It just takes it all back to a women needing a guiding man to help her with something hard and it freaks me out a little. Now, to be fair, I think the terminology HAS changed since the original book, and it is now much more inclusive of any old birth partner. But I'm still a little annoyed with this Bradley guy, which makes me less trusting of his "man centered" method. But I'm going to read it - I want to be informed. Either I'll cut this guy some slack or I'll REALLY have something to say when I am done with it.

I've read most of the "Complete Book of Pregnancy and Birth". I'll probably move on to the Active Birth one next. I'm halfway through Ina May's book - learning about napkin folding ideas for placenta delivery. Hehe.