Provides up-to-date information on the newest childbirth procedures and options, discussing such topics as cesareans, obstetricians and midwives, alternative birthing methods, medications, fetal monitoring, Lamaze classes, and other tests, procedures, and treatments. Original.

As an intelligent woman, you are probably used to learning as much as you can before making major decisions. But when it comes to one of the most important decisions of your life--how you will give birth—it is hard to gather accurate, unbiased information. Surprisingly, much of the research does not support common medical opinion and practice. Birth activist Henci Goer gives clear, concise information based on the latest medical studies. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth helps you compare and contrast your various options and shows you how to avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, restrictions, and tests. The book covers: Cesareans Breech babies Inducing labor Electronic Fetal Monitoring Rupturing Membranes Coping with slow labor Pain medication Epistiotomy Vaginal birth after a Ceasarean Doulas Deciding on a doctor or midwife Choosing where to have your baby and much more . . .

Birth as every woman would like it to be • Recommended by Lamaze International as one of the top ten books for pregnant women and their families • Includes a 45-minute DVD of six live gentle births • More than 32,000 copies sold of the original edition New parents are faced with a myriad of choices about pregnancy, labor, and birth. In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals. The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.

Provides information and advice for women choosing to become single mothers, and includes interviews with family therapists and single mothers on the topic.

Describes different approaches to childbirth and their advantages and disadvantages, including midwife delivery and birth centers.

Anyone working to improve the childbearing experience and help women avoid unnecessary intervention has encountered numerous obstetric myths or old doctors' tales. And while the evidence in the medical literature may be solidly, often unequivocably, against whatever the doctor said, without access to that evidence, the pregnant woman is quite reasonably going to follow her doctor. This book is an attempt to make the medical literature on a variety of key obstetric issues accessible to people who lack the time, expertise, access, or proximity to a medical library to research concerns on their own. This compact, accurate, yet understandable reference is designed for people without medical training and organized for easy access. After an introductory chapter giving basic information about the different types of medical studies, how to evaluate them, and some basic statistical concepts, Goer provides chapters on cesarean issues, pregnancy and labor management, and a review of alternative approaches. Each chapter begins with a stated myth, followed by an examination of the reality. Goer then analyzes the mainstream belief, pointing out its fallacies. Then comes a list of significant points gleaned from the studies and keyed to her abstracts. Next is the outline by which the abstracts are grouped. Finally come the numbered abstracts of relevant articles published, in most cases, after 1980. The book concludes with a glossary of medical terms and an index. This compact, accurate, and understandable reference tool is designed for people without medical training as well as care givers.

If you only buy one pregnancy book, this should be the one! It’s the most complete. It covers all aspects of childbearing, from conception through early infancy, and tells you what to expect. It offers detailed information, suggestions on decisions to make, and advice on steps to take to have a safe and satisfying experience. The Award-Winning Resource Recommended by Experts & Loved by Parents Parents love this book because it puts them in control by explaining a wide range of options, information, and questions to ask, so parents can find what works best for their health situation, personal goals, and priorities. Experts love this book because it’s based on the latest medical research and recommendations from leading health organizations. It’s practical—rooted in the real-life experiences of new families. The five authors bring a combined total of 150 years of experience working with expectant and new families as educators, nurses, counselors, doulas, physical therapists, and lactation consultants. They have attended hundreds of births, heard thousands of birth stories, and assisted innumerable new parents in adapting to their new lives. Not only that, the authors have a combined total of 12 children and 12 grandchildren. All of this experience allows them to write with compassion, understanding, and wisdom based on what really works in the real-world of parenting. The companion website offers even more details on select subjects, including lists of all the best resources on each topic and worksheets to guide parents’ decision-making process. The website also includes a bonus chapter on pre-conception, which provides ways to improve your health and fertility before pregnancy begins.

A groundbreaking narrative investigation of childbirth in the age of machines, malpractice, and managed care, Pushed presents the complete picture of maternity care in America. From inside the operating room of a hospital with a 44% Cesarean rate to the living room floor of a woman who gives birth with an illegal midwife, Block exposes a system in which few women have an optimal experience. Pushed surveys the public health impact of routine labor inductions, C-sections, and epidurals, but also examines childbirth as a women’s rights issue: Do women even have the right to choose a normal birth? Is that right being upheld? A wake-up call for our times, Block’s gripping research reveals that while emergency obstetric care is essential, we are overusing medical technology at the expense of maternal and infant health.

Provides guidance for women wondering about giving birth naturally after having a cesarean section, from coping with the inevitable negative opinions about VBAC to choosing the right caregiver

Meticulously documented, Optimal Care in Childbirth pulls back the curtain on medical-model management of childbirth. Written for those who want to practice according to the best evidence, assist women in making informed decisions, or advocate for maternity care reforms, it provides an in-depth analysis of the evidence basis for physiologic care.

Discusses obstetricians' reluctance to help women have subsequent children naturally after having a cesarean, and provides advice on choosing a willing caregiver and preparing for the birth

Explaining how to ease the fear and pain of childbirth, the author demonstrates an eight-step method that teaches the expectant mother how to cope with labor and childbirth

A guide to pregnancy and childbirth provides all the information women need to make decisions about prenatal tests, pain control, and how and where to give birth, with advice on the development of the fetus, body changes, and labor preparation techniques.

In this intimate perspective on birth, renowned author and photographer Suzanne Arms conveys the inherent wisdom in this natural process, through her eloquent words and pictures. From the Trade Paperback edition.

A Modern Woman's Guide to a Natural Empowering Birth is a collection of inspiring birth stories, expert tips and practical insights to empower women to reclaim their birth power and overcome their fears in a modern world. Afterword by Dr Sarah Buckley MD, internationally acclaimed author of "Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering."Feeling anxious, alone or in the dark as a new mother to be? Where do you go to get your questions answered when you don’t have any mothers as the wise woman to turn to, the doctor is too busy to inform you of your options or discuss the pros and cons of various drugs and procedures on the menu, and you read virtually every magazine in the waiting room before he/ she can see you for five minutes at a time?Meanwhile, random strangers decide it is their maternal duty to share their birth horror stories when they spot the bump and the hospital antenatal classes leave you feeling even more fearful and anxious than you were before you walked in!Just when you thought you couldn’t bear to hear another horror story, along comes a fresh new book that is the answer to your prayers. More than just a random collection of stories, the author Katrina Zaslavsky, takes you on a powerful journey of discovery and gives you the keys to transforming your birth experience.Be empowered to experience the joy of natural birth on your own terms- Fear-Free, Drug- Free and maybe even Pain Free… (Hint: Get off the beds ladies and actively give birth rather than being delivered)..... and then become a part of the Positive Birth Revolution!!As seen on national media including TV, My Child and Nature & Health Magazines, Coles Baby & Toddler Club, recommended at Mum's Lounge and voted Favourite Product Finalist in the People's Choice AusMumpreneur Awards 2012. About the authorProfoundly impacted by her own personal journey into motherhood after overcoming her own extreme fears of childbirth, Katrina has become a passionate advocate of natural and conscious parenting, committed to supporting women to give birth naturally and overcome their fears in a world that has become so medicalised and fearful of something so perfectly natural.A former public health professional (in her "previous life" before children!) together with a lifelong passion for healthy living, over a decade in the natural health industry, a magazine columnist and most recently a committee member for Natural Parenting Melbourne, her calling is to awaken people to live a more conscious natural lifestyle and especially to empower women to discover their inner birth goddess! Available Now

A guide to birth preparation. It takes the reader step by step through mental, emotional and physical preparation for birth. It explains why birth has become such a traumatic affair in our culture and how an individual woman can break out of this fear based birth culture and prepare for the birth in a positively and confidently.

A complete and reassuring guide to natural childbirth in a hospital setting.

A fully revised update of the foundational text on birth assisting from internationally renowned authority Elizabeth Davis, offering professional guidance for both aspiring and veteran midwives. Presenting information on what to expect during each stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery, Heart and Hands has been the most trusted guide for midwives and expecting parents for more than two decades. This completely revised edition includes new photographs and illustrations, updated resources for parents, and a current list of midwifery schools. Information will be added throughout to reflect the latest research on the physiology of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Combining time-honored teachings with the most current obstetric techniques, this essential reference empowers birthing helpers and parents to create a truly woman-centered birth experience.