Birth Reading List

MEGHAN’S PERSONAL FAVORITE BIRTH BOOK:

Ina May’s Guild to Childbirth - by Ina May Gaskin

BIRTH BOOKS:

The Birth Partner - by Peggy Simkin

For anyone planning to assist the mother during labor, this book includes it all. This is a

great book for fathers, partners, family and doulas.

Birthing from Within - by Pam England

This holistic approach to childbirth examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a

medical event, but as an act of self-discovery. Exercises and activities such as journal

writing, meditation, and painting are designed to help mothers analyze their thoughts and face their fears during pregnancy.

Gentle Birth Choice - by Barbara Harper

RN Harper explains why birthing centers and home births, along with other "gentle birth

choices," are beneficial to both mother and baby.

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices - by Sarah Buckley

An authoritative guide to natural childbirth and postpartum parenting options from an

MD who home-birthed her own four children. Speaks to a new generation of parents

who are concerned about the medicalization of childbirth and want current and sciencebased info about alternatives.

A Good Birth, a Safe Birth - by Korte & Scaer

This is an excellent book to help parents understand why childbirth has become such a

medical event and how to negotiate your way through the system to have the kind of birth you want. This book is several years old however the information is timeless.

Mothering the Mother How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and

Healthier Birth – by Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell, Phyllis h. Klaus

A doula is an experienced labor companion who provides continuous emotional support

and assistance before, during, and after birth. Through research with over 2,000 women,

the authors show that the presence of a doula shortens labor by an average of two hours, decreases cesarean sections by over 50%, decreases the need for pain medication, helps fathers participate, and more.

Pregnancy Childbirth & the Newborn: The Complete Guild - by Peggy Simkin, Whalley & Keppler

It covers all aspects of childbearing from conception through early infancy. It includes

information on what to expect during pregnancy and birth and how you can work with

your caregivers to make childbirth a happy and healthy experience.

The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Birth - by Henci Goer

This is a great book for a woman who is taking charge of her birth experience and

interested in what the research says about birthing options. It covers nearly every issue

that parents may include in a birth plan from an evidence-based perspective.

BREASTFEEDING BOOKS:

The Breastfeeding Café: Mothers Share the Joys, Challenges & Secrets of Nursing - by Barbara L. Behrmann

The Breastfeeding Café isn't a how-to manual on breastfeeding; instead, it offers a

thoughtful forum for women to share their experiences with others. Approaching nursing

as a feminist issue and one that is very important to child rearing, the book embraces the wide spectrum of women's experiences breastfeeding their children. A must-read for

clinicians, breastfeeding consultants, and both new and expectant mothers who are

curious about the nursing experience in all its variety.

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Nancy Mohrbacher & Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

These are laws you can use to get breastfeeding off to a good start and avoid common

challenges. If you are having difficulties, these laws can help you get back on track.

The Nursing Mother’s Companion - by Kathleen Huggins

If you plan to breastfeed your baby and can only afford one book, this is the one to get.

Included are answers to breastfeeding problems as well as techniques for breastfeeding.

VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CESAREAN BOOKS: (VBAC)

Birth After Cesarean: The Medical Facts - by Bruce L. Flamm

A patient advocacy book, filled with recommendations and support for women who want

to deliver normally even when they've had a prior cesarean. In a straightforward question-and-answer format, Dr. Bruce Flamm assesses the conflicting information many pregnant women receive.

The VBAC Companion: The Expectant Mother's Guide to Vaginal Birth After

Cesarean - by Diana Korte

The VBAC Companion, a clearly written and thorough guide to lead women step-by-step

through the process of planning for a VBAC.

The Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) Experience: Birth Stories by Parents and Professionals - by Lynn Baptisti Richards & Michel Odent

Here for the first time are intimate stories of the VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)

experience, as told by mothers, fathers, midwives, obstetricians, labor coaches, and others whose lives have been affected by VBAC. The stories demystify in a powerful way the idea of "once a cesarean, always a cesarean." By example, each story is a telling critique of birthing practices in general and the cesarean outcome in particular, as well as a primer for mothers, fathers, and professionals on the VBAC experience.

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION (PPD) & TRAUMATIC BIRTH BOOKS:

Birth As a Healing Experience: The Emotional Journey of Pregnancy Through

Postpartum - by Lois Freedman

This book emphasizes and examines the emotional aspects of pregnancy and postpartum, presenting these periods as important opportunities for a woman's growth and healing from previous traumatic births or pregnancy losses.