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13th out of 162 books
—
82 voters
Active Birth : The New Approach to Giving Birth Naturally
In an “active birth,” a mother moves about freely, finds comfortable positions for labor and delivery, and seldom needs drugs or obstetrical interventions. In Active Birth, Janet Balaskas teaches mothers to develop all of their bodily resources for giving birth, to follow their own instincts, and to take full control of the childbirth experience.
Active Birth includes: Ful...more
Active Birth includes: Ful...more
Paperback, Revised Edition, 272 pages
Published
March 16th 1992
by Harvard Common Press
(first published January 1st 1992)
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Before giving my review, it seems relevant to mention that I'm not a particularly "granola" type of person. I prefer hotels to camping, lipstick to chapstick, and even after reading the book, I still feel more secure delivering in a hospital than attempting a home birth or using a midwife. I mention this because "the-one-with-nature" type of person is clearly the author's intended audience. That being said, I am very glad to have read this book. Based on the information provided, photographs, di...more
I read this book as part of my midwifery school's required reading and my doula certification course. I found it to be an excellent book! This book really highlights the benefits to moving around during labor and doing yoga-based exercises during pregnancy and afterwards. One chapter that I found to be extremely beneficial was the one about how to give basic massages which really demystified the art of massaging for me.
I highly recommend this book to those who want to learn more about being act...more
I highly recommend this book to those who want to learn more about being act...more
This was the first book I read in my birthing experience and it really empowered me and the knowledge gathered stayed with me throughout my pregnancy. Reading this book alleviated (most of) my fears ('fear is just excitement without breathing' - Franz Perls founder of Gestalt) because it explained the process but also made me aware of my choices e.g. what position I may like 'push in' etc. There are also helpful yoga type exercises to do during and after the pregnancy. Michel Odent is another fa...more
I found this to be the most helpful resource in preparing me for my goal of a natural childbirth. This book is full of suggestions on positions to labor in and informs the reader clearly and concisely what each stage of labor entails. I also found it to be the most positive toward hospital births of the books I've read thus far. Too many childbirth books preach at the reader but I found this one to be fair and straightforward. I appreciated all of the pictures included.
This book wasn't perfect a...more
This book wasn't perfect a...more
The pregnancy information is limited to yoga exercises to prep for labor. The meaty content about labor stages and body movements itself is awesome. I am a fan of technical terms being used with diagrams. The various possible position of the fetus during labor are explained well. Balaskas writing has helped reinforce my vocabulary should the fetus be in any particular condition. This book stands out in that female position of labor in a home or a hospital setting are well drawn / pictured. It ma...more
One of the most practical books I’ve come across about the actual birthing process. The author is, obviously, enthusiastic about active birth and upright birthing positions, but manages to convey the benefits of active birth without being preachy and even talks about how to combine active birth with modern obstetrical care, including epidurals. Yes, the pictures are a bit…outdated, but they are real pictures, which I find much more helpful than simply verbose descriptions of the positions. The y...more
I am so glad I read this book. I already knew that lying on your back to give birth can close the birth canal by a third, but I learned several other reasons why it is actually one of the least practical ways to give birth and can even be harmful. In the semireclining position, you can be hooked up to the technological monitoring equipment, but lying in that position may cause the very fetal distress that would necessitate a monitor to measure. While this commonly used position may be very conve...more
My favorite of the 20 or so childbirth books I've read. It makes a great case for laboring in the upright position and teaches you how to do it. It gives you a whole manual on exercises to do during pregnancy. It walks you through how labor begins, how it progresses, good positions for each stage of labor, tips on birthing at home, and in the hospital. Lots of statistics on how her methods have been used successfully. I am a believer, I always shock the nurses during my births by showing them th...more
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My favorite of all the natural childbirth books I've read. Written by a British childbirth advocate, Active Birth is both a history and a guide for women seeking natural childbirth. Natural childbirth being defined as childbirth with as few medical interventions as possible where the mother actively participates, moving around and changing positions during labor, and remains in an upright position to give birth.
Aside from some modified yoga exercises that prepare a woman's body for childbirth,...more
Aside from some modified yoga exercises that prepare a woman's body for childbirth,...more
Having read quite a few pregnancy books so far this year, I've started to find myself skimming through sections. The same topics seem to get covered over and over.
That being said, I definitely have enjoyed this book. Yes, it's old - but the author doesn't spend a lot of time going over research and numbers, thus the need for an update isn't as strong as I've seen in other, more recently published books. The photos are a little dated, but both they and the sketches are helpful.
A lot of the pregna...more
That being said, I definitely have enjoyed this book. Yes, it's old - but the author doesn't spend a lot of time going over research and numbers, thus the need for an update isn't as strong as I've seen in other, more recently published books. The photos are a little dated, but both they and the sketches are helpful.
A lot of the pregna...more
*** I'm revising this after giving birth and am changing from 4-star to 5-star. In the early stages of labour, I booted this book across the room in a huff between contractions for making me think that I could do it on my own. However, I didn't realise how far gone I was at that point. The advice and positions limited the length of the labour, and the pain of the contractions. Could have done it without it, but wouldn't have been able to do it without a whole lot of drugs I think - which would h...more
Dec 30, 2007
Amie Minken Merhege
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
expectant parents, doulas, care providers
Shelves:
birthbreastfeedingbabies
This is a really excellent resource for those planning a natural birth. The book provides a great set of yoga based pregnancy exercises to practice in preparation for laboring and birthing in upright positions. This is extremely helpful because so many women today hear that squatting is the most effective position for birth, but if you haven't practiced it a LOT and developed the strength for it, there's almost no way it will be comfortable to give birth that way. The other great thing about thi...more
I really liked this, although I must admit I didn't actually finish it. I think this would be an excellent reference throughout pregnancy & post-baby, since there are a lot of exercises in it. I was only able to borrow it for a limited time, so I don't know how effective all the exercises, etc. are. I may have to update this review after baby arrives. :)
Also, I think this would have been helpful to have beginning earlier in pregnancy since there are so many exercise/stretching ideas.
Also, I think this would have been helpful to have beginning earlier in pregnancy since there are so many exercise/stretching ideas.
The research is dated and it paints a rosier picture of hospital births compared to more current books. Perhaps the atmosphere has gotten worse. However, this is the only book I've read the discusses the physiological details of birth such as what positions increase or decrease pelvic space, what breathing does, and why a woman's body goes thru the changes it does. Highly recommended if your goal is to try a drug-free birth.
May 31, 2009
Shannon
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
pregnant women who want to do natural childbirth
This book is a little dry but in the end it was the perfect natural childbirth counterpoint to Hypnobirthing. Rather than lying back and "breathing" out the baby, this book is about being physically active, practicing yoga postures to strengthen your body and prepare for labor, and positions for labor.
I'm a very active person and I like to use my body - so this appeals to me very much.
I'm a very active person and I like to use my body - so this appeals to me very much.
Confirms my theories regarding the physical processes that happen during childbirth. I'm planning on incorporating quite a bit of what she discusses into my own delivery. The main reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is entirely shallow: I found the photos somewhat gratuitous. Could none of those women put on a shirt? The content otherwise is intelligent and well-presented.
Nov 21, 2012
Leani
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Leani by:
Rosalia Pihlajasaari
Shelves:
parenting
The pregnancy exercises form a nice complement to my weekly yoga classes, and the chapter on labour and birth contain useful ideas for different positions. It also contains some general information on pregnancy and birth, but should probably not be the only birth-related book a woman reads. Its primary strength lies in its exercise routine.
I really do like this book a lot for the science. The first half of the book is wonderful and so informative. When I've talked to people about natural, active birth, I have brought up many of the points she makes in this book. I could have done without the yoga/spirituality though. I do not agree with those sections, thus the 4 stars instead of 5.
A little dated but very good exercise to practice throughout pregnancy and post-partum to get the best birth results you can. A decent read that I do recommend though not imperative to your pregnancy book shelf. I think the exercises are mostly covered in The Complete Pregnancy and Birth book by Sheila Kitzinger which I recommend more.
I read this book just prior to giving birth to my third child. It was amazingly helpful during that birth. In fact, I would say that haa been my best birth experience. So much of what she said and suggested really worked. However, it might be a bit difficult to have this type of birth in a hospital setting.
This is the first book I've read about childbirth that has made me feel confident and not afraid of the labor and delivery, and this will be my second child. Wish I had read it during my first pregnancy. I recommend this book to all pregnant women, whether it's your first child or third. A must read for all expectant mothers.
The author lays it out simply and directly, without judgment. She does a great job of encouraging doctors to learn about the benefits of active birth, without insulting or b...more
The author lays it out simply and directly, without judgment. She does a great job of encouraging doctors to learn about the benefits of active birth, without insulting or b...more
This is a great book covering all the in's and out's, the pro's the con's of striving for an active birth. Meaning...a birth involving movement and relaxation to reduce pain instead of drugs. It goes over the side effects of the most commonly used drugs in child birth and talks about the risks with each one. I enjoyed the chapters on yoga based exercises and massage. It also includes chapters on post-partum exercise, breastfeeding, water birth, home vs hospital birthing, labor attendants, and br...more
I read an older version but still a great book. Lots of great practical information and empowering techniques and positions for a more comfortable, easier, natural birth working with your body, with the help of gravity.
A bit outdated (make sure the husband has quarters to call relatives after the birth!) and hippy but a great book for those with an impending birth. Gives great support to those who wish to go all natural and drug free.
Great exercises for before/during/after birth. I didn't get much else out of this book, but that's probably because 1. I've already given birth once and 2. I'm on overload of birthing books right now.
Beware - there are no warnings before ... shall we say realistic photos of women during and after labor in this book. It's pretty good, though, and has some good "for the partner" sections.
This is a great book - it provides lots of valuable information on preparing physically & mentally for natural child birth, even in a hospital setting. I really liked the benefits of "upright" labor & birthing positions & the overarching message to listen to the rhythms of your body. The recommended exercises for pregnancy & postpartum are very similar to the prenatal yoga classes taught at Blooma in MN, which I love & make total sense for preparing the body for birth & b...more
This book was basically a light and crunchy version of the Labor Progress Handbook. It included many of the same positions for childbirth and information about how to work with gravity. The book did add a program of exercise (yoga) for pregnancy to improve flexibility and tone for labor as well as suggestions for home birth.
This book may make the information more palatable for individuals who appreciate a more new-agey approach, but I lost patience with it.
All in all, I would recommend the Lab...more
This book may make the information more palatable for individuals who appreciate a more new-agey approach, but I lost patience with it.
All in all, I would recommend the Lab...more
I really like the yoga techniques in this book. I have found my posture to be better, and my back to feel much better. However, she says you have to set aside one and a half hours each day to do it! On what planet does anyone have that much time? So I'm doing them here and there, but not as strictly as her program demands. I also don't care for the tone of the book. It is kind of crass in my opinion; especially in comparison with Hypnobirthing. She uses the word "expel" to refer to birth, and I...more
Incorporates some yoga into your prenatal days, which I think can be a very good thing. All the encouragement you need to make sure you stay alert and upright during your birth.
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Apr 04, 2012 05:38pm