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34th out of 163 books
—
86 voters
Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth
"ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY AND THE BIRTH OF YOUR CHILD -- FROM THE EDITORS OF THE CLASSIC "BIBLE OF WOMEN'S HEALTH"
Pregnancy and birth are as ordinary and extraordinary as breathing, thinking, or loving. But as soon as you announce you're expecting, you may be bombarded with advice from every angle -- well-meaning friends, rel
...morePaperback, 384 pages
Published
March 4th 2008
by Touchstone
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This book is a MUST OWN for any woman who is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant. It is by far the best book I have found on the market - it relies on evidence based science and personal testimonies - not weird didactic stereotypes and vague flowery descriptions. This is a pregnancy book that will give you the tools to make the best decisions for YOU instead of guilting you into doing something based on the ideology of the writer/s. It presents the pros and cons of hospital birth vs homebi...more
Three cheers for feminist pregnancy books. While it's not the most informative guide in terms of nitty-gritty medical and nutritional stuff, it's an excellent overview for the "progressive" pregnant gal out there, and gives equal attention and respect to alternative birthing methods, same-sex partners, etc. I would say there's definitely more of an emphasis on birth than pregnancy. While it certainly leans more towards natural birth, overall it's not as judgmental of medical intervention as some...more
I love this book for its empowering tone, blessedly non-gendered assumptions about your co-parent-to-be and attention on birth as the main event, with less emphasis on morning sickness and cankles than most books of this genre. I feel especially compelled to praise this book because it is the ONLY one of the non-queer-specific pregnancy books we own or have read that even acknowledges the existence of same-sex expectant parents, and it is so lovely not to have to switch pronouns all the time whe...more
This is a great pregnancy and childbirth resource in the same vein as the original Our Bodies, Ourselves. It is gives women and their partners accurate information on all (or at least many of) their options, not just the medical establishment standard.
It discusses pain relief using nitrous oxide-- common in the UK but extremely rare here in the US; use of doulas and other birth assistants; and the social and political context for supporting mothers and families (e.g., mentions that the US is on...more
It discusses pain relief using nitrous oxide-- common in the UK but extremely rare here in the US; use of doulas and other birth assistants; and the social and political context for supporting mothers and families (e.g., mentions that the US is on...more
The information was ok, but I was a little disturbed by the liberal viewpoint. E.G. the story about a couple whose baby could have been blind, deaf, and mentally retarded, so they felt completely ok with their abortion (which is not ok with me, what if that baby had been fine? Is life less meaningful because you have a disability?) And then there was the "if your partner is male sex can introduce prostaglandins to induce labor..." I know their are people out their who have same-gender partners,...more
There are some really great aspects of this book that I like right off the bat, namely, the tone that information is presented in rather than told to you. I appreciate the equal attention to midwives, home births, and hospital options as well as all of forms of childbirth classes and pain management techniques.
But...there are some aspects that I was a little disappointed with. The section on prenatal vitamins and minerals was poor in my opinion. There are other recommendations that I feel they...more
But...there are some aspects that I was a little disappointed with. The section on prenatal vitamins and minerals was poor in my opinion. There are other recommendations that I feel they...more
One of the best pregnancy and birthing resources out there. No need for all the month by month detailed stuff that many pregnancy books have. You can find that all on the internet and it varies so much from woman to woman. This book has the nitty gritty details on all the health and procedural options you should be thinking about, how to live, mental health, birthing options and recommendations...and it is quite feminist and ethnically sensitive in its approach. It even gives you examples of the...more
One of the most informative book on pregnancy and birth. It can be a little overwhelming and might be best read in stages. But the Boston Women's Health Collective is THE authority when it comes to women's health books. An excellent addition to any pregnant woman's must read list.
Good for first time moms who have no clue what's going on (that would be me) because it's informative without being judgmental. And it leads you to more questions with your health care provider and/or partner about wha...more
Good for first time moms who have no clue what's going on (that would be me) because it's informative without being judgmental. And it leads you to more questions with your health care provider and/or partner about wha...more
2.5 - 2.75 stars.
I was again surprised and excited to find this one at our little local library (it was just published a few months ago) ...After hearing a great interview with one of the editors on the radio, i was really looking forward to a new go-to pregancy recource text, but boohoo, this was not what i was hoping for.
Yes, it provides a sensitive, thoughtful, open minded perspective on pregnancy with a pleasant bias toward midwifery - but practically speaking, it doesn't provide new or espe...more
I was again surprised and excited to find this one at our little local library (it was just published a few months ago) ...After hearing a great interview with one of the editors on the radio, i was really looking forward to a new go-to pregancy recource text, but boohoo, this was not what i was hoping for.
Yes, it provides a sensitive, thoughtful, open minded perspective on pregnancy with a pleasant bias toward midwifery - but practically speaking, it doesn't provide new or espe...more
An excellent, complete resource on pregnancy and childbirth. The book presents a lot of factual information and goes to great lengths to present all viewpoints and gives the pros and cons on topics such as prenatal testing, medical interventions, using drugs and/or epidurals and breastfeeding. I found it especially valuable after a class where the instructor was judgmental toward those who were not 100 percent committed to natural childbirth.
I kinda wish I could give this four and a half. Anyway, it's nice to read a book about pregnancy that isn't panic-driven or judgmental, and accepts that maybe some women don't want to be jacked up full of drugs when they give birth. I liked the sidebars of stories from real women on a variety of topics. I do wish it had more information week-by-week, rather than one chapter devoted to the experience of pregnancy, but it's a minor quibble.
Definitely one of the best childbirth books I read. It certainly has a slant toward natural childbirth, but also lays out all of the options clearly and provides a lot of useful information. The focus is much more on birth and all of the options that go along with it, than on pregnancy. Bill also read this one and liked it.
I appreciate the liberal viewpoints taken with the book, it just can come as a slight surprise to turn a page and see illustrations of sex positions m/f and f/f can practice while pregnant.
Still, the book has a bias towards midwifery, medication-free births, etc., and tries to discourage otherwise.
Still, the book has a bias towards midwifery, medication-free births, etc., and tries to discourage otherwise.
I tried to read this book from cover to cover but I think it would have been better to have used it as a reference book. It addresses many issues that a pregnant woman can run into, so if she has a particular question, she can likely find a section addressing it in the book. I was able to use it to decide on what kind of testing I wanted for my baby when she was still in my uterus. I read too much about potential problems, so the book also scared me and made me cry several times. That is why I'd...more
Had to read this for my biology class. It was a very informative book! Being a woman for 32 years, I thought I knew everything, but this book taught me a lot more. Something to keep on the shelves.
Anyone looking for a good primer on pregnancy and childbirth should take a look at this one. It's been a great help during these past 7 months. Thumbs up!
Although this book was informative, I felt like it was too biased in one direction (natural birth) and criticized any other birthing option.
This is the first place I read the stats about continuous fetal monitoring, but that's all that really stands out.
Very helpful, occasionally content a bit too geared to the American health system for a British audience
Very informational and promotes a more natural birthing process. I highly recommend it!
(Non-Fiction Pregnancy and Birth) Very empowering and informative read.
Read some of this, it was ok.
Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth This came around at the perfect time! There are millions of books on this topic, so it's nice to have a trusted source to go to. So much better than the classic "What to Expect" series. Among other things, they don't assume your birth partner is a male or even your life partner.
They focus on birth as a natural process, encourage doulas, and limited medical intervention. They do all this without pressuring and judgement.
They focus on birth as a natural process, encourage doulas, and limited medical intervention. They do all this without pressuring and judgement.
Fantastic overview. Well-organized, well-researched and well-written. Inclusive and nonjudgmental. A must read for all moms to be.
After starting to read and shelving several pregnancy books, this is my definitive favorite. In the same style of Our Bodies, Ourselves, this book offers clear and detailed information on the range of options for pre-natal care, birth preparation, and interventions during labor and delivery. The book includes first-hand narratives throughout which give voice to the facts and figures presented.
I admit, I skimmed in parts of this book... I liked the feel of it overall simply because it was very balanced as far as discussing pros and cons of everything, and reassuring that it's okay to make choices that suit you and not base the success of your birth experience on other people's... yours can be just as much a success with different choices: epidural or not, hospital or not, et cetera.
Recmomended by my midwife. Again, lots of information and stories from "real" women about every aspect gross and wonderful. I got this as an Easter present and I am very happy with it. Great supplement to any pregnancy reader.
This book was given to me by my midwifery practice, and I found it a very informative, quick read. I'd definitely recommend it. (Disclaimer: I skipped the chapter on Childbearing Loss, in hopes it will never apply to me.)
Lots of good information in an overview format. Answers a lot of questions and gives you a good list of questions to ask doctors, midwives, and hospitals. And, yes, I am pregnant with number 3, due in December.
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Very informative. I liked the personal stories listed throughout the book.
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Our Bodies Ourselves is a nonprofit education and advocacy organization focused on women's health. We aim to combine women's personal stories with reliable, up-to-date health information, while examining the social and political influences on women's health and well-being.
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