Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

published	March 4th 2003 by Bantam
binding	Paperback
isbn	0553381156 (isbn13: 9780553381153)
ebook
pages	368
description	What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you. Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the...more [close] What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you. Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nation’s leading midwife, shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention. Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource includes:• Reducing the pain of labor without drugs--and the miraculous roles touch and massage play • What really happens during labor • Orgasmic birth--making birth pleasurable • Episiotomy--is it really necessary? • Common methods of inducing labor--and which to avoid at all costs • Tips for maximizing your chances of an unmedicated labor and birth • How to avoid postpartum bleeding--and depression • The risks of anesthesia and cesareans--what your doctor doesn’t necessarily tell you • The best ways to work with doctors and/or birth care providers • How to create a safe, comfortable environment for birth in any setting, including a hospital • And much more Ina May’s Guide to Natural Childbirth takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring women’s faith in their own natural power to give birth with more ease, less pain, and less medical intervention. [close]
date added	01-09-07 edit book

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Danielle rated it:

08/27/08

bookshelves: non-fiction, parenting

Read in August, 2008

So, as far as useful information goes, this book pretty much said the same thing as The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, except without the same amount of research backing it up. Still helpful, but not especially new. Plus, she used the terms "Much more likely" or "much less likely" a lot, instead of giving the actual statistics as Goer's book did.
Another downside of this book was...more So, as far as useful information goes, this book pretty much said the same thing as The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, except without the same amount of research backing it up. Still helpful, but not especially new. Plus, she used the terms "Much more likely" or "much less likely" a lot, instead of giving the actual statistics as Goer's book did.
Another downside of this book was that it was a little too "Rah, rah, rah, women's bodies can do anything!!" for my taste. I guess that's not a really bad thing, because it did pump me up for childbirth, but as Gaskin constantly refers to her experience birthing women on "The Farm" (I can't help but think of it in semi-sarcastic quotation marks), I kept thinking how her sample is made up of very naturalistic, in-touch women (read: hippies) and a woman like myself is likely to have a different experience in childbirth, even given the fact that my body really knows what to do.
My last gripe is that SOME of the things she suggested were a little out-there for me. She shuns prudishness in our culture, and encourages women to make birth (or, rather, allow birth) to be a sexual experience, yet totally respects the fact that most women are too prudish to have a stranger (especially a man) in the birthing room with them, without adverse effects to the progress of labor. So, a little bit of a double standard there. I'm personally on the side of prudishness in all its forms.
All right, those griefs being aired, I actually did like this book, and I'm glad I read it. First of all, the birth experiences at the beginning, while somewhat nauseating, were also very encouraging. They were all so different from the birth stories you normally hear, and it made me happy to know that natural childbirth really can be an extremely positive experience. Giving birth is not something women need to be "saved" from by medical intervention.
There was also a lot of practical midwifery information that I'm glad I read before making my second attempt at a natural childbirth. Things about various laboring positions, tricks to help labor progress, etc. were both interesting and potentially useful.
I was also impressed by the clarity of the writing. Even though Gaskin is clearly on one side of the childbirth debate, she didn't come off sounding like a crazy. I was able to respect her even when (in a few cases) I didn't agree with her.
In general, I think this is a helpful book for all women to read before giving birth. Our culture really does make a medicalized birth seem normal, when in reality, the opposite is true. Still, I would recommend reading Henci Goer's book in conjunction with this for a slightly more even-handed, useful approach to the topic.
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Emilie rated it:

03/08/08

Read in March, 2008

I loved this book. The first 120 pages are birth stories written by individual mothers. These stories are unique because they are positive and affirm the joy of the process of giving birth. So many people focus on the tearing, and episiotomies, and "my labor was 24 hours long" horror stories. Reading these stories was a good reminder that the horror stories women tell in the US are more about perspective than anything else. These stories talk about 6 day labors that are positive ex...more I loved this book. The first 120 pages are birth stories written by individual mothers. These stories are unique because they are positive and affirm the joy of the process of giving birth. So many people focus on the tearing, and episiotomies, and "my labor was 24 hours long" horror stories. Reading these stories was a good reminder that the horror stories women tell in the US are more about perspective than anything else. These stories talk about 6 day labors that are positive experiences with healthy births, as well as other stories that in the typical medical model would be anxiety filled, but in the midwifery model are just part of the normal course of childbirth--and result in healthy mothers and babies!

The rest of the book was also wonderful. Gaskin does a great job of explaining why we in the US have such a negative perception of birth. She also beautifully reaffirms a woman's ability to give birth (i.e. just because your labor last longer than the 12-24 hours prescribed by hospitals as normal, you're body still works marvelously, and in most cases is fully capable of doing its job).

I would recommend this book to anyone preparing to give birth, interested in the birth process or entering a profession in which they will be caring for women in childbirth. There are more than a few OBs that may be surprised to know that some procedures they view as inevitable C-section, forceps or vacuum deliveries are absolutely do-able naturally, with fewer negative effects for the mother and baby. I was a little bit wary of the hippie nature of some of the stories, but I realized that you don't have to be a hippie to have a marvelous birth experience. Some might find some of the ideas and techniques for facilitating labor unusual, but as Gaskin said, if it helps and the mother is comfortable with it, then that is all that really matters.

I hope that any woman reading this book would feel good about birth, even if she previously had a negative experience. Maybe reading the book would even help mothers see that there are options that they don't know about and will help erase those "I tore from here to there" horror stories. The whole book reminded me of a quote--one of my favorites regarding birth: "There is a secret in our culture. It is not that childbirth is painful, but that women are strong." - Laura Stavoe Harm

Go mothers, enjoy your baby's births, it is one of those times of life when you are so close to God as you help to do his work.
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