false 29069696 131594 1022538 0892814802 9780892814800 5 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180303843m/1022538.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180303843s/1022538.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1022538.Gentle_Birth_Choices_A_Guide_to_Making_Informed_Decisions_about_Birthing_Centers_Birth_Attendants_Water_Birth_Home_Birth_and_Hospital_Birth 4.17 48 Barbara Harper outlines the elements of gentle birthing: support from loved ones, a reassuring and quiet environment with soft lighting, and minimal medical intervention. She shows you how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience and discusses the many alternatives available, providing a new model of maternity care that reduces the need for high-tech crisis intervention and focuses instead on preparation and good health for mother and child.

With Cesarean section rates in some hospitals at more than 50%, women are acknowledging that childbirth reform is an essential aspect of reclaiming responsibility for our bodies and our lives.

Includes information on:

•  Giving birth in a freestanding birthing center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room.

•  Finding a primary care-giver who shares your philosophy of birth, whether midwife, doctor, or both.

•  Deciding how to best use current technologies.

•  Practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of waterbirth, a choice  that maximizes the attributes of water as a natural, pain-relieving relaxant and an alternative to drugs and their unwanted side effects. 

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