I didn’t do a lot of research or prep before Honeybun was born or read a lot of books on birth. I did take a Hynobirthing class and felt “prepared” after that. I believed in my body’s ability to do the job it needed to do and wasn’t worried about things going wrong, I trusted the process.
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But after a forced induction and a total lack of labor support (read the full story), I came out of the experience angry and like I had had no control in the situation. Hubby and I went to see a reading of a play called “Birth” which is the birth stories of many women. After this is when I got serious about researching our birth system, strengthening my beliefs and preparing for my next delivery (we decided to try for baby #2 a few months after we saw the play) and I began reading every book on birth I could get my hands on.
Over the years my interest in how women birth has grown and I’ve continued to read books on birth and educate myself. Which means I’ve amassed quite a collection of books on birth from the classic What to Expect When You’re Expecting by Heidi Murkoff to the original authority on natural birth, Childbirth without Fear by Grandly Dick-Read. I read each one with an open mind and sucked in all the knowledge, laughed at the ridiculousness of some and cringed at the horrible way birth is presented to women in others.
With the impending arrival of my last baby and a big move, I recently decided it was time to clear out my collection of books on birth, keeping only those that I found most useful, insightful and wonderful.
These are my favorite books on birth, from preparation to politics:
My favorites for preparing for birth:
Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper, R.N.
Covering topics such as the medicaliztion of childbirth, dispelling myths, revolutionizing birth, midwifery, waterbirth and planning a gentle birth, this book has awesome information on all the areas of how to achieve a beautiful, natural birth. This is the book that opened my eyes to the possibility of waterbirth and led me to do more research.
Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth by The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
This book covers pregnancy, birth and postpartum so the section on birth is only a small portion, BUT I appreciate that the information is presented in a non-judgy and non-pushy very informative way. It does not portray one way as better than any other as many books do but rather presents clear facts on labor, pain management, complications and c-sections in an unbiased way.
HypnoBirthing by Marie F. Mongan, M.Ed., M.Hy.
This might be the only book I read cover to cover with Honeybun. More of guide on how to use the HypnoBirthing method for achieving a natural birth, it is well worth a read as it also covers a lot on the natural physiological process of birth and how the mommy’s body works with the baby during the process of labor and delivery.
Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
This one is definitely skewed more towards natural birth and clearly shows the harm medical interventions can cause but is very encouraging of the mother and helping her achieve a empowered and beautiful birth experience.
From the Hips by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morris
This is another trilogy covering pregnancy, birth and postpartum. It is a lighthearted book which shows the realities of it all with anecdotes from mothers throughout the entire experience. And while I love it mostly for the information on pregnancy progression (according to this book, my baby is currently the size of a lobster), the birth section in very short but provides TONS of real-life quotes and experiences which help to keep perspective on all the different ways birth can feel and go.
The Thinking Women’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
This book, again, skews toward the natural side of birth but is very comprehensive on the risks of many common interventions and tips for avoiding unnecessary interventions, preparing for birth and advocating for yourself during the process.
On Newborns:
Birth Day by Mark Sloan, M.D.
I’ve talked about this book before but it is awesome for learning about the way a new baby’s body and system works. Dr. Sloan clearly describes each newborn reflex and how they stem from a place of survival. I find it extremely fascinating!
On Video:
The Business of Being Born
If you prefer getting your knowledge from videos rather than books, definitely check out this one by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein which looks at the current system of birth in America and all the ways it is (unfortunately) failing many women.
Gentle Birth Choices
Also definitely check out the DVD included with the Gentle Birth Choices book which shows beautiful births and commentary from midwives and doctors.
Just for Fun:
Crib Notes by Amy Maniatis and Elizabeth Weil
This one is just plain fun with lots of random information and charts on things from what day of the week most babies are born to the Ancient Chinese Birth Predictor and different birthing positions.
The Political Side:
I don’t recommend reading these ones if you’re pregnant with your first child as they don’t paint the prettiest picture of birth in America today. A lot of the stories are flat out terrifying and the facts provided make me very angry, very quickly!
Birth by Tina Cassidy
More of a history of birth and retelling of women’s varying birth stories.
Pushed by Jennifer Block
The darker side of birth from forced c-sections to the criminalization of midwives.
Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities by Henci Goer
A review of the medical literature on labor and birth written in a easy to read and understand manner.
Birth Matters by Ina May Gaskin and Ani Difranco
This book by the famous midwife, Ina May Gaskin, aims to draw light to the highly-medicalized birth system which is failing many women.
