The Birth Book: Everything You Need to Know to Have a Safe and Satisfying… (1994)

Fantastic book. Worked it through. Skeleton for our birth plan. Confidence building. Not afraid of birth, trusting my body. ( )

Prepare for a safe and joyful birth-with the help of America's foremost baby and childcare experts. ( )

I liked this one. Although I read an older edition, I think it would probably be around the same. I really liked the listing of things for during the hospital stay and the example outline of the Birth Plan. I did not read this book fully, but skimmed the sections applicable. ( )

I liked this one. Although I read an older edition, I think it would probably be around the same. I really liked the listing of things for during the hospital stay and the example outline of the Birth Plan. I did not read this book fully, but skimmed the sections applicable. ( )

Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the whole I did find it well balanced - the Sears', while not hiding their preference for midwife delivered, at home births, aren't as anti obstetrician as some other books I have read. I also found the couple a little more realist about the actual choices facing most mothers (i.e., how far are you from the hospital). I do feel more prepared for birth having read it, which ultimately is the point of the book. They did provide mechanisms and rationale for most of the standard practices of care that they disagree with. That said, moments are just too unscientific, too goof-ball/flaky in tone, and a little too much personal experience was added was discussed in places that could have used statistics. ( )