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Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
 
 
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Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (Paperback)

by Ina May Gaskin (Author)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 21.00
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Ina May's Guide to Childbirth + The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions + Dr. Jack Newman's Guide To Breastfeeding
Total List Price: CDN$ 66.08
Price For All Three: CDN$ 45.50

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  • The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin

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Product Details

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Founding member and former president of the Midwives Alliance of North America and author of Spiritual Midwivery, Gaskin offers encouragement and practical advice in her upbeat and informative book on natural childbirth. Since the mid-1970s, Gaskin and the midwives in her practice on a Summertown, Tenn., commune known as "The Farm," have attended over 2,200 natural births. Gaskin, who learned the rudiments of her gentle birthing technique from the Mayans in Guatemala, has helped bring attention to the method's remarkably low rate of morbidity and medical intervention. Couples considering natural childbirth will get inspirational coaxing from more than a dozen first-person narratives shared by the author's clients. Gaskin decries what she sees as Western medicine's focus on pain during birth, arguing that natural birthing can not only be euphoric and blissful but also orgasmic (a survey of 150 natural birthing women "found thirty-two who reported experiencing at least one orgasmic birth"). The second half of Gaskin's book deals with the practical side of natural birthing, including how to avoid standard medical interventions such as epidurals, episiotomies and even prenatal amniocentesis that may be unnecessary, even dangerous, to mother or child. While this may not be the definitive guide to natural childbirth, it is a comfortable and supportive read for women who want to trust their bodies to do what comes naturally.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist

Using history as her guide, nationally recognized midwife Gaskin explores what she hopes will be a renaissance in natural childbirth, something that she's been advocating since the mid-1970s. By focusing on how women of ancient civilizations and other modern peoples give birth, Gaskin puts our own hypersensitivities in perspective, uncovering a beautiful, sometimes orgasmic experience rather than a dreadful, painful one. Sure, pain is part of childbirth, but preparing for the pain in a realistic rather than sentimental way--whether giving birth at home or in a hospital--can be the key to a woman's ability to deal with it naturally. Within the pages of personal anecdotes, some touching, some startling, from Gaskin's patients and colleagues, every woman is sure to find something to relate to, whether or not she chooses to have a medicine-free labor. The helpful back matter features a glossary, a detailed resource list including advocacy groups and Web sites, and a bibliography that includes periodicals, rounding out an extremely comprehensive and up-to-date guide on the topic. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews

50 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (50 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Read This Book BEFORE You Read ANY OTHER on PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH!, Jul 4 2006
Like many first-time expectant moms, I devoured MULTIPLE books on pregnancy and birth before I started Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, but I WISH I HAD READ THIS ONE ***FIRST!!!*** I started with the ubiquitous book that tells you "what to expect", but what I wanted was a book that would TEACH me, not TELL me how I could go about my pregnancy and birth in a way that was educated, informed, self-directed and naturally beautiful! Out of the wealthiest industrialized nations that has one of the worst perinatal mortality rates, Ina May of the US rises like a phoenix, a beacon of hope and light to share with women who want to affirm their bodies' innate ancient wisdom how to give birth powerfully. Filled with first-hand accounts of births, the wealth of her own experience as a midwife (her group was involved in catching some 3000 births with only a 1.4% c-section rate!) and research and citations from current medical journals and reviews, this book is a MUST-READ if you want to take charge of your body, your baby's birth and ask the right questions of your birth care provider! I started my pregnancy convinced that I would only birth in a hospital, but as I began to educate myself, I found that as a low-risk pregnancy, a home birth was truly what I wanted and that it would be the safest place for me to birth my baby. I believe each woman should be able to choose what she wants, and if you want an epidural in a hospital, more power to you, but do yourself and your baby a favor and educate yourself -- learn what an epidural is, what potential complications can occur, how medical technology as intervention in an age-old natural birth process can lead to more interventions that may not be what you bargained for...and also learn how beautiful birth can be, how there is no need for fear of it! Ina May's Guide to Childbirth teaches you what the hospitals and doctors won't take the time to tell you unless you are prepared to ask AND she also teaches you how to view birth as a natural, beautiful, joyful rite with techniques and information to aid birthing that doctors and hospitals may not know and/or advocate. At first, I was afraid of the impending birth of my child. Books like this one helped to inform me and to shed my fears. I have found myself quoting Ina May to others as I find gems in there that even other birth professionals don't know. Ina May has done her homework, has the experience and puts it in a book for all of us to benefit. DO NOT READ ANY OTHER BOOK ON CHILDBIRTH until you've read THIS ONE!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential For The Mom-to-Be Who Wants a Natural Birth, Jan 23 2005
By Krystal P (Canada) - See all my reviews
This book is one of the best that I have read. The first half of the book is filled with empowering birth stories, and the last half with some excellent advice and information about the childbirth process.

This book tells you everything you need to know to maximize your chances of having a natural childbirth, from the best positions to labor in to what sounds you should make to help labor progress.

It also gives you unbiased information on the risks and benefits of interventions such as epidurals, episiotomies, and c-sections.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is a must read for all pregnant women who want to acheive a natural childbirth.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars All I can do is echo the other reviews!!!, Sep 2 2003
I'm currently 29 weeks pregnant with my first child, and I've read a lot of the "bestselling" pregnancy and labor books on the market (i.e. "What to Expect", the Dr. Sears books, etc) but this one blew the rest out of the water when it comes to labor and delivery! Ina May's book explains the importance of psychological readiness for labor and delivery, as well as awesome techniques to overcome the "obstacles" of labor naturally. The first half of the book consists of very inspirational natural birth stories which made me feel prepared and even EXCITED about natural childbirth before I even read the second half of the book.

After reading this book, I decided to switch from using my OBGYN to a midwife instead. My OBGYN is supportive of my decision to try a "natural" childbirth, but her definition of the concept doesn't go beyond "patient doesn't want an epidural". She is totally untrained and unprepared to help me naturally deal with stalled labor, avoiding an episiotomy, delivering a "stuck" baby, etc. I know she would give me drugs or wheel me in for a C-section long before a midwife despite her "supportiveness".

You CAN try the ideas in Ina May's book on your own during labor, without the doctor knowing a thing about natural childbirth, as long as the OB isn't going to argue with what you want to try in the middle of delivery! For example, if baby's shoulders are stuck, most OB's will want to do an immediate C-section; Ina May's book tells you that if you simply turn over on your hands and knees, the baby will most likely slide right out!

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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read for all moms-to-be!
This book emphasizes empowering women to have, want and demand (!) a safe *natural* birth without the harsh medical interventions that are now commonly used. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Patricia Crowe

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!
This book was really worth its purchase! The techniques & information presented in the book were great for discussing with my OB, who is fortunately on the same page with most... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Amder

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for those considering natural childbirth methods.
I have been considering natural childbirth methods for my first pregnancy, and this was the perfect book to help me make some decisions. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Shadowrose

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Really a must read for every expecting mother. This book is a confidence booster and a trully good source of information.
Published 6 months ago by Anik Pouliot

5.0 out of 5 stars Different outlook on childbirth
I was skeptical starting this book, not sure if it was going to be too "hippie", but I was very suprised. Read more
Published 14 months ago by NurseB

5.0 out of 5 stars Intellectually and emotionally satisfying
A friend lent me this book and I'll be buying my own copy. I hadn't thought much about birthing. All I knew was that I will be going to the hospital and I don't want an... Read more
Published 23 months ago by An Inuk Qablunaaq

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
A wealth of information about labour & birth for everyone that is considering a natural birth, as well as for those who are uninformed or worried. Read more
Published on Jul 10 2007 by Ruth L.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Truth About Childbirth is in this Book
Strip away all of the medical speak, fear, and the horror stories and you will have Ina May's honest guide to Childbirth. Read more
Published on Jul 8 2004 by Elizabeth

5.0 out of 5 stars Courageous and Empowering Book!
The warmth, intelligence and humor of Ina May Gaskin really come through in this book, as does her concern with safe and supportive surroundings for all women during birthing. Read more
Published on May 20 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars The most encouraging pregnancy book I've read.
Since I became pregnant I have been a book hound and I've read several different titles (especially books on Natural Birth). Read more
Published on April 28 2004

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