Reading List

Cut, Stapled and Mended: When One Woman Reclaimed Her Body and Gave Birth on Her Own Terms After Cesarean, a memoir by Roanna Rosewood, nailed some of my inner-most thoughts that, to this day, I still struggle to explain in words. It is as if the author was in my head sharing my thoughts...

In Gentle Birth Choices, Barbara Harper (nurse, former midwife, and mother of three) helps parents to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. The DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and shows six actual births, including water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth. A powerful instructional tool for expectant parents, midwives, hospitals, birth centers,...

The Bradley Method of childbirth emphasizes support and trusting in the body's ability to give birth naturally. This book shows the husband (or partner) how to support the mother during birth, and also gives details on exercises and breathing techniques to be practiced ahead of time in preparation for and for use during birth.

Mongan's method combines hypnosis with learned relaxation and visualizations to help reduce fear and tension in childbirth. Without this tension, the author claims that birth can be more comfortable and even painless.

Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, midwife Ina May Gaskin 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. With the exception of her discomfort with VBAC after single-layer closure of the uterus...