Synopses & Reviews
What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you.Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nations leading midwife, 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. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina Mays Guide to Natural Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.
Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource includes:• Reducing the pain of labor without drugs--and the miraculous roles touch and massage play
• What really happens during labor
• Orgasmic birth--making birth pleasurable
• Episiotomy--is it really necessary?
• Common methods of inducing labor--and which to avoid at all costs
• Tips for maximizing your chances of an unmedicated labor and birth
• How to avoid postpartum bleeding--and depression
• The risks of anesthesia and cesareans--what your doctor
doesnt necessarily tell you
• The best ways to work with doctors and/or birth care providers
• How to create a safe, comfortable environment for
birth in any setting, including a hospital
• And much more
Ina Mays Guide to Natural Childbirth takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring womens faith in their own natural power to give birth with more ease, less pain, and less medical intervention.
Review
PRAISE for THE BIRTH PARTNER and#160; and#8220;Penny Simkin shows how giving support in childbirth is not only a matter of helping a woman through labor and deliveryand#8212;important though that isand#8212;but also of enabling her to cherish a meaningful memory of birth.and#8221; and#8211; Sheila Kitzinger, author of Rediscovering Birth and The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth and#160; and#8220;A clearly written book that describes what really happens in our maternity units. I recommend it highly for both parents and a supportive friend.and#8221; and#8211; Marshall Klaus, M.D., author of Bonding, Your Amazing Newborn and Mothering the Mother
Synopsis
The cofounder of The Farm Midwifery Center and author of "Spiritual Midwifery" now shares her knowledge and wisdom about the "true capacities of the female body." This amazing book takes the fear out of childbirth, recasting it as the positive experience it should be, and includes inspiring and instructive birth stories from women who have used the midwifery model of care at The Farm.
Synopsis
Since the original publication of The Birth Partner, new mothersand#8217; mates, friends, and relatives and doulas (professional birth assistants) have relied on Penny Simkinand#8217;s guidance in caring for the new mother from the last few weeks of pregnancy through the early postpartum period. Fully revised in its fourth edition, The Birth Partner remains the definitive guide for preparing to help a woman through childbirth and the essential manual to have at hand during the event.
Synopsis
Since the original publication of
The Birth Partner, new mothersand#8217; mates, friends, and relatives and doulas (professional birth assistants) have relied on Penny Simkinand#8217;s guidance in caring for the new mother from the last few weeks of pregnancy through the early postpartum period. Fully revised in its fourth edition,
The Birth Partner remains the definitive guide for preparing to help a woman through childbirth and the essential manual to have at hand during the event. and#160; This completely updated edition includes thorough information on:
Preparing for labor and knowing when it has begun;
Normal labor and how to help the woman every step of the way;
Epidurals and other medications for labor;
Non-drug techniques for easing labor pain;
Cesarean birth and complications that may require it;
Breastfeeding and newborn care;
And much more. and#160; For the partner who wishes to be truly helpful in the birthing room, this book is indispensable.
About the Author
Penny Simkin, P.T., is a physical therapist, childbirth educator, doula, and birth counselor. She is nationally recognized as a premier authority on childbirth, having helped 9,000 expecting women and birth partners in childbirth and attended hundreds of couples though the birth process. Simkin is a prolific author and serves on more than ten different consultant and editorial boards, including the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care, The International Childbirth Education Association, and The Seattle Midwifery School, where she also provides training for doulas and lectures for the students. She has written myriad books,andnbsp;journal and magazine articles. She is also co-founder of DONA International (formerly Doulas of North America) and The Pacific Association for Labor Support. In addition to providing childbirth education, birth counseling, and labor support, Simkin travels extensively throughout the country, lecturing and presenting at conferences and workshops. andnbsp; For more information, please visit Simkinand#8217;s website at pennysimkin.com