Adventures in Natural Childbirth Tales from Women on the Joys Fears Pleasures & Pains of Giving Birth Naturally

Over the last few years, more and more women have been resisting the allure of "labor-free" elective C-sections in favor of the benefits of natural childbirth. Not only is it widely considered the best and safest way to deliver a child, natural childbirth empowers women by reinforcing their belief in themselves and their abilities. In Adventures in Natural Childbirth, editor Janet Schwegel taps into this growing movement with a fascinating collection of personal, engaging, and revealing stories from thirty-nine women on their journey through pregnancy, labor, and natural childbirth. These women's tales capture the full range of emotions and physical sensations natural childbirth can evoke—from calm to fear, from elation to pain, and everything in between—and give readers a true sense of the joys and the hardships involved. Divided into sections by caregiver (midwife, doula, physician, or unattended) and complete with essays from practitioners on their roles in natural birth and how they help women achieve their goals, Adventures in Natural Childbirth is essential reading for any woman who is considering—or is simply curious about—giving birth naturally.

- Natural childbirth is experiencing a renaissance of sorts--it's become an enormously popular and main-stream birthing method chosen by women from all walks of life

- These stories--from women across the United States and Canda--will help women considering natural childbirth understand what to expect from and how to prepare for their own deliveries

- The Baby Name Countdown has sold over 140,000 copies