Recommended reading for Child Birth - 'The Good Birth Companion' (Nicole Croft)
Innate Capacity to give birth
I randomly came across this book on a trip to the library with my kids. I can't rate it enough.
When I was pregnant with my first baby I read a couple of other books about preparing for birth and they've either been really hippy-ish and away with the fairies, or along the lines of "take all the drugs you can get!". Both not my kind of thing.
However this book is focused on having a positive birth experience (which basically means having confidence in yourself).
The author, Nicole Croft, is a doula and active birth associate but she doesn't make you feel crappy if you do want to to take all the drugs you can get. And although she maintains that most women have "an innate capacity to give birth safely and naturally" she does acknowledge that nature sometimes goes a bit haywire and some women do end up having a C section. There is a whole chapter in the book on C sections too.
Managing the pain
You may think it's strange that a third time mum is reading a book on preparing for birth. However my first birth experience didn't go as planned which lead to me being scared out of my head the second time around. My birth plan literally just said 'Epidural' on it and that was how I was expecting my third birth to go too.
I only began to change my mind at my first midwife appointment when the student midwife told me an epidural was no joke and I shouldn't have one if I didn't need one. I starting thinking that maybe I should try and have that natural birth experience I had planned for my first baby. After I read this book I was convinced that's what I wanted to do.
The author talks you out of the fear of labour and instead gives advice on how to manage the pain naturally.
There are some great tips on how to have an active labour, including illustrations of positions to try. They really helped me during the birth of my third baby.
Reassuring read
There is also a chapter on what to expect after the baby is born. I love the fact that the author takes inspiration from other cultures where new mums are encouraged to stay in bed for as long as possible rather than quickly getting back to normal.
This sounds like a great book, that I would have liked to have read. You are spot on it seems that the choices are often completely natural, like you should be having an orgasmic birth, or the opposite where you aren't going to feel your legs for 24 hours or more!
I remember my midwife after 42 hours of labour with no pain relief with a posterior baby. She did an internal and told me I was STILL 4cm. My response was "take me to the hospital" and she looked at me all zen like and said "but you can do this"...
Nope, not any more! I've been a good sport!
excellent beautiful congratulations post