Ina May's Guide to Childbirth "Updated With New Material"

Embracing the sexuality of birth is the most helpful information I got and was a wonderful tool in labor. I might even say that it cut the perceived intensity/pain of the contractions by 50 percent. This and letting out the energy of the contractions by saying "ahhh" to open your body and keep from getting tight and focused on "pain". Contractions are intense, but you feel them coming, get prepared, ride them out, and then they go, rest and they come back with more intensity. Perinneal massage is very helpful and this book was helpful in one story it talks about how the girl knew she had to "get big" and she did. Labor and Birth are a lot about what's going on in your head. Just knowing your body is built for it and being serious about perinneal massage and learning how to relax with a bunch of pressure down there is very helpful. I was able to get through the birth process without interventions--EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN INDUCED BIRTH!!! I had the doctor cut off the oxytocin at 100ml because the contractions were getting very intense and the labor proceeded naturally; got easier and became increasingly more intense naturally. You can do it if you know you got in this mess the same way your going to get out of it--use your sexuality. You can do it. I had an induced birth because of heart reasons in the baby a day and a week after the due date. Baby was 8.2 pounds. I did take Demerol which was helpful and gave me a bit of a rest before transition; but still used the methods I learned in this book; I believe if someone told me that when I was 8cm dialated that that was the worst of it may be I could've skipped it; but a little extra relief is helpful when it comes down to it. I was planning to do a Hypnobirth; but found the breathing impossible to get a hold of during labor may be because of induction or may be just because. It felt like I was drowning trying to breathe through them. I DO however also recommend Hypnobirth to have more tools in labor and the book helps eliminate the feeling of fear going into this. I also recommend watching videos via YouTube about natural birth so you can see how other woman get through this and have more ideas in your head when you go into labor. This is how you prepare for this. Even if you plan on getting a epidural you need these tools of how to cope until you are able to take the meds. No matter how you go you need to be prepared. I wanted a natural birth; but when I look back on the experience even if you completely don't want a natural birth you still need to figure out how your going to deal with it before you get the pain relief. This book is great. I even read all of the birth stories in the beginning when I was finished with it. This book is great because of the methods, stories, and thoughts it stirs about a positive birth experience.

Such a good book. Well written and extremely informative for home birthing or just to have an informed hospital birth.

I consider myself to be a middle of the road person. I believe in the innate power and wisdom of the human body AND have immense respect and gratitude for modern medicine. I think this book speaks to that and am genuinely surprised by reviews that find the book’s messaging to be pushy, biased, or “earthy crunchy.” As someone who is naturally curious, I found this book to be an invitation to explore a side of childbirth we don’t readily see. Her work is fascinating and reading story after story of women’s journeys was for me very empowering and really hones in on the idea that for so long women labored in a completely different way. I am drawn to the idea of an organic, natural birth IF my body allows. What a wonderful resource to have so that I can understand ways to support my labor and that wish. The second half of the book which deals with specific aspects of labor and delivery was incredibly helpful - research based, full picture presenting all options available. There is always the case of “you don’t know, what you don’t know.” And I feel good going into my experience armed with data and options but also having had time to truly digest and consider how I want to labor and deliver. I have a list of questions for my provider and choices I would not have had without reading this gem! Delayed cord clamping is one of them - I wouldn’t have known what the standard practice is and I wouldn’t have known the benefits or disadvantages of timing one way or the other. So to me, being informed NOW versus having decisions made for me or having to make them potentially in a stressful or urgent, or even life threatening way, is so much more peaceful. I have my birth “wishes” in a much more informed, concrete way. My sincere hope is that women takeaway the message that we can do this hard thing, we are built for it, and that when the stars align it can be a positive experience. And if medical intervention is necessary there is still an opportunity to design that experience (to some extent) so that it feels peaceful. Medicine is astounding and we need solid doctors, for sure, and yet, I believe there is room for midwives to be woven into the birth experience more readily.

I have three boys and am pregnant with #4 (a girl) due in a few months. I gave birth to my first two boys vaginally w/ medical intervention ("stalled" at 4 cm and agreed to pitocin and epidural mainly because I had no clue what was going on and wanted to indeed see my babies..and be done w/ labor!! We live 35-50 mins from the hospital and I went in both times at the first twinge of labor fearing that they baby would be born in the car if I didn't go in. BIG mistake!! I fell victim to "the system" and b/c of the pit the contractions were excruciating! Thank goodness I was healthy and my babies were healthy and we were able to withstand the interventions w/out scare and the baby's heartrate going down from pit and ending up in a c-section.) Someone told me before I had my third son to imagine my cervix opening with each contraction and to let my body go as loose as possible - not to double over and tense my body etc. esp in the stomach/uterine area. I had polyhydramnios with my 3rd son (estimated 10 lbs of extra fluid for unexplained reasons, although I think now it had to do with diet/nutrition etc. and my schedule, plus the fact I started the pregnancy off 20 lbs overweight) and went into labor on my own at home at 36 weeks 2 days. I labored at home (unknowingly in a way b/c it was so early) using these suggestions from my friend (waiting to see if I was actually in labor b/c we didn't want to be, it was still early) to deal w/ the contractions. I tried to imagine "opening" but everything else came naturally (the vocalizing/sounding like a cow lol b/c that was the only thing I *could* do if I was trying to relax my body during contractions!). I told my hubby in the car on the way to the hospital that if I was at 4 cm I would likely ask for an epidural when we got there so that gives you an idea of my pain threshhold. I had been laboring about three hours. When I got to the hospital and was checked I was at 10 cm and 100 % effaced!!!! I couldn't believe it! Unfortunately due to the polyhydramnios, when I was laid on my back and the OB broke my water, the baby turned from head down to the side and the cord came first requiring an emergency c-section. :( I wish I would have been told to squat and asked that my water break naturally to up the chances of head engaging before the cord came etc. I know the cord still could have come first but then again, maybe it wouldn't have, only the Lord knows. I am planning to vbac and came across this book and am SO glad I did. I finally understand *how* my body did what it did with my third son because of this book and am confident that I can vbac w/ out any medical intervention (because any inducing drugs raise the risk of uterine rupture esp. with scar). Because my body was "ready" to have my third son, my labor went more quickly, was way less painful (pitocin is evil LOL), and even though I did have an emergency in the end the feeling of knowing I could do it "on my own" was very empowering and amazing! There are books like "Silent Knife, Cesearean Prevention and VBAC", and others that tell you the "why" of the benefits of natural birth etc. but THIS book (Ina May's Guide to Childbirth) helped me with the "how" (along with the why) but the "how" throughout the book. I feel this was largely due to many of the beautiful, authentic, and what should be the NORMAL birth stories of so many woman. This book helped me mentally and emotionaly with the "how" for myself and what I need to know and do for my next birth. I am going into this next birth with very, very little concern of the "pain" of laboring and childbirth and with full confidence that my body knows exactly what to do because it was designed to do so! It def. helps that I have three boys already - but really I sincerely wish I had this book to read 8 years ago before I had our first son. I would actually just love to give birth at home (I would have NEVER thought I would say this, I can remember listening in terror to a story of a woman who, "oops had her baby at home because there was no time!" before I had my first son lol) but feel the hospital is where we need to be b/c of where we live and this being my first vbac. I hope this review helps you buy this book. If I could buy a thousand or more of them and give them to every pregnant woman I ever saw, I would!! Highly rec.! Disclaimer: I know that just reading this book doesn't garauntee anything but it will give you the knowledge you desperately need to know about childbirth. Childbirth in the U.S. truly is in a sad, sad state and we women need to educate ourselves. There will always be a small rate of true "emergency" so be flexible but don't give your power to birth as your body knows how to away! :)

WOW, TOTALLY RECOMMENDED. This is a COMPLETELY different outlook on birth than what most American mothers-to-be are familiar with hearing about from the medical community and media, and what an eye-opener it was! The first half of the book is filled with inspiring stories of natural births, where the pain/anxiety we've all been trained to expect take a back seat to the beauty and joy of the experience of bringing a new life into the world. The second half was the real meat of the book, with a very informative, straightforward, non-preachy guide to having as close to a natural birth experience as you can regardless of whether you're planning to deliver in a hospital, birth center, or at home. I found this book to be the absolute most helpful thing I read (and I read A LOT) in understanding what my ideal birth scenario would be like and how best to (hopefully) achieve it. EVERY expectant mother should read this at least once to understand that there ARE choices in the way you give birth and you DON'T have to have the typical hospital experience if that's not what you want. Thank you Ina May!! Update: Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that there's one glaring omission from this book (and pretty much every other major pregnancy book on the market) - stillbirth. Despite occurring in almost 1% of pregnancies and affecting 70-80 families *every day* in the US (that's 10 times as many babies as SIDS), I'm pretty sure the word "stillbirth" is not used once in this book. Needless to say, my husband and I were pretty blindsided when we showed up at the hospital in labor at 39.5 weeks only to be told after a perfectly uncomplicated and healthy pregnancy that our daughter did not have a heartbeat and there was nothing they could do (it was later determined that she died of a cord accident). I understand that most stillbirths are not preventable and that there's nothing anyone can really do to prepare you for the death of a child, but I at least would have liked to have known that this even was a possibility before it happened to me. I feel really duped by the entire pregnancy industry considering I read pretty much every major pregnancy book published, subscribed to multiple blogs and magazines, and took a 12 week natural birthing class, and it never came up once. Like SIDS, it can happen to anyone (I'm 28 and in the peak of health with zero genetic risk factors or family history), so I really will never understand the silence surrounding this devastating tragedy that affects 30,000 undeserving families in this country every year. I wish the publishers of this book would use their considerable reach to educate more families about this risk and how to cope if it happens to you.

I have been a labor and delivery nurse for 8 years and I learned so much from this book! It's geared more towards homebirth, however, it's great for learning about routine hospital and pregnancy procedures and helps inform moms of their choices and the reasons for certain tests. The birth stories are very encouraging. It's wonderful to read about normal birth.

This has been my favorite read through pregnancy, specifically the third trimester in my first full term pregnancy. A wealth of knowledge and it covers just about every topic you’ll wonder about through your pregnancy.

i loved this book! great birth stories and great tips for birth and easing your mind and setting you up for childbirth success and peace. recommend!