Books
As you may have discovered, there is a multitude of resources out there and it can get overwhelming! These are some of the books I have found most helpful and/or others have highly recommended. If you know of more that I have missed, please contact me and let me know what I need to add.
I highly recommend all products and resources from Plumtree Baby as you prepare!
Great All-Around Info:
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta by Ina May Gaskin
Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel
Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
The Pregnancy Book and The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears
Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper
Pushed: the Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley
Active Birth by Janet Balaskas
Any titles from Sheila Kitzinger
Into These Hands: Wisdom from Midwives by Geradine Simkins
Birthing a Better Way: 12 Secrets for Natural Childbirth by Kalena Cook, Margaret Christensen M.D. and Christiane Northrup
Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First by Marsden Wagner
Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know by Ananda Lowe
Holy Labor by Aubry Smith (written from a Christian perspective)
Birth Stories and Fun Reading:
Belly Button Bliss: A Small Collection of Happy Birth Stories by Jennifer Derryberry Mann
Giving Birth: A Journey Into the World of Mothers and Midwives by Catherine Taylor
Journey into Motherhood by Sheri Menelli
Adventures in Natural Childbirth by Pam England and Janet Schwegel
Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent
Cesarean and VBAC
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: the VBAC Handbook by Helen Churchill and Wendy Savage
Silent Knife: Cesarean Prevention & VBAC by Nancy Wainer Cohen & Lois Estner
Natural Birth After Cesarean: A Practical Guide by Johanne C. Walters, Karis Crawford
Special Circumstances
Why Me? Understanding and Managing a Potential Preterm Pregnancy: A Medical and Emotional Guide by Kelly Whitehead
When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by Penny Simkin and Phyllis Klaus
I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy by Angie Smith
When Hello Means Goodbye by Paul Kirk and Pat Schwiebert
I highly recommend all products and resources from Plumtree Baby as you prepare!
Great All-Around Info:
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta by Ina May Gaskin
Natural Hospital Birth by Cynthia Gabriel
Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke
The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
The Pregnancy Book and The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears
Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper
Pushed: the Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley
Active Birth by Janet Balaskas
Any titles from Sheila Kitzinger
Into These Hands: Wisdom from Midwives by Geradine Simkins
Birthing a Better Way: 12 Secrets for Natural Childbirth by Kalena Cook, Margaret Christensen M.D. and Christiane Northrup
Born in the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First by Marsden Wagner
Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know by Ananda Lowe
Holy Labor by Aubry Smith (written from a Christian perspective)
Birth Stories and Fun Reading:
Belly Button Bliss: A Small Collection of Happy Birth Stories by Jennifer Derryberry Mann
Giving Birth: A Journey Into the World of Mothers and Midwives by Catherine Taylor
Journey into Motherhood by Sheri Menelli
Adventures in Natural Childbirth by Pam England and Janet Schwegel
Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent
Cesarean and VBAC
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: the VBAC Handbook by Helen Churchill and Wendy Savage
Silent Knife: Cesarean Prevention & VBAC by Nancy Wainer Cohen & Lois Estner
Natural Birth After Cesarean: A Practical Guide by Johanne C. Walters, Karis Crawford
Special Circumstances
Why Me? Understanding and Managing a Potential Preterm Pregnancy: A Medical and Emotional Guide by Kelly Whitehead
When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by Penny Simkin and Phyllis Klaus
I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy by Angie Smith
When Hello Means Goodbye by Paul Kirk and Pat Schwiebert
