I am currently training to become a doula, and during this process, I have been reading this book. It has been an incredibly valuable resource for me. The information it provides is not only comprehensive but also presented in a clear and accessible way. I have already decided that I will be recommending this book to all of my pregnant friends and those who are planning to become mothers in the future. It truly is that informative! Whether it's about the stages of pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum care, this book covers it all. It offers practical tips, expert advice, and real-life experiences that can help expecting mothers feel more prepared and confident. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about pregnancy and childbirth.
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The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
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As an intelligent woman, you are probably used to learning as much as you can before making major decisions. But when it comes to one of the most important decisions of your life--how you will give birth—it is hard to gather accurate, unbiased information. Surprisingly, much of the research does not support common medical opinion and practice.
Birth activist Henci Goer gives clear, concise information based on the latest medical studies. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth helps you compare and contrast your various options and shows you how to avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, restrictions, and tests. The book
Birth activist Henci Goer gives clear, concise information based on the latest medical studies. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth helps you compare and contrast your various options and shows you how to avoid unnecessary procedures, drugs, restrictions, and tests. The book
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,1999
This edition
- Format
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384 pages, Paperback
- Published
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August 1, 1999 by TarcherPerigee
- ISBN
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9780399525179
- ASIN
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0399525173
- Language
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English
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In the United States, given our rates of mother and infant mortality, any woman giving birth must be well-prepared (both metaphorically and perhaps even literally). This book may not be the ultimate authority on the subject, but it serves as an excellent starting point for those who wish to educate themselves about the often overwhelming world of having a baby in the 21st century. Especially if you have a natural-curious inclination, this book can provide valuable insights and information. It offers a comprehensive look at the various aspects of childbirth, including different birthing methods, prenatal care, and postnatal recovery. By reading this book, you can gain a better understanding of the options available to you and make more informed decisions about your pregnancy and childbirth experience. Whether you are a first-time mother or have given birth before, this book can help you feel more confident and empowered during this important time in your life.
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This is clearly written from the perspective of natural childbirth and midwifery. However, even if that's not your preference, this is still an excellent read. For example, I visit a medical doctor and will be having my baby in a hospital, yet I believe in holistic care and simple interventions before resorting to surgery. Therefore, this book was exactly what I was looking for. It factually and comprehensively explains what occurs during labor and delivery, the reasons behind why different procedures are carried out in specific ways, and the available options. It also discusses how some practices are extremely outdated and/or not even based on evidence. As I mentioned, I see an obstetrician, but I have a great admiration for midwives and think they are wonderful. This book simply serves as a reminder that women have rights and choices, and that childbirth is a natural process, not a disease that requires "fixing". At the end of the book, all the research studies used in compiling the information are listed. Although I didn't read them, I appreciated their inclusion. I really liked this book a great deal. :)
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I think I would have had a more favorable impression of this book if it weren't for the expectations set by the title. 'Thinking' implies facts. Lots of facts. It does not imply opinions. Ms. Goer, however, has chosen to do our thinking for us. This book clearly has an agenda, and an opinion. The book strongly advocates for low-intervention birth in place of the highly medicalized lawsuit-shy assembly line which has become the norm in the modern US. Honestly, I largely agree with her that this philosophy needs to be supported and spread - and it certainly takes more autonomy than just doing whatever the first doctor you find in the phonebook says you should. However, I would think that a 'thinking woman' would want to see the pros and cons and make her own decision. This book is rather too shy on hard research to really support that. Henci explains the points she agrees with much more strongly than the points against her. Again, I don't really think she's wrong, but in this frame it feels biased and manipulative. I truly believe that the facts stand well enough on their own, and trying to spin them like they are in this book only weakens them. So, this book is OK. It leans more towards a philosophical argument than a factual guide. It doesn't say anything truly stupid, but it does continue in the great pregnancy book tradition of talking down to the reader. There are others which I preferred. It could have been a more comprehensive and objective resource if it had presented a more balanced view and included more in-depth research. As it stands, it may be useful for those who are already inclined towards the author's观点, but it may not convince those who are more skeptical or looking for a more evidence-based approach.
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Read for my Doula training. Even after having 4 children of my own, this reading experience opened up so many new and exciting ideas for me. I thought I knew a lot about childbirth and parenting from my personal experiences, but this training has shown me that there is still so much more to learn. The materials I have been reading have introduced me to different birthing techniques, relaxation methods, and ways to support expectant mothers during labor and delivery. It has also made me more aware of the emotional and psychological aspects of childbirth, and how important it is to provide a calm and reassuring environment for the mother. I am looking forward to applying these new ideas and techniques in my future work as a Doula, and helping other women have a positive and empowering childbirth experience.
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This is a really good read. From a scientific perspective, it's definite that I'm getting old at this point. However, it's still extremely thought provoking. The article presents various ideas and concepts that make one stop and think deeply about different aspects of life and aging. It makes me reflect on how our bodies change over time and how we can adapt and make the most of the later stages of life. Despite the fact that aging is an inevitable process, there are still many things we can do to stay healthy and engaged. This article serves as a reminder that we should continue to learn and grow, regardless of our age. It encourages us to look at the positive side of getting older and to embrace the wisdom and experiences that come with it. Overall, it's a great piece that offers valuable insights and food for thought.
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Overall, this book was informative and definitely worth reading. I do agree with the overall conclusion, yet I'm rather disappointed with the method employed. The author's initial premise of presenting the facts in such a way that a thinking individual could evaluate their options wasn't truly achieved. There was a blatant bias towards natural birth that was evident not only in the tone but also in the obscure presentation of data and the contradictory logic. The tone of the book was extremely negative regarding hospital births, with repetitive statements highlighting the dangers of giving birth in a hospital. Once again, I'm inclined to concur with the overall message, but as a thinking person, I don't desire the author's opinions. Instead, I crave facts, and those weren't always forthcoming. Compared to many other books, this one did a good job of summarizing the literature and actually provided a bibliography. However, what it often failed to do was offer an apples-to-apples comparison. In numerous cases, the author would give a statistic on how little help a particular intervention would have, such as epidurals, cesareans, or oxytocin, and then list a litany of possible complications associated with these interventions without providing data on the frequency of these associated complications. For example, stating "it has a 1% chance of helping, and look at all the crazy side effects!" But what is the expected probability of a side effect? I'm willing to take a 1% chance of something helping if it only has a 0.001% chance of causing a problem. Without giving the expected incidence of complications, the entire description is actually quite worthless. In other instances, the author does give numbers for both but presents them in a way that makes it an equally useless explanation. For example, "technique X will decrease infant mortality by 0.1%, but it is likely that 10 mothers will die from it each year." Either present the number of infants that will be saved or present the percentage of mothers that will die. Without comparing apples to apples, this is a useless statement! Finally, there were points where the author refuted someone else's logic and then made the mistake of using the same logic herself. The author criticized the obstetrician for making an assumption without considering other factors, but then made the same error by assuming the reverse. Overall, I liked the book as it was informative and provided good references for further exploration. However, the clear bias was a significant problem for me. It was frustrating not to be given comparable statistics. If you weren't really interested in the science and just wanted to be told what to think, this book might be fine for you. But when someone shows such an overt bias, I can't help but wonder about their process for writing the book. Did they only include studies that supported their beliefs? Did they misrepresent facts or present them in an obscure way to make their point seem unassailable? It definitely makes me want to dig deeper.
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This article is truly very well written and extremely easy to read. It meticulously takes through all the interventions one step at a time, presenting both the pros and cons. For those individuals who are desirous of having a baby, this article comes highly recommended as a reading material. It provides a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the various aspects related to the process of having a baby. The clear and concise way in which the information is presented makes it accessible to a wide range of readers. Whether one is a first-time parent or someone who has some prior knowledge, this article offers valuable insights and considerations. It helps readers make more informed decisions and be better prepared for the journey of having a baby. Overall, it is an excellent resource that should not be overlooked by anyone with the intention of starting a family.
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