Laboring Well

by Elizabeth Allen

Many things have changed in society, but one thing will never change: having a baby is one of the most significant events in the life of a woman. It’s a day that touches her life forever. As the day approaches, you probably have many thoughts and feelings, hopes and dreams swirling in your heart. If you’re still sorting through them all, this is the book for you.
No one understands the joys and challenges that women face during childbirth like the nurses who care for them each and every day. With refreshing candor and warm humor, Elizabeth Allen shares stories and insights from 20 years of caring for women and their babies as they journey through birth. She offers a unique, intimate, insider’s perspective, answering questions like:
• How will I know when I’m in labor?
• What pain management options will be available to me?
• Am I a good candidate for natural labor?
• Is out-of-hospital birth right for me?
• What should I do if things don’t go exactly as I hoped?

Laboring Well offers you everything you need to know as you look forward to your special day. Many women want to know if there are things that they can do to help the process go well, and Elizabeth focuses on just this thing. She shares ideas for preparing not only your body for labor, but more importantly, your mind. Laboring Well is written uniquely for first-time moms, but all moms will find valuable insights and important truths.
Elizabeth Allen helps you understand what labor is and what to expect as you journey through the process. With honesty and sensitivity, she seeks to remove any fears that may be lurking in your heart. She shares secrets that will help you manage the challenges and cope with the uncertainties. She offers helpful information about pain management options that will help you prepare for the road ahead. She discusses the pros and cons of different strategies, ranging from alternative therapies to epidural anesthesia. She also offers essential insights for those who hope to accomplish a natural, un-medicated birth.
Elizabeth discusses how each labor is different and explains why it's important for you to resist the temptation to compare yourself to others. She talks about the things that you can control and, more importantly, what to do about those things that you can’t control. She shares how expectations can lead to a more challenging experience and set you up for disappointment. Revealing her heart, she expresses the hope that women will never lose sight of the things that are most important.
Elizabeth also gives you a glimpse into what labor is like for the baby. She explores some of the new ideas about birth, discussing whether things like underwater birth or self-birth pose any risks for the baby. With intimate knowledge, she helps clarify some of the most sensitive topics circling through the world of childbirth today. Elizabeth also offers valuable insights on the differences between all of the different doctors and midwives offering care to pregnant women.
Elizabeth Allen brings a well-travelled, common sense perspective to her book. Having experienced birth in some of the most unique corners of the globe, she understands the challenges of birth in a way that few Americans can. From the deserts of the Middle East, to the highlands of Eastern Africa, Elizabeth has cared for women surrounded by modern technology and deep poverty. She's delivered babies for the Bedouin and taught midwifery students in Southeast Asia. Her global travels have not only enriched her life, but have taught her to appreciate the gifts available to those of us in North America.
Whatever your hopes or dreams, Laboring Well will help you prepare for one of the most exciting journeys of your life. As you explore the joys, challenges and controversies surrounding birth, you’ll be better prepared for making good decisions. You’ll also gain a deeper appreciation for just how much doctors, midwives and nurses care for you and your baby.

213 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2012

About the author

Elizabeth Allen loves taking care of people. In the 28 years she's worked as a registered nurse, 20 of those have been dedicated to caring for women journeying through childbirth. Elizabeth is passionate about good care and has spent many years transferring her love of patient care to both students and nurses.

Elizabeth brings a well-travelled, common sense perspective to her book. Having experienced birth in some of the most unique corners of the globe, she understands the challenges of birth in a way that few Americans can. From the deserts of the Middle East, to the highlands of Eastern Africa, Elizabeth has cared for women surrounded both by modern technology and deep poverty. She's delivered babies for the Bedouin and taught midwifery students in Southeast Asia. Her global travels have not only enriched her life, but have taught her to appreciate the gifts available to those of us in North America.

Elizabeth currently teaches nursing part-time at a private university, and works part-time in the hospital setting. On sunny days, she escapes from the bustle of the city and wanders in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest mountains.

Reviews

[Samm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Gives a good overview of labor and delivery. There is some bias to it, but it is always announced. Well researched along with personal anecdotes. It definitely changed my thinking about labor and delivery, for the better. I feel more prepared for that special day!

[Kassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is like having coffee with the most experienced labor nurse and your personal advocate. I appreciated Elizabeth Allen's balanced perspective on labor and deliver options in the United States. The book is filled with both facts and anecdotes, which made it an enjoyable read. This might be my favorite birth and labor read yet.
A note on obtaining a copy: This book was recommended by a colleague, but I was unable to get it through inter-library loan- very few libraries in our system had a copy and those that did had strict borrowing rules. The hardcover option was pricey on Amazon, but the $2.99 Kindle edition was well worth the purchase.

[Merve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview of labour

Good overview of the process of labour. Short book. Engaging narration more about the medical experiences then the spiritual /coping mechanisms if that is what you are looking to read.

[Jamie Polivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very pro hospital birth—which isn’t a bad thing. It’s good to hear the perspective of a nurse. More like a “what to expect” in every birthing situation. Good for first timers, not as interesting for second timers.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written from the perspective of a labor and delivery nurse, this book was interesting and she writes in a casual voice, like talking to your aunt or next door neighbor. However, she can also be a bit condescending in that same annoying overbearing family member way... I almost stopped reading when I read the sentence, "Did you know you have three holes down there?" and then she defined them - I mean, really? At times her bias against the natural birth movement was pretty clear, to the point where she seems offended and takes it personally that many women aren't thrilled with their hospital birth experience. From her angle, nurses and doctors just hate to see us in pain, so they just want to give us drugs and epidurals to feel better; their hearts are in the right place. She makes some good points here and there and tries to stay neutral and give it all perspective, so it's not too bad if you're looking for a natural birth. In fact, she gives a lot of recommendations for strategies to use and mindsets to have if you do want to go natural and talks about the best personalities and situations for birthing and how to avoid disappointment and guilt if things don't go as planned. In some ways it's a defense argument against the documentary "The Business of Being Born" (which she refers to not by name), and it's interesting to hear the other side. As this debate continues and hospitals, OBs and midwives evolve their level of care, there will be more happy medium options available to women who are interested in natural birth in a clinical setting with options for less debilitating drugs beyond just the routine epi/oxy/whoops now we need a c-section storyline.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is extremely good at pointing out her bias, which is something, but despite all her good intentions to engage the "other side" she still comes off as extremely dismissive, however, it's worth nothing that she speaks that way from her own personal experiences. I honestly believe that she has her charges best interests at heart, and I was interested to read her counterarguments and pushback against the homebirth phenomenon. However, from my perspective, I just don't believe that hospitals and OBs really have those same best interests, and that, even if I were in some hospitals, asking again and again for different nurses trying to find one that understood me, I would sometimes be unlucky enough to get bad nurses.

Anyway, neither here nor there. The book itself is insightful and a great read, particularly if you're planning a hospital (and if your hospital is not awful).

[Jessica McFarland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my go-to recommendation for a "birth book." Calm, conversational, and packed with useful information - just the sort of pregnancy book every first time mom should read! I felt just like I was sitting with a very no-nonsense older woman who was shelling out her opinions (while always labeling them as such), dispensing some hard truths, and overall depicting a lovely, birth-positive experience no matter what sort of birth you actually have. I went into this book believing I would be running for an Epidural, and left it feeling like I could handle any sort of birth that came my way. The only people who might not like this book are those who plan to have thier child in in a forest glen, or perhaps die-hard home birth devotees (she understands this movement, but has several rational reasons why it is not always the best or safest choice). Loved it.

[Katie Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Allen's perspective on birth comes from thousands of births that she has been a part of. I appreciated her overview. I think she gives the hospital infrastructure more credit than it sometimes may deserve but she works "inside the system", so that doesn't surprise me. As a first time momma, this book provided many insights into the birthing process and helped me to unravel some of my thoughts as I approach the labor process. I really appreciated her emphasis on a SUCCESSFUL birth experience is when baby is happy and healthy. Sorta wish she had shared a few more anecdotes. Overall though, I got a lot out of this book.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

Very informative

Helpful. Written by a very open minded and compassionate labor and delivery nurse. Author doesn't sugar coat anything and gives you a very honest overview of what to expect during multiple types of deliveries.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good information for a first time mom.