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Gentle Birth Choices
Birth as every woman would like it to be
• Recommended by Lamaze International as one of the top ten books for pregnant women and their families
• Includes a 60-minute DVD of six live gentle births
• More than 32,000 copies sold of the original edition
New parents are faced with a myriad of choices about pregnancy, labor, and birth. In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals.
The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.
• Recommended by Lamaze International as one of the top ten books for pregnant women and their families
• Includes a 60-minute DVD of six live gentle births
• More than 32,000 copies sold of the original edition
New parents are faced with a myriad of choices about pregnancy, labor, and birth. In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals.
The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
27 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 3, 2009
This book put me on the path to choosing exactly what I wanted for my first birth. Too often, I hear women say "Well, I'll just go with the hospital and whatever the doctor says for the first birth, and see how it goes, and choose what I want for the next one", not realizing that the first birth sets the course for every subsequent one. My kids were born gently at home in the environment _I_ chose.
January 26, 2012
This textbook-sized book had quite a bit of information. I skipped the section on VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) because it does not apply to me. The DVD that came with it showed water births that took place in the 1980s or something. It is not needed if you have read the book.
Notes:
Ingredients for a Gentle Birth
-reassuring environment
-freedom to move
-quiet
-low light (darkness, candles, firelight)
A joint UK study on health technologies released in 2000 stated that after over a year of evaluations, routine ultrasound "has not been shown to confer any benefit to either mother or baby".
Ultrasound should not be used to determine the size of a baby as it is predominantly wrong.
AFP & Triple Screen tests are to see if the baby has a possibility for the top birth defects, but it can have false positives which would lead to more invasive testing. If you're not going to terminate, there is no reason to have these tests.
Amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling are both invasive procedures and have a higher chance of causing harm to the baby or even miscarriage.
An alternative to the GTT (gestational diabetes test) is to measure the blood sugar levels two hours after a heavy meal and encourage the woman to do normal activities to process the glucose.
GBS (Group B Streptococcus)
If positive, get a retest to make sure it wasn't a false positive.
If positive again, doses are given to the other of antibiotics of ampicillin or Penicillin.
If you are NOT positive, do NOT take antibiotics as they lead to antibiotic resistant strains of illness in newborns.
85% of birthing women in U.S. are considered low risk as they enter the hospital. However, 100% of women receive at least one intervention in labor. The majority of cesareans are a result of being in the hospital. The interventions that are used produce a "cascade effect" that leads to cesarean.
***The average first pregnancy lasts 41 weeks 3 days.***
Do not use Pitocin
risks to the mother
-higher rate of complicated labor and delivery
-more use of analgesia or anesthesia b/c of intensity of contractions
-postpartum hemorrhage
-higher rate of ruptured uterus and placental separation which may to death of the mother or baby
risks to the baby
-fetal distress
-higher rate of jaundice
-greater chance of premature baby
-low Apgar score at 5 minutes
-permanent central nervous system or brain damage
-fetal death
There is also a possible link between Pitocin and autism.
DO NOT USE PROSTAGLANDIN E2 (cervidil or Prepidil) AND ESPECIALLY NOT MISOPROSTOL (CYTOTEC). Ridiculously unsafe and not intended for labor.
There are SEVERAL reasons NOT to have an epidural.
Alternatives:
-move about freely
-change positions
-stay off your back
-take a shower or bath
-use non-pharmacological pain relief
-emotional support and encouragement such as a hand to hold or someone to rub your back
Episiotomies are not needed. Take your time pushing to ease the head out. Being in warm water will loosen the perineum or applying a warm compress. Be in an upright position to let gravity help.
Eat and drink during labor (even if only spoonfuls of honey) to maintain stamina. Eating at the hospital is generally not allowed in case there is an emergency and you need anesthesia. You could throw up from it, but the way to overcome that would be to suction out the stomach contents. It's just easier for the hospital to deny food and run an IV.
Keep the baby with you to create the deep bond brought on by chemicals released during birth. The nurseries at hospitals are bacteria-infested anyway.
"Recognizing and dealing with these emotions, having maximum physical contact with the baby, and being supported by the entire family during and immediately after the birth will often prevent what medical experts have labeled postpartum depression."
Water births can ease labor pain, loosen muscles and, in general, relax the mother. A baby will not breathe in the water. It is still getting oxygen through the cord, but babies need to be brought out of the water as soon as they are fully born.
Dr. Michael Rosenthal, who transformed his traditional obstetrics to a non-interventionist approach, had this to say, "All their lives women have gotten into baths when they were uncomfortable. They use a warm bath for menstrual cramps or when they've had a bad day. Women expect a warm bath to relax them, and it works." Women came from as far away as Alaska to have a water birth at his center in California.
Labors are shorter if a labor pattern is well-established before entering the birth pool.
Length and quality of sleep in the last month of pregnancy even effected the length of labor and the outcome.
Practice meditation on a daily basis to help deal with emotions and have "inner-mindfulness".
Take "prenatal love breaks" several times a day. Slow down, listen quietly to peaceful music, breathe deeply, converse with the baby, massage your belly, look at lovely things, think good thoughts and speak only positive words.
Exercise! There is prenatal yoga, prenatal pilates and prenatal aquatic exercise which has aquatic yoga. Mothers reported healthier, more alert babies who slept and nursed better and spent less time being fussy when they took their infants to postnatal swim club.
-Visualization
such as The Wave, The Rose, The Candle, just something to focus on in the minds-eye or that is physically there
-HypnoBirthing
relax, breathe and use imagery
-Vocalization
open the throat, make natural sounds and relax the jaw
-Acupuncture or Acupressure
regular sessions have been reported to cure nausea and prolonged vominiting
can help to induce labor in those women that face drug-facilitated induction
improved energy and biochemical balance to stimulate the body's natural healing abilities
-Affirmations
positive statements to repeat
-Prayer
women are closer to the spiritual when in labor
experience the divine nature of the creative power within
(Lithuanian women get a new handsewn white dress and a necklace of amber, wood and clay to signify their closeness to the earth)
Keep an "emotional" journal during pregnancy
Some couples hire a midwife but also see an obstetrician so they have help available in case of an emergency.
Notes:
Ingredients for a Gentle Birth
-reassuring environment
-freedom to move
-quiet
-low light (darkness, candles, firelight)
A joint UK study on health technologies released in 2000 stated that after over a year of evaluations, routine ultrasound "has not been shown to confer any benefit to either mother or baby".
Ultrasound should not be used to determine the size of a baby as it is predominantly wrong.
AFP & Triple Screen tests are to see if the baby has a possibility for the top birth defects, but it can have false positives which would lead to more invasive testing. If you're not going to terminate, there is no reason to have these tests.
Amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling are both invasive procedures and have a higher chance of causing harm to the baby or even miscarriage.
An alternative to the GTT (gestational diabetes test) is to measure the blood sugar levels two hours after a heavy meal and encourage the woman to do normal activities to process the glucose.
GBS (Group B Streptococcus)
If positive, get a retest to make sure it wasn't a false positive.
If positive again, doses are given to the other of antibiotics of ampicillin or Penicillin.
If you are NOT positive, do NOT take antibiotics as they lead to antibiotic resistant strains of illness in newborns.
85% of birthing women in U.S. are considered low risk as they enter the hospital. However, 100% of women receive at least one intervention in labor. The majority of cesareans are a result of being in the hospital. The interventions that are used produce a "cascade effect" that leads to cesarean.
***The average first pregnancy lasts 41 weeks 3 days.***
Do not use Pitocin
risks to the mother
-higher rate of complicated labor and delivery
-more use of analgesia or anesthesia b/c of intensity of contractions
-postpartum hemorrhage
-higher rate of ruptured uterus and placental separation which may to death of the mother or baby
risks to the baby
-fetal distress
-higher rate of jaundice
-greater chance of premature baby
-low Apgar score at 5 minutes
-permanent central nervous system or brain damage
-fetal death
There is also a possible link between Pitocin and autism.
DO NOT USE PROSTAGLANDIN E2 (cervidil or Prepidil) AND ESPECIALLY NOT MISOPROSTOL (CYTOTEC). Ridiculously unsafe and not intended for labor.
There are SEVERAL reasons NOT to have an epidural.
Alternatives:
-move about freely
-change positions
-stay off your back
-take a shower or bath
-use non-pharmacological pain relief
-emotional support and encouragement such as a hand to hold or someone to rub your back
Episiotomies are not needed. Take your time pushing to ease the head out. Being in warm water will loosen the perineum or applying a warm compress. Be in an upright position to let gravity help.
Eat and drink during labor (even if only spoonfuls of honey) to maintain stamina. Eating at the hospital is generally not allowed in case there is an emergency and you need anesthesia. You could throw up from it, but the way to overcome that would be to suction out the stomach contents. It's just easier for the hospital to deny food and run an IV.
Keep the baby with you to create the deep bond brought on by chemicals released during birth. The nurseries at hospitals are bacteria-infested anyway.
"Recognizing and dealing with these emotions, having maximum physical contact with the baby, and being supported by the entire family during and immediately after the birth will often prevent what medical experts have labeled postpartum depression."
Water births can ease labor pain, loosen muscles and, in general, relax the mother. A baby will not breathe in the water. It is still getting oxygen through the cord, but babies need to be brought out of the water as soon as they are fully born.
Dr. Michael Rosenthal, who transformed his traditional obstetrics to a non-interventionist approach, had this to say, "All their lives women have gotten into baths when they were uncomfortable. They use a warm bath for menstrual cramps or when they've had a bad day. Women expect a warm bath to relax them, and it works." Women came from as far away as Alaska to have a water birth at his center in California.
Labors are shorter if a labor pattern is well-established before entering the birth pool.
Length and quality of sleep in the last month of pregnancy even effected the length of labor and the outcome.
Practice meditation on a daily basis to help deal with emotions and have "inner-mindfulness".
Take "prenatal love breaks" several times a day. Slow down, listen quietly to peaceful music, breathe deeply, converse with the baby, massage your belly, look at lovely things, think good thoughts and speak only positive words.
Exercise! There is prenatal yoga, prenatal pilates and prenatal aquatic exercise which has aquatic yoga. Mothers reported healthier, more alert babies who slept and nursed better and spent less time being fussy when they took their infants to postnatal swim club.
-Visualization
such as The Wave, The Rose, The Candle, just something to focus on in the minds-eye or that is physically there
-HypnoBirthing
relax, breathe and use imagery
-Vocalization
open the throat, make natural sounds and relax the jaw
-Acupuncture or Acupressure
regular sessions have been reported to cure nausea and prolonged vominiting
can help to induce labor in those women that face drug-facilitated induction
improved energy and biochemical balance to stimulate the body's natural healing abilities
-Affirmations
positive statements to repeat
-Prayer
women are closer to the spiritual when in labor
experience the divine nature of the creative power within
(Lithuanian women get a new handsewn white dress and a necklace of amber, wood and clay to signify their closeness to the earth)
Keep an "emotional" journal during pregnancy
Some couples hire a midwife but also see an obstetrician so they have help available in case of an emergency.
February 6, 2017
I liked this one way more. Left me feeling confident about giving birth!
January 18, 2022
Obviously a bit dated since the most recent edition came out in 2005. But if you research the updated statistics mentioned on your own and take the bias towards home birth with a grain of salt, the history of the gentle birth methods are interesting and I personally found use in the birth plan chapter. I believe it’s always helpful to know all your options so you can form your own opinions and make the best decisions for yourself and your baby.
June 4, 2023
Nice introduction to gentle birth and why it's important for the health and psyche of the mother and baby. Meandered into some speculation at times but I enjoyed all the water births.
August 30, 2013
*I don't know why you can't do half stars... I would prefer this to be 3 1/2*
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. As with any of the Natural Childbirth Movement Books, there were graphic pictures of women laboring, even pictures post birth where mom and baby bare all. The other typical thing in this book is the "New Agey"-ness of it. Even though this was written by a professing Christan, I still found the new agey-ness to be a part of it, and less Christ-centered, though she acknowledges Christ and even has a section on how religion helps during labor, albeit *any* religion you adhere to. My biggest complaint would be the extremely typical socialistic lens with which so many natural birth advocates push for "every woman" to have quality care and that the government needs to intervene and make this happen. One of the positives of the natural childbirth movement is that the consumers (pregnant mommas and the dads) are requesting/demanding the quality care *they* want to receive, and though it is not widespread or common, they have more of a say in what they receive. If the government starts all these policies and handing out free medical care to everyone, it's just another sphere where the government dictates how it will be done. And there is no exception in her book. I find this contradiction ironic, wanting women to have a say in their birth when the medical establishment does NOT want to change, while turning to the government to enact change... when government consistently restricts choices when the oversee things.
She gives a very informative history of childbirth in the U.S., the introduction of the medicalization of birth, the falling away of midwives, to bring back the latter and seeing birth as natural. She tackles the "Medical Myths" one by one, dispelling any expectant mom/dad's fears with facts and gentle explanations. She addresses the truth about drugs in labor, which is very helpful. She gives detailed information on midwifery, all the different types of certification and explains the differences in clear terms, easy to understand. She is a big advocate for water births in particular, so she goes in depth of the benefits as well as common and sensational water birth types all around the world. The New Agey stuff is when she talks about the "Mind Body Connection", which parts of it was helpful, and parts of it were a little strange. She gives extremely helpful tips for "creating your gentle birth choices" that are realistic. Her appendixes include questions for interviewing potential obstetricians or midwives, as well as a sample birth plan, a sample letter to a hospital (if you are wanting to help make change), and an extensive resources list.
By far one of the most *comprehensive* books on a wide variety of topics concerning pregnancy, labor, and birth, that I've read SO FAR. I would recommend to any pregnant woman, regardless of her view of natural birth. The history, data, facts, evidence, and mindfulness of this book is worth its weight in gold. After reading "Birth in Four Cultures" I was interested in more up to date statistics, and this book is current in the last 8-10 years, which is very helpful. Though I griped a little about things I didn't like, over all, I really and truly liked this book, despite the few drawbacks, and will read it again, and hopefully obtain my own copy in the future!
Personally, I gain confidence when I read books like these. It gives me reassurance that birth is natural, and to read the positive stories and testimonials in them are such an inspiration! I don't have nightmares of labor, but have gentle dreams and great anticipation toward what my experience might be. I believe this is due to reading books such as these. The more you know, the better prepared you will be.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. As with any of the Natural Childbirth Movement Books, there were graphic pictures of women laboring, even pictures post birth where mom and baby bare all. The other typical thing in this book is the "New Agey"-ness of it. Even though this was written by a professing Christan, I still found the new agey-ness to be a part of it, and less Christ-centered, though she acknowledges Christ and even has a section on how religion helps during labor, albeit *any* religion you adhere to. My biggest complaint would be the extremely typical socialistic lens with which so many natural birth advocates push for "every woman" to have quality care and that the government needs to intervene and make this happen. One of the positives of the natural childbirth movement is that the consumers (pregnant mommas and the dads) are requesting/demanding the quality care *they* want to receive, and though it is not widespread or common, they have more of a say in what they receive. If the government starts all these policies and handing out free medical care to everyone, it's just another sphere where the government dictates how it will be done. And there is no exception in her book. I find this contradiction ironic, wanting women to have a say in their birth when the medical establishment does NOT want to change, while turning to the government to enact change... when government consistently restricts choices when the oversee things.
She gives a very informative history of childbirth in the U.S., the introduction of the medicalization of birth, the falling away of midwives, to bring back the latter and seeing birth as natural. She tackles the "Medical Myths" one by one, dispelling any expectant mom/dad's fears with facts and gentle explanations. She addresses the truth about drugs in labor, which is very helpful. She gives detailed information on midwifery, all the different types of certification and explains the differences in clear terms, easy to understand. She is a big advocate for water births in particular, so she goes in depth of the benefits as well as common and sensational water birth types all around the world. The New Agey stuff is when she talks about the "Mind Body Connection", which parts of it was helpful, and parts of it were a little strange. She gives extremely helpful tips for "creating your gentle birth choices" that are realistic. Her appendixes include questions for interviewing potential obstetricians or midwives, as well as a sample birth plan, a sample letter to a hospital (if you are wanting to help make change), and an extensive resources list.
By far one of the most *comprehensive* books on a wide variety of topics concerning pregnancy, labor, and birth, that I've read SO FAR. I would recommend to any pregnant woman, regardless of her view of natural birth. The history, data, facts, evidence, and mindfulness of this book is worth its weight in gold. After reading "Birth in Four Cultures" I was interested in more up to date statistics, and this book is current in the last 8-10 years, which is very helpful. Though I griped a little about things I didn't like, over all, I really and truly liked this book, despite the few drawbacks, and will read it again, and hopefully obtain my own copy in the future!
Personally, I gain confidence when I read books like these. It gives me reassurance that birth is natural, and to read the positive stories and testimonials in them are such an inspiration! I don't have nightmares of labor, but have gentle dreams and great anticipation toward what my experience might be. I believe this is due to reading books such as these. The more you know, the better prepared you will be.
May 15, 2015
A very good book on alternative birth choices, if now a bit outdated, and although there is a long list of good references at the end, I would have liked to see some of the text cited in more formal ways. (And I'd still say Ina May's book was the most useful and best-written on the subject that I've read so far.) The chapter on water birth seems especially useful for people that choose that route. The DVD included here was repackaged with a "new" intro, but the original footage is very old--from the early 90s--yet, watching six births in an hour's time was useful for wrapping my head around the experience.
Ultimately, I was looking to use the book's drafted "birth plan" included at the end as a model for my own, but I found its language too overbearing for my situation and the type of relationships I've developed with my midwife and doctors. I guess I can look to others and adapt bits and pieces from here and there.
Ultimately, I was looking to use the book's drafted "birth plan" included at the end as a model for my own, but I found its language too overbearing for my situation and the type of relationships I've developed with my midwife and doctors. I guess I can look to others and adapt bits and pieces from here and there.
August 10, 2009
The book has a lot of interesting and informative facts for women. It details the struggle between midwives and ob/gyn folk in the U.S. The author claims to be empowering women- but really only gives details about midwives. I wish she detailed more about when to make sure a doctor is present. The book is a bit biased, and doesn't really empower women in terms of knowing when to see an ob/gyn (beyond saying that all midwives will bring in a doctor when necessary) in the rare cases that it is necessary/prudent. There is very good information about water births, the effects of drugs on newborns, etc.
The CD has amazing footage of women giving birth. This was powerful for me as I like to know what I'm getting into and to imagine what things will be like so that I feel prepared. Some parts are a bit cheesy.
The CD has amazing footage of women giving birth. This was powerful for me as I like to know what I'm getting into and to imagine what things will be like so that I feel prepared. Some parts are a bit cheesy.
July 21, 2009
Maybe it's just because I've encountered a bazillion books lately on this type of subject, but I found myself bored/unimpressed by this read overall. It seemed a bit propoganda-ish at times in the emotion-charged writing style. I did like the way it is formatted like a reference book however, which meant I could easily find the topics I was interested in and then skip the sections/chapters I didn't feel inclined to read. One more interesting note: this book comes with a dvd attached, and there were a few beautiful birth videos on it which I would recommend anybody watching if they want a good dose of warm fuzzy feelings. Unfortunately the dvd did not have sections/chapters like the book itself, so I had a tricky time skipping through the births I did not want to watch (I only watched the pain free ones).
July 10, 2023
This book was incredibly helpful during the planning of our last birth. It has lots of great information presented in a way that makes the reader feel empowered to make the best choices for them. With our first child we had the typical hospital birth with a doctor. After reading this, I felt more comfortable seeking out a better choice for me, and we had our second child at a birth center with a midwife. I can't overstate how much better this experience was. I understand that there are plenty of reasons that people might choose a hospital birth, but no matter what someone chooses, it should be an informed choice. This book helped me make the best choice for me, and I had a wonderful experience outside a hospital setting.
May 22, 2015
2.5 stars. A bit of decent info, but holy crap but it is hippie-dippy. Not good hippie either, but new age, psychic, touchy feeling creepy hippie. Also the author needs to learn the difference between 'sensual' and 'sensuous,' because she was (I hope!) using the latter in place of the former unintentionally, causing some really creepy innuendo.
September 3, 2010
This is one of several required books I'm reading in order to become a certified birth doula.
November 17, 2012
A lot of the information in this book was not new to me due to how much I have already read, but it would be new to the average American person. I like that the book is indexed, making it very easy for you to read what is significant for you. I also liked rereading what I had already learned, because it strengthens the new position I am taking, to hear the same information reported by a completely different source.
If you read the book before watching the DVD, there is no new information on the DVD. If you have never seen birth though (real birth not faked birth from a movie or sitcom), then it is a really good idea to watch the DVD to get a better idea of what it is really like. (Although as a warning, a lot of the women felt more comfortable birthing completely naked. It is, of course, not sexual in nature—she's very busy giving birth and just felt more comfortable that way, and it definitely makes it easy for the baby to have skin-to-skin contact and nurse immediately.)
I've read some reviews on here where women wrote that the author made it seem like C-sections and doctors are evil. That is not the vibe I received from the book. What I gathered from the book is that she believes doctors and C-sections are very necessary but unfortunately overused. The American C-section rate is somewhere over 30% of births. The rest of modernized countries are at more like 10 or 15%. And in the four countries that lose the fewest babies, only 30% of births are overseen by a doctor (and a high percentage of those are seen by a doctor and midwife), and the other 70% are overseen only by a midwife. In the US, the vast majority of births are overseen by a doctor—and we have more mothers and babies die than they do. To me, I understood that she thinks OBs are important for the high risk cases where a specialized surgeon is needed, but for all other pregnant women (low risk, healthy women) there is just no need for them, and in some cases, having an OB present and following the hospital model of birth can make a woman go from low risk to high risk, due to the unnatural conditions surrounding her labor and the medical interventions used.
My main goal in having Americans read this book is to realize that there are other options available to families for childbirth.
Too often I hear women say (and indeed I said it as well) "all I want is a healthy baby." While we all do want healthy babies, no one teaches women that most babies will be healthy when birthed naturally and that when you give all of your freedom over to the hospital and OB you lose out on an experience that can be life changing. Women who give birth naturally obviously report that birth was hard, but they usually also describe it as amazing or empowering or incredible. They can move immediately. Their babies are more alert. Their babies are never taken from them and can nurse immediately. The mothers are not weak from being denied food and drink during the hardest physical activity they've ever undergone. The mothers have full movement of their body with no side effects from drugs. And their babies are born with no drugs in their systems.
"This gentle book beautifully conveys the magic, wonder, and excitement of birth as it can be—when women approach it as a natural process they can trust, and when practitioners remember to honor its sacredness." My opinion: How often do you hear American women talking like that? That birth can be magical and exciting and something that their body was specifically created to do? Or do you usually hear "I have a scheduled C-section, because the baby is too big" or "I am so scared" or "I don't think I can handle the pain." American women are not taught how to handle the power of their bodies.
Medical practitioners are not trained to "enable women to make truly informed choices by providing full information about the risks of interventions or about the potential benefits for women giving birth on their own with the support of low-tech aids like doulas, massage, eating and drinking during labor, walking, immersion in water."
"The United States offers the most technically advanced obstetrical care in the world. Ninety-eight percent of all births in the United States take place in hospitals, and the majority of them are attended by physicians. Yet when this country is compared worldwide, it ranks only thirty-first in maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates, with 6.63 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births. (Mortality reflects the number of deaths and morbidity reflects the number of illnesses associated with birth.) Every single European nation has better maternal and infant outcomes than the United States. As of 2004 one of the safest countries in the world in which to have a baby was Sweden, with only 2.7 deaths per 1,000 births. The majority of the industrialized nations that have good statistics have one thing in common that the United States lacks—midwives, and lots of them, who see birth as normal and natural and are the gatekeepers for all pregnant women." All the emphases are mine.
"Many doctors throughout the world feel that if birth is allowed to proceed normally, at least 75 percent of the time it will take place without any complications that require intervention. But in hospitals in United States, interventions are routinely used in more than 90 percent of all births."
"Before describing the important elements of gentle birth, I want to point out that these are merely suggestions. Gentle birth is not a method or set of rules that must be followed. Rather, it is an approach to birth that incorporates a woman's own values and beliefs. Every birth is a powerful experience—sometimes painful, always transformational. Each birth is as unique as the woman giving birth and the baby being born."
"When women realize that their bodies really know how to give birth and that their babies know how to be born, they gain confidence." My opinion: How can women accept that their body knew how to create a baby out of a tiny little embryo and then turn around and not believe that their body will know how to birth the same baby that it created?
"A gentle birth takes place when a woman is supported by the people she chooses to be with during this most intimate time. She needs to be loved and nurtured by those around her so she can feel comfortable and secure enough to follow her natural instincts. A birthing woman must be trusted so she can in turn trust herself, her body, her partner, her baby, and this process of giving birth. Her intuition must be respected. During a natural gentle birth, a woman feels and sense the power of birth and uses this energy to transform every part of her own being. A gentle birth is not rushed. The baby emerges at its own pace and in its own time, and is received into the hands of those who love and recognize it for the divine gift that it is."
"Hospitals have made remarkable changes, especially in decor, and adopted policies which make integrating natural birth options easier, but most institutions continue to treat birth as a potential dangerous, life-threatening medical problem rather than a naturally occurring life process."
"For many years women have accepted the myth that their bodies are inadequate to birth their babies without a physician's directions and interventions. Women are encouraged to doubt their bodies' wisdom, their physical strength, and their intuition. In labor and birth a woman waits for the doctor to tell her when to "push" and accepts that an episiotomy may be best or that childbirth is unbearable without pain medication."
"For U.S. midwife-attended births the mortality rate drops to 2.1 deaths per 1,000 live births as compared to the overall U.S. figure of 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births." (The 6.63 number before was infant mortality and morbidity; this 6.3 is just mortality.)
"Eighty-five percent of birthing women in the United States are considered low-risk as they enter the hospital, but 100 percent of women receive at least one intervention in labor. The sad fact is that the majority of cesareans are the result of being in the hospital."
"The results of this two-year study showed that the infant death rate in hospitals was 12 per 1,000 live births, whereas the death rate for planned, attended home births was 4 per 1,000 live births. The infant death rate in unplanned or unattended home births soared to 120 per 1,000." When planned and attended by a doctor or midwife, home births are safer. Obviously, planning and the experience of the attending care giver is vital.
Japan is the third safest country in the world for babies to be born in; their infant mortality rate is 3.28 per 1,000 live births. "For every 250 midwives in Japan there is just one obstetrician."
"Every first mother I meet or speak with thinks that God should have designed pregnancy to last only thirty-eight weeks instead of a possible forty-two or more. . . . I reassure women every day that babies are born on their birthdays, not their due dates, and that the average first pregnancy lasts forty-one weeks and three days."
"Until recently, very little was known about how natural labors actually begin. Scientists knew that the release of oxytocin resulted in both uterine contractions and milk production. Pioneering research by scientists at Cornell University, Oxford in the United Kingdom, and the University of Auckland, New Zealand, confirms that a hormone is released from the baby's brain to initiate labor. Two hormones, corticol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), reach peak levels in the fetal bloodstream just before birth. . . . When the baby is ready for birth, a special part of its brain signals the fetal pituitary gland to secrete more cortisol." So inducing makes it so the baby is not allowed to signal when he or she is ready to come. It forces him or her out before that time. And I am not saying there are never legitimate reasons to induce; I am merely trying to show that it should be done for a legitimate reason and not just convenience. It is definitely overdone. "In the 1970s and 1980s it was rare to see an induction just for a pregnancy that was past forty-two weeks. . . . Induction is now the norm."
"We now have proof that elective inductions lead to twice as many cesareans as do labors that start on their own (including those with large babies)."
"The FDA removed its approval of Pitocin for the elective induction of labor in 1978." (It is still approved for medically necessary induction.)
I'm not going to type them here, because I'm sure you can find them on the internet, but before making your birthing choices, you should look up the risks associated with the use of Pitocin for mother and baby. The midst of labor is not the best time for a woman to be making decisions that she has not been previously educated on.
"The Physicians' Desk Reference lists all drugs manufactured in the United States and describes the possible side effects. Under each of the anesthetic agents commonly used for epidurals for women in labor, the Physicians' Desk Reference plainly states that there are no long-term studies on the effects of these drugs on the fetus. Nor have there been any long-term studies on the impact of these dugs on the child's life."
I am not saying that epidurals are evil. I just think they should be the last form of pain relief offered, rather than the first or only. Many women would be surprised to discover how much better they feel just by walking around, changing positions, getting in the shower, or getting in a tub.
"It is a woman's right to choose whether or not she wants drugs for pain relief; however, the general consensus in the United States is that most women need drugs to withstand the pain of childbirth. Unfortunately, many women have not been encouraged to experience their labor and birth without drugs but instead have been told that pain medication will make it bearable. It is not uncommon to hear women who may only be a few months pregnant already declaring that they will get an epidural as soon as they arrive at the hospital because they fear the pain of labor will be too great. In turn, out of a misguided sense of kindness, doctors and nurses who genuinely believe that drugs comfort a woman in labor and ease her pain are likely to encourage that woman to make use of the availability of drugs."
"A typical hospital scenario during a slow labor is to administer Pitocin, a synthetic version of oxytocin, which a laboring woman's body produces naturally. Pitocin is given in order to speed up and intensify contractions. Natural oxytocin is accompanied by a panoply of pain-neutralizing endorphins, absent in the synthetic version. So Pitocin interferes with the body's ability to cope with pain. Thus, when women are given Pitocin, they are often offered a painkiller or an epidural as well."
"In 1975 the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that there is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision, yet it is still practiced today upon non-consenting and unwitting male babies."
"There is a saying that simplifies the difference between the midwives model of care and the medical model: 'Midwives see birth as a miracle, and only mess with it if there's trouble. Obstetricians see birth as trouble, and if they don't mess with it, it's a miracle.' There are physicians who practice the midwives model of care and there are, unfortunately, midwives who don't practice it. Physicians and midwives who do follow the midwives model of care embrace a noninterventionist approach to childbearing that lets nature take its course during labor and birth."
"Besides 'eating for two,' research shows that 'sleeping for two' helps reduce stress levels. A report suggested that the length and quality of sleep in the last month of pregnancy even affected the length of labor and the outcome. Women who slept fewer than seven hours a night had a much greater incidence of cesarean births."
If you read the book before watching the DVD, there is no new information on the DVD. If you have never seen birth though (real birth not faked birth from a movie or sitcom), then it is a really good idea to watch the DVD to get a better idea of what it is really like. (Although as a warning, a lot of the women felt more comfortable birthing completely naked. It is, of course, not sexual in nature—she's very busy giving birth and just felt more comfortable that way, and it definitely makes it easy for the baby to have skin-to-skin contact and nurse immediately.)
I've read some reviews on here where women wrote that the author made it seem like C-sections and doctors are evil. That is not the vibe I received from the book. What I gathered from the book is that she believes doctors and C-sections are very necessary but unfortunately overused. The American C-section rate is somewhere over 30% of births. The rest of modernized countries are at more like 10 or 15%. And in the four countries that lose the fewest babies, only 30% of births are overseen by a doctor (and a high percentage of those are seen by a doctor and midwife), and the other 70% are overseen only by a midwife. In the US, the vast majority of births are overseen by a doctor—and we have more mothers and babies die than they do. To me, I understood that she thinks OBs are important for the high risk cases where a specialized surgeon is needed, but for all other pregnant women (low risk, healthy women) there is just no need for them, and in some cases, having an OB present and following the hospital model of birth can make a woman go from low risk to high risk, due to the unnatural conditions surrounding her labor and the medical interventions used.
My main goal in having Americans read this book is to realize that there are other options available to families for childbirth.
Too often I hear women say (and indeed I said it as well) "all I want is a healthy baby." While we all do want healthy babies, no one teaches women that most babies will be healthy when birthed naturally and that when you give all of your freedom over to the hospital and OB you lose out on an experience that can be life changing. Women who give birth naturally obviously report that birth was hard, but they usually also describe it as amazing or empowering or incredible. They can move immediately. Their babies are more alert. Their babies are never taken from them and can nurse immediately. The mothers are not weak from being denied food and drink during the hardest physical activity they've ever undergone. The mothers have full movement of their body with no side effects from drugs. And their babies are born with no drugs in their systems.
"This gentle book beautifully conveys the magic, wonder, and excitement of birth as it can be—when women approach it as a natural process they can trust, and when practitioners remember to honor its sacredness." My opinion: How often do you hear American women talking like that? That birth can be magical and exciting and something that their body was specifically created to do? Or do you usually hear "I have a scheduled C-section, because the baby is too big" or "I am so scared" or "I don't think I can handle the pain." American women are not taught how to handle the power of their bodies.
Medical practitioners are not trained to "enable women to make truly informed choices by providing full information about the risks of interventions or about the potential benefits for women giving birth on their own with the support of low-tech aids like doulas, massage, eating and drinking during labor, walking, immersion in water."
"The United States offers the most technically advanced obstetrical care in the world. Ninety-eight percent of all births in the United States take place in hospitals, and the majority of them are attended by physicians. Yet when this country is compared worldwide, it ranks only thirty-first in maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates, with 6.63 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births. (Mortality reflects the number of deaths and morbidity reflects the number of illnesses associated with birth.) Every single European nation has better maternal and infant outcomes than the United States. As of 2004 one of the safest countries in the world in which to have a baby was Sweden, with only 2.7 deaths per 1,000 births. The majority of the industrialized nations that have good statistics have one thing in common that the United States lacks—midwives, and lots of them, who see birth as normal and natural and are the gatekeepers for all pregnant women." All the emphases are mine.
"Many doctors throughout the world feel that if birth is allowed to proceed normally, at least 75 percent of the time it will take place without any complications that require intervention. But in hospitals in United States, interventions are routinely used in more than 90 percent of all births."
"Before describing the important elements of gentle birth, I want to point out that these are merely suggestions. Gentle birth is not a method or set of rules that must be followed. Rather, it is an approach to birth that incorporates a woman's own values and beliefs. Every birth is a powerful experience—sometimes painful, always transformational. Each birth is as unique as the woman giving birth and the baby being born."
"When women realize that their bodies really know how to give birth and that their babies know how to be born, they gain confidence." My opinion: How can women accept that their body knew how to create a baby out of a tiny little embryo and then turn around and not believe that their body will know how to birth the same baby that it created?
"A gentle birth takes place when a woman is supported by the people she chooses to be with during this most intimate time. She needs to be loved and nurtured by those around her so she can feel comfortable and secure enough to follow her natural instincts. A birthing woman must be trusted so she can in turn trust herself, her body, her partner, her baby, and this process of giving birth. Her intuition must be respected. During a natural gentle birth, a woman feels and sense the power of birth and uses this energy to transform every part of her own being. A gentle birth is not rushed. The baby emerges at its own pace and in its own time, and is received into the hands of those who love and recognize it for the divine gift that it is."
"Hospitals have made remarkable changes, especially in decor, and adopted policies which make integrating natural birth options easier, but most institutions continue to treat birth as a potential dangerous, life-threatening medical problem rather than a naturally occurring life process."
"For many years women have accepted the myth that their bodies are inadequate to birth their babies without a physician's directions and interventions. Women are encouraged to doubt their bodies' wisdom, their physical strength, and their intuition. In labor and birth a woman waits for the doctor to tell her when to "push" and accepts that an episiotomy may be best or that childbirth is unbearable without pain medication."
"For U.S. midwife-attended births the mortality rate drops to 2.1 deaths per 1,000 live births as compared to the overall U.S. figure of 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births." (The 6.63 number before was infant mortality and morbidity; this 6.3 is just mortality.)
"Eighty-five percent of birthing women in the United States are considered low-risk as they enter the hospital, but 100 percent of women receive at least one intervention in labor. The sad fact is that the majority of cesareans are the result of being in the hospital."
"The results of this two-year study showed that the infant death rate in hospitals was 12 per 1,000 live births, whereas the death rate for planned, attended home births was 4 per 1,000 live births. The infant death rate in unplanned or unattended home births soared to 120 per 1,000." When planned and attended by a doctor or midwife, home births are safer. Obviously, planning and the experience of the attending care giver is vital.
Japan is the third safest country in the world for babies to be born in; their infant mortality rate is 3.28 per 1,000 live births. "For every 250 midwives in Japan there is just one obstetrician."
"Every first mother I meet or speak with thinks that God should have designed pregnancy to last only thirty-eight weeks instead of a possible forty-two or more. . . . I reassure women every day that babies are born on their birthdays, not their due dates, and that the average first pregnancy lasts forty-one weeks and three days."
"Until recently, very little was known about how natural labors actually begin. Scientists knew that the release of oxytocin resulted in both uterine contractions and milk production. Pioneering research by scientists at Cornell University, Oxford in the United Kingdom, and the University of Auckland, New Zealand, confirms that a hormone is released from the baby's brain to initiate labor. Two hormones, corticol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), reach peak levels in the fetal bloodstream just before birth. . . . When the baby is ready for birth, a special part of its brain signals the fetal pituitary gland to secrete more cortisol." So inducing makes it so the baby is not allowed to signal when he or she is ready to come. It forces him or her out before that time. And I am not saying there are never legitimate reasons to induce; I am merely trying to show that it should be done for a legitimate reason and not just convenience. It is definitely overdone. "In the 1970s and 1980s it was rare to see an induction just for a pregnancy that was past forty-two weeks. . . . Induction is now the norm."
"We now have proof that elective inductions lead to twice as many cesareans as do labors that start on their own (including those with large babies)."
"The FDA removed its approval of Pitocin for the elective induction of labor in 1978." (It is still approved for medically necessary induction.)
I'm not going to type them here, because I'm sure you can find them on the internet, but before making your birthing choices, you should look up the risks associated with the use of Pitocin for mother and baby. The midst of labor is not the best time for a woman to be making decisions that she has not been previously educated on.
"The Physicians' Desk Reference lists all drugs manufactured in the United States and describes the possible side effects. Under each of the anesthetic agents commonly used for epidurals for women in labor, the Physicians' Desk Reference plainly states that there are no long-term studies on the effects of these drugs on the fetus. Nor have there been any long-term studies on the impact of these dugs on the child's life."
I am not saying that epidurals are evil. I just think they should be the last form of pain relief offered, rather than the first or only. Many women would be surprised to discover how much better they feel just by walking around, changing positions, getting in the shower, or getting in a tub.
"It is a woman's right to choose whether or not she wants drugs for pain relief; however, the general consensus in the United States is that most women need drugs to withstand the pain of childbirth. Unfortunately, many women have not been encouraged to experience their labor and birth without drugs but instead have been told that pain medication will make it bearable. It is not uncommon to hear women who may only be a few months pregnant already declaring that they will get an epidural as soon as they arrive at the hospital because they fear the pain of labor will be too great. In turn, out of a misguided sense of kindness, doctors and nurses who genuinely believe that drugs comfort a woman in labor and ease her pain are likely to encourage that woman to make use of the availability of drugs."
"A typical hospital scenario during a slow labor is to administer Pitocin, a synthetic version of oxytocin, which a laboring woman's body produces naturally. Pitocin is given in order to speed up and intensify contractions. Natural oxytocin is accompanied by a panoply of pain-neutralizing endorphins, absent in the synthetic version. So Pitocin interferes with the body's ability to cope with pain. Thus, when women are given Pitocin, they are often offered a painkiller or an epidural as well."
"In 1975 the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that there is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision, yet it is still practiced today upon non-consenting and unwitting male babies."
"There is a saying that simplifies the difference between the midwives model of care and the medical model: 'Midwives see birth as a miracle, and only mess with it if there's trouble. Obstetricians see birth as trouble, and if they don't mess with it, it's a miracle.' There are physicians who practice the midwives model of care and there are, unfortunately, midwives who don't practice it. Physicians and midwives who do follow the midwives model of care embrace a noninterventionist approach to childbearing that lets nature take its course during labor and birth."
"Besides 'eating for two,' research shows that 'sleeping for two' helps reduce stress levels. A report suggested that the length and quality of sleep in the last month of pregnancy even affected the length of labor and the outcome. Women who slept fewer than seven hours a night had a much greater incidence of cesarean births."
June 16, 2017
A lot of useful info and beautifully written.
April 23, 2019
A kinder approach to babies and mothers. Harper advocates for the safety and comfort of water birth.
September 13, 2011
All I can say is... wow. I've been really perturbed already from my varied reading (both pro- and con-hospital) about the way hospitals handle things (while realising, of course, that not every hospital birth is ALL bad, and that there are situations that legitimately require hospital births and c-sections).
Sometimes I think the author is a bit over the top and does come across with the idea that hospitals are evil incarnate, but the point remains that to birth at home is the safer, healthier way physically and emotionally for both mom and baby - most of the time. She shares some interesting studies and statistics relating to home vs. hospital birth and the ensuing infant mortality rates as well.
I've got to say that this book has definitely inspired in me a great longing to experience the birthing process, pain and all. I can honestly say I'm truly excited about it now, whereas before I really had no strong feelings one way or the other, just looking at it as something I have to do to get the baby in my arms.
Sometimes I think the author is a bit over the top and does come across with the idea that hospitals are evil incarnate, but the point remains that to birth at home is the safer, healthier way physically and emotionally for both mom and baby - most of the time. She shares some interesting studies and statistics relating to home vs. hospital birth and the ensuing infant mortality rates as well.
I've got to say that this book has definitely inspired in me a great longing to experience the birthing process, pain and all. I can honestly say I'm truly excited about it now, whereas before I really had no strong feelings one way or the other, just looking at it as something I have to do to get the baby in my arms.
November 1, 2007
I cannot think of a better book to prepare for childbirth. In planning my own natural childbirth, this book did not leave my side for nine months. For the expecting parent who desires a "gentle" birth, this is a great resource, or for anyone who may not be aware of the process of gentle birth. The book is definitely biased, I wont lie. The author has a certain outlook on childbirth, and she does not waiver.
The book does focus heavily on water birth, but is filled with a lot of great info regarding all types of birth processes. Highly recommended for any parents to be who are looking for more information than what they are getting at the doctors office.
The book does focus heavily on water birth, but is filled with a lot of great info regarding all types of birth processes. Highly recommended for any parents to be who are looking for more information than what they are getting at the doctors office.
September 25, 2008
I wouldn't put this at the top of my list for childbirth resources. Summary: Being born is stressful for baby. Make it less stressful by avoiding drugs and giving birth in a warm, quiet, dimly lit environment.
In an ideal world, we would recognize that most mothers have their baby’s best interests at heart. Rather than setting things up in an oppositional context (mom’s desires vs. baby’s needs), we would view childbirth through the lens of the loving mother and educate mothers to give birth in the way that’s healthiest for them, realizing that what’s best for mom is often what’s best for mom AND baby.
In an ideal world, we would recognize that most mothers have their baby’s best interests at heart. Rather than setting things up in an oppositional context (mom’s desires vs. baby’s needs), we would view childbirth through the lens of the loving mother and educate mothers to give birth in the way that’s healthiest for them, realizing that what’s best for mom is often what’s best for mom AND baby.
April 10, 2008
I got this from the library when I knew I was going to get to attend the birth of my sister's third baby, and even as someone who doesn't plan on having kids, I found it interesting and inspirational. Parts of it were too much for me (chanting pagan prayers while laboring? I have no right to judge...and still I do...) but I think it's so important for helping to normalize childbirth (and what are considered in our culture to be "fringe" choices) in a medical system that tends to treat it like a disease.
March 24, 2011
This book contradicts itself a lot. It basically tries to make you feel incredibly guilty if you don't want a no-drugs, no doctors, vaginal birth. Yet a lot of the reasons behind it come off hypocritical and ridiculous. When the author dedicates the book to her daughter then points out it's despite her cesarean, I basically lost all respect for her. The book is very informative, but like I said, isn't very kind to those of us who enjoy labor drugs and don't feel like failures for having our babies hacked out of us.
November 7, 2014
4.5 stars - I really loved this book. It's an excellent reference for information on waterbirth and it gives a lot of excellent information on the benefits of a gentle birth for mothers and babies. It has a good resource section in the back of questions to ask a provider and/or hospital, how to write a birth plan, and people to contact about doulas, birthing tubs, etc. Overall one of the better birth books I've read.
September 6, 2011
a very good resource! harper gives a concise view of the transition / movement from medicalized birthing practices to choices centered around the view that pregnancy / birthing is a natural phenomenon. she stresses that procedures and treatments can be avoided in most cases by faith in the natural process, trained midwives, supporting family members, and relaxation techniques. the accompanying dvd is also a great asset to harper's story.
January 4, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! Upon reading Chapter 1, I teared up. It was beautiful. This book is all about reclaiming birth for the mom and the baby and the family. It talks about how birth has become a medical process, but birth has been natural from the beginning, so there are things we can do to create a natural environment, even within a hospital setting. I was very glad to have this book as a resource, and I feel confident that I can make a good Birth Plan for my upcoming birth in April!
December 1, 2016
Overall, I liked Ina May's Guide to Childbirth better, but I still enjoyed and learned from it. It emphasized similar points and had a lot of useful information about waterbirths that Ina May did not talk about. It definitely inspired me to try for a waterbirth (without being unrealistically insistant :) ) There were some historical sections that were a bit boring, but maybe it was just my frame of mind while reading it. I would definitely recommend it to others!
August 7, 2022
I read this book for the first time when I was 14-15 while babysitting. I picked it up out of curiosity because I knew nothing about birth and couldn’t put it down (weird? Maybe). I just read it again and still found it fascinating and beautiful— it focuses on the power of women in birthing their babies, and I really love that. It also gives a lot of information about the birth process, non-medical pain management techniques, etc.
April 21, 2009
It started out good but lost my interest towards the end. I did, however, love the video (so I gave the book four stars because of the video). The book (or video)is not recommended for those who cannot handle pictures of naked pregnant women. And you have respect anyone who does all this woman has done to help babies have a gentle birth.
June 7, 2009
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It certainly put into perspective the way we birthe in America. Solidifies my current choice in occupation. My wish is that every pregnant woman would have the opportunity to read this book so that she could make a more informed choice on how and where to give birth.
January 23, 2010
The topics covered: Ingredients of a Gentle Birth, Medicalization of Birth, Medical Myths, Gentle Revolution (led by consumers), Midwifery, Water Birth, Mind-Body Connection, and Birth Plans (with explanation of options). I did like the book. I especially like the visualizations in the Mind-Body Connection part.
January 15, 2014
I didn't all of this as I had many books on the subject but I did like the DVD that came with it. It showed footage of 6 different births which was most informative and helpful to demonstrate the information found within the book. I like the book's headings and how they share their information. Don't get too hung up on the b&w photos - the information is good.
August 11, 2007
Good information. If anyone was thinking to have a birth in a hospital they certainly try their best to change your mind. A bit one sided but good info just the same. Comes with a very moving 45 min video.
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