Your Pregnancy, Your Way: Everything You Need to Know about Natural Pregnancy and Childbirth

by Allison Hill, Sheila Curry Oakes (With)

As an OB/GYN, Dr. Allison Hill has delivered thousands of babies; as a mom, she's given birth to her own two children. Hill has a unique perspective on the many questions moms have surrounding pregnancy and childbirth-especially when it comes to "going natural." Drawing on her twenty years of expertise as well as current medical data, she weighs the pros and cons of the range of options available-hospital or birthing center; MD or midwife. Covering everything from understanding a doctor's bias to medical interventions (what's necessary-and what's not) to home births, Hill debunks common myths and provides insight into hot-button issues and a keen look into why doctors do what they do. Your Pregnancy, Your Way helps parents-to-be achieve a safe and healthy delivery.

Genres: Nonfiction

352 pages, ebook

Published April 11, 2017

Reviews

[Grace Hilley]

I really appreciate this doctor for writing this book so honestly. She describes, in detail, just about every single medical labor intervention there is and will honestly say "this is done for convenience/ because it has always been done this way, but there is no evidence that it supports improved labor outcomes" or she will give the scientific evidence for why a procedure is in fact necessary. Even with practices she disagrees with, such as home birth for high risk pregnancy, she still gives a fair explanation of why some women choose this route and how the medical community can support them, such as training hospital staff to respectfully accept home birth transfers. She describes all of the benefits and ways to support natural labor, but also explains various reasons interventions may be necessary and how to have your wishes respected by your care team. I borrowed this from my library, but I may buy my own copy to reference as my due date grows closer.

[Laila]

Like other books in this category (which involves medical advice), I hope to find time to verify the information and medical recommendations put forth by the author. Nevertheless, the information seemed sound and well-reasoned and although my medical background is in family medicine, not obstetrics, I was familiar with some of the content and thus feel comfortable with the information in this book. Assuming the contents are constant with medical literature and recommendations, I would definitely recommend this book to pregnant women and their partners.

[Eden]

This book has been a great resource on so many various conditions related to pregnancy, complications, labor progress, birth, and postpartum. She does a great job breaking down the different options related to who can help you during labor and where you can give birth. I felt like the book was informational with a mild doctoral advice vibe, which I appreciated. She does a great job allowing you to make your own decisions. She also has been there and shares her experiences.

[Mary]

I like how this books gives you different ideas about what is possible during pregnancy and delivery, along with pros and cons for many of them. It made me feel like there wasn't a "right way" being forced into my mind and really allowed me to weigh the various options available.

[Diana]

Great pregnancy book.

[Tiffany Speirs]

4.5 | Highly recommend if you are wanting to educate yourself on all things birth. Natural or Medicated. Home or Hospital. Very informative and as unbiased as an OB can be I would imagine.

[SD]

Written by a doctor, this gives straightforward information about birthing and pregnancy. It made me feel prepared by introducing me to any topic that may come up. I like that the doctor explained things from various perspectives and remailed unbiased. The medical perspective had common causes for malpractice and standard hospital procedures. Pregnant women also shared their experiences.