Homebirth: The Essential Guide to Giving Birth Outside of the Hospital

by Sheila Kitzinger

Looks at the pros and cons of home birth, suggests preparations, explains the role of midwives, and shares women's experiences

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1991

About the author

Sheila Kitzinger M.B.E, M.Litt is a social anthropologist of birth and author of 24 books published internationally, most on the emotional journey through this major life experience. At Oxford in the 50s she discovered that the social anthropology of that time was almost entirely about men. She decided she would do research to discover what was important in women's lives, and focused on pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.
Her five children were all born at home. She lectures widely in different countries and has learned from mothers and midwives in the USA and Canada, the Caribbean, Eastern and Western Europe, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, South Africa and Japan, and from women in prison and those who have had a traumatic birth experience.

Reviews

[Anne White]

How did I not already have this on my "read" list? Long time ago...

[Bea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cóż za negatywna lektura. Niby o czymś pięknym, a jakieś takie straszenie ciągle. Plus statystyki z lat 70-tych. Brr.

[Sarah Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demystifying home birth from the expert.

[Melissa Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really solid, great photos, totally demystifies. It would be 5 stars but I just won’t do it for birth books that center white, straight people (even if they’re old).

[Magda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this one via inter-library loan on Mimi's recommendation.

I do get tired of books which try to persuade you to a viewpoint you already hold, and I'd started reading another book (already in our library) by Kitzinger, so the first few chapters retold several stories I'd already just read.

I thought there would be more new-to-me material than there was, so that was a little disappointing, but I did rather enjoy the new material.

I also thought that this would be more of a "how to prepare your homebirth" practical guide than it was.

I disagree with the idea that I'm choosing a homebirth because I want to be in charge of everything, which seems to be one of those "empowering" ideas with which Kitzinger permeates the book. On the other hand, I don't necessarily agree with every idea my own midwives have tried to impress upon me, either, so I can respect that as part of her voice. (I just feel a bit guilty about it.)

I think my favorite part was the scanty section on older siblings being present, as that is something I skipped over while preparing for the birth of my first child.

[Shashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book, but "Homebirth" starts with pointing out the weaknesses in the hospital system and presents alternatives in contrast to them. It's obvious the author is trying to present her strong opinion, heartfelt conviction even, as a logical scientific argument. And she does a good job at that, but the wording in such a task is delicate. In my opinion, she sets a defensive tone at the outset, which brings unnecessary fear and loathing into the discussion. I prefer Spiritual Midwifery as it is steeped in the authentic experience of an alternative way, and demonstrates through personal stories the ways in which conventional hospitals can be necessary, compassionate options. "Homebirth" does include findings from many scientific studies however and many papers and childrearing books are sited, so it is great for those of you interested in that style of information gathering.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

great overview of homebirth and options to prepare yourself. kitzinger always has such great photos!

[Terri Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came out in late 1991 and I bought it in early 1992 because we wanted to have a baby and had decided to go the natural, normal route of giving birth which is home birth. Of the billions of people who have lived on Earth, most have been born at home. This is the natural and normal way of birth and I have to say that my daughter is now 18 and I still get goosebumps over the wonderful childbirth experience I had. Yes, there was pain and plenty of it but the warmth and love and sense of control that comes with giving birth the way we are meant to was something I will treasure always. Sheila Kitzinger is a long time expert on childbirth and I loved her book.

[Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by an anthropologist, this book is very subjective and biased towards homebirth. Also, the fact that it was published in 1991 makes it rather outdated. The first half of the book was rather difficult to read in that the information she presented against hospital births and doctors seemed a little extreme.

Having said that, the information in the later chapters is helpful. It discusses how one's labour partner can help with touch and massage, and breathing techniques, etc. Overall, there are better books out there on homebirth.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a quick, easy read, filled with lots of great information. It's also much easier to swallow than Henci Goer's The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth-- which is also an important book, but is soooo much scarier! I highly recommend this book to anyone considering homebirth or anybody who has a loved one who wants to give birth in the safety of her own home.

[Dannika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It presented the pros and cons for birth in and out of a hospital setting. It had many great suggestions for dealing with slow labor and pain during labor, but is not a definitive guide for that sort of thing. It is definitely a good read for someone trying to make the decision about the best place to birth.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps it was just the edition I read, but this book is a bit outdated now. From that perspective, the information in it wasn't as useful as I'd hoped. But, the best thing about this book, the wonderful thing, is the large section of photos from the homebirths of just a couple of babies. I almost learned more from the photos than I did from reading the text of the book.

[Rachael Marsceau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book with very clear, practical advice on everything you need to know to have a satisfying, safe, and natural birth at home. Also included are three birth stories with narratives and pictures. This book, while slightly dated, has greatly increased my knowledge of and confidence in the homebirth option. Highly recommended!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good read for anyone who is interested in avoiding interventions, even if you're not planning a home birth. There are checklists to help you choose a provider and a location that support your idea of what you'd like your birth to be like.

[Jennifer Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great basic text for any family preparing to birth their baby at home.

[Jill Koren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic. I appreciated Kitzinger's fierce advocacy of the homebirth model. It's nice to read someone who is truly passionate about her beliefs.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview! Actually this had a lot of great info for labor/birth in general.

[Emer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book second hand and read it through out my second pregnancy.

I found it inspiring, with lovely photos of birth and descriptions of home births. She also wrote descriptively of why having a good birth experience matters. Reading it felt like a kind grandmother having a chat with me.

I would recommend this book to anyone. I had a great home birth and I found this book was inspiring and helpful.