Recommended Reading

Recommended books are taken from an International Doula magazine listed in a categorized fashion.

CITIZEN for the average woman, safe and nonoffending.
SEEKER for the woman who is definitely looking into her options but not sure what she wants.
SOLD for the woman who knows what she wants, has done the research and is a proactive consumer.

CITIZEN: Conception, Pregnancy & Birth: The Childbirth Bible for Today’s Parents by Mirian Stoppard. An easy read that covers everything from ovulation to breastfeeding. Birth sections provide step-by-step information on labor stages as well as coping techniques,  positions and possible interventions.
SEEKER: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley and Ann Keppler.  Educational and factual. Keys in on the role of the birth partner, charts on interventions, risks, benefits and emotional and physical landmarks of pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum.
SOLD: Having a Baby, Naturally: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Peggy O’Mara, Jackie Vacciola and Wendy Ponte. This is a great resource for natural pregnancy, birth and parenting and has a section devoted to the expectant father!

CITIZEN: The Pregnancy Book by William Sears, Martha Seras and Linda Hughey Holt.  An easy read providing practical, medical and optional information in a month by month setting.
SEEKER: The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer and Rhonda Wheeler. An in depth look at interventions, medications and birth. A dissection of medical research to give sound, well rounded information to help you make informed decisions on just about everything you may encounter during labor and birth.
SOLD: Gentle Birth, Gentle Motheringby Dr. Sarah J Buckley. Fully balanced with information on intuitive and evidence-based birth and parenting practices, taking the best maternal/ancestral wisdom and medical/research wisdom and combines the two to give an insightful look into gentle birth and gentle mothering.

CITIZEN: Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake, Abby Epstein, and Jacques Moritz. Gives advice about options in a non-biased, non-confrontational way presenting all concepts of labor and birth, including how to choose a doctor or midwife and birthplace and write a birth plan.
SEEKER: The Birth Book by William Sears and Martha Sears. Presents options options as well as risks and benefits of each without sugar coating. Helps women to become educated without having an obvious bias.
SOLD: Birthing from Within by Pam England And Rob Horowitz. Outlines childbirth preparation by means of discovery; viewing childbirth as a journey. It teaches that, through self discovery, letting go of birth baggage and learning about the emotional journey of childbirth, a woman can have a truly fulfilling birth experience.

CITIZEN: The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence by Judith Lothian and Charlotte DeVries. Focuses on allowing birth to unfold naturally. Provides encouragement for normal labor, knowledge on what can disrupt it and Lamaze coping techniques.
SEEKER: Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg, Erick Ingraham and Robert A. Bradley. Some consider this a childbirth preparation class without the classroom. It outlines the rationale for natural birth, anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, labor and birth, and the emotional and physical signposts of labor and birth, all while encouraging partners to be active participants.
SOLD: Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. Challenges the cultural assumption that childbirth is a medical, frightening and painful experience by providing amazing birth stories and honest, effective and logical instruction on ways to help progress and assist in the labor and birth process.