So, babies seem to be on the brain and in the air lately. Many of my friends are preggers, or trying,q1e3 or thinking of trying or just thinking of thinking. Now, children is one of those things that people KNOW they will or wont have....there is rarely a wishy washy feeling when it comes to kids (and thank goodness for that, cuz if your thinking they might be fun to have around occassionally, then you should probably wait til those feelings go somewhere a little more concrete before diving into the role of parent)...anyway, having said that, i realize this post will only appeal to half of you (the half that know they will be having kids, or at least are interested in the idea).
Im often asked, as a mom and an aspiring midwife and doula, about pregnancy and birth - and while i could honestly spend hours discussing both, i often start with a few simple suggestions for reading, outside of the mere What to Expect When.. of course...heres my list of must haves for moms-to-be...
Birthing from Within, Pam England
Hypnobirthing (A celebration of Life), Marie F. Mongan
Now, understand these books lean toward the more natural side of pregnancy and childbirth! This is important to note because not everyone will love what they have to say....BUT, i think they are important because they open women's eyes to a picture of childbirth outside of the preconceived norm most of us have, a picture that most of us didnt even know existed, or could be. I would also like to state that i did not swallow 100% of what the authors had to sell, but i dont think any one book or philosophy would - we are all individuals with our own hopes and desires for our birthing experience (much like our wedding day, we all have an idea of how this is going to go, what we want and like, and no wedding book/magazine would get it all right. Think of clippings you take from here, pictures from there, and add them all up together to make your perfect wedding picture- its the same for childbirth). So i recommend taking the bits and peices you like, work them into your birth plan, and leave the rest. For example, Hypnobirthing claims labor can be pain free...ok...but i did like their breathing and focusing techniques, as well as how they broke down the physical explantion of contractions. There were even diagrams. And once i understood the way my body was working, more than just "pushing the baby out" i was able to let the contractions come, because i understood the process behind them. Finally, WARNING, some stuff in these books you might find shocking - facts and figures about childbirth that might seem scary...if you are a worrier, LEAVE THESE, skip them - although, you will find them in most books about childbirth, unfortunately, as they like to lay out the often frightening statistics. We can all understand why, but a pregnant mommy does not need the added stress, savvy?
Now, if you liked these books and are interested in learning a bit more, taking it a bit further in the way of natural childbirth and all that (as i was), here are a few more titles to consider....
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May Gaskin
The Birth Partner, Penny Simkin
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, Sarah Buckley
The Thinking Womans Guide to a Better Birth, Henci Goer
I was like any other mom-to-be - wanting the best for my baby. Afraid of labor. Nervous about, well, the whole thing....and i had a picture in mind - the stereotypical Mom on the table, legs in stirrups, screaming bloody murder, smacking her husband, epidural, episiotomy, doctors, nurses, the whole shebang...i had no idea it could be peaceful, intimate and worth remembering. The mom could be strong, in control, drug free and even happy. If you have any question, please dont hesitate to ask, and ill answer as well as i can, and honestly as i can. Happy Birthing Moms and many Blessings :)
~Kim
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