Dear World,
I've officially become one of those obsessive moms-to-be who has started nesting. Well, as much as I can nest. I may have re-organized my dresser to have the top two drawers dedicated to diaper changes, and then 0-3 month clothes in the rest. (The bigger clothes are being stored under the bed for now.)
I have come to realize that I miss being a graduate student, so to make up for my lack of academic stimulation (sorry, part-time job, you don't cut it), I have DEVOURED every book I can get my hands on regarding holistic prenatal care/birth. I am slowly making my way over to childcare/early literacy as well, which will segue my brain back to Ph.D. work, which I intend to start again soon.
So, in graduate student fashion, here's a review of what I've been reading, in alphabetical order and APA format, haha. (Warning: Most of these are about natural childbirth and how "evil" hospitals are, so if you're not into that, you may not want to read these books, or even read my reactions to them.)
Davis, E. & Pascali-Bonaro, D. (2010). Orgasmic birth: Your guide to a safe, satisfying and
pleasurable birth experience. New York: Rodale Books.
I'm happy to begin my review with the most controversial book on the list! Orgasmic Birth is both a book and a documentary. I have not viewed the documentary yet, but it is definitely on my list of things to do before the baby arrives (which doesn't seem to get any shorter). This book was certainly one I could not easily put down, but I feel that may be because it was also only the second one I read about birth. (Who wouldn't read this one right away with a title like that?) Of course it wasn't ALL about the orgasmic experience birth could/should be, but there was a lot of information about what physiologically happens during the birth process, which was new to me. One important point woven throughout the book was the role of hormones in the birth process, (particularly oxytocin, aka the "love" hormone) and how certain interventions can throw off the balance of those hormones. I learned some strategies for making sure labor isn't stalled, including getting some privacy, having people advocate for me with whom I am comfortable, and "letting go." Obviously I won't truly know what letting go/surrendering to contractions will feel like until I'm there, but I'll send a full report via blog when all is said and done. I think one of the best things about this book was the myriad of personal birth stories from real people. Not all of them included a "big O" during the birth process, but many of them emphasized the importance of privacy, support, and feeling comfortable in your birth setting (think of setting the mood for sex). Overall, this was an exciting read for me and I would recommend it to anyone having their first baby who wants to be fully informed of your body's chemical balance and the advantages to natural childbirth.
Denzmore-Tulli, U. (2010). Yoga for pregnancy and birth: A teach yourself guide. New York: McGraw-
Hill.
This was more of a skim for me. I didn't read it cover to cover, as I have taken yoga classes in the past and already see the incredible connection between relaxing yourself and feeling awesome afterwards. I used to take yoga classes at Gold's Gym, which at times felt like a cardio workout, but at the end when we would unwind in corpse pose and just listen to our breathing and let go of the stress of the day-- man that was worth all the crazy hard work from the rest of the class. So, I browsed through and looked for poses I recognized that are beneficial and got the impression that the only stuff I should avoid are poses that will make me uncomfortable (which is kind of a yoga rule anyway- know your limits).
Goer, H. (1999). The thinking woman’s guide to a better birth. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group.
I'm actually not finished with this one yet, but so far it has a similar stance as many of these other books, being that hospitals are getting a little nuts with the interventions of birth, many of which are causing more harm than good. I guess no matter what your stance is, this is still an informational read. Some of the information is scary, but the author warns at the beginning that she would rather her readers be fully informed of their options than to not know better and just jump at whatever your doctor tells you to do. The only thing that irks me about her writing so far is that she consistently uses the term "oxytocin" when referring to Pitcocin, which is a synthetic form of oxytocin. She'll occasionally throw in "Trade name Pitocin, or Pit" here and there to make the distinction but I feel like the distinction between the two should be made the whole time. Oxytocin is very important to the birth process, but when the synthetic version is pumped into you, your body does not produce it naturally anymore. The only reason I'm spazzing about that is because of this article that I have also recently read:
I will also mention that Ina May Gaskin, a widely respected birth expert, also suspects a link between birth conditions and autism. She discusses this with Ricki Lake in the documentary The Business of Being Born, which is available on Netflix (and amazing to watch).
Overall, I agree with Goer's standpoint on the overly handsy medical care that women receive. She has definitely done her homework! Her resources are reliable and extensive, including peer-reviewed professional publications (some resources just aren't that great, like the study in the link above--- needs a larger sample size and more conclusive evidence). Her word choice and tone is a little much for me, but I'm a hormonal mess right now, so maybe I should try it again in a few years.
Jamieson, T. (2009). Conscious birthing: Yoga & meditation
for pregnancy. Binda, New South Wales:
Sally Milner Publishing.
Like the other yoga title, I pretty much skimmed this one. It has a lot of photos of actual pregnant women doing the poses, which is awesome! I looked over some poses that I think are do-able for me, and that was about it. However, baby brain has kicked in, and all I can remember is cat/cow pose for back pain, haha!
Lake, R. & Epstein, A. (2009). Your best birth: Know all your options, discover the natural choices,
and take back the birth experience. New York: Hachette Book Group.
Go Ricki! Go Ricki! Man, let's start with the fact that I am a big Ricki Lake fan. The original Hairspray was one of my favorite movies as a kid ever since I first watched it with my friend Allison in 8th grade, followed by Johhny Depp's Crybaby. Anyway, this book is an afterthought to Ricki and Abby's documentary The Business of Being Born. This film follows people through their birth experiences-- some in the hospital, some at home. It is intended to educate people of birthing options. Many people don't consider home births anymore because it is deemed dangerous, but if you and your baby are healthy, it could be a lot more comfortable than making a trip, packing a bag, etc. Because the film focuses on this controversial topic, it has received a lot of attention, good and bad. The book is a nice companion for the film because it contains more detail and explanation of certain topics (such as doulas vs. midwives), and it makes it very clear that there's not a wrong kind of birth as long as the family is getting what they want plus a healthy baby. They point out that births don't always go according to the meticulously laid out birth plan, including Abby's personal story of her son's arrival, but that it can still be a good experience if you trust your caregiver(s) and know all of your options. They fully acknowledge that some people want epidurals or even to schedule C-sections for the sake of convenience, and have a respect for everyone's ideal birth that admittedly is not present in all of these texts.
Lothian, J. & DeVries, C. (2005). The official Lamaze guide: Giving
birth with confidence. New York:
Simon & Schuster.
Now, most people think of that weird hyperventilation- sounding breathing when they think "Lamaze method," but the book actually had little to do with that. Breathing was mentioned, of course, but as long as you know a certain way that works for helping you relax (for me it is definitely yoga breathing), that's all that matters. This may have been a total of a paragraph in the whole book. I read this book right after I read Orgasmic Birth. There was a lot of similar information here regarding what happens to your body during the birth process, and there were a lot of birth stories to read, which are quickly becoming my favorite part of these books! Each story or quick quote would illustrate a point the authors want to convey, such as choosing the right caregiver or knowing what you want from the birth experience. Overall, I found it enjoyable despite the fact that I got a lot of the same information that I already gained from Orgasmic Birth.
McGrory Masssaro, M. & Katz, M. (2012). The other baby book: A natural approach to
baby's first year. Boston: Full Cup Press.
This was a Christmas gift to me from my sister-in-law. This is the first book out of the whole list that I read. It is short, sweet, and to the point. The layout is set up like a conversation between two friends. The birth part is at the beginning, but there is also information about what you do with the baby when she is here (which, admittedly, I need to start reading more about). Topics include co-sleeping, breastfeeding, baby-led feeding for solids, and bonding with baby. The overall message from this book is: People are going to tell you how to raise your baby, and while they all mean well, you need to find what works for you and trust your instincts to know what is right! All moms feel judged at some point, and I am starting to get some of that already from coworkers and strangers. (Ex: "You shouldn't be lifting that." I'm pregnant guys, not disabled.) Anyway, this is an overall good read and a nice reassurance to know that you're not a total failure. :)
Vincent, P. (2002). Baby catcher: Chronicles of a modern midwife. New York: Scribner Publishing.
A nice change of pace from the rest of these titles, Baby Catcher is a beautifully written memoir from Peggy Vincent. As I currently reside in North Carolina, her story captivates me from the beginning, set in her nursing school days during the 1960s at Duke University. She vividly describes the life-changing births she witnessed so long ago, which clearly inspired her to pursue midwifery. As she continues to chronicle her life and career, she weaves in birth stories that read like poetry. It is clear that she is passionate about bringing new life into the world, and I found her stories fascinating, informative, and uplifting. Some gave me a good chuckle, too. :) For anyone who is curious about midwifery as a line of work, or just enjoys a good memoir, I strongly recommend this book.
That's all of my homework for now world, but don't worry, I have many more to come.
Love,
Steph
