Susan McCutcheon-Rosegg

If only the pictures had also been revised. Not only are the photographs full of 1970s hairdos and hair husbands, but all the women are completely naked. Not a gown, T-shirt, or sheet to be seen anywhere. While they do say you lose your modesty in childbirth, I found it a little off-putting.

This probably shouldn't be the only book you read about childbirth, even if you are sure you want to do it naturally. It has become out of date, and it's very one-sided (natural = good; all interventions = bad). Especially if you are planning a hospital birth, you'll need to be educated about what goes on in today's typical hospital labor and what happens to derail the best-laid birth plans. I also found it a little dogmatic about how you should go through your labor--only two different positions are "allowed."

So why read the book at all? Because it is fantastically detailed about the process of pregnancy, labor and delivery. The emotional stages of labor are described as well as the physical. A variety of possible "opening scenes" are listed, as well as some of the many variations that can arise (such as having an urge to push before you are fully dilated). There is practical advice about handling pain (the author does not pretend you won't feel any), positioning, and, if you like to feel like you're doing something, exercises to prepare your body for childbirth. If you are interested in natural childbirth but do not plan to take a Bradley class, reading the book is a good idea. (I have not read Husband-Coached Childbirth, of which a more recent version is available, so I cannot compare them.)… (more)