Table of Contents
Preface ix
Chapter 1 Having a Safe, Healthy Birth 1
Portrait of Birth Today 2
Practices That Promote Safe, Healthy Birth 4
Why Do So Few Women Give Birth Naturally? 4
Taking Time to Learn More 6
Chapter 2 The History of Birth: Back to the Future 7
The History of Birth Is Full of Stories 8
From Natural to Medical 10
Mothers Speak Out 13
Obstetrics under the Microscope 15
Support for Natural Birth Today 18
Creating History: Sharing Birth Stories 23
And Now the Choices 28
Chapter 3 You're Pregnant! 29
Message from Your Body: "You're Pregnant" 30
What's Happening? 32
What Can You Do? 33
Chapter 4 Choosing a Caregiver and Birth Site 41
Informed Choice 42
Myths about Caregivers and Birth Sites 43
Choosing a Caregiver 48
Choosing Where to Have Your Baby 52
How Will You View Your Pregnancy? 60
Chapter 5 Moving through Pregnancy 61
The Shape of Things in the Middle Months 62
Nourishing Your Body 64
Prenatal Care 69
Ripening and Readying: The Final Months 75
Laying Out Clothes for the Big Dance 77
Can You Hear the Music? 78
Chapter 6 Preparing for Labor and Birth 79
Listen to Your Body 80
Listen to Other Women 80
Consider Childbirth Education 82
Chapter 7 The Simple Story of Birth 89
Here's What Happens 90
Pain with a Purpose 92
Trust: A Trusty Tool 93
Chapter 8 Keeping Your Birth Safe and Healthy 95
Lamaze's Six Healthy Birth Practices 96
Chapter 9 Finding Comfort in Labor 113
View Labor as a Task, Not a Trial 114
Create a Comfortable Environment 115
Reduce Your Pain Perception 116
Find Your Rhythm 122
Get Real about Labor Pain 123
Chapter 10 Birth Plans and Baby Plans 125
Planning for Birth 127
Planning for Life with Baby 140
Ready for the Journey 144
Chapter 11 Getting the Safe, Healthy Birth You Want: Communication, Negotiation, and Decision Making 145
Strategies 146
Stories 149
Your Journey 160
Chapter 12 Greeting Your Newborn 161
Babymoon: The Magical Time Following Birth 162
The Importance of Bonding 163
Procedures after Birth 167
Your Newborn's Appearance, Abilities, and Behavior 174
More on Breastfeeding 179
Beyond Babymoon 182
Chapter 13 Early Parenting 185
Life with Your Newborn 186
Parenting Your Baby; Hold Me, Feed Me, Love Me 187
Continued Breastfeeding Success 191
Your Health 192
Other Concerns after the Baby Arrives 197
Afterword 205
Appendix A Promoting Optimal Care in Childbirth 209
Appendix B The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative: The First Consensus 215
Initiative of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services 216
Ten Steps of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative For Mother-Friendly Hospitals, Birth Centers, * and Home Birth Services 218
Appendix C The Rights of Childbearing Women 223
Appendix D Breastfeeding is Priceless; No Substitute for Human Milk 227
The Risks of Cesarean Section for Mother and Baby 232
Appendix E The Birth Doula's Contribution to Modern Maternity Care 241
Notes 247
Recommended Resources 257
Index 261
