I believe that the more a mother knows about her body and the birthing process, the more comfortable and confident she will be when delivering. This is also true for breastfeeding and parenting in general.
In this vein, I have decided to make my collection of books available to clients at no extra cost. Below is a complete list of books to which I will add as the collection grows.
To reserve a book, please complete the form at the bottom of the page.
Spiritual Midwifery, by Ina May Gaskin
Amazing birthing tales, including those from women who were babies in earlier editions and stories about Old Order Amish women attended by the Farm midwives. Also information about the safety of techniques routinely used in hospitals during and after birth, information on postpartum depression and maternal death, and recent statistics on births managed by The Farm Midwives. From the amazing birthing tales to care of the newborn, Spiritual Midwifery is still one of the best books an expectant mother could own. Includes resources for doulas, childbirth educators, birth centers, and other organizations and alliances dedicated to improving maternity care at home and in hospitals.
Baby and Child Care, by Dr. Benjamin Spock
Encourages parents to get to know their babies — to attend to their child’s movements, sounds, expressions and in so doing, he builds trust in one’s own ability to care for this new life. Most books seem to advocate a kind of constant surveillance and ‘make work’ that may make the parent feel ‘competent’ but are a far cry from the loving attention babies need to develop trust. His careful advice coupled with an invitation to experiment around the basic guidelines has helped our baby get what he needs and built our confidence at the same time.
The Birth Report, by Valmai Howe Elkins
In this frank, up-to-date guide to the “New Obstetrics”, leading childbirth educator Valmai Howe Elkins, author of The Rights of the Pregnant parent, follows six couples through their birth experiences: what they expected and what actually happened; what worked and what didn’t. She discusses the importance of prenatal classes, the trend away from “managed births” to the exciting innovation of “birthing rooms”. Most important, she talks about attitudes towards women and birth, and about how parents and professionals can work together to give every baby the best possible birth.
Good Things for Babies, by Sandy Jones
A catalogue and sourcebook of safety and consumer advice about products needed during the first 24 months of baby’s life. Complete with more than 250 items with pictures. (NB: 1976 edition)
Natural Parenthood: Raising Your Child Without a Script by, Eda J. LeShan
With penetrating directness, Mrs. LeShan tells parents where the generation gap begins and how to bridge it. And, to a score more questions that trouble parents today, she gives the same sharp analysis. Natural Parenthood breaks with doctrines that make parents afraid to act firmly and that make them feel guilty when their children misbehave. Instead, it is a positive approach to the pain and pleasure of being a parent.
The Birth Partner, by Penny Simkin
The Birth partner is the definitive guide for preparing to help a woman through childbirth and te essential manual to have at hand during the event. This fully revised and updated edition includes the latest information on techniques for easing labour pain, epidural anaesthesia and medications, tests and treatments of the foetus and newborn, vaginal birth after caesarean and much more.
Birthing From Within, by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
Written by a midwife and a psychologist, Birthing From Within is a unique contribution to pregnant couples, childbirth teachers, midwives, doctors nurses and therapists. The book honours nature and helps a women find her own way to go with nature and her body.
Labor & Delivery, An Observer’s Diary, by Constance A. Bean
Fear and ignorance often prevent prospective parents from exercising their right to ask questions and make decisions about childbirth. In this positive and informative book, Bean presents detailed case histories of childbirth under different conditions and tells parents what the need to know in order to make intelligent decisions about the kind of labour and delivery they want.
A Doctor Discusses Natural Childbirth, by Lou Joseph
This book is intended as an objective and factual review of the options in childbirth methods. It is an earnest discussion of the pros and cons of the different techniques of delivery and is by no means an endorsement of any particular approach.
Magical Child, Rediscovering Nature’s Plan for our Children, by Joseph Chilton Pearce
Right from the instant of birth, says Joseph Pearce, the human child has only one concern–to learn all that there is to learn about the world. But in the West we tend to thwart this concern from the very start. Available once again, Magical Child shows how to restore this amazing capacity for creative intelligence that is innate in every human.
Immaculate Deception: A New Look at Women and Childbirth in America by Suzanne Arms
In this intimate perspective on birth, renowned author and photographer Suzanne Arms conveys the inherent wisdom in this natural process, through her eloquent words and pictures.
Forced Labor: Maternity Care in the United States by Nancy Stoller Shaw
Dr. Shaw describes the routing of women through maternity care system in the Unites States and explains the role of the medical profession and hospitals in structuring the birth process. Conclusions are based on extensive observations and interviews in maternity settings, including prenatal clinics, labor, delivery and post partum areas of hospitals, a midwifery service and private physicians’ offices.
Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding by Ina May Gaskin
Everything you need to know to make breastfeeding a joyful, natural and richly fulfilling experience for both you and your baby.
A Good Birth, a Safe Birth by Diana Korte and Roberta M. Scaer
A Good Birth, a Safe Birth covers the pros and cons of today’s childbirth options and helps the expectant mother plan each stage of her pregnancy and delivery. It offers tips on how to find the right doctor or midwife and how to avoid the wrong one. It explores various child birth environments, including hospital, birthing centre and home. It tells expectant parents how to ensure that their wishes will be followed. The benefits and drawbacks of medications and painkillers and also discussed, so that a mother can decide before her delivery which, if any medications are right for her.
The Secret Life of the Unborn Child by Dr. Thomas Verny and John Kelly
At sixteen weeks the unborn child shies away from light. At twenty weeks there is a response to speech patterns. At twenty-five weeks the baby can kick in time to music. And at six months the unborn baby can understand the subtle shifts of its mother’s emotions. THE SECRET LIFE OF THE UNBORN CHILD presents for the first time the challenging results of two decades of painstaking international research into the earliest stages of life. Dr Verny’s knowledge gives both mothers and fathers an unparalleled opportunity to help their unborn children. Now they can contribute actively- before and during birth- to giving their child happiness and security for the rest of his or her life.
Keys to Becoming a Father by Dr. William Sears
A doctor’s advice to men on all aspects of fatherhood, from assisting at childbirth through sharing childcare functions with mom. Most of all, this book offers insights into getting joy from being a father.
New Active Birth, by Janet Balaskas
New Active Birth will help you and your partner prepare for and experience an active birth. Naturally and throughout time and the world over, women have chosen to walk, stand, squat and lie – to move their bodies freely and actively to find the most comfortable positions for labour and birth. With this book you can learn to develop all your body’s resources to deal with the instinctive experience of childbirth.
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley and Ann Keppler
Covers all aspects of childbearing from conception through early infancy. Includes what to expect during pregnancy and birth and how to work with caregivers to make childbirth a happy and healthy experience.
Modern Methods of Feeding in Infancy and Childhood, by Dr. Donald Paterson
Interesting historical look at feeding.
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn, by Leo Eloesser, Edith J. Galt & Isabel Hemingway
A manual for rural Mexican midwives . A general overview of healthy birthing in areas without hospitals.
The Book of Yoga: Bringing the Body, Mind, and Spirit into Balance and Harmony, by Christina Brown
Postures with instruction and benefits.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by La Leche League
How human milk offers lifetime benefits for your baby
• How to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy
• How to exercise and lose weight safely while nursing
• How to find time for yourself while meeting baby’s needs
• How to increase your milk supply by using herbs and medications
• How to be sure your baby is getting enough to eat
The Business of Being Born, by Ricki Lake (producer) DVD
Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business.
Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies.
The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal.
Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?
Free Delivery, Author Unknown
This booklet results from the teachings of several childbirth educators who have approached the birth experience with preparations and conditioning that can ease the pain and help to make the event a more conscious fulfillment.
The Home Birth Book, by Charlotte and Fred Ward
A sociological survey and interviews with typical home birth families. Of interest to to couples, doctors and others interested in exploring alternative options for birthing.
Accoucher ou se faire accoucher, by l’Assocition pour la sane publique du Quebec
An informational booklet that provides information on a variety of topics from pregnancy to birth with the goal of education the general public so that they may make well informed decisions when accessing health care in Quebec.
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