Choosing a Birth Book
Thankfully there aren’t as many books about birth as there are websites because the amount of information available today is insane. I always recommend going old school and that you choose a book to read, and it’s great if your partner read one too. Here are the top three books that I recommend and that I find my clients really enjoy reading:
1. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth:
My favourite resources for birth prep really is either taking a childbirth ed class or watching birth videos, it’s no secret that I love BirthTube which is linked below, but books are great too.
I’ve linked all the books down below, and I’ve also got them all if you’d like to borrow them! Remember that libraries often carry copies of these books, and you won’t need it after labour anyway so I do suggest that you save the trees and just borrow the book from me, a friend or your local library!
Thankfully there aren’t as many books about birth as there are websites because the amount of information available today is insane. I always recommend going old school and that you choose a book to read, and it’s great if your partner read one too. Here are the top three books that I recommend and that I find my clients really enjoy reading:
1. Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth:
- I personally believe that every birthing person should read this book in the last four weeks of their pregnancy. It’s filled with incredible stories of birth, of powerful women who totally rock and own their experience. I would not suggest reading it before then because it’s very.. birth-graphic BUT nothing more than what you’ll see in a good childbirth ed class anyway. This is the real birth prep -- being clear about what birth is, what happens, what’s realistic and how birth works better when a woman works with her body.
- I do actually think that birthers should read this book along with their partners because sometimes seeing birth from an outside perspective can offer some really valuable insight. The book gives great information about different changes near the end of pregnancy, what happens during labour, lots of coping techniques and also some information for the postpartum period. I do feel that if a birther only read this book then they would be prepared themselves for labour, and if a birther and a partner read it together, I think it can be a great way to stimulate conversation, create a game-plan for labour and manage expectations.
My favourite resources for birth prep really is either taking a childbirth ed class or watching birth videos, it’s no secret that I love BirthTube which is linked below, but books are great too.
I’ve linked all the books down below, and I’ve also got them all if you’d like to borrow them! Remember that libraries often carry copies of these books, and you won’t need it after labour anyway so I do suggest that you save the trees and just borrow the book from me, a friend or your local library!