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The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD)
 
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The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD) [Paperback]

Fr?d?rick Leboyer M.D. (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 26, 2009 Book & CD
A guide to help women find the joy and confidence needed for successful childbirth

• Provides breathing and vocalizing exercises for use during pregnancy and labor

• Contains inspiring stories from women who successfully applied these techniques

• Includes a 26-minute CD of tambura music to accompany the singing exercises

Giving birth is a veritable “explosion” of joy. The baby arrives when the life force surges up so strongly in the woman that it breaks all limitations in order to spring forth. But in our modern culture, women often do not feel empowered to give birth by themselves. They want the “experts” to handle the birth for them, out of fear of the pain or the possible safety risks to them or the baby.  

Dr. Frédérick Leboyer, author of the groundbreaking book Birth without Violence, which looks at birth from the baby’s point of view, now explores the birth process from the mother’s perspective. Through the heartfelt letters of women sharing their experiences, which are accompanied by his advice and commentary, he reveals how women can develop the skills needed to create a successful and joyful birth.

Dr. Leboyer stresses that proper breathing is the most important component for women going through childbirth. The breathing should come from the lower belly and the exhalation should be accompanied by a musical tone. Without this musical dimension, breathing is merely a physical exercise. Dr. Leboyer found that by using the music of the tambura, an Indian stringed instrument whose tones represent the embodiment of universal harmony, women are transported to a place of inner peace. The Art of Giving Birth includes breathing and singing exercises and gentle movements to be practiced throughout pregnancy and during labor. Also included is a 26-minute CD of tambura music to accompany the exercises.


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The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD) + Birth without Violence + Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
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  • Birth without Violence $10.30

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Frédérick Leboyer was the first physician to bring an enlightened perspective on birth to parents, physicians, and nurses.”
(Suzanne Arms, author of Immaculate Deception )

“Frédérick Leboyer, whom I met in 1984 while researching water birth, is a legend in his own time, and we have been blessed with this book--a book that will show mothers that giving birth is so much more than just the emergence of a baby. It includes wonderful, unique letters from women that illustrate each point in the book. Every woman who is pregnant or considering pregnancy, and everyone in the maternity care profession, should carefully digest his words.”
(Barbara Harper, author of Gentle Birth Choices and founder of Waterbirth International )

"Short and easy to read, Dr. Leboyer's book provides both encouragement for the expectant mother and practical labor relaxation skills." (
Jennifer Vanderlaan, reviewer, Feb 09
)

" . . . includes letters from women all over the world and his thoughtful answers to them . . . reading this book is like feeling the warm hand of a physician who truly cares about babies, about mothers and fathers, and about changing the world--one peaceful, heartfelt, joyful birth at a time." (
Keila Swan, Alaska Wellness, June 2009
)

" . . . gives women many tips they need to make the process go as smoothly as possible. . . . a top pick for mothers to be." (
Carl Logan, The Midwest Book Review, June 2009
)

From the Back Cover

PARENTING / CHILDBIRTH

“Frédérick Leboyer, whom I met in 1984 while researching water birth, is a legend in his own time, and we have been blessed with this book--a book that will show mothers that giving birth is so much more than just the emergence of a baby. It includes wonderful, unique letters from women that illustrate each point in the book. Every woman who is pregnant or considering pregnancy, and everyone in the maternity care profession, should carefully digest his words.”
--Barbara Harper, author of Gentle Birth Choices and founder of Waterbirth International

Giving birth is a veritable “explosion” of joy. The baby arrives when the life force surges up so strongly in the woman that it breaks all limitations in order to spring forth. But in our modern culture, women often do not feel empowered to give birth by themselves. They want the “experts” to handle the birth for them, out of fear of the pain or the possible safety risks to them or the baby.

Dr. Frédérick Leboyer, author of the groundbreaking book Birth without Violence, which looks at birth from the baby’s point of view, now explores the birth process from the mother’s perspective. Through the heartfelt letters of women sharing their experiences, which are accompanied by his advice and commentary, he reveals how women can develop the skills needed to create a successful and joyful birth.

Dr. Leboyer stresses that proper breathing is the most important component for women going through childbirth. The breathing should come from the lower belly and the exhalation should be accompanied by a musical tone. Without this musical dimension, breathing is merely a physical exercise. Dr. Leboyer found that by using the music of the tamburã, an Indian stringed instrument whose tones represent the embodiment of universal harmony, women are transported to a place of inner peace. The Art of Giving Birth includes breathing and singing exercises and gentle movements to be practiced throughout pregnancy and during labor. Also included is a 26-minute CD of tamburã music to accompany the exercises.

FRÉDÉRICK LEBOYER, M.D., is the founder of the gentle birth movement. He was the first physician to challenge society’s deeply held beliefs about awareness in the newborn, and his groundbreaking Birth without Violence revolutionized the course of prenatal care and the way babies are introduced into the world. A retired obstetrician who attended more than 10,000 births, he is a graduate of the University of Paris School of Medicine, where he served as Chef de Clinique. He lives in Switzerland.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 112 pages
  • Publisher: Healing Arts Press; 1 Pap/Com edition (January 26, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1594772762
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594772764
  • Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,254,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A top pick for mothers to be, June 11, 2009
This review is from: The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD) (Paperback)
Birth can be either one of the most magical or traumatic experiences in a mother's life. "The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement" is a guide to having a comfortable, enjoyable birthing instead of the painful experience that scares so many women away from motherhood. Spiritual and practical, "The Art of Giving Birth" gives women many tips they need to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Enhanced with a music CD to help the mental aspect, "The Art of Giving Birth" is a top pick for mothers to be.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Encouragement and Breathing Exercises, February 15, 2009
This review is from: The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD) (Paperback)
Short and easy to read, Dr. Leboyer's book provides both encouragement for the expectant mother and practical labor relaxation skills.

The encouragement comes through a variety of letters women have written Dr. Leboyer regarding their labor experiences. The reader is able to learn as the women share how they overcame their challenges to give birth in a gentle, peaceful way. Dr. Leboyer comments on the letters, offering additional information and encouragement.

For labor skills, Dr. Leboyer presents an often overlooked labor relaxation skill - vocalization. He explains how to use relaxing breathing and making noise - called tones - to stay centered during labor. The reader is encouraged to practice the tones during pregnancy along with the help of a CD that is included with the book.

The book focuses solely on breathing and vocalization exercises based on East Asian martial arts. Families seeking information on the full range of labor options, pain management techniques and the process of labor will find combining this book with other sources of information to be the most helpful.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Condecending, judgemental book, January 10, 2011
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Art of Giving Birth: With Chanting, Breathing, and Movement (Book & CD) (Paperback)
*This is not Tim Linden reviewing this book, I can't seem to change it over to my name*

shocked- and had to laugh, at the condescending attitude of this writer. He has letters written by women about their births and using his techniques...then he "comments" on them. I love when a man tries to tell a woman what she should or shouldn't have done in a birth. Like when a woman went on all fours on her bed for some of her labor he writes, "why would you do that? That's not advisable"...REALLY? You KNOW that a woman's instinctive positioning in labor is BAD because the ONLY way to birth is to be standing a certain way, walking a certain way...there's NO other way? RIDICULOUS!! He also concludes and "proves" that if you're baby is born and doesn't instantly lock eyes with you, or if he/she was born in any other way then his basically, that it determines the baby's personality for life and the baby will grow up a worried child. He literally has two pictures of baby's, one born from an induced birth, and one born the "right" way, and then shows pictures of them grown up and talks about their worried vs. calm personalities. It looks like a joke, but he's being serious. Also a woman was holding her husbands hand during contractions- this he scolds her for!

The only little nugget I got out of this book was how to breath better and how to use sound to release tension during contractions. But there's GOT to be a different way to get that information then having to sift through the awfulness of the rest of the book. Yoga for example.
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