Customer Reviews

Childbirth Without Fear: The Original Approach to Natural Childbirth

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I read this book over 25 yrs ago,living in a small northern Michigan town there were no "prepaired childbirth" classes This was the best information avaible! I had no pain and no fear It was truly a wonderful experience. Even my husband didn't think I was in labor because I didn't act like the women in the movies! My daughters will soon be needing this book and alas I lent my copy to someone and never got it back I hope they will reprint this book and make it avaible to all women so they too may have a wonderfull delivery without drugs!

It's a shame this book is out of print because it is by far the best book on painless childbirth ever written. A recent segment on a news program talked of a doctor who has had similar success with hypnosis, but it's nothing new. Grantly Dick-Read should get the credit. If you're pregnant and you want an easy, painless childbirth, READ THIS BOOK.

What a shame this book is not available to all the young mothers-to-be. As a very young, new, about to be mother in 1955, I read this book and managed to go through my labor without any medication. I entered the hospital at 9AM, and delivered my first son six hours later. This book was absolutely the reason that I understood what was happening, and following the directions it suggested, was able to work with my body to make the experience an empowering one. Perhaps someone will be able to see that it is accessible to pregnant woman again.

I read this book already believing that childbirth didn't necessarily have to be the horrible painful experience most people warn you about..and reading this book just confirmed all my beliefs. When I had my first child, my labor from beginning to end was only 3.5 hours, contractions, while powerful, DID NOT HURT, and I pushed only 4 times to give birth to my beautiful healthy daughter, all without medication of any kind. It was a great experience, and I firmly believe that much of the pain people feel is caused by their own fears and their reaction to that fear, ie, tensing up. I recommend this book to everyone I know who is having a baby!

I always knew my experience of giving birth to a child was different from that of most of my friends, and I always believed that was because I had studied this book and truly wasn't afraid. It was one of the most glorious experiences of my life! Now my step-daughter is expecting a baby and I want her memories to be as thrilling as mine are. Information is a great reducer of fear, and when we're not afraid we can breath the way we need to to help our baby be born. This book tells all you need to know.

I don't know why this gem of a book is out of print. It is simply the best book on childbirth ever written. In the 1940's Dick-Reed went out on a limb and was WAY ahead of his time on the subject of natural childbirth. He pioneered the idea that childbirth does not have to be a painful and awful experience. As a result, he was ridiculed (and worse) by his peers in the medical community.

The theme of this book is that childbirth is a natural and normal process, and can be pain-free if fear is destroyed. Fear causes the body to produce adrenaline, which causes the uterus and cervix to tighten, which causes pain. And the vicious cycle begins. Dick-Reed explains how to overcome fear to prepare you for a pain-free enjoyable birth for you and your baby.

Dick-Reed backs up his theories by studying natural childbirth in other countries, places where women are not brainwashed into thinking childbirth has to be painful. He witnessed these women squat and have babies easily without much fuss or discomfort, because they did not expect pain.

Modern methods of pain-free natural childbirth, such as hypnobirthing based on Dick-Reed's research. So why not get it straight from the horse's mouth?

I gave birth to my first child thirty four years ago. After hearing the usual 'horror' stories from friends and family members I became really apprehensive and dreaded the birth. However, after reading a review of Childbirth Without Fear I managed to obtain a copy which changed my whole outlook. I went into labour hoping that my childbirth would be eased thanks to the reassurance given and indeed it was. Through that birth and two subsequent deliveries I was truly helped by reading this wonderful book and cannot believe that it has been allowed to go out of print. Now I need a copy for my daughter and am hoping that someone will have a one as my daughter is as apprehensive as I was all those years ago.

I used this book for all three of my pregnancies. It was the most enlightening, helpful wonderful book that I could have had. It was not only facinating, but it took the fear out of giving birth. It showed me that I had an active part in the birth process, that I was in control. It showed me what to expect, what was happening and why. It taught me what to do when and why. I have passed this book on to both of my daughters to use. One of my daughters is now pregnant again and has recently moved and misplaced the book. I am dying to get my hands on another copy of this book for her to review. This book is wonderful to use with each pregnancy because it walks you through the whole birth experience!

I guess I am the second generation of mothers who have read this book. A friend gave me an old copy 5 years ago before the (natural) birth of my first child, and I read it again last year after the (natural) birth of my second child. It made childbirth a wonderful experience. Now I want to buy a copy of this short paperback that should cost about $10 for my expecting sister, and it's out of print and selling for up to $200?!!?? Publishers, obvously there is a market for this book. Please reprint it!

Dr. Grantly Dick-Read writes about the natural course of birthing a baby. He never bought into the lie that man knows better than nature. A spritual and intellingent man that respects childbirth with reverence and awe, he's written to debunk the notion that childbirth mean pain. He's even shown the flaw in translation of Scripture which proves that the "curse" was not to be pain in childbearing, but rather pain in childrearing. This spiritual myth has created much of the expectation and fears of labor. See for yourself!