Customer Reviews

Deliver This!: Make the Childbirth Choice That's Right for You . . . No Matter What Everyone Else Thinks

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What I like about this book is that it spells out the different options for childbirth in a modern world. It is a broad, simple overview for someone just starting to think about her choices. That is about the only thing I liked about this book. The author spends way too much time dealing with concerns over how your childbirth choice will be viewed by others (relatives, friends, other mothers, even strangers). Although I realize that other people's concerns and criticisms can impact our decisions, is this really the basis for making such a personal and mometous decision? After all, no matter what path you choose, it is ultimately your own body. I also noticed that the author somehow links veganism and home-birth advocates in a negative light, such as the following statement on page 54, which describes people who chose to have a home birth: "And while these women did not fit the vegan, hippie stereotypes I had imagined, there definitely was a noncomformist vibe to the group." Later in the book (page 150) she claims that mothers who chose to have epidurals (the author includes herself in this group) view health concerns over the possible side effects the drugs may have on the baby "in the same category with vaccination alarmists and radical veganism." For a book that claims to be judgment-free and supportive of all women's reproductive choices, I guess anyone with vaccination concerns, or god forbid, a vegan, might be kind of left out in the cold.
This book is marketed as a book that is about each person finding the best choice for herself (as the back cover reassures the reader). Don't fall for it. The author uses reductionism and generalizations about a whole group of people to get her point across. If you are vegetarian/ vegan/ holistic / a yogi / a noncomformist / concerned about vaccines / a hippie / a thinker - this book should come with a label: warning, this book may offend you.

My wife and I are expecting twins this spring so we both read Marisa Cohen's book and found it extremely informative and engagingly written. There's really nothing else like it out there. And now I even know what a post-partum doula is! I will be miles ahead of all the other fathers-to-be at child birth class. Whatever decision my wife makes for her delivery, Ms. Cohen has given us the real scoop on all the available options, from all-natural home birth to elective C-section, and everything in between.

I'm not even expecting, but I thought this book was a great read. My husband and I are at the point of figuring out when to have a child, and a friend loaned us Marisa Cohen's book, "Deliver This." It sure opened my eyes to the world of birthing! I had no idea how many options were out there, and it was interesting to read from all different perspectives. I also enjoyed the writing of Marisa Cohen -- easy to read, easy to relate to. The closer we get to deciding when to have a child, I'm going to re-read this book.

Confused when friends tell you to "..just get the epidural as soon as you can.." while others are ecstatic over their "orgasmic" natural births? This book helps you sort out your options by using witty, judgement-free story telling as well as examining how and why women make the choices they make. Deliver This! is the perfect example of presuming that every woman is smart enough to follow her heart, gather the information or stories she needs to make her decision, and then decide what is best for her and her family. Marisa Cohen is an excellent writer and is able to take a values and judgement-laden topic and deliver her information without, well, values and judgement. Nice wit and humor as well. Fabulous!

Having worked with childbearing women for over 20 years, I was unpleasantly surprised by the entire tenor of this book. It had an abundance of whining and drama, making me think most of what was written was designed to sell the book, not instruct or gain perspective. An example: the author notes how her membranes ruptured "after the creme brulee was cleared", how she walked the halls in early labor showing off her "fashionable new leopard print slippers to the nurses". Her bedridden medicalized labor and birth was justified by her description of early labor as 'a rusty knife' twisting into her back, In the next sentence she notes that her husband fell asleep during all of this. Research has clearly documented the myriad of benefits of physical labor support to women. Apparently she had none. In her case, the full complement of medications, machines and immobility early on in her labor was probably welcomed as a way of coping alone.
To be fair, other birth stories are presented, however the pithy tone of the book tried too hard to be clever (unsuccessfully) and was draining to read page after page. Other books cover birth options with more depth and most importantly, with more research based documentation.
No doubt, all labors are different, what women need during childbirth can be different (though there are some universal needs), and women cope with childbirth in different ways. However, all ways of coping are not equal, and just saying that routine application of birth technology is just the same for women as birth with technology only as indicated will not make it so. Money would be better spent buying another book if one is seeking to be informed about childbirth choices.

Since I am expecting, I figured I should figure out how I want labor to go. As far as I could find, this was the only book out there on childbirth options. The book was funny, I esp. enjoyed when the author told us she hissed like a demon at her husband before she got the epidural. She educates you about the options - the arguments for and against the options and reasures you that all will be ok. She also gives helpful tips about how and what to discuss with your Doctor, midwife, doula, etc.

I'm 27 weeks pregnant with my first child, and in the last few months I read a lot about anything that has to do with pregnancy and child-bearing, but I stayed away from reading about, not to mention thinking about, delivery.. Since I got Deliver This!, though, I couldn't put it down, despite how tired and sleep-deprived I am.. and it was a great experience. I couldn't have asked for a better, gentler shattering of the walls of denial I built around myself..:) Beyond the practical advise, the clearly laid out information and the compassion towards all women and choices, I take with me the most powerful tool - humor. Don't get me wrong - I am still terrified, but the book empowered me to consider going natural, re-assured me it's ok to beg for the drugs, and all in all, just made me feel better about the whole thing. So thank you so much! what a great book!

I bought this book when I was starting to think about and plan for labor. It does a great job reinforcing that a successful birth is one that results in a healthy baby. I had been reading books on natural child birth and so many of them seem to have the bias that a medicated birth or a C-section is a lesser experience.

Reading this book prepared me to expect the unexpected during labor and to not feel bad for asking for drugs or feel devastated in the event of a C-section.

The personal stories from women who have had babies all sorts of ways are a great resource when one is sorting through all the material out there.

This was the first, and only, book I found on birthing choices that was non-judgmental. I don't care what you think about my birthing choice, I just want to know the facts. I decided to go with the elective c-section choice (& I'm a vegetarian who tires to live a healthy, natural lifestyle, gasp!) and this was the only book that didn't try to make me feel like I was going to "harm" myself or child by my choice. The author does try to make it light and funny at times which I guess could offend some. But I've passed this book on to all my girlfriends, who have all delivered every way possible, and everyone loved it. When I was pregnant I was disgusted how so many women treated other women when their pregnancy, birth, and/or child-rearing choices were different. If anything this booked showed me how much alike the "hippy" home-birth mom was like the "selfish" elective c-section mom. (humor) All that matters is a healthy baby, and this book will help you feel confident on your birthing choice. Happy birthing.

I ordered this book on the advice of a friend who read it while she was pregnant. Before I read it, she told me she had an idea of which birthing experience she thought I'd prefer. Well, I've read it, and she was right!

I liked (what seemed to me) the unbiased descriptions of all the different birth methods listed in the book. I think it helped to read the opinions of mothers who have experienced - good and bad - each birth method. It never felt that one method was being promoted over another.

I am not due for several months, but assuming everything goes well, I feel more confident about the birth experience I want to have. And, thanks to this book, if it doesn't go according to my plan, as long as the baby is OK, I'll be OK with it!