Customer Reviews

The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Should Know

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book at 5 months pregnant with my first child. I wasn't planning to have a doula at my birth, but I really wanted a natural birth and wanted to get a take on what doula's provide and what advice I could glean from their approach. The book was one of the most informative books I've seen on what birth can be like both in and out of a hospital and the options available to women. What I loved was how, while it was definitely constantly selling the benefits of having a doula, this book gave plenty of useful advice for women not planning to use one. I personally can feel put-off by language that is too touchy-feely or focuses on things like goddess imagery of womanhood, but this book definitely did not seem to try to force one single view of birth or imagery around the experience. This is an extremely practical guide that balances affirming messages about the birth experience with summaries of the most recent research on how different techniques and procedures affect birth outcomes. It was eye-opening to see how little of the research on what gets the best birth outcomes ever gets incorporated into regular hospital procedures, and it was reassuring to get advice and tools on how to advocate for myself in any setting. The book's tone was never alarmist or judgmental and addresses itself to a wide audience. It is inclusive enough to offer support for women of diverse cultures, religions, viewpoints, and family situations. It addresses teens, LGBT families, single moms, mothers on both sides of surrogacy and adoption, women with past traumas and husbands and other partners, family members or support people. I found all of this book extremely helpful in my preparation for birth and really reassuring to read. I'll try to add to this review after I've given birth, but just in terms of reassurance and advice while still pregnant, the two books I'd rate as the most helpful to me are this and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

I am a doula and have enjoyed The Doula Guide to Birth immensely. It is one of the best on the market....full of insider's wisdom. Well done, Ananda Lowe.

As a birth doula myself, I was so excited to read this book when I first heard about it coming out. Needless to say, I was not at all disappointed! This will be on the top of my recommendation list for clients and friends. As I read it I kept wanting to grab my highlighter for great new info I was learning or topics I wanted to explore further. One of my favorite components was the printable guides that are included in the book. This is definitely a must-read for all expectant parents and anyone in the birth world.

Abbey Hall
[...]

I got this book to help us decide whether or not to hire a doula for the birth of our first child. Although the first two chapters of the book felt like reading an advertisement for doulas, the rest of the book offered accessible and invaluable information for this first time mom-to-be. There's an excellent chapter about labor tips, as well as good advice for partners/dads-to-be. After reading the book, I have more appreciation for the great service doulas can offer, though I actually feel *less* inclined to hire one as the book left us feeling so much more prepared for our baby's birth. I'm really glad we purchased this book, and recommend it to anyone considering a doula, or just looking for some additional ideas for a natural and connected birth.

This book was EVERYTHING I wanted it to be, informative, well written, personal, easy to read and understand, and it cleared up alot of questions I had in my "trying to conceive and what comes after that?" brain.

I actually spent alot of time going "Hmmmm" and "oh I didnt know that!" and "thank goodness!" I want to have a natural childbirth, hopefully in a birthing center, but I am not ruling out hiring a Doula and this guide is for really, every woman considering getting pregnant or pregnant already. It doesnt get muddled down in the details, which can be confusing to anyone who hasnt been in the situations. It has a ton of resources for you to follow up with. This is the kind of book you pass along to your daughter or daughter in law as the perfect gift.

As a doula and childbirth educator I am constantly working to educate families on their options for the safest birth outcomes. This book is clear, straightforward, and is an excellent resource for me to share with clients. My clients have appreciated this book, and it has been a great source of dialog about birth options. I highly recommend the book to birthing families, and all who attend women giving birth.

A great book for pregnant women and doulas alike. Even thought I've attended nearly 400 births, I found some tips that were new to me and very useful :) Very thorough and well written.

tracy hartley
B*E*S*T Doula Service

I purchased this to add to my growing Library of books on birth, and felt this was a good read as well

I got this book when I was about 5 months pregnant with my first child as I was considering hiring a doula. Now that I'm pregnant with my second, I have begun rereading it and I remember why this is my favorite of all the books I read on childbirth! While the main focus of the book is to explain what doulas do and why they are beneficial, it is really a very helpful and practical read for any pregnant woman. I love that it describes the basics of labor and discusses what a woman's options are and the pros and cons of different interventions like Pitocin and epidurals. True, it's not as in-depth as other books, but as a first-time mom, I think that's a plus. Too much information can be overwhelming and confusing when you're already unsure of what to expect. After reading this book, I felt informed and prepared for labor and childbirth. I recommend this book to all of my pregnant friends!!

As a doula, I've read many birth related books in preparation for my career. Ananda's book was hands down the best birth related book I've read to date. A MUST READ for all new parents, doulas, and birth professionals. Thank you, again, Ananda for writing the truth about birth.