Immaculate Deception II: Myth, Magic and Birth [Paperback]

Suzanne Arms (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994

In this intimate perspective on birth, renowned author and photographer Suzanne Arms conveys the inherent wisdom in this natural process, through her eloquent words and pictures.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

SUZANNE ARMS has been a pioneer in the breastfeeding movement since 1970. Suzanne has received the prestigious Lamaze International Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to the world of birth. She lives in Durango, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: Celestial Arts (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890876339
• ISBN-13: 978-0890876336
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #524,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Earthshaking when it first came out; now even better, June 12, 2003

By 

Peggy Vincent "author and reader" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Immaculate Deception II: Myth, Magic and Birth (Paperback)

I'm a midwife and an author of a midwifery memoir, BABY CATCHER: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife. When Suzanne Arms' first edition of this book was released, it rattled the bars of the cage of OB departments everywhere. Nurses, midwives, and women lauded SA and sang her praises, while traditional-minded OBs hid in the corners and prayed their own patients wouldn't get hold of The Book. I believe that S. Arms practically fired the cannon that started the Natural Childbirth and Birth Center wars. Thank god.
But, of course, doctors are far more powerful (not to mention lawyers and the insurance industry), so ultimately they prevailed, with the result that Cesarean rates increased, epidural rates skyrocketed, lawsuits increased, the $$$ amounts of lawsuit awards went out the roof, and patient satisfaction rates plunged. Partly as a result of that and their own culpability in setting up impossible expectations ('just trust me, do as I say, and you'll have a healthy baby'), many OBs now find themselves leaving their specialty because of unaffordable insurance premiums - and whole towns are without the services of an obstetrician.
So this newest edition of this desperately needed book comes out not a moment too soon. Buy it, read it, pass it on to a friend. Women have GOT to take back their birthright before we breed an entire generation of women who don't trust their own bodies intrinsic wisdom of How to Birth.

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for those questioning "unnatural" birth, August 10, 1999

By 

Lori Jean "Reading Mom" (Glendora, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Immaculate Deception II: Myth, Magic and Birth (Paperback)

Upon becoming pregnant for the first time, my heart told me that a "natural" birth was the type of birth that I wanted. I searched the books available and found Immaculate Deception II to be the book that told me *why* my heart felt that way. It is a wonderful combination of personal experiences and medical facts.

She raises awareness as to how the birth process has become a medical condition, the effect this may have/has had on mothers and infants, and helps you realize that the mother should be the decision maker in how she brings her child into this world. She does this with little or no bias by presenting the facts and allowing the reader to draw his/her own conclusions. Most importantly, it provides you with the knowledge that there are options for birth and that you should make informed decisions about birth instead of just following the "standard procedures" that the U.S. medical profession dictates.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compassionate Eye-Opener, October 25, 2002

By 

Carmen Mosley Sims (Little Rock, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Immaculate Deception II: Myth, Magic and Birth (Paperback)

This book is a sequel to Arms' Immaculate Deception, published in the 1960s. It is immensely more compassionate and less angry than the original, and so probably more palatable to most readers.

Immaculate Deception (I and II) opened my eyes to the realities of childbirth. It is not by nature a dangerous process -- an illness that modern medicine has only recently learned to deal with adequately. It is, however, a physically and emotionally demanding process for which our culture does not adequately prepare women, much like menstruation, breastfeeding, and menopause. Hospitals are not "safe" places to give birth. Women who are uneducated about and unprepared for childbirth are placing their lives and their children's lives in the hands of chance, luck, and fallible professionals. No place is a "safe" place to give birth for these women.

The original ID had "conspiracy theory" overtones that Arms has eliminated in this second installment. However, both books contain frank and graphic anecdotes of actual births, photographs, and interviews. Please don't read this book if you are pregnant and have already made your healthcare decisions for prenatal care and childbirth. Above all, this book is about respecting women's natual strength and choices, and reading this book during pregnancy might cause you to second-guess yourself in an unhealthy way.

I read this book and the original ID before getting pregnant with my first child. When I did get pregnant, I was absolutely terrified of having to go to an OB and possibly give birth in a hospital. Thankfully, I had a midwife who taught me the valuable lesson of finding the inner and outer strength to cope with childbirth. Now, I am confident that I could give birth anywhere -- hospital or home -- with the right people supporting me. I hope you take this lesson from this book, instead of feeling angry, defensive, or frightened by what Arms has to say.