Customer Reviews

Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth

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Not just as women, but an entire society, we need to stop scaring the day lights out of women who are venturing into this beautiful journey of motherhood. My hope for this fantastic book is that every pregnant woman read it. That we stop convincing them to read "What to expect when...." This is the kind of book that will prepare woman for a fantastic birth whether they choose medication or not. As a labor doula, it is now on my list of required reading for all of my clients. Please join me in encouraging all pregnant families to have this book on their night table.

This book is wonderful. Genuine birth experiences which inspire, encourage and uplift. These stories show the many ways we might attain the birth experience each of us seeks, they illustrate the differences each of us needs, and they make clear the fact that our bodies CAN birth without intervention. The natural, rather than standard, birth experience is celebrated time and again within this book. These stories are not the same tale, repeated over and again, in different voices. There is a rich array of experience here and each affected me in it`s own way. Many of the tales left me in tears, rejoicing with Mothers and Fathers I'd never meet. Each also shares personal wisdom gained and resources beneficial in their journey, offering all of us the opportunity to find what we need as we expand our knowledge and reach deeper within, seeking our own empowered birth and the legacy created with each.

For Mothers and Fathers, birth attendees, first timers or the multi-experienced, this book offers so much for every one of us!

What a beautiful way to convey the strength of a birthing woman and how natural and healthy the entire process is.

I could not put this book down! I tried to "save" a story to read each night during my pregnancy but always read more! EVERY pregnant woman should read this. It will remove all fear of childbirth and will actually get you excited about this amazing rite of passage in to womanhood. There are so many ways for babies to come in to this world. I know after reading this book that my baby will enter in a calm and ready environment! If you're pregnant, don't even think of not reading it! I've read it all and this is my favorite!

I am currently doing a presentation for a nursing class in which I am focusing on the high rates of C-sections in this country. With the statistics I have found and the overwhelming information out there that literally scares women into submission, I am so thankful that a book like this is available. I am saddened when I hear over and over again from amazing women that they chose a c-section so that they could have the doctor they wanted or to be able to make a trip they had planned. I am utterly dismayed that someone would want to opt for surgery rather than experience enlightenment that is beyond words. So, bravo Ms. Menelli. I applaud you with an open heart!!!! This book changes that mindset!!!!

Great book. While your mother, mother in-law, doctor and etc. can tell you what to "expect" of child birth, it was nice to read about women who openly and honestly tell you their experiences. These women share with you their thoughts, research, reasonings, and various alternatives (yoga, doula's, etc.). It is a wonderful insight of child birth compared to your mother's explaination of "joyous" pain.

As a mother, I love pouring through all these beautiful, timeless stories of real women birthing exquisite babies. As a woman, I am honored to be a part of such a strong and intelligent group. As a professional childbirth educator, I feel obliged to recommend this book to all my students. No woman who has ever considered giving birth should miss reading this powerful and enlightening book. And most importantly, any woman who ever decided NOT to have children because she didn't want to face childbirth should read this book and take it to heart. An absolute must-have for anyone with even the slightest interest in birth or pregnancy.

I actually got this book as a gift. I am just now expecting my first. I was already dedicated to the ideal of natural -- non-medical, non-intervention, non-medicated -- birth. So maybe this book was "preaching to the choir" BUT it is so positive and so encouraging.

There are birth stories in the book are not what I want, or will attempt (unassisted home birth and so on). BUT each story shoes a mom doing whatever she has to do in order to do what is best for her baby and her birth. It doesn't matter if you deliver in a hospital or at home alone -- what matters is that YOU make an educated choice based on what you believe and what is best for your situation.

And this is what this book shows us - you can choose, and that you can make anything ok. It opens our eyes to the fact that there is more than one way to birth.

More importantly it shows us positive birth. I am pregnant and everyone has a horror story; a trauma. It is refreshing and reassuring to read positive stories. Yes there are challenges, no nothing goes according to plan - but it is a miracle of birth and a joy to experience. I consider the opportunity to birth this child a blessing and the child a gift - who what's a ugly Christmas morning they'd sooner forget? Make your birth worth remembering.

Reading a book like this while you are pregnant is definately a must!! All those positive and beautiful stories really make a woman confident. Those stories have great tips too, filled with wisdom and love.
Thanks Sherri for caring so much about our babies!!! and us mommies too!!

As a childbirth educator and mother of two natural-born sons, I can't recommend this book enough. No matter what type of birth you think you may have, or may want to have, please do yourself a favor and read these stories. Your baby, your body and your spirit will thank you.

As someone who has experienced birth the "traditional" way, hospital, pain medication, interventions, and "alternative", I know all too well that they key to an intervention-free, painless, empowering birth experience is perception.

The horror stories are out there, you don't have to seek them out. Finding strong women who have faith in themselves, their bodies, and their babies is a bit harder, but those are the stories you want, no, *need* to hear if you're pregnant. The Little Engine That Could, not The Little Engine That Couldn't! Knowing that it's not only possible, but very much within your power to have the birth of your dreams is what gets you there. When people push their negatives stories on you, you need to have something positive at hand to counter those harmful images.

This book is it. Not only will it have you beliving in your ability to birth easily, it's addictive! The stories are wonderful, inspirational, emotional (have kleenex nearby!).

I re-read these stories often, and am tempted to grow our family yet again. They help me remember birth doesn't have to be what we're told it is, it can be something beautiful, something joyous, something you want to do again.