Unassisted Childbirth [Hardcover]

Laura Kaplan Shanley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0897893700 | ISBN-13: 978-0897893701 | Publication Date: December 30, 1993

Laura and her husband delivered their first child without the aid of a doctor or midwife. Laura alone delivered the next three children, assisted by her belief that giving birth was a natural process for which a woman's body had been well designed. Therefore, she saw no need to involve the medical establishment. Her personal birth experiences confirmed her belief, and subsequent research has convinced her that with the proper mindset delivering one's own baby is the safest, most fulfilling way to give birth. Tribal women and animals can help show the way, if one is humble enough to learn from them. Shanley gives numerous references, both historical and contemporary, to support her theory. She tells of her own experiences in childbirth as well as those of other women who have given birth without medical assistance. Although many contemporary writers deal with the concept that we create our own reality according to our beliefs, no one has applied this notion to birthing experience to the extent that Laura has.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Although I am personally an advocate of planned, midwife-attended home birth, I also believe that we must make conceptual and legal room in the technocracy for those women who choose to fully claim their power as birth-givers by going it alone. This is a very brave book and Laura Kaplan Shanley is a remarkable and courageous woman.”–Robbie Davis-Floyd, Ph.D. author of Birth as an American Rite of Passage

“Laura Kaplan Shanley is not crazy: she had no other choice than either to give birth with her own hormones in complete privacy, or to be delivered by white coat experts.”–Michel Odent, M.D. Primal Health Research Center, London

“ Unassisted Childbirth is more than a practical guide. It is an inspiration for every parent regardless of whether they plan to give birth at home, childbearing center, or in the hospital. It inspires confidence and creates the positive attitude toward birth that the fear and pain of labor.”–Carl Jones, C.C.E. author of Mind Over Labor and The Expectant arent's Guide to Preventing a Cesarean Section

Book Description

Contrary to popular opinion, prior to the advent of the modern-day hospital, women and babies in healthy tribal cultures rarely died in childbirth. Women in tribal cultures often had such a relaxed attitude about birth that some of them actually gave birth while sleeping. All told, Americans spend $80 billion a year on childbirth. Could it be much of this medical intervention is actually unnecessary?

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Bergin & Garvey (December 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897893700
• ISBN-13: 978-0897893701
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,109,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book. Really., June 24, 2006

By 

Lydia Musher - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unassisted Childbirth (Paperback)

There are several things you need to know if you're considering buying this book:

1. Ms. Shanley has become an unofficial spokesperson for Unassisted Childbirth (UC is homebirth without midwifery care). So if you're considering one, it is worth reading the book despite the points I'm about to make.

2. As a previous poster indicated, Ms. Shanley's book is not a handbook. It is more of an argument for UC, a nice collection of data and quotations to support UC, a recounting of her experiences in life leading up to and including her five UCs, and a recounting of other people's wonderful UC stories. This part is good and I wish the book had stopped here. But of course, she couldn't leave well enough alone.

3. The remainder of the book, about half of the book presents Ms. Shanley's cognitive view of the world: that you can control your body with your mind. For example, she practices (or practiced) "mental birth control," which I can only assume is the practice of willing oneself not to become pregnant. It's not her ideas that I find objectionable: it's the rationale she uses.

Most of her ideas come from a life philosophy she and her husband formulated. Many, many pages are devoted to recounting the philosophy of a series of books entitled Seth Speaks (and related titles) by Jane Roberts. Seth is Ms. Robert's alter ego in the multiple-personality-disorder sense. Ms. Roberts devoted five books to Seth's outpourings of philosophy.

The fact that Ms. Shanley's life philosophy derives largely from the ramblings of a multiple personality who does not use the word "but" - combined with the fact that her husband "willed himself" to lactate - gives the book a decidedly looney feel. If you can get past the feeling of, "Wow, this woman is certifiably nuts," the book may be very inspiring to you. If not, I'd say skip the life-philosophy chapters.

I recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin as an alternative from a woman who is equally positive about women's bodies but sounds a little more sane.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read, August 15, 2004

By 

Mary Siever (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unassisted Childbirth (Paperback)

I first read Unassisted Childbirth before my first was born. I had already decided we were going to UC, but I wasn't totally committed. Although I don't agree with all of Laura's spiritual/religious beliefs, they did not detract (for me) from the ultimate message of the book, which is that UC is a viable choice and the key is trusting yourself and God. She does not denigrate those who don't choose UC, but shows that it is a respectful decision for those who so decide. We have had two beautiful, planned, unassisted births and look forward to many more. This book was the clincher for me. It brought me to the ultimate peace and tranquility I needed to proceed with our decision. I have never turned back and I thank Laura for sharing her journey and stories and thoughts with us. She has brought unassisted birth to the forefront of birthing choices and I believe the world is better for it.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, just not what I expected, April 30, 2004

By 

Corinna L. Burt (Corvallis, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unassisted Childbirth (Paperback)

I was looking for more of a how-to book on UC. For example, how to cut and tie the cord, how to take care of minor complications (read: variations of normal) that may occur, and how to stabilize more serious conditions, such as a newborn who doesn't breathe right away. Instead it was mostly stories and perspectives. There was a chapter on the dangers of medical intervention, but it was way too short.

Nowhere in the book does it say that UC or homebirth is for every woman, or that medical intervention is never necessary. In other countries (with better infant and maternal mortality rates) homebirths are 33% of all births; in the U.S. they are 1%. I believe homebirth can be for most women. If a woman is comfortable with UC, it's probably because it's right for her. I was born by planned UC in the late 70s; I grew up thinking that was how all babies were born. I decided to have my first child in the hospital, out of ignorance and fear, and I am planning an attended homebirth for my second, with midwives who have agreed to be hands-off.

Shanley mentions one important thing - medical intervention cannot save all babies. Some are just not going to live. In the case of her UC birth where the baby died, it was later determined that he would not have survived even if born in the hospital. If he didn't have a chance of living very long after birth, the best thing was probably for him to have been born peacefully at home.

So, the book was fairly good, but I actually got a lot more out of the website.