Customer Reviews

Unassisted Childbirth

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4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Ladies, ignore the inflated prices on the used and "collectible" copies, and buy it directly from the author on her website for $19.95 (www.unassistedbirth.com). She'll even sign it for you; she did mine...
Thanks again Laura....just had my second Unassisted Birth 9 weeks ago!
Cherry

Every woman planning to have children should read at least one book about "unassisted" childbirth -- birth without medical or midwifery personnel -- no matter what her plans might be. Does it sound far out? You betcha, when the idea first enters your mind. But is it really any more extreme than the typical hospital birth, with iv's and bleeping machines and the assumption underlying it all that birth is a dangerous and pathological condition? The more I learned about unassisted birth, the more I realized that it is birth reduced to its essentials --- truly normal birth, unhindered and "as safe as life gets." This book was part of that learning.

Laura Shanley takes a spiritual approach to her exploration of birth. Though it differs from my own spiritual philosophy, I appreciated learning about her journey. She does not skimp on well-referenced information on safety, but I would say the strength of this work is personal empowerment and appreciation of truly normal birth.

This book and others on unassisted childbirth are certainly helpful to those seeking a similar experience, but even those planning a conventional attended birth will surely benefit from the balance this book would lend to the usual collection of pregnancy advice that simply assumes birth NEEDS attending. I used midwives when I birthed, but my experience was certainly better than it would have been had I not been aware that they were a choice, not a requirement.

Ms. Shanley tells the real truth about homebirthing and giving birth without outside aid. Women should return to doing what women do best and can handle instinctively rather than the sterile, overprotective and downright dangerous world of medicalized childbirth.

I am a Certified Childbirth Educator, and I wholeheartedly support and endorse Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley. In this country, we tend to worship the medical model as if it is the only viable alternative. Speaking as a health care professional, a former labor support person, and a person who has experienced a home birth, I cannot tell you the number of times I have observed complications caused by the medical handling of birth and prenatal care. Yes, fetal deaths happen at home, but even more of them happen in hospitals. If you take 100 home births and 100 hospital births and look at how many end up with complications or death, you will find in every case that home births have fewer complications than hospital births. The fact that someone had a baby die at home should not dissuade them from taking charge of their own health and having the birth they want next time. Does every person who ever had someone die in the hospital stop going to the hospital for good? But that's what some people would have us do with home birth. Laura makes good sense, and she has been there. Even SHE did have a baby die after giving birth at home, but her doctors told her that the baby would have died anyway even if it had given birth at the hospital. You see, medicine is not the answer to everything.

In this book, Laura Shanley has single-handedly started a revolution, and once you have read it, there is no going back. In clear, confessional and honest prose, she tells the story of her own unassisted births and explores the mind-body-spirit connection not only as it related to childbirth, but as it relates to the human experience. Her message is clear: women are the experts when it comes to their bodies and their births, and there is no one - doctors, midwives, partners - who can do it better. She makes a powerful case for autonomous birth, and this book, if nothing else, will force you to think out of the obstetric box. If every woman in America (heck, all over the world!) got her hands on this book, we would have a calmer, more centered, and much more peaceful society where women take back the power that is inherently theirs - the power of birth.

There is a continuum of writers on the topic of freebirth, or unassisted birth, as Laura Shanley calls it -- Moran, Shanley, Griesemer -- and all are excellent. Laura's book is unique in it's emphasis on self trust rather than faith or surrender to a higher power. I particularly loved the chapters on dreams for I have found them great allies in my own 6 natural births. Clear, courageous and by no means missionary in its enthusiasm to let families know that there is an option to a fear based medical delivery. I recommend this book to all my students and friends who may have the heart to trust natural birth in its most free expression.

Laura Kaplan Shanley shares her personal journey of self-discovery in this book which educates women about their bodies' natural instincts in childbirth. She shares many quotes from the books which inspired her to trust her body's ability to birth. Shanley demonstrates the role of psychology in the perception of pain. Through dream interpretation, meditation, and mental mantras, she shows the ability to gain control in situations which many may deem uncontrollable. It seems to have worked well for her, although I question if it would be suitable for all women, because of the immense energy and faith which one must exert in order to achieve what Shanley has. This book not only applies to childbirth, but also to the spiritual nature of life in general and the impact that it can have on our destiny.