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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What an eye opener,
By Julie Lanz (virginia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Home Birth Book (Hardcover)
I was at a baby bargain store when I stumbled across this book. I was aware of home births and was somewhat interested but not wholly. I had a few fears of my own---like... what if something happened to the baby? There were so many questions I had and this book virtually answered them all in such an effective and informative manner. The photos are beautiful and you see so much joy and sweetness in them. As far as the technical information goes, some are outdated due to the technical advances made in the modern world (this book was published in 1976) but the theme remains the same. You don't have to fear having a baby at home. It was perfectly normal to have birth at home back in the early 1950's. Nobody thought much of it. You only went to the hospital if it was an emergency. Lots of insight and opinions from different medical doctors. I also enjoyed reading the different family profiles and how they enjoyed the birth at home and how much more peaceful it was to give birth at home compared to the hospital. The father was not seperated from the mother. The father was there 100% and it was a very relaxed atmosphere---especially now that the hospital hooks you up to an annoying monitor that makes you nervous if something goes wrong, sticks you with a needle/IV "in case something happens" and in the midst of giving birth. They tell you WHAT TO DO... how to sit, how to lie down, how to breath, and even to the point of telling you that you're not allowed to walk around or relax in your favorite positions while giving birth. The book made it obvious to ME that birth is 100% natural when the hospital makes you feel birth is unnatural. I realized that I truly want to give birth at home and even went to look for a midwife since I am pregnant. I am so excited about having a baby at home knowing when he comes out. I'll be able to cuddle and breast feed him right away.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Fine Book, with an Intelligent Message, but Not The Whole Story,
By Kathleen (Idaho) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Home Birth Book (Hardcover)
I read this book in 1977. I'd grown up in the 1960s in a church that vigorously promoted home birth and natural childbirth, and when I read this book during my first pregnancy, it confirmed the things I'd heard in sermons and read in the church's publications. I decided to have my baby at home.
Our baby was born healthy and strong, but some of the practices of the male naturopathic physician caused me health problems for quite a while. As it turns out, drinking the two ounces of castor oil that he prescribed was no more natural or better for me or my baby than inducing labor with pitocin would have been (I don't recommend spending half the night with diarhhea before going into labor: this is not natural childbirth). Nor was it necessary or helpful for me to begin pushing at 8.5 centimeters, after only three-and-a-half hours of labor. The problem was that I did not truly educate myself. I did talk with several local obstetricians about my concerns, but not frankly enough. I had my second child at home as well, but this time I received pre-natal care from a general practioner who was still delivering babies as part of his practice, and I told him of my plans to have a home birth. He was very sympathetic with my concerns, and although he didn't approve of home birth, he promised to meet me at the hospital if something went wrong. I had my second baby with a female lay midwife and a registered nurse in attendance. This experience was much better for me, and this baby was also born healthy and strong. Despite this, when my own daughters had babies of their own, I did not encourage them to take the same route I had taken. I realized by then that things can go wrong, and felt that it would be best for mother and baby to be where they could get immediate trained medical help if they needed it. Both my daughters had modern hospital births. Yet I can't say that I am entirely sold on everything to do with births in a hospital setting. Despite impressive, even luxurious hospital birthing suites, women are not being taught how to manage their labors so that they don't need to rely on analgesics and epidurals--or at least to manage the labor until it's safe to give an epidural. It isn't that I think women need to suffer the pains of childbirth, no more than I think people ought to have dental work or surgery without anesthesia, but I do think that we have become alienated from our own bodies, and that we have turned over the management of our births to doctors and hospital staff, which, not surprisingly, like to work predictable hours. The birth of my second grandson was over-medicalized and quickly turned into a medical emergency. But last year our granddaughter was born in a hospital, in a necessarily induced birth, one that probably saved her life. Surely there is a middle ground where science and technology can meet a normal biological event, and refrain from interfering unnecessarily, where women can be educated about the female body, and work with its natural processes, and yet they and their babies can still have access to medical expertise when it is necessary. This book is eloquently written, and the beautiful photography adds to its appeal. It also contains a compelling essay by anthropologist Ashley Montague. It certainly influenced my decision to have my children naturally and at home. But in the end I'm not sure that the location of the birth is of prime importance. Perhaps the better way is to find a sympathetic obstetrician who will support your decision to have a natural childbirth, in the hospital, with education, and a hospital/birthing center that shares that philosophy. Had that been available when I gave birth, I might have made different choices. As it was, I felt I had no choice, and made my decision to protect my babies from (at least temporarily) harmful pain medication that crossed the placental barrier and resulted in lower apgar ratings. Seeing this title has brought back many wonderful memories, and a few bittersweet ones. Good luck to you readers who are having families of your own!
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