Product Description

Birth as every woman would like it to be

• Recommended by Lamaze International as one of the top ten books for pregnant women and their families

• Includes a 45-minute DVD of six live gentle births

• More than 32,000 copies sold of the original edition

New parents are faced with a myriad of choices about pregnancy, labor, and birth. In Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper, renowned childbirth advocate, nurse, former midwife, and mother of three, helps to clarify these choices and shows how to plan a meaningful, family-centered birth experience. She dispels medical myths and reimagines birth without fear, pain, or violence. Harper explains the numerous gentle birth choices available, including giving birth in an independent birth center, at home, or in a hospital birthing room; finding a primary caregiver who shares your philosophy of birth; and deciding how to best use current technologies. She also provides practical advice for couples wishing to explore the option of using a doula or water during labor and birth to avoid the unwanted effects of drugs and epidurals.

The Gentle Birth Choices DVD blends interviews with midwives and physicians and six actual births that illustrate the options of water birth, home birth, and vaginal birth after a prior Cesarean section. The DVD clearly reveals the strength of women during childbirth and the healthy and happy outcome of women exercising gentle birth choices. It is a powerful instructional tool, not only for expectant parents, but also for midwives, hospitals, birth centers, and doctors.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35301 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-09
• Released on: 2005-08-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From Library Journal
Nurse, midwife, and founder of the Global Maternal/Child Health Association (GMCHA), Harper offers her addition to the growing number of alternative childbirth books (e.g., Catherine M. Pool & Elizabeth A. Parr, Choosing a Nurse-Midwife, LJ 5/1/94). Considering GMCHA's focus on water birth, it is not surprising that the major strength of Gentle Birth Choices is its thorough coverage of this birthing technique as an option. Unlike many other alternative birth guides, Harper's book is well documented, citing many well-recognized medical journals. A special plus is one of the appendixes, "Procedures and Protocols for Hydrotherapy for Labor and Birth," and the book also contains a large section of resources. Much of the information not specific to water birth can be found in other works. A nice addition to larger women's health collections but otherwise optional.
KellyJo Houtz Griffin, Harrison Memorial Hosp., Bremerton, Wash.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Believe it or not, birth resulting from a normal pregnancy needn't take place in a hospital. Harper explains why birthing centers and home births, along with other "gentle birth choices," are beneficial to both mother and baby. With a foreword by Robbie Davis Floyd, who wrote Birth as an American Rite of Passage (1992), Gentle Birth Choices also features a history of how childbirth came to be so technological and blasts myths such as why fetal monitors save babies (they don't, very often). Harper also discusses giving birth in water and explores the connection of mind and body during labor and birth. She stresses the importance of midwives for a more natural and satisfying experience. Well illustrated with photos by acclaimed birth photographer Suzanne Arms and containing a first-rate resource section, Gentle Birth Choices provides an excellent alternative to mainstream birth books. Jo Peer-Haas

Michael Odent, M.D., author of Birth Reborn
Barbara Harper is among the most active, enthusiastic and effective writers and advocates in the field of childbirth education today.

Customer Reviews

GREAT book for both moms and dads to be
Gentle Birth Choices lays out the various aspects of childbirth, and explains the drawbacks of medicated birth or birthing interventions that many moms may encounter. This isn't a how-to book (such as Hypnobirthing or Bradley), but it does inform as to why "natural" birth choices are better, both for parents and baby. There are helpful sections at the back, listing questions to ask your health practitioner and your hospital or birthing center so that you can go into your labor and birth better informed (or find a different practitioner while you still have time).

Will appeal to many parents-to-be
One of the best birth books available, with options ranging from hospital birth to waterbirth. There is also a DVD/video by the same name available by Barbara Harper for those with spouses and/or families to educate, too!

I read this book (and watched the video with my hubby) in preparation for our planned home birth after an "Unnecessarean". I highly recommend it for anyone planning a gentle and natural birth, but also for those who are not sure what they think about epidurals, induction, interventions, et cetera. You may be amazed at how leaving this book lying around the house can turn even a first-time father into a birth advocate, too! ;>)

Suzanne Arms' photography is just breathtaking. This book is worth the price for the pictures alone! It's one you can put on the coffee table.

Thank you, Barbara Harper and Suzanne Arms!!

A must for pregnant women!
If you want to be inspired and empowered in choosing the birth that's best for you and your baby, this book is the perfect place to go. Ms. Harper is thorough and honest, she did her research and presents the facts in a way that is concise and easily understood, by even the newest, youngest mom. Too much technology has intruded into the age-old practice of having babies the way nature and God intended - women are strong and powerful and built to have babies, without drugs, without intervention, without doctors. If you think your doctor has 'informed" you, think again. This book has the answers. I used it, I followed it and I recently purchased a copy for my daughter-in-law who is pregnant with my first grandbaby! Buy one for every woman you know who's even considering childbirth, the right way. Find a great midwife and enjoy the ride - it's a joy and a blessing! The bonus with this book was the DVD depicting several births - beautiful!