Reading List for Your Pregnancy and Childbirth

In Association with Amazon.com

I'm happy to offer online ordering in association with Amazon.com.  This is a fabulous service and they offer very good discounts on the books.  They have various shipping options, great customer service, and they offer secure and  private payment options.  They even offer gift wrapping and delivery to anywhere in the world!!

To order a book, just click on the title and you are on your way to owning it!  :-)

Husband-Coached Childbirth by Robert Bradley, MD
The definitive text on the Bradley Method , this book is written in a very folksy manner and is directed at the husband/coach, but should also be read by the mother-to-be.

Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon

An excellent book on learning and applying the Bradley Method . Includes relaxation techniques, exercises, labor positions, and emotional signs of labor.

Children at Birth by Marjie and Jay Hathaway

Even if you won't have children at your birth, this can help you decide who to have present and how keep them from adding stress to your birth. Also, the chapter on Consumerism (Choices) is a must-read for any pregnant couple.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International

If you're not sure you want to breastfeed, this book will convince you to. Very helpful, with just about every situation and question covered.

The Nutrition Almanac (4th Ed) - Gayla J. and John D. Kirschmann
(Note: The older edition had Lavon J. Dunne as a contributing author. His name doesn't appear on this newer edition.) An encyclopedia of vitamins and minerals, and the illnesses they can help. A great reference, for pregnant and non-pregnant people.

Metabolic Toxemia of Late Pregnancy by Thomas Brewer, MD

Most people aren't aware that a low-salt, low-calorie diet during pregnancy can be deadly. If you can wade through the first half of the book (very clinical), the second half is extremely useful.

The Birth Book by William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN

The Sears' have had 7 children by different methods and in different locations (hospital, home). The information contained within is unbiased and very practical. Includes every known procedure done during pregnancy, and their pros and cons.

The Pregnancy Book: A Month-by-Month Guide by William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN

The Baby Book by William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN

Should be called the "Baby Bible"! Read this before the baby is born. Has information on just about every topic concerning babies, from how to fold a cloth diaper to co- sleeping and attachment parenting. Has a great section on breastfeeding that actually covered certain problems and situations better than the La Leche League book.

Attachment Parenting - (New Book!) Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child, by Katie Allison Granju with Betsy Kennedy RN, MSN and with an introduction by Dr. William Sears. http://www.attachmentparent.com/

The Birth Partner - by Penny Simkin

Spiritual Midwifery by Ina Mae Gaskins

Gaskins is a midwife on the Farm, a collective of midwives and other like-minded individuals in Tennessee. This book has some wonderful birth stories, with a great section for parents and midwives, and has the effect of showing the reader just what a miracle birth truly is.

Safer Childbirth - A Critical History of Maternal Care by Marjorie Tew
An expose of clinical birthing procedures, showing that for some women hospital birth might actually be more dangerous than home birth.