Great book for mom who’s want to experience natural, unmedicated birth!!

This book was recommended to me by several friends, my prenatal chiropractor, and my midwife. I’m pregnant with my first child now and planning an unmedicated home-birth. Ina does a thorough job in describing the incredible task that women’s bodies were built for, and how the medical world can oftentimes get in the way of a natural process that’s been happening since the dawn of time. I highly recommend this book to all parents, ESPECIALLY first time moms who, like myself at the beginning of my pregnancy, knew absolutely nothing about labor or birth.

My husband and I both read the book in preparation for birthing our daughter at a birthing center. We were both so well informed about the process of birth that we moved through labor together. We felt confident and comfortable choosing pain reducing medication. And when i hemorrhaged and needed stitches we remained calm and trusting of the midwives.

Every pregnant person should read this, such amazing insight! We are fortunate to have such a voice and advocate for reproductive health.

If you are afraid of childbirth, like many of us are, this book is for you! TV shows and movies make birth seem like it is not manageable, but this book proves them wrong. There are so many useful tips for natural laboring and birthing. Even if you don’t plan on having a natural birth, these tools are so helpful to have. Not to mention that this book is also filled with so many beautiful, positive birth stories. Definitely do yourself a favor and get this amazing book!

I am a labor nurse, pregnant with my first baby, and I am choosing the unpopular route of birthing center delivery with a certified nurse midwife. I am so excited about my choice and Ina May’s book helped give me “backup” to defend my choice to my colleagues. Ina May is right to fight for natural childbirth being the best choice for healthy mothers. Too many times I’ve seen women trapped in bed with monitors and IVs begging for epidurals because the Pitocin running through their IV is making the contractions unbearable with no means to cope in the hospital room. It would be wonderful if more women embraced Ina May’s philosophy on birth and chose more natural means instead of elective labor inductions.

A must read for women who are striving to have a natural/intervention free child birth. So inspiring and powerful!

Love the optimism of natural birth. We were made to reproduce and as women we need to learn to embrace this fact. Ina May fights for our right to natural birth, giving us undeniable facts, and as a woman I appreciate her work, as well as for her to share her knowledge with us. A must read for ALL women.

After reading the reviews that it doesn't even include part 1 I went online and bought it brand new from a popular website that starts with an A. I paid $1.99 + $3.99 for shipping. Be smart and do your research!

Loved this book! I can't say how grateful I am to have read this book during my first pregnancy. Ina May opened my eyes to a number of practices and procedures (and risks) that I was completely unaware of, and I closed the book feeling empowered and far more capable of giving birth naturally and without intervention. While the book is obviously written to illustrate the midwifery model of care, it is written with understanding and respect for the obstetric model as well. Looking forward to reading her guide to breast feeding next!