Preparation
Be thou prepared...prepare for thyself...and all thy company that are assembled unto thee ~Ezekiel 38:7
The very first step in preparing for safe home birth with a midwife is to become educated about the benefits, risks, responsibilities and choices available to you.
We believe that childbirth preparation is not complete when families do all of their studying online. Contemporary media tends to highlight either controversial aspects of home birth or its trendiness, leaving out some very important steps to becoming ready for your birth and baby.
Remember, birth videos you see on TV or YouTube tend to highlight the last few minutes of birth, leaving out a great deal of the process leading up to and following the climactic point of crowning and delivery.
Some of our favorite resources reflect the simplicity of natural childbirth and practical steps to prepare yourself, your family and home for safe birth.
Recommended Reading
- Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read, 1959, 2004
- The Home Birth Advantage by Mayer Eisenstein, 2000
- Home Birth: A Practical Guide by Nicky Wesson, 2007
- The Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin, 2008
- Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Penny Simpkin, 2008
- The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger, 2003
- Heart & Hands: A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth by Elizabeth Davis, 2004
- Gentle Birth Choices Book and Video Set by Barbara Harper & Suzanne Arms 2000
- Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth by Ina Mae Gaskin, 2003
- Birthing From Within by Pam England, Rob Horowitz, 1992
- The Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin, 2007
- The New Pregnancy and Childbirth: Choices and Challenges, Sheila Kitzinger, 2011
- The Year After Childbirth, Sheila Kitzinger, 1996
- After the Baby's Birth: A Complete Guide for Postpartum Women, Robin Lim, 2004
Childbirth Classes:
Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth
Offers a 12-week series of classes dealing with prenatal health, natural childbirth, understanding variations of birth, and labor-coping techniques that work with your body to achieve the goal of spontaneous, natural birth followed by immediate breastfeeding. Classes emphasize husband's role as the primary advocate, coach and supporter of the mother in labor. Local classes are taught by independent teachers.
Breastfeeding Support:
La Leche League
A free support group that helps mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
We encourage parents to attend La Leche League meetings while pregnant. This is a way to become familiar with the places and people who can help you after the birth, so you are not scrambling to find them, or intimidated by meeting them for the first time during the vulnerable and transitional period of your postpartum, when you may need the most support.
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