Rating: 
Summary: Biased to a great degree
Review: I feel this book is very biased. Read other one and find the ones that don't give such judgemental information.
Rating: 
Summary: It does make you think
Review: I was already very interested in a med-free/ low intervention book before buying this book. I had hoped that it would provide more hard core ammunition that I could use in dealing with friends and family defending my choices. It did not live up to my hopes in this way. I still don't feel that I can totally explain the "why" behind my choice.
That said, it was still a very good book. I thought it did do a good job of laying out the case for why the doctors and hospitals respond they way they do.The book brought up many techniques routinely used in hospitals that I hadn't thought of our encountered in other reading as well.
I thought this book was also very helpful for me in preparing to talk to my doctor. It helped me to know not only the right things to ask, but how to phrase things without sounding accusatory.
I would highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Typical experience of birth not evidence based medicine!
Review: Throughout her book, Ms. Goer makes it apparent that several current birth practices are not supported by medical research. Eletronic fetal monitoring, routine I.V., epidurals, induction and episiotomy are just a few of the topics she addresses.This is a must-read for the woman who wants to be truly informed about her birth choices. Ms. Goer states her bias toward home deliveries and against the average OB, but she backs up her claims with medical research and includes the references in a (medical) literature summary in the Appendix. Ms. Goer provides the facts gleaned from medical literature as well as a risk versus benefit analysis so that her readers may make informed decisions about routine interventions. I highly recommend this book for every couple, but particularly the couple pursuing a natural birth.
Rating:
Summary: The best book on birth!
Review: This book is wonderfully informative and accurate. A must read for all pregnant women!
Rating:
Summary: A must for every pregnant woman
Review: This book should be the first one any pregnant woman reads. It gives clear, informed information on all the interventions linked to birth and allows you to make up your own mind about them.
Rating:
Summary: Very Important Information, highly recommended
Review: As a first time mom, I was somewhat scared about going through chilbirth. As far as talking to my mom about my fears was useless because I was adopted, and talking to my aunts just made me more scared. So I decided to purchase "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Child Birth" by Henci Goer. Now to be honest with you, this book didn't put most of my fears to rest, instead it made some things about childbirth more scary. After thinking about most of the stuff that scared me I relized that what was so scary was the fear of the unknown. However, Goer presents a somewhat biased opinion(she even admitts it). The information that she presents is comprehensive and well supported, the appendices accounts for about a third of the reading volume of the book which includes Literature Summaries and an extensive bibliography. Goer presents information on the following topics: cesareans, inducing labor, IVs, epidurals, home births, midwives and obstetricans, hospital births, birth centers, and alternatives to hi-tech birth. Most of the information that she presents on the before mentioned topics will not be mentioned by your OB/GYN. I highly recommend this book as a tool to compare and contrast information and your options for childbirth. You may not agreee with everything that Goer says but it is good to know all of the information and make a decision that is both beneficial to your baby and to yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: There are two sides to natural birth
Review: This book may be encouraging to women who want to have the 'natural' experience, but you SHOULD listen to your physician as well to balance it. I wanted a natural experience and ended up with a very complicated birth. I even had a doula to help me with the experience. My doctor was very supportive of trying to respect my wishes and finally, when my temp spiked to 104 and the baby still had not come out (36 hours of labor), she gave pulled out the stops. Later, she told me that she came close to kicking the doula out of the room. Natural is great for those of you who have the experience, I say, go for it. But realize that your doc has some experience too. And LISTEN to HIM/HER. The thing with the nature nazis is that they just don't know when to quit. As a result of the long birth process, my daughter spent a touch and go four days in the ICU and was only released from the hospital a full week after her birth. If I had it to do over again, I would have let my doctor induce me early and get that baby out. Hindsight is 20/20 and you don't have that kind of hindsight until something goes very wrong. IF nature takes it's course early on, go for it! If not, bag the natural childbirth idea as soon as your doctor gives you encouragement to do so.
Rating:
Summary: This book is full of truths backed by facts!
Review: This is a wonderful book because Henci Goer is honest and thorough in her presentation of the facts. Every fact she introduces she backs up with the actual study in the back of the book. This makes this a great book for men who 'need the proof.' She is not jaded against OBs, she is just clear about how they do business and their business is hurtful to healthy moms and babies that trust them. She has the research to back it up. I am a mother of four and currently expecting my fifth and have walked a long journey from highly medicated, dangerous, hospital births to quiet, peaceful, sacred home births. I have experienced much sadness and anger at having my birthing rights removed from me in a hostile hospital environment, and have experienced the triumph of laboring in my own home, protecting those rights and choices, and delivering my sweet baby into my husband's hands. I urge all first time expecting mothers and fathers and those who are not first timers, but unhappy with their past experiences, to give their next delivery as much thought, planning, and research as they would for a home or car purchase!! This is the perfect book for expectant mothers to read because it will tell them the FACTS that their precious OB will never tell them. This book will open your eyes wide about the dangerous hospital protocols that are 'standard' in nearly every hospital in America and explain how the majority of all 'things that go wrong' in a typical hospital birth can be directly linked to unnecessary medical intervention. If you are really serious about having a healthy and happy labor/delivery for yourself and your baby then this book should be the first you pick up!
Rating:
Summary: Great book for making informed decisions about childbirth
Review: I disagree with the reviewer who stated that this is not a good book for someone who is making initial decisions about childbirth. This book was highly recommended to me and helped me to decide what options made the most sense for me and my baby. Henci Goer summarizes current literature in an easy-to-understand manner, presents the options with pros and cons on both sides. I did not find the book biased - but it does assume that you are willing to take an active role in making your birth decisions. If you are looking for your OB to make the call for you, this is not the book for you. But if you want to be an active partner with your care provider, I would highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: My Birthing Bible
Review: This book has been the one out of many many books that I have read during my pregnancy. I found only usefull and logical information and felt I was able to draw my own conclusions. Of all the books I've read this was the one I insisted my husband read.
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