Rating: 
Summary: Men and doctors are NOT the enemy!
Review: A reread of Kitzinger's book has forcefully reminded me of her hostility to both men and medicine, and her concomitant dedication to Age of Aquarius birthing techniques. In the world according to Kitzinger, everyone is against the pregnant woman, the hitherto victim of society who, up until the groovy New Age of childbirth, was the cowering captive of males and the Medical Establishment. Listed below are just a few examples of Kitzinger's distortions and New Age baloney: * Before the New Age birthing techniques came along, women's childbirth fears were due to the "socially inculcated lack of confidence we felt in our bodies and in ourselves..." (p 7) * Women are likely to argue, and are encouraged to argue, with their doctors, who are too stupid, backwards, and generally not with it to be able to understand a pregnant woman's needs. (pp 48-9) * Women may dread going to prenatal appointments because of the "cool indifference, rigid authoritarianism, or patronizing behavior" of their caregivers. (p 153) * "Some men see their partners as their mothers" (p 160) NOTE: the word "husband" has been banished fom Kitzinger's book; all that's left is "partner." What a wonderfully sloppy word. What are they going to do after the child is born--form a joint corporation? * "In the atmosphere of a busy doctor's office women often feel they have become part of the factory process." (p 163) * "The language used by men about women's bodies--especially their genitals--is often degrading..." (p 240) * More pages are devoted to water birth (pp 284-91) an extremely uncommon birth technique that seems to be mainly employed by Russians and ex-hippies, then pages devoted to C-sections (pp 336-41). One more point. Someone reading Ms. Kitzinger's book may think it's the gospel truth because Ms. Kitzinger is a medical doctor. Um, well, you see, Ms. Kitzinger--Sheila--is NOT a medical doctor. But she's at least a licensed midwife, right? Actually, no. A nurse at least? Nope. A "doula"? Uh-uh. Sheila is an ANTHROPOLOGIST. Think about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Would not go through a preganacy without it - invaluable.
Review: A wonderful book full of information. Used it with all 3 of my children. Read it almost every night. Particularly LOVED the section that took you through the pregnancy week by week. I have loaned it to several friends for them to read during their pregnancies. It is in pieces and needed to order another one to have on hand.
Rating:
Summary: Make your own decisions about YOUR childbirth natural or not
Review: After reading these reviews here I bought and read this book during the last 3 months of my first pregnancy. It lived up to my expectations and then some. The bonus was that my husband also got a lot out of it and he said he wished he had read it cover to cover much earlier. Note: he decided to start reading it while I was in the early stages of labor at home, he said the "cramming" helped him tremendously to be a better birth partner and I have to agree with him.
If you find many of the birth books out there a bit patronizing or superficial ("what to expect...") and if you want to consider alternative or natural options for birthing without having them shoved down your throat then this book is definitely for you. For me it offered the perfect combination of information (detailed) and anecdotes so that it was fairly easy to read. Having said that, if you are looking for cute baby pictures and a "sound bite" style of writing then this may not be the book for you. It is for those that are willing to invest some time reading and thinking about how they want to manage their own pregnancy and birth experience. Some may find a few of the photos of women giving birth rather direct, but hey that is what childbirth looks like and it certainly helped me to deal with my fears and expectations about the event. In the end I had a natural childbirth(on a birthing stool) that I felt in control of and would not have changed anything about. I am sure that my positive mindset had much to do with the preparation I did reading this book. If I have a second child I will pull this book out first and put away the others. There is nothing man-hating (my husband would have picked up on that in a heartbeat) or anti-Dr about this book. She just presents the facts and information as they are without bias. The fact is that the rest of the developed world (outside the US) has significantly lower C-section rates, medicated birth rates etc... and just as low infant mortality rates so maybe we should listen up and learn something from our European friends?!
Rating:
Summary: Make your own decisions about YOUR childbirth natural or not
Review: After reading these reviews here I bought and read this book during the last 3 months of my first pregnancy. It lived up to my expectations and then some. The bonus was that my husband also got a lot out of it and he said he wished he had read it cover to cover much earlier. Note: he decided to start reading it while I was in the early stages of labor at home, he said the "cramming" helped him tremendously to be a better birth partner and I have to agree with him.
If you find many of the birth books out there a bit patronizing or superficial ("what to expect...") and if you want to consider alternative or natural options for birthing without having them shoved down your throat then this book is definitely for you. For me it offered the perfect combination of information (detailed) and anecdotes so that it was fairly easy to read. Having said that, if you are looking for cute baby pictures and a "sound bite" style of writing then this may not be the book for you. It is for those that are willing to invest some time reading and thinking about how they want to manage their own pregnancy and birth experience. Some may find a few of the photos of women giving birth rather direct, but hey that is what childbirth looks like and it certainly helped me to deal with my fears and expectations about the event. In the end I had a natural childbirth(on a birthing stool) that I felt in control of and would not have changed anything about. I am sure that my positive mindset had much to do with the preparation I did reading this book. If I have a second child I will pull this book out first and put away the others. There is nothing man-hating (my husband would have picked up on that in a heartbeat) or anti-Dr about this book. She just presents the facts and information as they are without bias. The fact is that the rest of the developed world (outside the US) has significantly lower C-section rates, medicated birth rates etc... and just as low infant mortality rates so maybe we should listen up and learn something from our European friends?!
Rating:
Summary: very informative and open minded
Review: Because my husband and I would like to start having a family I wanted to read a book on pregnancy that was very open minded, informative and focused on a woman making the general decisions, not the doctor. Although I would still like to have my baby in the hospital. I haven't finished the book yet but already I would recommend that everyone read this. I would say that many women do not know that there are many options you have to choose from during your pregancy and labor. It is good to be informed and know what decisions you can make - because it is your body and your baby, no matter how you choose to have it or who you choose to deliver it.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT BOOK!
Review: Being pregnant with my second child after 11 years, I am starting all over again. I have read plenty of books to help me overcome my fears and anxieties. This book was AMAZING, it took me through every fear and anxiety that I was facing. It also gave me much insite as to what to expect and look forward to, my fears have diminished and I am looking forward to my delivery. To me, all the other books couldn't compare to this one. The graphic illustrations and exceptionally informative information this book provides is a must read for any expectant mother. I recommend it 100%. I hate that I had to find it and read it so late in my pregnancy.
Rating:
Summary: If you are buying 1 book on preg/childbirth, buy this one.
Review: I am a nurse-midwife and I recommend this book to all of my patients. Wonderful informaton regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Answers all of the most commonly asked questions of the expected mother. The photographs are wonderful. I often give this book as a gift to friends expecting their first baby.
Rating:
Summary: This book provided a balanced view.
Review: I am very surprised by the negative reviews that appear on this web site. I read this book while I was pregnant with my daughter, and I found it to be one of the most balanced books that I had read. I didn't know what type of birth that I wanted, so I exposed myself to all types of approaches. Personally, I landed somewhere in the middle. I wanted a hospital birth so that all of my options were open, in case of emergency. But I wanted the delivery performed by a midwife, with my husband and doula there for support. I thought that Sheila's book presented several options without bias. Also, Sheila's book presented birth as a beautiful, positive experience. She put me at ease. I was turned off by some of the more popular books, namely "What to Expect While You're Expecting", which I found to have a negative tone. Perhaps I have a personal bias that favors empowerment. I'm the consumer. The doctors are there to provide a service. My midwife worked with a doctor, and they did a wonderful job. But my daughter's birth day was a much bigger deal for my family than it was for our healthcare providers. Something we'll remember forever. It was important that our needs and desires were considered. We took responsibility for that. Also, one of the readers said that Sheila gave some poor advice about alcohol. My book is on loan so I cannot look for the particular passage. However, I have trouble imagining that. I enjoy an occasional glass of wine or margarita. But I completely eliminated alcohol from my diet several months before trying to conceive. It simply wasn't worth the risk. I'm sure that I would have objected if Sheila had advised otherwise.
Rating:
Summary: Just Lovely
Review: I bought almost every pregnancy book around and this is THE one I felt was the most balanced. It doesn't preach to you that there is ONLY one way; it presents the facts and offers good advice. It doesn't leave you feeling cold and remote from the whole pregnancy experience; it actively involves you and empowers you. I can't understand why anyone at all would buy the "What to Expect" series - they just made me feel incompetent, inept, and uncomfortable. This book was obviously written by someone who want to share what an amazing experience pregnancy can be.
Rating:
Summary: Just Lovely
Review: I bought almost every pregnancy book around and this is THE one I felt was the most balanced. It doesn't preach to you that there is ONLY one way; it presents the facts and offers good advice. It doesn't leave you feeling cold and remote from the whole pregnancy experience; it actively involves you and empowers you. I can't understand why anyone at all would buy the "What to Expect" series - they just made me feel incompetent, inept, and uncomfortable. This book was obviously written by someone who want to share what an amazing experience pregnancy can be.
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