The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
by Henci Goer
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Book Reviews of The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
Book Review: Excellent Book for the thinking Woman
Summary: 5 Stars
I recommend this book. Henci Goer wrote this book using research and statistics to provide the reader with concise, factual, easy to read information. Topics covered in the book include
* whether to use a Midwife or a Doctor for pregnancy and birth,
* Doula's
* Testing
* Epidurals
* Episiotomys
* Birth options
* Breech babies
* Electronic fetal monitoring
she addresses the national epidemic of cesarean birth and so much more.
Henci Goer is an award winning medical writer and international speaker specializing in birth issues. Henci has written Obstetric Myth vs Research Reality, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, she has also written consumer pamphlets and articles in various magazines. Henci worked as a Doula for over 20 years and as a Lamaze Instructor for 10 years.
This is a great book to add to the bookshelf of a Labor Doula, pregnant woman and anyone interested in learning more about the science behind the tests, medications and procedures that are often used throughout pregnancy, labor and birth.
This is a book that should be used as a resource throughout pregnancy.The insightful information provided will assist the reader in making decisions. This book provides the pros and cons to the medical procedures and interventions that are often recommended during pregnancy and labor.
Book Review: Potentially Valuable Information, Poorly Written Argument
Summary: 2 Stars
As a pregnant woman, this is the first book I purchased about birthing. The title is misinformative, as it suggests that the guide will empower women to make educated, informed birthing plan decisions. I am not disputing that the author's facts are accurate and useful, but has she ever had training on how to present a persuasive argument? I am relatively unknowledgeable in the arena of birthing, as this is my first pregnancy & my first birthing book - so I cannot even begin to take such a biased "argument" (if that is what you could even call it), seriously! This author is "going against the grain" of what most people know about the medical community, and in order to dispute something of this magnitude (e.g. the entire medical community & their practices in obstetrics), you better be a trusted expert and present your argument as such. Admitting a bias is not enough to persuade me to take this book as fact. Like previous reviewers, I was distracted by the persistent angry and doctor-bashing tone of the book. This book would have been far more effective had it acknowledged where the medical community is succeeding. Or is it failing miserably in all areas of obstetrics? This book provides not one instance (that I read, granted... I got irritated & didn't finish the book) of how the medical community in general is getting things right. I find that hard to believe.Book Review: birthingnaturally.net recommends this book.
Summary: 5 Stars
Henci Goer has done a phenomenal job reviewing the available research for parents. The book is broken down by specific research topics such as pitocin, epidurals, and cesarean. Each topic is again broken down into reviews of the research, pros and cons of procedures and recommendations to parents.
If you want to use medical pain relief or other interventions during labor and birth, this book will help you understand the risks of procedures and give you suggestions for ways to minimize those risks. If you want to avoid medications and interventions, this book can provide you with research and resources so you can intelligently discuss issues with your caregiver.
Almost all of the families I have worked with have found this book to be a very valuable tool to help them plan the birth they desire. It is written in easy to understand language, but does refer to medical research and procedures extensively. For that reason, a couple of my childbirth education students have commented that it was a dull or difficult read. There is no attempt by the author to hide her discouragement at the medical establishment because of their failure to practice according to research recommendations. For some families, this book works better like an encyclopedia or other reference book than a "read it cover to cover" book.
Book Review: Full of Important Information for Birthing Couples
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best book I've ever seen in regards to condensing current research on childbirth into readable and understandable terms. The author gives clear and concise descriptions of various OB procedures and interventions that are easy to follow. She gives pros and cons of each [working within her own bias, which she does freely admit]. I think this would be an excellent book for any couple expecting an uncomplicated birth to read. This is information that every pregnant woman *should* have access to in order to make good decisions. However, there is definitely an anti-OB bias [which the author admits] and this isn't a book designed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about a hospital birth. Be aware of that going into this - the author raises very important but possibly disturbing points for those planning a hospital birth with an Obstetrician in attendance.
My only dissappointment with the book is that there was no chapter on assisted delivery [vacuum cap and forceps]. I would very much have liked to see a chapter on the pros and cons of these common procedures and their safety for mother and baby. There is only one page that has a small bit of information on this, but no extensive discussion or gathering of the research data available. It seems a glaring omission from an otherwise excellent and complete book.
Book Review: Scare Yourself Natural
Summary: 3 Stars
I have opted for as natural childbirth as possible because after lots of reading, including this book, I've decided that it's the way I'd like to do things. However, that being said, I find the tone of this book to be pretty alarmist. Labor and delivery can be unpredictable, and even if you intend to go natural, there may be circumstances that require medical intervention. This book serves to instill such panic about these interventions that you will be afraid to give your consent on them even if they should turn out to be necessary and appropriate.
It is a helpful resource in that it is good to know what the different interventions are, what the different drug options are, and the pros and cons of each. Going into your labor as informed as possible can only be good. And to be fair, she does admit her bias against obstetric interventions at the very start of the book. It is a worthwhile read, but I would definitely recommend taking it with a little grain of salt. The author is a self-described "birth activist," which definitely suggests some ideology in play that should be taken into consideration when reading this book.
Overall, I do recommend it if you intend to go natural, but only as one viewpoint in the course of your decision making about what's best for you and your baby.