A lot of very sane and lovely people I know value this book, so I was surprised how extreme my distaste for my reading experience with this books has been. I found each page more strange and uncomfortable than the previous, leaving me more stressed about natural childbirth than comforted. Granted, I entered this books with kind of unique parameters, as a woman who is supportive of efforts to decrease pain but unwilling to go through an epidural experience again, but I still think that Ina May's view swings in a direction that does not necessarily empower and turns childbirth into unrealistic ideals (a whole section on orgasimic birthing - really?!) I am moving on in my stack of natural childbirth books, still hopeful to find a sane voice but less confident.
2 comments:
I had a bad epidural experience with my first and so wanted to avoid one with the second. Have you read my experience with natural childbirth?: http://emileeandeli.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-homebirth-experience.html
I read, probably read too much, about natural childbirth methods. No one thing resonated with me, so I can't recommend any one book. But I gathered what I could and used some of it during labor. My sister gave birth naturally and apparently was like all those women you see in the videos who are peaceful and make little noise while they give birth. I got through most of the labor okay, but when it came time to push, I screamed bloody murder. It hurt like nothing else I've ever experienced. Definitely not orgasmic--more like so much burning I wanted to die. But when it was over, I was more peaceful and content than I could have imagined. The ease of recovery compared to my first birth made it worth it in the end. If I do it a third time, I would definitely go natural again.
Good luck!
Have you read The Bradley Method : Husband Coached Childbirth?
After going without an epidural for my first three children, I LOVED having an epidural with my fourth.
But there is always a part of me that thinks I should be able to do it naturally.
Best of luck with that baby!!!
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