The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Revised) by Sheila Kitzinger Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Revised)
Book Review: Great information for natural birth
Summary: 5 Stars
As a first time mom-to-be interested in birthing without drugs and as little intervention as possible, I found this book to be really helpful. There are lots of pictures of actual births, helpful diagrams, exercises to try, plus all kinds of other good information. She writes in a straight forward no nonesense kind of way which I really appreciate. There is information on current medical practices and a woman's options in and outside of a hospital setting. This book is a great addition to any woman's library who is learning what she can about the birth process. [...]Book Review: Scientist favorite: Evidence-based guide to childbirth choices
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a biologist, and this is the single childbirth book I'm packing to the hospital when my own labor begins. Far from assuming an "anti-doctor" stance, Kitzinger provides an even-handed account of modern medical research and suggests testable questions for further research.
For example, other books I've read call fetal heart rate monitoring during labor "optional", but only Kitzinger offers the reasons why a woman might want to refuse tethering herself in bed to the heart monitor. Peer-reviewed research shows that monitoring actually worsens the outcomes of low-risk deliveries! (For a scientific review see "Electronic fetal monitoring is not necessary for low risk labours" by Ros Goddard, British Medical Journal, 2001 June 16; 322(7300): 1436-1437.) From Goddard's article, "By the 1990s systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials of electronic fetal monitoring versus intermittent auscultation [i.e. stethoscope or hand-held Doppler ultrasound] during labour had shown no effect on neonatal outcomes such as metabolic acidosis at birth, low Apgar scores or admissions to neonatal intensive care... Electronic fetal monitoring did, however, have an effect on women in labour. Levels of obstetric intervention---augmentation of labour, epidural anaesthesia, instrumental delivery, and caesarean section---consistently increased. Instrumental delivery and caesarean section were even more common when electronic fetal monitoring was not backed up by fetal blood sampling. The impact on the mother and her experience of labour was therefore considerable, without any gain for the baby. In many units this evidence allowed a return to intermittent auscultation, which is less intrusive for the woman. Unfortunately the dramatic increase in litigation in obstetrics has tempered this change, as the cardiotocograph [heart rate record] has also become an important legal document." Many U.S. hospitals consider monitoring standard practice. (Googling "fetal heart rate monitoring" found the following from U of Michigan hospital: "Fetal heart rate monitoring is a part of routine care... Ask your doctor how fetal monitoring will be used during your labor.")
Kitzinger encourages rather than scolds. She doesn't talk down to the women who want to rely on the total authority of their own obstetricians, but discusses emotions that might lead to blind trust and offers ideas about how to make the most of interactions with the doctor.
The book also gives helpful color pictures of presentations for birth and common abbreviations on medical charts. Rather than advocating home or water birth, or hammocks, or any other birth aid, Kitzinger gives a complete discussion of all of them.
This is the only pregnancy book that has made me worry less, not more.
Book Review: GREAT!
Summary: 5 Stars
Helpful, succinct, full of photos, charts and other useful visuals. I would highly recommend to any practitioner or expecting mom for its thoroughness. Book Review: Wonderful book
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this book for myself when I became pregnant with my first child, and it was amazingly helpful. I agree totally with both the other reviews that gave the book 5 stars. My husband also enjoyed reading the book. We're both graduate students, so didn't want a book that talked down to either of us (or that assumed we didn't know how all my body parts functioned). We've also lived overseas, so were comfortable with the idea that other countries have different ways of approaching medical care, and that the standard, "traditional" American way isn't necessarily best. For anyone who's comfortable with their own body and wants to know about all their options during pregnancy and childbirth, this is a great book. It also helped me (as a first time mother) know what to discuss with my doctor and decide which birthing options I wanted to pursue. Book Review: Read in moderation
Summary: 2 Stars
I found the book to be informative in some places, inaccurate in others and biased in still others. I wouldn't say that she is "anti-doctor, anti-men" as others have, although I can see why they would say that. I don't find the reference to "birthing partners" offensive, but the constant PC tone of the book got a bit old. The author (not a doctor, midwife, nurse, but an anthropolgist, and yes, mother), clearly leans toward natural birth, with preferences toward home and water births. While those may be the preference for some women, they are not for everyone. I read the book hoping for a clear picture of the birth experience since I am pregnant for the first time. I finished feeling like my preferences of a hospital delivery with pain management was acceptable if I absolutely had to go that way, but that I would certainly be a much better mother if I went all natural with water in my own bedroom (or naturally in a birthing center or any of the other non-hospital methods she discusses) and that my birthing experience would only be truly special and enjoyable that way. I don't know about everyone else, but the birthing process is not what truly excites me. It's the baby and the next several years that I think are really important. Then I read the reviews of many women saying they did it the natural way and it turned out wonderfully. Congratulations on that, but does that make you a better mother? No. A better person? No. The missing piece is that childbirth is different for every single women, every single time...that according to my male doctor who is wonderfully supportive and kind and does not make me feel like a baby machine (surprisingly, the female nurses do...perhaps the author could address those women in a sequel book). I think the author makes the effort to say that childbirth is a unique and personal thing, but she gives it half effort. Aside from all of that, some of her information about epidurals and hospital practices are inaccurate according to the recent information I've read by professional doctors and nurses. As a few others have said, read this book for some of the information, but do not read it exclusively. Get a whole picture so you are prepared for anything and everything. I know I will.