This is one of my favorite books to study when I am preparing for a birth.  I get asked a lot what book I would recommend if you could only buy one book. Well, this is it!  A complete guide, written by a midwife for midwives.  An excellent resource for couples who want to take more responsibility for their baby’s birth.  Sections deal with: prenatal care; problems in pregnancy; labor and birth; complications in labor; postpartum care; and others.  An indispensable book for couples planning to birth unassisted.

This book answers all the questions about nutritional and herbal medicine for optimum health during pregnancy. Beginning with God's design for health and nutrition, the following is covered in detail: how to eat for a healthy baby, which herbs are safe and which are dangerous during pregnancy, and the best ways to minimize those times of nausea and discomfort. Shonda Parker provides information to guide the pregnant mom and her baby to good health with a balanced approach to herbal and traditional medicine.

You conceived your child out of love. Why not birth your child the same way?   This book is about giving birth privately. It is about changing the way we think about birth. It combines research, theory and personal experience. There are several unassisted birth stories after 1990, including: babies born at 36 and 43 weeks gestation, waterbirth, Rh- mother, breech twins, unassisted birth after cesarean (U-BAC), first baby a "Do-it-Yourself" birth, fourth generation baby born in the same house. The stories include situations with baby born in amniotic sac, with meconium, and with the cord wrapped tightly around baby's neck. Babies were born to parents ranging from age 21 to 44.

(My first 4 unassisted birth stories are in this book.  One of them is the water-birth mentioned, and I am the one that has the 43 week gestation story. I'm a little disappointed in the way my stories were re-worded by the author, but otherwise a well-written book in support of unassisted homebirth. ~Charity)

Collection of fifty stories about unassisted homebirth (birth without a doctor or midwife). Couples explain why they chose to birth this way, how they prepared for birth, and shared their joyous birth experiences. Stories include previous C-sections, including one woman who had a C-section in 1946 and had subsequent do-it-yourself births. Parents describe the liberating feelings during labor and birth: no hospital staff telling them what position to give birth in or what to eat or drink. Families share their previous birth failures, frustrations and fears.

From the Publisher:
This book is the culmination of nationally known childbirth author Marilyn Moran's 25 years of wisdom and insight about husband and wife birthing. Peppered with dozens of quotes and research from prominent authors, Moran makes a compelling argument for the necessity of couples to birth their babies alone. Readers will close this book and admit that they cannot simply submit to the impersonal, medical method of childbirth.

This illustrated guide to the powerful Fertility Awareness Method--the exciting natural alternative to present methods of birth control--teaches women to take greater control of their own menstrual and sexual health care and, in the process, reap benefits well beyond their fertility. Illustrations. 8-page color insert.

Another excellent book!  The complete guide to informed birth.  Practical guide for couples who want greater responsibility for the birth of their babies at home or in a birth-center.  Sections on hospital options, cesarean prevention, and emotional aspects of birth.   Special sections deal with normal labor and birth, and the most common complications and emergencies including information on ways to deal with them.

This book contains the most comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the safety of home birth and midwifery ever compiled.  It is the most thoroughly documented set of maternity standards ever published.   Author and his wife chose to birth all of their children at home, unassisted. (4th edition, 1997)

Exposes the lack of scientific justification for many maternity practices in American hospitals and offers viable alternatives - including safe births outside of the hospital.  This well-documented book is valuable for parents and professionals alike.  The authors birthed all of their children at home, unassisted.
(4th edition, 1992)

A positive report on children’s presence at birth, with over 125 photographs.

Human reproduction, from conception to birth, with outstanding color photographs. Contains many photographs of life before birth including the explosion of the ripened egg, the “winning sperm,” and the first brain cells. Beautiful book.

Great book, very informative. A classic, even better than her first!

A must-have for every homebirth couple, whether you plan to birth unassisted or have a midwife present. You never know if you will be one to labor so fast the midwife doesn't make it, so its good to be ready with a handy how-to guide. It addresses the most common complications with how to handle them. Written by a doctor for police officers/first responders to keep in their vehicles for those rare occasions they are called upon to help a birthing woman.

Book Description
Anyone working to improve the childbearing experience and help women avoid unnecessary intervention has encountered numerous "obstetric myths" or "old doctors' tales." And while the evidence in the medical literature may be solidly, often unequivocably, against whatever "the doctor said," without access to that evidence, the pregnant woman is quite reasonably going to follow her doctor. This book is an attempt to make the medical literature on a variety of key obstetric issues accessible to people who lack the time, expertise, access, or proximity to a medical library to research concerns on their own. This compact, accurate, yet understandable reference is designed for people without medical training and organized for easy access.

A guide to movement in pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period helps women develop all their bodily resources for labor and birth. Covers pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period: stretching exercises; breathing and massage; descriptions of each stage of labor and delivery; and an up-to-date resource section. Has a chapter dealing with yoga-based exercises, if you are interested in yoga. (I am not, but I found the rest of the book very informative.)

Answers many of the commonly asked questions about water birth. Provides the details of parental and midwife preparation; labor and birth; and danger signals that must be heeded. Includes a wealth of information, personal testimony and instructions for those who choose waterbirth.

An irreverent critique of established medical practice; how to guard against the harmful impact of doctors, drugs, and hospital. A classic.

My childcare BIBLE! Excellent medical information for the natural-minded parent.