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49 reviews for:
Birth Without Fear: The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum
January Harshe
3.71 AVERAGE
49 reviews for:
Birth Without Fear: The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum
January Harshe
3.71 AVERAGE
Some helpful bits
Did skim/skip some repetitive or non-relevant parts
More focused on being okay with not being okay than being educational but still useful
The author has lots of varied experiences across her 6 pregnancies
Did skim/skip some repetitive or non-relevant parts
More focused on being okay with not being okay than being educational but still useful
The author has lots of varied experiences across her 6 pregnancies
ehhhh. I had issues with this book from the beginning because of immediate concerns that I'd been bamboozled into checking out a crunchy book when January talks about the trauma of her first several birth, but then a page later after reflecting several children later she recognized that her firstborn was actually a patient-centered, supportive caesarian.
Overall, this book is light on information but heavy on affirmation- which can be useful; I felt the mental health post partum chapter is really where the self-love and care shined. But, I'm fully aware that I don't know everything about my body and pregnancy (thus reading these books) so I am less impressed with the idea of changing your team late into pregnancy. The gut feeling is powerful, but also we're going to trained professionals who've learned and experienced more than we have typically about birth. You absolutely should advocate for yourself, but please be making informed decisions...
...on that note, the template birth plans do give away some of January's own thinking about interventions and post-birth things like the vitamin K shot and other helpful things for baby, and she never explains why those particular things are on her template- just that YOU do YOU, whatever you feel is right. I'm going to take her advice and return this to the library.
next pregnancy book on deck for me is either [b:Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy|35068708|Like a Mother A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy|Angela Garbes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519836595l/35068708._SX50_.jpg|56364139] by Angela Garbes or the [b:Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy|388126|Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy|Roger Harms|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442589788l/388126._SY75_.jpg|377750] because I could use some researched points...
Overall, this book is light on information but heavy on affirmation- which can be useful; I felt the mental health post partum chapter is really where the self-love and care shined. But, I'm fully aware that I don't know everything about my body and pregnancy (thus reading these books) so I am less impressed with the idea of changing your team late into pregnancy. The gut feeling is powerful, but also we're going to trained professionals who've learned and experienced more than we have typically about birth. You absolutely should advocate for yourself, but please be making informed decisions...
...on that note, the template birth plans do give away some of January's own thinking about interventions and post-birth things like the vitamin K shot and other helpful things for baby, and she never explains why those particular things are on her template- just that YOU do YOU, whatever you feel is right. I'm going to take her advice and return this to the library.
next pregnancy book on deck for me is either [b:Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy|35068708|Like a Mother A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy|Angela Garbes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519836595l/35068708._SX50_.jpg|56364139] by Angela Garbes or the [b:Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy|388126|Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy|Roger Harms|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442589788l/388126._SY75_.jpg|377750] because I could use some researched points...
Did not finish - I started this book before pregnancy and really enjoyed it. Then I started reading it again mid pregnancy and she makes a statement about gestational diabetes being caused by diet... wildly untrue and easy to research so I figured I could no longer trust the rest of the book.
It's a little redundant but I love a good non judgemental take on all different types of pregnancy/birth & birth plans.
I sure wish I had read this book when I was pregnant with my first child, but I'm glad I have read it now in preparation for my second birth. This book is incredible.
Three words: DO NOT READ.
Holy fear mongering, anti-science, anti-medicine, anti-woman-empowered, absolute bullsh**. Don’t waste your time on this.
Holy fear mongering, anti-science, anti-medicine, anti-woman-empowered, absolute bullsh**. Don’t waste your time on this.
Ok not the book for me. This was more a self-help book for pregnant people than actually informational. I think she wrote "I love you" at least 15 times. All about self-care, variations on normal, doing your best without comparing to others, etc.
I think the bit about talking to your care-provider and communicating what you actually want during labor and delivery was helpful, in the sense that a good pep talk is helpful. I also liked the birth plan template for hospital births at the end, basically just copied it. The rest of it was new age "you do you boo" wishy washy nonsense that I mostly skimmed.
I think the bit about talking to your care-provider and communicating what you actually want during labor and delivery was helpful, in the sense that a good pep talk is helpful. I also liked the birth plan template for hospital births at the end, basically just copied it. The rest of it was new age "you do you boo" wishy washy nonsense that I mostly skimmed.
I'm graduating medical school this year and also having my first baby this year. I love the message that no birth is better than another birth- you get the message in a lot of these books that all natural is better or whatever but that's not the case with this one. Support for literally however you want to do it. This book feels like a big hug and pat on the back. Something needed for the inevitable overwhelming or lonely moments in pregnancy.
It's okay to say, "I wanted this, but it's hard."
This is not a guide to pregnancy. It's not a week by week summary of what to expect. It's not a discussion of the risks and benefits of various interventions (although there is some information regarding different tests). It's more of a rallying cry for women to give themselves a break, accept that they're doing their best, and enjoy the messiness of whatever stage they're in.
At times it slightly grated on my nerves because I know it's okay if I ultimately feed my child Frosted Flakes or don't feel "normal" immediately following birth, but I could use a little extra help avoiding the Frosted Flakes and time to rest after the baby arrives. It felt like mainstream medicine telling women it's normal to have wildly irregular cycles. It isn't, and we should be educating them so they can help themselves and helping them when they can't. However, that's my personality. I'm a problem-solver. And sometimes even problem-solvers need someone to come alongside them and tell them the problems are normal and it's okay. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
I came away from Birth Without Fear feeling affirmed in my choices and a little less apprehensive about what's to come, so I'd easily recommend this to other expecting mamas. There's also a "partner's point of view" section at the end of each chapter that could be pretty helpful for bewildered partners!
This is not a guide to pregnancy. It's not a week by week summary of what to expect. It's not a discussion of the risks and benefits of various interventions (although there is some information regarding different tests). It's more of a rallying cry for women to give themselves a break, accept that they're doing their best, and enjoy the messiness of whatever stage they're in.
At times it slightly grated on my nerves because I know it's okay if I ultimately feed my child Frosted Flakes or don't feel "normal" immediately following birth, but I could use a little extra help avoiding the Frosted Flakes and time to rest after the baby arrives. It felt like mainstream medicine telling women it's normal to have wildly irregular cycles. It isn't, and we should be educating them so they can help themselves and helping them when they can't. However, that's my personality. I'm a problem-solver. And sometimes even problem-solvers need someone to come alongside them and tell them the problems are normal and it's okay. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
I came away from Birth Without Fear feeling affirmed in my choices and a little less apprehensive about what's to come, so I'd easily recommend this to other expecting mamas. There's also a "partner's point of view" section at the end of each chapter that could be pretty helpful for bewildered partners!
Meh. I think this is a great book for someone before they are pregnant, but it’s not the practical information I’m looking for. There is very little practical medical information and it’s mostly about self-care and trusting your body- which is great, but I need science and the whys and hows. Also my fear around birth is about both my baby and I surviving, not whether or not I’m in control. I don’t really understand this notion that this is the one medical experience you should have control of- you don’t have control if you need spinal surgery, why would you know better than the professionals that do it all day for a living? (Including midwives and doulas, not necessarily doctors) I understand it can be a traumatic experience and you should be an advocate for your health, but this book doesn’t really help with that imo.