VERDICT: Readers considering having a baby or who are already pregnant will find this a valuable resource. - Barbara Lundanis, Longmont Public Library, Colorado (Library Journal)About the AuthorPenny Simkin, a physical therapist, has been a childbirth educator and doula since 1968. She trains childbirth educators, doulas, and doula trainers and frequently conducts workshops for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. Janet Whalley, a registered nurse and lactationconsultant (IBCLC), has been a childbirth educator since 1975. Ann Keppler, a registered nurse, parish nurse, and lactation specialist, has taught childbirth classes and new parent classes since 1975. Janelle Durham, a social worker,has worked with new parents since 1993. She is a birth doula, childbirtheducator, and lactation educator. April Boldinghas a doctorate in physical therapy and is a childbirth educator, birth doula, water fitness instructor, and author. what is the best book app Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide
231 of 235 people found the following review helpful. Amazing book - My go-to resourceBy Christine C.For my first pregnancy, I read The Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Book, What to Expect, The Husband-Coached Childbirth, and this Penny Simkin book, Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn. This book had the best balance of stats based on evidenced based medicine but also real life anecdotal vignettes from mothers. Throughout the book, there are quotes from mothers sharing their expectations and experiences - these voices put into perspective that there is no one right way, just a few different options that might work for me.For full disclosure, I approached this first pregnancy considering a natural childbirth but open to using drugs if needed. Since I come from a family of physicians I was skeptical of going too far off the holistic deep-end. I wanted to stay within a comfort zone that balanced following my body and practicing the best evidence-based medicine. After reading many reviews, I bought this book and was very very happy in its approach to preparing for and giving birth. The book does a great job of showing the range of options. For example, The book provides at least 3 sample birth plans ranging from mothers who wanted and epidural to mothers who wanted to give birth in a birthing center.A potential con is if you're interested in week by week drawings of your little fetus and getting updates on what fruit or vegetable s/he is, then you'll need to augment this book with the Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Book or sign up for Baby Center's week by week email. Penny Simkin's book will cover general fetus development and what you can expect in each phase of your pregnancy but invests much more in the types of proactive exercises you can be doing to prepare for the birthing process. There is also a section at the end on how to prepare for the newborn, breastfeed and other aspects of basic newborn care.The book has simple pictures to illustrate techniques. My husband and I started about 2 months before our due date by spending 5-30 minutes each night practicing some of the suggested natural birthing management techniques. There were so many different techniques but the book did a great job of suggesting short routines so that we could work on a few techniques each night. It was great "us" time too!In addition, there are also sections on possible interventions such as a c-section, different drug options, membrane stripping, etc. It was great to be exposed to these possibilities early on so that I could make the appropriate decision and refer back to the book as needed.I highly recommend this book for people that are looking for a little more information on what you can do proactively as you're preparing for your childbirth. The book is supportive of both drug-assisted and drug-free deliveries. We lucked out and had a drug-free delivery - I really surprised myself! It was a fantastic experience and this book really helped me prepare.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Loved this BookBy M. DobbsI am pregnant with my first child, and I was looking for books that would give me a sense of what to expect from pregnancy and labor. This book was perfect for that. There are chapters that describe pregnancy, chapters that describe labor and complications, a chapter about breastfeeding, a chapter about caring for a newborn (and yourself) and more. This is a very comprehensive guide to pregnancy that was well worth it for me. I plan to go back and read the chapters about labor and newborns when I get closer to my due date, as I think that information will be incredibly useful.I will say that although there is not a clear bias, I got the distinct impression that the author is in favor of natural, unmedicated childbirth. At no place is it overt, but there are incredibly helpful sections about managing labor without medications, the side effects caused by medications, and more. This was great for me, as I am working towards a natural birth, but someone who is not may see these sections as unnecessary. I would still recommend this book to those women, however, as those sections are only small portions of the book. There is useful information in the book for every parent-to-be.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Great book and reference throughout pregnancyBy KmbThis is a wonderful book for guiding a woman and her partner through pregnancy. I got it right away and read through; now at 19 weeks pregnant I refer to it when I have a question, and I'm also starting to really study the labor process. It is the only book I've found that is very matter-of-fact, without an underlying agenda. Most pregnancy books I've found are very one-sided ("home birth is best" etc.) or just flat-out patronizing (What To Expect). My husband also enjoys reading and learning from it. I would absolutely recommend this book.