Adventures in Natural Childbirth Tales from Women on the Joys, Fears, Pleasures, and Pains of Giving Birth Naturally

by Schwegel, Janet; England, Pam

• ISBN13: 9781569243688
• ISBN10: 1569243689
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-25
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Summary

Over the last few years, more and more women have been resisting the allure of "labor-free" elective C-sections in favor of the benefits of natural childbirth. Not only is it widely considered the best and safest way to deliver a child, natural childbirth empowers women by reinforcing their belief in themselves and their abilities. In Adventures in Natural Childbirth, editor Janet Schwegel taps into this growing movement with a fascinating collection of personal, engaging, and revealing stories from thirty-nine women on their journey through pregnancy, labor, and natural childbirth. These women's tales capture the full range of emotions and physical sensations natural childbirth can evokefrom calm to fear, from elation to pain, and everything in betweenand give readers a true sense of the joys and the hardships involved. Divided into sections by caregiver (midwife, doula, physician, or unattended) and complete with essays from practitioners on their roles in natural birth and how they help women achieve their goals, Adventures in Natural Childbirth is essential reading for any woman who is consideringor is simply curious aboutgiving birth naturally.

Author Biography

Janet Schwegel is a freelance editor and the author of The Baby Name Countdown. The past president of the Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth, she lives with her husband and daughter in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Pam England, CNM, MA, is a highly regarded midwife and author of Birthing from Within.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Pam England
Introduction	1	(10)
Birthing naturally with a midwife	11	(108)
Kari Jones's birth story	26	(4)
Robin Johnson's birth story	30	(5)
Jennifer Chipman's birth story	35	(5)
Katherine Domsky's birth story	40	(7)
Colette Stoeber's birth story	47	(5)
Jody Francis's birth story	52	(3)
Reinekke Lengelle's birth story	55	(4)
Gudrun von Selzam's birth story	59	(5)
Alyson Jones's birth story	64	(5)
Katie Sokey's birth story	69	(5)
Ryan and Brianna Dirks's birth story	74	(10)
Karin Keogh's birth story	84	(9)
Charlotte Russell's birth story	93	(7)
Angela Miller's birth story	100	(4)
Courtney Crow Wyrtzen's birth story	104	(8)
Emma Hutchinson and Jonathan Schut's birth story	112	(3)
Claudia Villeneuve's birth story	115	(4)
Birthing naturally with a physician	119	(58)
Dawn Freeman's birth story	130	(4)
Karlene and Jim Taylor's birth story	134	(4)
Jill Koziey's birth story	138	(3)
Sue Robins's birth story	141	(4)
Dee Dee Kopchia's birth story	145	(5)
Corinne Hepher's birth story	150	(9)
Stacy Smith's birth story	159	(10)
Reiko Jodi Halperin's birth story	169	(5)
Karen Yates's birth story	174	(3)
Birthing naturally with a doula	177	(50)
Pam Sorochan's birth story	195	(5)
Valerie Larenne's birth story	200	(7)
Barb Silvestro's birth story	207	(3)
Dana (Ksenia) Ovcharenko's birth story	210	(4)
Anna Stewart's birth story	214	(3)
Tara Hogue Harris's birth story	217	(6)
Lisa Clarke's birth story	223	(4)
Birthing naturally unassisted	227	(40)
Marlene Waechter's birth story	238	(4)
Christy Kramer's birth story	242	(6)
Lanna Palsson's birth story	248	(10)
Shera Dancer's birth story	258	(3)
Ivy McNiven's birth story	261	(2)
Mary Siever's birth story	263	(4)
Birthing naturally the first time or the next time	267	(18)
Glossary	285	(9)
Notes	294	(2)
References	296	(3)
Additional Resources	299	(4)
Acknowledgments	303	(2)
Index	305