Natural Hospital Birth 2nd Edition : The Best of Both Worlds

Many mothers-to-be find themselves torn between choosing a natural childbirth with minimal medical intervention, and the peace of mind offered by instant access to life-saving technology that only a hospital can provide. Cynthia Gabriel, a doula who has attended hundreds of births and who advises hospitals on how to facilitate low-intervention childbirths, knows that new moms can have both. In this fully updated edition of her popular and pioneering book Natural Hospital Birth , Gabriel gives moms, as well as partners and even medical personnel, concise and reassuring guidance on how to have as natural a birth as possible in a hospital setting. Gabriel shows expectant mothers how to avoid unnecessary medical interventions, how to take the initiative and consciously prepare for the kind of birth they want, and how to prepare a birth plan to share with doctors and nurses at the hospital. Cover Title Copyright Contents FOREWORD by Timothy R. B. Johnson, M. D ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION PART ONE Preparing for You Baby’s Birth 1. You Can Do It 2. Feeling Safe 3. Getting Attached to Your Birth Plan 4. Creating a Supportive Team 5. Extra Support for Special Circumstances PART TWO Giving Birth 6. What Labor Feels Like: A Guide to Sensations 7. Early Labor: At Home 8. A Variation on Early Labor: When Your Waters Break before Contractions 9. Active Labor: Taking Your Time 10. Active Labor: Coping with Meaningful Pain 11. Active Labor: When Progress Slows 12. Active Labor: Concerns about Your Baby’s Heart Rate 13. Pushing and Giving Birth 14. After Labor PART THREE Pulling It All Together 15. Birth Your Way APPENDIX REFERENCES ABOUT THE AUTHOR INDEX A B C D E F G H I J K K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Natural Hospital Birth, 2nd Edition shows how to apply the guidelines and tactics of natural birth in a hospital setting, where 99 percent of births actually happen.