Gentle Birth Choices: A Comprehensive Book and Video Guide to Making Informed Decisions about Birthing, Vol. 2 » (BK & VIDEO)

Barbara Harper's passion for natural birth led to the founding in 1988 of Global Maternal/Child Health Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and research about natural childbirth. She lectures worldwide on maternity care reform and water birth and is the author of Gentle Birth Choices. She lives outside of Portland, Oregon.

Suzanne lives near Durango in SW Colorado and works with the help of volunteer interns from across North America.

In Gentle Birth Choices, Barbara Harper, a mid-wife, nurse, and mother, outlines the elements of gentle birthing and provides a new model of maternity care that reduces the need for high-tech crisis intervention, and focuses instead on preparation and good health for mother and child. More than 50 black-and-white photographs by Suzanne Arms capture the joy and intensity of birth.

Robbie E. Davis-Floyd

Exactly the sort of guide that pregnant women have needed to help them sort through the myriad number of choices and options...

Foreword By Robbie E. Davis-Floyd, Ph.D..
Acknowledgment Introduction
1. Gentle Beginnings
Ingredients for a Gentle Birth
2. The Medicalization of Childbirth
Our Legacy of Birth From Midwife to Physician The Promise of Science Pain Relief: The era of "twilight Sleep"
Hospital Births for Everyone Unraveling Diagnostic Procedures The Results of Medical Intervention
3. Dispelling the Medical Myths
Myth: The Hospital is the Safest Place to Have a Baby Myth: Maternity Care Should Be Managed Only by a Physician Myth: The Electronic Fetal Monitor Will Save Babies Myth: Once a Cesarean, Always a Cesarean Myth: Birth Needs to be Sterile Myth: Drugs for Pain Relief Won't Hurt the Baby Myth: An Episiotomy Heals Better Than a Tear Myth: it's Better Not to Eat or Drink During Labor Myth: Family and Friends Interfere During Birth Myth: If You Are Over Thirty-Five, Your Birth Will Be More Difficult Myth: Boys Need to be Circumcised
4. A Gentle Revolution
Birth Without Fear Birth Without Pain Birth without Violence Birth Reborn Birth Without Rules Voice of Protest-Consumers Seek Change
5. Midwifery in America-An Emerging Tradition
The Midwife Model of Maternity Care Midwifery Education-Education versus Experience Midwives Confront the System Midwifery in the Future
6. Water Births
Why Water Birth?
Water Birth History Beyond the Leboyer Bath Labor Pools in France Water Birth Comes to America Making Waves in California Water Birth Around the World Questions Everyone Asks About Water Births Water Works
7. The Mind-Body Connection
Mind-Body Response Listening to the Body Listening to the Baby Visualization for a Gentle Birth The Power of Prayer The Sexuality of Childbirth Redesigning Prenatal Preparation Mind, Body, Spirit in Unity
8. Creating Gentle Birth Choices
Planning Your Birth Consumers Create Choices Health Care for All Women and Children by the year 2000
Appendix A: Questions to Ask a Doctor Appendix B: Questions to Ask a Midwife Appendix C: Sample Birth Plan for a Hospital Birth Appendix D: Procedures and Protocols for Hydrotherapy for Labor and Birth Appendix E: Sample Letter to Hospital Appendix F: Resources Appendix G: Maternity Health Index Endnotes
Bibliography Index

The Gentle Birth Choices Video blends interviews with midwives and physicians with six actual births, showing the options of water birth, squatting, home birth, and vaginal birth after prior cesarean.