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Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience Hardcover – May 1, 2009

by Ricki Lake (Author), Abby Epstein (Author), Jacques Moritz (Foreword)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 137 ratings
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The national C-section rate is at an all-time high of 31 percent. Are all these C-sections necessary, or are some of them done simply for the sake of convenience? Inductions seem to be the norm, but are they always needed? Today, expectant mothers are often left feeling powerless, as their instincts are replaced by drugs and routine medical procedures.

What you are about to discover is that you have a choice, and you have the power to plan the kind of birth that's right for you-whether it is at a birth center, a hospital, or at home. In YOUR BEST BIRTH, internationally known advocates of informed choice Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein inspire women to take back the birth experience, with essential advice on:
· Positive and negative effects of epidurals, Pitocin, and other drugs and interventions
· Inducing vs. allowing your labor to progress naturally
· The truth behind our country's staggering C-section rate
· Assembling your birth team and creating your birth plan.

With chapters such as "Obstetricians: Finding Dr. Right," "Epidurals: You Haven't Got Time for the Pain," and "Electronic Monitors: Reading between the Lines," Lake and Epstein will encourage you to consider whatever your doctor, mother, and best friend may suggest in a new light. The book also includes inspiring birth stories, including those from well-known personalities, such as Laila Ali and Cindy Crawford. Packed with crucial advice from childbirth professionals, and delivered in a down-to-earth, engaging voice, YOUR BEST BIRTH is sure to renew your confidence and put the control back where it belongs: with parents-to-be!

"Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake have taken a wonderful and constructive approach to ensuring an optimal birthing experience. Their language creates a 'climate of confidence' for pregnant women and their families, who must make key decisions about where, how and with whom to give birth in a health care system often unresponsive to our needs. This book is like a good friend giving wise counsel." --Judy Norsigian, co-editor of Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth and Executive Director, Our Bodies Ourselves
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grand Central Life & Style
  4. Publication date
    May 1, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0446538132
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0446538138
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former talk show host Lake, producer of the documentary The Business of Being Born, joins with Epstein, the film's director, to further probe the subject of birth in America. Asserting that the high tech, low touch trend in medicalized births has usurped parents' sense of power and choice, the authors present a detailed examination of the birthing experience, beginning with their own personal accounts. Employing the premise that although one can't predict what will happen during birth, one can prepare, they present options that women should consider, including home birth and the use of a midwife or doula. Lake and Epstein point out that while 99% percent of births in the U.S. take place in hospitals and one-third are cesareans, the vast majority of births are not high risk and may not require medical intervention. But the fear of pain combined with unnecessary hospital protocols cause many couples to narrow or relinquish their options. The authors discuss the pros and cons of such interventions as episiotomies, epidurals and electronic monitors, and encourage women to carefully question their practitioners and hospital personnel. Above all, the authors advocate a safe and empowered birth, whether one chooses a hospital, home or birth center. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The beginning of the love affair with your child starts here. This book makes planning your birth fun and easy. A must read for every expectant parent."
-- Louann Brizendine, M.D. Author, THE FEMALE BRAIN

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Life & Style; 1st edition (May 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0446538132
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446538138
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

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Ricki Lake

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
137 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

beverly25
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative book!
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2012
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I thought that this book was a great read. The language is easily understandable and they really tell you about a lot of stuff that I would never have even thought to think about! I saw some reviewers say that they only think that home birth is good and that everything else is bad..I don't think that's true. I just think that if you're already planning to have your baby in a hospital then you don't need the reassurances that women who are planning to have home births or births in a birth center do. Women having their babies within a hospital do not face all the negative comments and basically abuse that mothers who choose to have a home birth do. So I will admit, that they do continually reassure that home births are healthy and okay to do. But for those mothers that want to have hospital births, they offer great questions to ask and follow up questions to those in order to ensure that you are picking the right hospital for your birth. I thought this book was really helpful in considering what I want my birth to be like. It really made me sit down and just think about who I wanted there, what I wanted it to look like, smell like, feel like....things that I hadn't stopped to consider previously.

Great book!
7 people found this helpful
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Lizzi
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for pregnancy!
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2023
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An absolute must read!! I’ve read two long book this being one of them and I have to say it’s prepared me well for childbirth. Has a lot of information so you can make the most informed decision for you. It does sway a bit to natural birth but by no means is it meant or judge other decisions.
One person found this helpful
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Stephanie
4.0 out of 5 stars It was a good book to read in the middle of the night ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2016
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It was a good book to read in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. You might want to read this before you get pregnant.
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Coffee Self-Talk
5.0 out of 5 stars A Thorough Go-To Guide For Birth
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2009
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I loved this book. It contains so much vital information for helping parents decide the best place and the best way to give birth. I especially loved all the lists of questions to use in various situations such as potential hospitals, birth centers, midwives, etc. These are important questions to ask in helping a woman decide what's best for her birth. The book is useful, and I have tons of pages tabbed and highlighted. I highly recommend getting this book.

I bought it before I became pregnant, and then I started reading it. Unfortunately I miscarried. However, this gave me the chance to read the book before getting pregnant again. It's helped me organize my plan, and decide the best plan of action for my family without the pressure of the 9-month time clock. So, I highly recommend reading this before getting pregnant if possible.
3 people found this helpful
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Samantha Ray
3.0 out of 5 stars This book is a good way to look at alternative (meaning natural) births
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2014
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This book is a good way to look at alternative (meaning natural) births. it has stories about women and what they wanted out of child birth. As a first time mom, I got it when I was pregnant by the suggestion of my midwife. This book is written in a way that hospitals are evil and doctors try every trick in the book to get women to use drugs during labor. It scared me when I went into labor, but my birth was not a normal one. I would recommend this book to women as a guideline of the thought process of pregnant mothers who are alternative because it re-enforces their beliefs.
One person found this helpful
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Lindsey Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars Be informed!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2011
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I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a perfect follow up to the movie  The Business of Being Born . It took the ideas and themes in the movie and gave a very practical "what to do now" approach. The information is similar to  The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth  but much more accessible to the everyday woman. It was much less statistical and much more bottom line. This book helps you think through each step in making decisions for your birth. It offers the information you need to make your choice. Women should be fully informed of their options in childbirth and not just pushed toward whatever everyone else does or what the hospital protocol tends toward. I also enjoyed the birth stories in the book.
3 people found this helpful
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ccarli62
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2014
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I purchased this book while pregnant with my first baby upon a friend's recommendation. I deeply appreciated the balance between true stories, facts and tips for understanding what is about to happen to your body and the importance of your relationship with your care provider. This book inspired me to believe that no matter what kind of birth I had, it would be beautiful because I was well informed and prepared. I appreciated how the authors didn't make a c-section birth sound like a bad birth, as many other books do. Instead, the authors emphasized the power of a woman's body to bring forth life. I loved this book so much that I give it to all first time moms as a gift.
2 people found this helpful
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Sarah F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Information for the thoughtful and inquiring mind- a break from the standard.
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2017
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A great book with real life stories, grounded science and historically based facts for women/partners to learn from and make an informed plan. This book attempts to be non-judgemental and open to all methods of birth from medical emergency c-sections to natural home birthing. It does have an opinion but it is based on scientific and historical facts. In short, it is a worthwhile book for any one bringing a child into the world in a mindful, educated and informed way.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Tia Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book!
Reviewed in Canada on December 28, 2023
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Erin
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2015
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I liked this book. It gave a great overview of all your birth options. And helped take the fear out of labour. Definitely worth the read, preferably before 3rd trimester.
One person found this helpful
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Amy R.
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Information, But Not Canadian
Reviewed in Canada on September 22, 2018
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While I did learn some good information from this book, it made me a little freaked out about giving birth in a hospital. But after talking to my doula and several healthcare workers, I discovered that many of the issues raised in this (American) book are not issues in Canada... or at least not at my local hospital. There are still a few things I'll need to carefully navigate, so it was worth reading the book. I just wish I had known more about my local hospital before reading so that I could have skipped the anxiety.
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Joelle Giles
2.0 out of 5 stars If i didn't know better I'd be terrified to step into a hospital during ...
Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
Very one-sided. If i didn't know better I'd be terrified to step into a hospital during labour after reading this. Maybe the info is strongly american, and doesn't reflect the typical Canadian county hospitals.... I did appreciate some of the info presented in this book, but skimmed quite a few pages that seemed to rant on.
One person found this helpful
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