Product Description

A book full of practical information on choosing the best type of birth experience for you and your baby and what to do in the final 8 weeks to prepare. Full of humour and encouraging birth stories, every mother-to-be will find it invaluable. / Emma Mahony, humorous Times columnist whose Double Trouble stories about her two young twins charmed the nation, now gives you a first book on birth and the 8-week run-up to it. Taking a practical but lighthearted approach, she helps every new mother-to-be feel in control and ready for the big day. / With positive stories from women who insisted on the right birth for them, as well as advice from experts in the field of childbirth, such as midwives, obstetricians and advocates of natural and water births. Includes: / Why a good birth experience is a great objective / How and why it's best to avoid a 'medicalised' birth / Everything you need to know about Caesarians / What every woman is entitled to before labour / How to write a birth plan and why it is useful / Illustrated throughout with lighthearted cartoons from The Times' front page cartoonist.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86221 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Emma Mahony is a successful journalist who currently works as feature writer for the Times. After being told she had to have her twins by caesarian and having a successful natural home birth instead she decided to write a book for women who want to know their choices and be comforted by a different perspective from the standard 'obstetrician speak'. Jonathan Pugh has been the front page cartoonist for the Times since 1996 and was voted Cartoonist of the Year at the 2001 Press Gazette Awards.

Customer Reviews

What if... not How to...
There is no doubt that this is an entertaining book and a very easy read. I enjoyed it but there wasn't any "How to..." information in it. I think if you are trying to decide IF you should go natural or trying to choose WHICH approach you might take, it could be useful. I wanted something more substantial, with actual tips and instructions, and this provided none of those things.

Thank goodness for this book
I am a first time mother-to-be and was given this book as a present. After a gripping read, as most first timers will probably agree your life and thoughts become pre occupied with babies, pregnancy and birth, I am so positive and excited at the thought of giving birth that I am literally wishing the months away. It left me feeling empowered, strong and very well informed, as to what my options and rights are for labour. It gave me a sense of calm and control about giving birth and now no amount of horror stories from wicked friends and families about stitches and pain can change how positive I feel about this upcoming adventure of child birth. A must read.

Almost a 5
I've read extensively throughout my pregnancy (this is my first) and this book would be one of the best. Full of positive birth stories from natural to c-sections. I wanted to give it a five but one of the birth stories was a bit too new age for me. These stories fill the second part of the book.

Emma also provides good info in the first and third section with birthing in the UK in mind.

It's given me the confidence I need to get informed and accept what might happen. I'm preparing for an active birth with as little medical intervention as possible. However this book has given me permission to feel okay if an extra hand is needed and how any scenario can be a positive one and not leave me feeling like a failure.