Bossy Italian Book Review: Birthing From Within

It's hard for me to admit that I haven't really been reading many books lately. People have been asking me, "Are you reading a ton of baby books?" and the simple truth is, NO I have not. It's not that I'm not interested...it's just that there are so many bad books out there. I know this because I picked up a copy of "What To Expect When You're Expecting." Holy hell...what a terrible read! I put that sucker down and practically renounced baby books. Practically.

But this book came to me from a friend who did natural labor, and I want to take my best shot at going naturally, so I figured I would give it a whirl. Boy am I glad I did. This book was extremely helpful, very informative, and well-written. This is one of those that women should definitiely reach for if they plan on going the natural route.

One of the biggest take aways I got from the book was confronting my fears about childbirth. When I picked it up, I asked myself, "do I have any fears?" I was feeling uncomfortably devoid of them, which, incidentally, made me nervous. There must be something, I kept thinking to myself...and it turns out there was: not being listened to during childbirth because of the hospital setting. By confronting this fear, I am more able to work through it.

There are lots of great stories and tips in this book and it's very readable. I was surprised by how quickly I breezed through the book. In fact, I was sort of sorry when it was over because I really enjoyed it so much. Birthing From Within is really about empowering women in their childbirth experience, and I enjoyed that aspect of it very much. I feel it's a great read prior to going to lamaze class because lamaze happens, like, a month before your due date and there is so much I was itching to know before then!!!

I feel much more confident about natural birth now, and I'm feeling great about going through this awfully profound labor experience. Every woman should feel empowered as she goes into the birthing process (no matter what they are choosing, be it natural, with epidural, or a c-section). Let's face it: it's a big deal for everyone involved! Not to mention, it should be joyous. There are lots of great ways to make it just that in this book, so if you are expecting and you are looking for a good birthing book, this one is a great read and I highly recommend it!