I’ve had two children of my own now and I am not ashamed to tell you I was terrified about the labour & birth both times. Going into my second pregnancy I decided I needed to be better prepared and do anything I could to help minimize the mental and physical toll it takes on me. The two books I read, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth* and Mindful Pregnancy* completely changed the way I felt. I went into the labour & delivery with the confidence that I was built to do this and it gave me a sense of power and peace I didn’t know I could have

One of my close friends is a nurse and she’s had 2 babies at home naturally. She recommended hypnobirthing to me and Ina May’s book. I honestly thought she sounded crazy at first (sorry M!) and now I can’t believe it’s not required reading from the get go.

I had both of my babies in the hospital, with an epidural (and morphine with #1). With the second birth I believe I was able to bring my labour on naturally, as well as to manage my mindset and anxiety levels to keep calm, using some of the techniques from these two books. My husband and I had a good discussion and verbal birth plan and he read parts of Mindful Pregnancy to understand what I needed from him as support. I went in to the hospital with a job to do AND the knowledge of how to work with my body and mind to help ease myself through the labour process.

The births were both considered “traumatic” for me and for the babies. Though with #2 all of the nurses and doctors in the delivery room (there ended up being about 8-10 people in there) commented on how calm I was able to remain throughout the process. My husband also noticed a complete difference in my mental state from #1 to #2. I know that my mindset was more stable from gaining an understanding of how a woman’s body physically births a baby and of course, the epidural for my pain management.

One of my delivery nurses was newly pregnant and she asked about my ability to remain calm during the labour. I told her about hypnobirthing and recommended she read them. I saw her a couple weeks later while visiting my son in the NICU and she said that the techniques had actually helped her with her patients.

If you are in the position of birthing a baby, I highly recommend reading these two books for your own sanity. We truly are built to do this. The techniques for relaxation & meditation and the understanding of how your body works and reacts to itself is an amazing thing.

I would also recommend them to any person working in the labour & delivery environment. It truly made a difference for me!

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth*

What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you.

Drawing upon her thirty-plus years of experience, Ina May Gaskin, the nation’s leading midwife, shares the benefits and joys of natural childbirth by showing women how to trust in the ancient wisdom of their bodies for a healthy and fulfilling birthing experience. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.

Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource includes:

• Reducing the pain of labor without drugs—and the miraculous roles touch and massage play
• What really happens during labor
• Orgasmic birth—making birth pleasurable
• Episiotomy—is it really necessary?
• Common methods of inducing labor—and which to avoid at all costs
• Tips for maximizing your chances of an unmedicated labor and birth
• How to avoid postpartum bleeding—and depression
• The risks of anesthesia and cesareans—what your doctor
doesn’t necessarily tell you
• The best ways to work with doctors and/or birth care providers
• How to create a safe, comfortable environment for
birth in any setting, including a hospital
• And much more

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring women’s faith in their own natural power to give birth with more ease, less pain, and less medical intervention.

Mindful Pregnancy by Tracy Donegan*

Enjoy a natural, positive, stress-free pregnancy.

Trimester by trimester, this beautiful book gives you safe yoga, meditation, natural remedies, nutrition, and hypnobirthing techniques to match your stage of pregnancy. Encouraging, practical advice from midwife and positive birth expert, Tracy Donegan, will help you to understand your body, relish your pregnancy, and bond with your growing baby.

Troubleshoot pregnancy aches and pains with appropriate exercises, quell morning sickness with natural remedies and food, bond with your baby through meditation and movement, and prepare your body and mind safely and healthily for childbirth using strengthening exercises and hypnobirthing techniques.

Feel empowered to nurture and give birth to your baby with strength and confidence, and embrace your life as a new mum.

“A must-read for all parents who want to create a healthier, more joyful, more peaceful world.” – Deepak Chopra, MD

*I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase using my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you