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Saturday, February 25, 2012

eBook Review: Unbound Birth

Unbound Birth 250x250

I was so excited when I heard that Jenny from The Southern Institute was working on an eBook about natural births in the hospital. Since I have had 3 natural births in the hospital, I was eager to share some of my story when Jenny asked if any moms might like to contribute. Now that I have read Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital, I would say that my main sentiment about the book is this: I wish this had been around before I ever started having kids! What a great resource for women approaching motherhood!

Allow me to share some of my personal experience. Before my oldest daughter was even a twinkle in my eye, I figured I was a sure-bet for medication during childbirth; I was a wimp! Then I attended an educational event centered around becoming a mother. There was a midwife there who explained about her job and talked a little about home births and natural births. It was from listening to her that it occurred to me that women have been having babies for thousands of years, and no matter how scary it might seem, my body was designed to do that. I didn’t have to know exactly what I was doing; my body already knew what to do. I went on to learn in a Childhood Development class at Oregon State University about some of the risks of medication during childbirth. The knowledge I gained from that midwife and class had me reconsidering if medication really was the right choice for me and my future baby.

When I did become pregnant for the first time, I told some of my family I was considering the possibility a natural birth. My sister/sisters-in-law had used medication during their births; my mother had experienced both medicated and unmedicated births. They were filled with loving concern about my decision; in short, they thought I was crazy. My family supported me, but I couldn’t really turn to them for advice. Unbound Birth would have been just what I needed at the time.

Once I had made up my mind to have a natural birth, I wanted to talk to people who knew what it was like. I tracked down any moms I knew who had experienced natural birth to ask them about their experiences and even ask them if they thought I could do it. At each check up, I asked my midwives for advice about how to get through a natural birth. Hearing from other women was one of the main things that gave me courage to go through with my decision to birth naturally, and that’s what I love about the book Unbound Birth. The encouragement, the birth stories, and the advice are all right there in this book.

Jennifer Yarbrough is a childbirth educator, and she has experienced 3 natural births in hospital. Her book, an easy read at just under 60 pages, is packed with information, advice, and encouragement from women who know what it’s like to have a natural birth in the hospital. Jenny describes her own birthing experiences, informs about natural birth, dismisses some of the fears surrounding natural birth, and gives advice about health during pregnancy and pain management. The book even includes a birth plan you can fill out. Jenny’s approach is non-preachy and non-judgmental; she just wants women to realize their own capabilities.

In Jenny’s own words, “I wrote this book because I truly believe that more women would birth naturally in the hospital if only they felt empowered and supported. I hope that Unbound Birth does this for you.”

I think any woman who is trying to decide what type of birthing experience she wants to have should read this book before making her decision. I have had 3 amazing natural births in the hospital that I would not change. I know it isn’t just a certain type of woman who can have a natural birth; any woman can do it. This book will help you find the confidence you need to have a good experience with a natural birth.

Click here to purchase a copy of Unbound Birth for $4.99 for your Kindle, Nook, or in PDF format.

Unbound Birth is also on Facebook and Twitter.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Book Review: I Capture the Castle

I Capture the CastleI Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I knew from the first paragraph I was going to love this book; it just had the right feel to it. I very often wondered whether or not I would be quite satisfied by the end of the book. Now that I have finished, I have to say that this book was an utter delight.
I loved the voice of the narrator.
I loved the combination of influence from Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte.
It’s one of those books I will have to go back and read so I can write down some of the lines that pleased me. Here’s one section:
“Well, I shall pray you really fall in love with him—and he with you, of course. And I’ll do out-of-bed prayers.”
“So will I,” She said, hopping out again.
We both prayed hard, Rose much the longest—she was still on her knees when I had settled down ready to sleep.
“That’ll do, Rose,” I told her at last. “It’s enough just to mention things, you know. Long prayers are like nagging.”
This book is a fun pleasure read. Not a book that will change your life, but a very enjoyable read. I want to own it. I don’t want to jump into reading another book right away as I want to savor this one in my mind for a while.

Content: rather clean. I believe “damn” shows up a few times. There is mention of adultery and one scene in which a female character starts to pull her dress off for a boy.