Natural hospital birth The best of both worlds

Women who want a natural birth with minimal medical intervention may feel that a home birth is their only option. Here, Gabriel, a doula and mother of three, empowers women to make the choices that will keep them comfortable with their birth experiences. She gives specific advice on how to speak to doctors and nurses to avoid interventions (e.g., "I'd like to wait an hour") and what to include on the mother's written birth plans to ensure her wishes are clear. Gabriel's experience as a natural birth doula gives her insights that many expectant moms may not have-even if this isn't their first pregnancy-such as asking for intermittent rather than constant fetal monitoring. VERDICT Readers should be aware that this book is not about natural birth; it is about achieving a natural birth at a hospital. As such, it complements rather than replaces natural childbirth classics like Ina May Gaskin's Ina May's Guide to Childbirth or Susan McCutcheon's Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. Where those are popular, Gabriel's book will likely draw interest.-Mindy Rhiger, St. Paul (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.