Child Birth Education

Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year
by Elizabeth Noble

Many women accept the aches and pains of pregnancy as an unavoidable nuisance. This book clearly explains how pregnancy challenges a woman’s posture and movement patterns. 

The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
by Sheila Kitzinger

Kitzinger has been a champion of woman-centered childbirth for over two decades, empowering women to understand and embrace the active role of birth-giver. 

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn
by Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley, and Ann Keppler

This trio of authors have managed to condense huge amounts of information into very accessible charts, lists, and diagrams, making this book an excellent resource.

The Birth Book
by William and Martha Sears

Reading this book is like sitting down with good friends to share birth stories -- warm, reassuring stories that boost your confidence in natural childbirth.

The VBAC Companion: The Expectant Mother’s Guide to Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
by Diana Korte

Korte is a knowledgeable and compassionate advocate for women who wish to avoid a repeat cesarean birth.

Homebirth
by Sheila Kitzinger

For those who choose this rarest of birth alternatives, Kitzinger provides the ultimate resource. 

(Currently out of print, but you can have Amazon search for used copies.)

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Labor Assistance

The Birth Partner Second Edition
by Penny Simkin

Anyone who has tried to "coach" a woman through labor knows that there’s more to the role than timing contractions.

Easing Labor Pain
by Adrienne B. Lieberman

Too many birthing women in America are offered a choice between excruciating pain and an epidural, as though no other options exist for coping with labor’s intensity.

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Postpartum

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
by La Leche League International

When LLLI was established in the mid-1950’s, information and support for breastfeeding was all but nonexistent in the USA. Times have changed, but The Womanly Art still stands out as the most comprehensive resource for breastfeeding women.

Bestfeeding: Getting Breastfeeding Right for You
by Mary Renfrew, Chloe Fisher, and Suzanne Arms

This book overflows with helpful photos and drawings to help make the basic experience of breastfeeding more familiar and attainable for women. The text is encouraging without being dogmatic, respectfully acknowledging the many options that are "right" for individual mothers and their babies.

Mothering the New Mother: Women’s Feelings and Needs After Childbirth
by Sally Placksin

Until very recent years, postpartum was a seemingly forgotten subject in childbirth literature. From pregnancy and birth books, a woman was expected to leap into childcare books, as if her own experience ceased to be significant after the baby was born. 

Rebounding From Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery
by Lynn Madsen

Madsen is a lone voice, acknowledging the emotional wounds that birth sometimes inflicts upon women, even when the baby turns out fine. 

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Pregnancy Massage

Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy
by Carole Osborne Sheets

Osborne Sheets has over 25 years’ experience in the bodywork profession and has taught her skills to hundreds of massage therapists, first as a co-founder of the "Bodywork for the Childbearing Year" workshop, and more recently in seminars bearing the same title as her book.

Massage During Pregnancy
by Bette Waters, RN, Certified Nurse Midwife

Waters began researching pregnancy massage when her husband was in massage school. Her book draws upon that research as well as her midwifery background, concisely detailing the ways in which massage impacts a woman’s experience of pregnancy.

Mother Massage
by Elaine Stillerman, LMT

Unlike the other pregnancy massage books on the market, Stillerman’s is intended for use by pregnant women and their partners rather than massage professionals. The book is well illustrated with soft pencil drawings and includes clear instructions for applying basic massage strokes to address pregnancy stress.

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Alexander Technique

Body Learning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique
by Michael J. Gelb

Improving one’s posture is one of the simplest and most profound ways to improve overall health. But how to do it? "Standing up straight" often feels so awkward and tiring that it is quickly abandoned for the more familiar slump.

How to Learn the Alexander Technique: A Manual for Students
by Barbara Conable

The Alexander Technique is best learned from an Alexander teacher; but for those who don’t have access to Alexander lessons -- or even those who wish to supplement their lessons -- this book is a gem.

Fitness Without Stress: A Guide to the Alexander Technique
by Robert M. Rickover

Robert Rickover’s book details the ways in which the Alexander Technique can change a person’s entire approach to movement, replacing old habits with new freedom and ease in all activities. 

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Trauma

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
by Peter Levine

Levine's book includes many activities to build that connection and foster healing from traumatic experiences.

Compassionate Touch
by Clyde Ford

Clyde Ford is a chiropractor who did not shy away from his clients’ issues but tailored his care to complement and encourage their emotional healing process. His book is a classic in mind-body integration literature. Highly recommended for touch therapists.

Rebounding From Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery
by Lynn Madsen

Madsen is a lone voice, acknowledging the emotional wounds that birth sometimes inflicts upon women, even when the baby turns out fine.

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