The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Book Review,
by Sheila Kitzinger
From Library Journal
One of the most celebrated British authors on the sociological and anthropological aspects of birth, breast feeding, and early parenthood, Kitzinger has completely revised her classic Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth (LJ 3/1/81) to guide readers seeking a woman-centered birth experience through the newly researched alternatives now available. Organizing her book into five major sections (Early Weeks, Physical and Emotional Changes, Anticipating the Birth, the Experience of Birth, and You and Your Newborn), Kitzinger provides candid information about what mothers need to know, ranging from ways to navigate the technical landscape of hospital births to making the personal choices of a water home birth. Her "empowerment language" no longer assumes there is a marriage, replacing references to "a man" with "birthing partner." Discussing "birth rooms" rather than delivery rooms, she encourages readers to construct a birth plan, make their own space, and choose an effective birth companion. Other changes make the text more logical and accessible. The "Pregnancy Week by Week" section has been moved from the appendix to the introduction, and section dividers include tables of contents with page numbers. With revised appendixes and 300 updated photographs, drawings, and diagrams, this guide is a valuable resource for all health collections.?Rebecca Cress-Ingebo, Wright State Univ. Libs., Dayton, OhioCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
An updated edition (it's been seven years since the previous publication) of Kitzinger's must-have compendium for expectant mothers offers new insights into having a healthy pregnancy and what's happening in today's birthing rooms. Like other reliable sources, Kitzinger's book gives women (and their partners) an in-depth look at both the baby's and the mother's physical and emotional development during pregnancy. But no other source offers such a complete and educated look at childbirth choices for mothers-to-be. More than 500,000 copies of this title have been sold since 1980, but it is obvious that the author has not rested on her laurels; rather, she has thoroughly re-researched all aspects of childbirth, updating the reader on current trends in hospitals and women's health centers across the country--as well as in other countries, where appropriate. Along with Penelope Leach's Your Baby & Child (also published by Knopf and last updated in 1989), every library should be sure that its collection contains several copies of this exhaustive, thoughtful work. Mary Frances Wilkens
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