Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds

Very informative and helped us a lot with navigating our way through a natural pregnancy and labor/delivery at our local hospital. There was information I wouldn't have even thought to ask about, but was incredibly helpful.

Thanks to this book I understood how delivery is like, what can happen during the delivery, why doctors do what they do and when is their help neccesary. The book is very easy to read and it gives you a great knowledge. I was totally prepared when my labor started and I knew what was happening and why it was happening. With a help of my amazing husband And this book I gave a birth to my son naturally. I am proud of myself and I thank to Cynthia Gabriel for writting this book.

This was an easy, informative read and spoke to exactly what I wanted to learn about. If hoping to have a natural childbirth in a hospital, it is a must read. Having read it, this book has me feeling very prepared...we shall see!

This book was incredibly helpful for a natural birth in a hospital. I had my mind set on delivering naturally as I am not a fan of having a needle in my back and loss of control of my legs. Luckily for me, it all turned out fine and I was able to follow the suggestions of this book. It clearly prepares you to have a voice for yourself in the hospital when they try to push medicine on you. In addition, it suggests you labor at home as long as possible and to be prepared for the typical events that take place once at the hospital. Many of the examples that they shared in the book actually took place for me so I was more confident in myself and my beliefs to answer back without fear. In addition, I was better able to prepare my husband in what to expect as well weeks before the actual delivery.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is seriously considering a natural birth but in the safety of a hospital. It worked for me and helped me be mentally prepared for what transpired. A+ for this one.

I loved reading this book before having my second baby (both unmedicated hospital births), and I loved the sections that guided through visualizing your ideal birth. I found that to be so helpful in getting down to the foundation of my needs, desires, and priorities. The author also had very good descriptions of stages of labor that help you assess and evaluate your own progress without necessitating checks. I tell all my pregnant friends to read this - whether they plan to go unmedicated or not!

This book, and watching "The Business of Being Born" were my only prep for a natural birth experience. I managed a 36 hour labor without any pain meds! The book got a little repetitive, but I think it's good to understand that many "standard protocols" in the hospital can be delayed or skipped entirely.

This is my first birth so I value having resources like this book. She not only explains every scenario in detail but makes you think about what you want and want to avoid and how to make that happen. I feel so much more confident having this book as a guide.

This book gave me the extra confidence I needed to have the natural birth I desired, even though I was induced at a hospital. I had an incredible birth experience! I, of course, read through this book with my common sense in hand and took the information I felt was valuable to me and left what I felt did not apply to me. This book also gave my husband confidence that he could stand up for me if needed without being pushy or demeaning in a tense situation. I'm very glad I found this book!

Absolutely perfect book and info on the world of birthing and the options out there. I work within medicine and with OBGYN's and I give this book two thumbs up. The emotion, spirit,information, and inspiration given throughout this book are thought-filled and right on. She is obviously a mother with a heart and an author with great insight on the world of birthing. Any mom to be should read this book, such amazing ideas and concepts. It personal and well written; definitely recommended.

This birth book was great right before and right after the birth we had. Birthing is something to be experienced, not read about. Buy this book and you'll be an expert birther. That's right. I wrote birther.

I had always planned to have a natural child birth, but after we got pregnant and started talking with people (at classes, etc.) we felt like if we wanted to go natural we would have to fight tooth and nail with the medical staff every step of the way. It was also important to my husband and I that we give birth in the hospital (we have an amazing women's hospital where we live that is connected to the children's hospital). We used a midwife instead of an OB and hired a doula (a MUST for anyone planning to go drug-free! The BEST money we have ever spent). While all of our support team were on our side for the plan, I didn't feel truly confident until I read this book (which was recommended by a friend who had given a natural birth 4 months before). Ms. Gabriel's case studies and examples show a variety of reasons for natural birth and several outcomes. I felt that this book gave me the tools that I need to be successful. Most helpful was how to write a hospital plan. As a biologist, I wanted to medical staff to know that I respected their knowledge, but understand that I too have knowledge and want them to respect my choices. The nurse and midwife on call were both totally on board and everything went mostly to plan. My baby was a week late, and had pooped in the water bag (a lot) and had to be taken to the little baby cart in our room to make sure he didn't aspirate any of the fecal matter, which I was completely okay with. We did the whole 19 hour labor without any medication or interventions. If you are planning to go natural, this book can give you the extra confidence you need - you can do it!!

This book was amazing. I am very pro-natural child birth but a home birth is not an option for us at this time. This book takes a home birth into a hospital setting. It doesnt scare you away from a hospital birth- it embraces a natural hospital birth. This is a must read for any mom who is planning an all-natural hospital birth.

I was already committed to a natural birth at the hospital before reading this book, but I was stressed about the transfer from home. Reading this made me feel a whole lot more comfortable and relaxed; that I can stand by my wishes without a huge fight, and it gave lots of ideas in case of a plateau upon transfer.

I found this book to be very informative and real. I'm pregnant with my first and want to know all my options and be to exposed to different view points. This book tended to give the impression that you'll have to fight off the medical staff, and it was a little 'out there' when it came to imagining your birth. Outside of those two areas, it gave good information on what to expect from yourself and how the experience will be. I like the information on different birth positions, how people and feelings can affect you, how long to stay at home, and examples she saw in both Russia and the US. I plan to have my husband read some of the chapters so he too can have an expectation.

This book had such great information that I read it twice during my 3rd trimester in preparation for labor & delivery! I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to deliver at a hospital without epidural.

I read this book cover to cover during my pregnancy, and also referenced it toward the end of pregnancy. It was helpful, not pertaining to NY particular course, which I liked as the information was very general and helped me reinforce my decision to have a nature birth. So many of the things that went wrong in birth #1 for me were likely because of unnecessary interventions.

However, some of the information was presented in a "this is what you'll be like at X centimeters" style. My birthing was was a lot different than described (which is normal! ). But I still had a wonderful delivery, and I attribute much of it to the preparation and reading done beforehand.

I actually found this book to not be as polarizing as some had reviewed it to be. I have read some others (The Thinking Women's Guide, Pushed) that are so obviously anti-hospital the authors clearly advise to NOT have a hospital birth for those who want a natural child birth. NHB is a great option for mothers-to-be who strive for a natural (unmedicated) child birth in a hospital which I think is a common desire (for obvious reasons and as the title implies, to get "the best of both worlds.") I know that I would like to avoid as much unnecessary medical intervention as possible but want the security of being in a hospital during my birth. Notice that I say unnecessary-- I think, in general, women need to be as informed and mentally prepared as possible before labor and delivery to help build their confidence about what is right for them and their baby regardless of their birth wishes. This book helps with that process. Much of the information in this book reinforced what I had already read in others but also offers many valuable suggestions, specifically for a hospital setting, such as getting your medical caregivers/team on board with you about your labor wishes and birth plan.

I read this book in conjunction with others on the topic of natural child birth, and I found this point of view was a nice complement to the crunchy-granola side of birth without medication. The topic is exactly what I wanted to know more about--and many "natural" child birth books seem to focus more on alternative settings (birth clinics, home birth, water births, etc) rather than the medical norm of a room in a hospital. I'll be lending this to friends who are considering the same path!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels strongly about the natural birthing process. It is very informative and has helped myself and my husband feel knowledgeable about the birthing process in a way that will allow us to make the best decisions, regardless of how our birth ends up going when the time comes.

This book is amazing. It opens your eyes to what a women will face in the hospital. It is possible to have a natural birth as long as you know what you are going to face. This will be the book that I will read again when the time comes to birth.

This book was balanced in its approach to natural birthing in a hospital. Some books that I have read painted the hospital staff as the bad guys and prepared you to be on the defensive. Gabriel took a different approach and encourages the reader be confident in their own birth plan, provides understand to why hospital staff provide the interventions they do and suggests tackfully wways decline such interventions.

This book helped prepare me for my natural hospital birth. I decided on wanting a natural birth after the "cascade effect" of the hospital interventions for my first child. It started with getting an epidural to having to be given pitocin because my labor slowed too much. I also did not like not being able to walk for several hours after delivery and having a catheter. Since Blue Cross Blue Shield will only cover hospital deliveries, the hospital part of the decision was made for me. This book walks you through exactly what is happening to your body during the different stages of labor. As a total control freak, this was essential for my success with natural labor. This book not only teaches you about the labor process, but also recommends ways to communicate with the healthcare staff. Many other places I have read online talk about demanding certain things with your birth plan, but this book really takes that confrontational attitude away. With the help of this book, I was able to effectively communicate my wishes to my physician and to the hospital staff and deliver my beautiful little girl naturally in the hospital. A definite must if a natural hospital birth is your goal.

This illustrative book helped me be aware of what to expect during labor, and what to do to manage pain. I was able to have a natural birth after VBAC, and reading this book was an excellent preparation to achieve this!

Really enjoy this book. Lots of information on the hospital birthing process. Takes some of the fear of the unknown away and makes you feel empowered to make decisions about your labor, even while you're in the hospital. I read this early in pregnancy and plan to use it as a reference in the months to come.

Most of the information was very helpful. Some of it I skipped over because it wasn't very relevant to me personally but I really feel good about what I learned from it. I would really suggest this book to anyone trying to have a natural labor in a hospital.

I purchased the book looking for some information/advice on how to talk to the doctors and nurses in order to successfully avoid induction, unnecessary vaginal exams and c-section. Personally, I'm against not using epidural in labor, as I don't believe there is any reason for women to suffer, but I knew before buying the book that the author has a different opinion on this so I will not take stars off for this in my review.
The author talks a lot about birth practices in Russia. In a way, she glamorizes them and talks about how birthing in Russia is more natural anf how women have better experience, etc. I was born and lived in Russia for 23 years, I have female friends and relatives in Russia who gave birth there. I'm also currently pregnant and actively participate in Russian online discussion forums for women who are getting ready for birth. I heard many stories and I have a pretty good understanding of what happens when you go to a Russian hospital, or what they call a "delivery home" to give birth. I'll tell you how it is, so you can judge for yourself whether it is better, more natural and whether a woman feels safe. In my opinion, what happens to women in Russian hospital it is the furthest you can go form natural, private, respectful and safe birth experience. Unless you want to consider lack of epidural, then yes, it's "natural" in that way.

1) Most women in Russia have no choice on who is going to deliver their baby. The doctors who work in the hospitals and do deliveries are not the same as women see for their prenatal check-ups. Unless a woman pays a lot of money and makes personal arrangements she will end up with a hospital she was assigned to based on where she lives. I don't know about the author, but I would feel anxious not knowing or ever seeing a doctor before I have to give birth.

2) Normally no one gets epidural, unless you pay and request it or find a hospital that administers them as usually it's not done.

3) There is no such thing as a birth plan in Russia. Nobody cares about woman's preferences. You find out what your experience will be like when you are in labor. For example, women have no say in whether they are OK with 12-15 interns examining them or watching the birth. Nobody asks for a permission. They just bring a bunch of students to a birthing woman and they do what they do because the hospital policy is to do it to everybody.

4) The wast majority of women who cannot pay outrageous amounts for a personalized care are being treated very rudely in the hospitals during labor and delivery. It is common to hear phrases like "don't scream, having sex didn't hurt, so don't scream now", "S*** up, you're going to eat what we serve, you're not a princess".. etc. It's common to be alone for hours, screaming in pain without any medical attention. Sometimes it's too late and the baby dies or has birth traumas because no one cares.

5) Women stay in common birthing rooms full of beds with no curtains in between, with other women screaming and being examined. No support people, unless you count a group of interns or medical staff who will come to do vaginal exams when they feel is right.

6) When it's time to delivery the baby women WALK to the delivery room themselves. Yes, fully dilated in pain, through a long corridor.

7) The delivery room is not private, oftentimes women see other women birthing next to them in so called "chairs" (some ugly invention to replace a bed with stirrups, used for giving birth and doing vaginal exams). Deem light? Quite music? What are you talking about?

8) Most hospitals don't allow husbands or support person to be there with the woman. Again, if you want an exception you may have to pay a lot, because you're tied to a hospital you are assigned to.

9) Women in Russia get induced all the time to get things going, again nobody even asks for a permission. Episiotomies is something most women deal with too. A lot of women believe pitocin is good as it helps to birth faster.

10) Women don't have a choice in regards to birthing position. Lying on a back is how they do it there. Again, nobody wants to her or know your personal preferences. The rule is - they do it with everybody, they do it to you.

I won't continue, I think this is enough. It's the real world and the book should describe the real world and not a fantasy for the purpose of contrasting it to how "bad" things are in the US. Therefore - 2 stars.
I am not very happy about my prenatal care in the US, but when I hear what women have to deal with in Russia, somehow I feel better that I'm here.

This book filled a void in my childbirth education classes. I generally teach couples who desire an intervention-free birth and this book walks you through the pitfalls and how to oversome them. I will be using it as a rental book for my clients.