Cesarean-Section Books

If you're pregnant and can only read one book about childbirth, it should be this one. Written in an engaging but pragmatic journalistic style, this is a fabulously researched look at what has gone wrong in hospital delivery rooms, leading to a 33 percent C-section rate in America today.

This is a must read for any pregnant woman. It is a real eye opener into the medical practice and the reasoning behind many things that occur during child birth.

Having read the book and attended a book reading by the author, I was most amazed by this book because Ms. Block is not a mother. As a non-mother, outside of the birth community, she was able to offer unique insight that other authors of wonderful books missed. For instance, Ms. Block notes that the "back alley births" have replaced "back alley abortions" in many communities. Safe, natural childbirth is legally unavailable to women with previous c-sections, multiple births, and other risk factors in certain states with harsh laws against midwifery care. I also have summarized the talk she gave at Georgetown University on March 15, 2008 at http://mothersrights.blogspot.com/2008/03/talk-by-author-of-pushed.html.

This is the most important book that any expecting mother could read. This book reveals the truth about how hospital birth is not the best and safest way to have a baby. Mothers need to know that they do have a choice and that their pregnancy does not have to be treated as a disease. This book is eye-opening and empowering to all women whether pregnant or not.

My first (and only) birth was quite horrifying. After being induced because my contractions slowed the contractions became very painful, after 18 hours I asked for an epidural. The resident put the tube in wrong and the epidural didn't work properly, immobilizing my legs, but leaving the horrific contractions. After 30 hours the midwife broke my bag of waters and after 36 hours I had a fever and my son's heart rate was becoming erratic. They put me in for an emergency C-section, but gave the anesthesia through the same tube as the epidural. Well, it didn't work properly, and I felt almost everything during the 45 minute c-section, so long because my son was stuck and the doctor stopped midway to do a "cease and assess" and to formally complain about the overseeing anesthesiologist.

So! Bad things that you are totally unprepared for can happen! And while this book IS completely biased, it is better to know about all of the possibilities and be mentally prepared for them rather than be blindsided by them. If you are an intelligent woman/couple you can take from this book what it offers: perspective. It will also help you understand what you may and may not want to do during those "informed decision" times they tell you so much about during birthing classes. Yeah, you make the decisions, you can always ask for more information if you need it. Well, what they don't tell you is that if you ask your doctor, your doctor is biased, so if you don't do your own research going in you will do whatever your doctor says because it is the only opinion you have, besides your own, which seems meaningless and naive next to a doctor's recommendation.

Read it, be scared for a little while, and then know you are going into your birth with more information. I am pregnant again, I found that this book helped me decide what kind of physician I wanted to go with. My husband is very against home birth, and I understand his fears, he was traumatized by the first birth, too, he feels that we should still be in a hospital "just in case." So, this book helped me choose a doctor that understands that I want a "home birth" in a hospital. I hope it will help you, too.

I loved this book. As a person who had a cesarean that I thought was necessary, and one that I thought I had mostly come to terms with, I wasn't sure what this book would offer, but the experiences of the other women were able to put in writing really spoke to me. It spoke to the core of my experience, and the frustrations, fear, and sadness that I experienced.

This book is great for anyone out there who doubts themselves about their birth experience. You are not alone, and this book is comforting that complex emotions are valid following a cesarean section. Unique, to my knowledge.

Should be read by every expectant parent, and by everyone who may ever come into contact with a new mother-to-be. This books shows why cesareans aren't 'just another way to have a baby.' They're major surgery. They're often emotionally devastating- and the things that new mothers hear most ('All that matters is a healthy baby') often belittle the emotional impact of birth on recovery and bonding.

Straight out of the mouths of the women who have been cut. We're all supposed to just be happy that our baby is healthy. But it does matter what women go through. It affects parenting, confidence, future health. Cesarean Voices is raw and emotional, watch out, it may turn your world upside down.

If it weren't for stories like these, I don't know how I would have survived that first year after my c-section. I desperately needed to know that the unexpected feelings I had about it were not unusual. Not everyone has negative feelings about their c-sections, but for those who have doubts that they can't quite put their finger on (like I did), this is a landmark book. I also found it to be a very helpful tool in explaining my experiences with other people.

This book is an excellent resource for the "just in case" situation. It is very detailed! Great buy and easy to read/understand.

Very handy format! Loved the sections entitled WORDS FROM THE WISE and TALKING POINTS! This book has great "zoom-in" capability with a focus on the most important considerations in make a decision on whether or not to have a C-section. A must-read for every mother-to-be. Thanks, Rita Rubin!

I purchased this book and found it to be a fact-packed and easy ready, full of helpful but not preachy information. I also happen to work with Rita, so I know first-hand that she brings trusted expertise to the topic. Valuable reading for any pregnant woman about what to expect, the risks and benefits of the procedure, and how to face recovery.

Even though more women are having c-sections than ever before, I'd prefer not to have one. But, until I happened to come across this book, I didn't think there was much I could do to avoid having a c-section. I found a lot of good advice in this book about what I can do now, early in my pregnancy, to raise my chances of delivering my baby vaginally next summer. And if I do end up needing a c-section after all, I think I'll be better prepared for having read What If I Have a C-Section?, because it goes into a lot of detail about the operation itself and recovery.

This book proved more helpful than I could have imagined! I ended up having an emergency C-section and was glad that I had reviewed this book in advance. Afterwards, I didn't have a lot of free time to read, but this book proved succinct and easy to reference with my "now what?" questions.

I am delighted to see that this book is still in print. I read this book 18 years ago and to this day I have never read another book which had such a profound impact on my life. The author describes the experience of women's ceaserean birth followed by their vaginal delivery of her next baby. In addition there is running commentary from a group of professionals that comment on aspects of the mother's health, labor, and experience. I felt like I was healing from the pain of the ceaseran birth of my son and learning what I needed to approach my next birthing experience at the same time.I am deeply grateful to the author for her wisdom and understanding that this combination of narratives and information have empowered women to successful VBAC deliveries!!

The stories in this book, which I read when I was 7 months pregnant with my second child, inspired me to make the tough decision to have a home birth and to try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). It crystallized my thinking, especially a key quote: "Take control of that which you can control and let go of that which you cannot control. That is the secret of safe and simple birthing." Thanks largely to this book I had smooth, uncomplicated and unmedicated home birth.

This book is a must-read if you are considering a VBAC. I am a homebirth midwife, who had a VBAC at home after reading this book 8 years ago. The wonderful birth stories will empower you to create your birth and trust your body, in way that no other book can. It also gives you insight into what the practitioners are thinking, and the comments provide a look into the various environments in which they work: some friendly, some quite hostile.

Wonderful birth stories, by both parents and their carers - plenty of inspiration. Importantly, this book includes comments on medical aspects of particular births by professionals. The mix of personal stories and professional comment give the reader a broader understanding of what is involved in their endeavour to achieve a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean).

Nan Koehler, who is a master herbalist, life skills teacher, and midwife, specializes in helping mothers give natural birth. A timeless introduction to natural childbirth after cesarean section and other medical traumas. V/BAC is a term coined by Nancy Wainer Cohen which means, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean. From my point of view, mothers who have been sectioned surgically have a special calling to heal the Earth by healing birth. The voices of those traumatized by the normative obstetric abuse of our time, cesarean surgery, need to be heard. This book transforms childbirth through word medicine (mindful anecdotal evidence). Artemis Speaks covers much, much more beyond pregnancy and birth ~ it's for anyone devoted to healthy, loving transitions, and keeping families whole. The collected notes from a generation of home-based practice from a granny midwife/herbalist with contributions by many others.

A phenomenal book!! Western women have been brainwashed to believe that doctors know more about the natural phenomenons of birthing and breastfeeding than they do!! While c-sections are at times necessary to save the lives of mother and baby, the c-section rate in the US is alarming. Pregnancy and childbirth are not diseases that need to be surgically fixed!! Written by a foremost expert OB/Gyn, no one should enter a delivery room without reading this book!

This book had many helpful tips for being prepared for my c-section and claimed to be unbiased on the subject of elective c-sections. However the more that I read, the more that I got heated because the author repeatedly kept saying "in efforts to avoid labor pain" when referring to an elective c-section. Avoiding labor pain had nothing to do with my decision to have a c-section so I felt a little insulted by this book at times. That being said, I do think I took away many good tips to help with a speedier recovery time.

I had an unplanned c-section for my first child. This book gave me the information I needed to understand what happened the first time and why my doctor reccommended a planned c-section for my second child. This book gave me the information to ask the right questions and make an informed decision about my body and the welfare of my child. I think natural child birth classes gloss over this information and if a c-section becomes necessary, many women are ill informed to make the necessary decisions.

This book has great information for anyone who has had a c-section or is going to have one. I would even recommend any pregnant woman to check this book out just in case she ends up having a c-section. I just had my first baby, my pregnancy was healthy and I had no problems yet I had to have a c-section done at the last minute. Having the information in this book days after my c-section instead of weeks would have been much better. It's informative and lets you realize your not alone. This is a very good book.

I will be having a planned Cesarean in 6 wks b/c of placenta previa. I've been anxious & wanted to know as much as I could about this upcoming c-section. I've read several books on the topic & this book really stands out from the rest! It covers the surgery, recovery, breastfeeding & many other issues all in great detail, which is great for me, being this is my first baby & first cesarean. I'm looking forward to getting back into shape using this book as a reference as well. I'm even bringing it to the hospital with me. I highly recommend it for anyone faced with a Cesarean!

I tend to be a person who is not satisfied with just one source of information and do extensive research on every subject that I am educating myself on. After looking at many different books and resources, I can honestly say that this is the only book that you need to prepare you for your c-section. This comprehensive reference provides thorough information while maintaining a humanistic approach to the subject matter. This book contains a whole chapter on the emotional aspects of having a cesarean which I found to be very helpful, since it is something that is not usually addressed. On top of the information included to aid you in your physical recovery there is another chapter with workout information when you are ready for that. I would have paid twice the price I did for this truly "essential" resource

I was looking for a book that would tell me more than just the politically correct viewpoint of c-sections, and I found it in this one. The information on recovery was particularly good. Even though it didn't cover the reason for my c-section (cord presentation), or what one of my best friends experienced during her delivery (vasa previa), I felt it did give me plenty of information about other reasons a c-section might be used.

Best of all, it didn't give the usual "sorry about that, honey....maybe next time you can have a VBAC and finally be a REAL woman" tone when it came to discussions about what could happen with subsequent births. That alone made it a must-read for anyone recovering from the procedure.

I came across this book when we were awaiting the birth of our first child two years ago. Cesarean was a possibility. In the end it wasn't needed but we got a very good idea about what the operation involves, the risks and expectations for all the family. I would recommend it not only to prospective mothers but to all their family.Jayne (and Richard)

Jan, the example mother, did fail at childbirth. She should be sad about this for awhile, but then let it go because it wasn't entirely her fault: the medical establishment, which she mistakenly trusted, failed her. They are the ones who should feel bad for causing this family unnecessary trauma. The first mistake was the pitocin. It causes increased pain and does not always cause labour to progress. If Jan had the information to know to refuse the pitocin, she would have had the natural birth she wanted. The second mistake was using a fetal monitor - one of the main reasons for unnecessary c-sections. Jan should have been sent home when her labor failed to progress; she should not have been given drugs. This classic example of an unnecessary c-section was a failing of the medical establishment but the book portrays it falsely as no-one's fault -- which pretty much sums up the entire tone of the book. It's progaganda for a system that wants women to be ignorant and meek, accepting unquestioningly the unhealthy birth protocols perpetuated in hospitals by clueless physicians and nurses who think - mistakenly - that they are doing the right thing. Jan's story is a lesson in how misguided both hospital staff and mothers are today. One can only hope the authors of this book will someday see the error of their ways and publish a retraction of this misinformation. Unfortunately, it probably won't be before many more women have unnecessary c-sections.

I just sent a copy of this book to my best friend who will have her first baby soon. My mother had a cesarean section to birth me because after she'd been in labor for about 24 hours, my heartbeat seemed to disappear. Like some of the examples in this book, mine was an emergency c-section and my mother had no moral choice. When I was born, it was found that the cord was around my neck and I was strangling. I can thank the availability of a cesarean for my life and for not being developmentally challenged. I make sure all my friends have the opportunity to be prepared if things go awry during their pregnancy or labor.

We are happy to agree with Rfolger. Cesareans should be for medical indications and that is exactly what we say in the book. Our figures are also close to his/hers. However there are also some women who having considered the options request the operation without major medical indications - that is a matter for them and their doctors, like everything else in a woman's decisions about her reproductive functions.Our aim is to provide sensible accurate information to women who have already had a Csection or face the prospect of having one. Not every woman can safely have a vaginal birth and no woman should end up feeling bad about her birth method because she had a Csection.Caroline de Costa

I found the information in the book to be very helpful for someone who has had a previous surgical birth. I wish there was an updated version, but the basic premise is not outdated at all, just the specific data regarding percentages and whatnot. (Actually, the percentage of cesarean births is even higher now than when it was written, which is alarming.) Now more than ever we need books like these out there, especially since many doctors lead us to believe that "VBAC is very risky" and c-sections are "generally safe."

I am not a huge reader, but I just about ate this book up. I read it cover to cover in 24 hours and feel totally encouraged. Yes, the studies are a bit outdated, but even so the informantion is still completely viable today. All of his facts are backed up and not in a hard to understand or silly way. A lot of the studies he performed himself over many years of research and dedicated study. You can tell he is not biased one way or the other, he just lays it all on the line for you to decide. I wish that Dr.Flamm would consider putting out an updated version of this book with any new discoveries and studies included. This was a way easier read than "Open Season" in my opinion. The book is put together in a very readable fashion so that you can effortlessly flip to any particular information you need should you need it right away. No skimming over chapters to find that one piece of information you are looking for. This book was awesome!!

I loved this book! Dr. Bruce Flamm should be given an award for his no nonesense view of VBAC. He is the reason I left my doctor at 6 months pregnant so I could pursue a doctor who didn't want to cut me open just because I had a c-section the last pregnancy!!

You need to buy this book if you are looking to do a VBAC!! It is not as outdated as some would say. It still applies today!

I loved this book, though I wish they had a more recent version as 1990 was a long time ago. A good factual look at VBACs that will make you feel good about the decision to go for it! I wish all c/s moms would read it! It would avoid unnecessary surgery for sure.

I am so glad I got this book. I read it in about one day. I am pregnant again with my 2nd little girl, and I am so excited about the prospect of having a VBAC. I am doing things different this time and feel that I have a super chance of having a VBAC, especially after reading this book. I have refered to it all throughout my pregnancy. My first c-section was "failure of induction", some excuse, huh? I was just a victim. But this time, I feel empowered and I am arming myself with knowledge. GET THIS BOOK if you really want to have a VBAC. It will encourage and enlighten you!