"Special Delivery" by Rahima Baldwin For parents-to-be who are considering home birth, Special Delivery is an excellent resource. Written by midwife Rahima Baldwin Dancy in the '70s and updated in 1986, this book covers the benefits of home births; gives details on how to have a home birth, including pregnancy preparations; and coaches participants on specific ways they can help the mother. The "easy to comprehend in the middle of a crisis" details on what can go wrong, what to do, and when to bring the mother to the hospital are outstanding.

"The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" by Henci Goer The newest procedures. The latest information. The complete rundown on modern pregnancy and childbirth...for women who want the facts. Every intelligent, informed woman is used to gathering the most complete information she can get before making a decision. But when it comes to one of the most important decisions in her life--how she will give birth--it can be tough to get the complete picture, even from an obstetrician. Surprisingly, much of the latest research goes against common medical opinion. Certified Lamaze instructor and activist Henci Goer brings women the carefully researched facts they'll want to have.

"Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation" by Pam England, Rob Horowitz This holistic approach to childbirth examines this profound rite-of-passage not as a medical event, but as an act of self-discovery. Exercises and activities such as journal writing, meditation, and painting are designed to help mothers analyze their thoughts and face their fears during pregnancy. 144 line drawings. 17 photos.

"The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Sheila Kitzinger This new edition of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth has been extensively revised to reflect scientific advances and cultural trends. Here, candidly and reasonably presented, is all the information expectant parents need to make their own decisions about everything--from which tests to allow to how to handle pain to where to give birth. 300 photos, drawinGs & diagrams.

	"Day by Day: The Expectant Mother's Diary, Record Book, and Guide" by Sheila Kitzinger A unique diary and pregnancy guide. On each page, the expectant mother will find not only information on a specific aspect of pregnancy but a place to record her emotions and experiences, creating her own permanent record of her pregnancy. 250 watercolors and photographs.

"An Easier Childbirth: A Mother's Guide for Birthing Normally" by Gayle Peterson Childbirth should be one of the most joyful experiences in a woman's life. All too frequently it is one of the most fearful. Gayle Peterson, a nationally recognized leader in the field of perinatal psychology, prepares the mother-to-be for the most positive experience possible utilizing a childbirth preparation method based on medical research that shows emotional factors to be important in a healthy pregnancy and delivery. The book begins with a personal birth preparation inventory. It then addresses the mother's fears and concerns through exercises aimed at decreasing her anxiety and increasing her confidence and sense of well-being. Guided imagery visualization and journal writing help the mother-to-be learn ways of yielding comfortably and safely into the entire childbirth process.

"A Good Birth, A Safe Birth: Choosing and Having the Childbirth Experience You Want" by Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer A Good Birth, A Safe Birth covers the pros and cons of today's childbirth options and helps the expectant mother plan each stage of her pregnancy and delivery. It offers tips on how to find the right doctor - and how to avoid the wrong one. It explores the various childbirth environments, including hospital, birthing center, and home. It tells expectant parents how to ensure that their wishes will be followed. The benefits and drawbacks of medications and painkillers are also discussed, so that a mother can decide before her delivery which, if any, medications are right for her. A Good Birth, A Safe Birth enables the mother to regain control of her birth experience.

"Gentle Birth Choices: A Guide to Making Informed Decisions About Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth, Hospital Birth" by Barbara Harper Believe it or not, birth resulting from a normal pregnancy needn't take place in a hospital. Harper explains why birthing centers and home births, along with other "gentle birth choices," are beneficial to both mother and baby. Gentle Birth Choices also features a history of how childbirth came to be so technological and blasts myths such as why fetal monitors save babies (they don't, very often). Harper also discusses giving birth in water and explores the connection of mind and body during labor and birth. She stresses the importance of midwives for a more natural and satisfying experience. Well illustrated with photos by acclaimed birth photographer Suzanne Arms and containing a first-rate resource section, Gentle Birth Choices provides an excellent alternative to mainstream birth books.

	"The Nature of Birth and Breast-Feeding" by Michel Odent A pioneer in the childbirth movement for 30 years, Odent focuses on birth and breastfeeding and suggests some startling conclusions. His premise here is that in order to gain a truer understanding of the human experience, we must examine the way other mammals function during birth, breastfeeding, and parenting.

"Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing" by Christiane Northrup Through her clinical and personal experiences, Dr. Christiane Northrup came to see that negative circumstances in our lives often manifest themselves in our bodies as illness and pain. In Women's Bodies, she addresses each area of women's health and explains the potential problems that can arise, the possible treatments and the ways that each can be affected by a woman's spiritual and emotional states. Examples from the lives of her patients illustrate how changes in attitude and life situations can affect a woman's health. She also gives advice on choosing a doctor, deciding on a treatment, nourishing ourselves and healing emotional scars. Christiane serves as an example of a doctor who has taken her conventional medical training and expanded it to address all aspects of health.

	"A Child is Born" by Lennart Nilsson This entirely new full-color edition of the classic bestseller on the miracle of human reproduction contains historic new photographs of life before birth. Never before seen are color photographs of the explosion of the ripened egg, the "winning sperm," and the very first brain cells.