Adventures in Natural Childbirth: Tales from Women on the Joys, Fears, Pleasures and Pains of Giving Birth Naturally. Edited Janet Schwegel, foreword by Pam England, $20.95

Natural childbirth has the potential to empower women by reinforcing their belief in themselves and their abilities. In Adventures in Natural Childbirth, editor Janet Schwegel delivers a wonderful collection of empowering personal stories from women on their journey through pregnancy, labor, and natural childbirth. Whether they birth with the help of a midwife, doula, physician or in some cases — unassisted — these women relate tales that capture the full range of emotions and physical sensations natural childbirth can evoke, and give readers a true sense of the joys and the hard work involved.

Bearing Witness: Childbirth Stories Told by Doulas. Lisa Doran & Lisa Caron, Editors, $20.00

Bearing Witness is an anthology written by doulas — women working with birthing families. These stories speak of the joy and also of the frustration that comes with the job. Sometimes funny, often difficult to hear, the tales told in Bearing Witness bring a new dimension to our understanding of modern birth practices.

The Big Book of Birth. Erica Lyon, $18.50

The Big Book of Birth guides women through the stages of labor, dispelling misconceptions and providing a wealth of objective information in a warm, welcoming, and well- organized format.

The Birth Conspiracy: Natural Birth, Hospitals, and Doulas — a Guide. Rivka Cymbalist, $24.95

In the emotionally and ideologically charged world of childbirth, Rivka Cymbalist emerges as a down-to- earth, non-judgmental voice for women who are overwhelmed by choices and opinions. THE BIRTH CONSPIRACY is a guide for women and their partners, for doulas, and for anyone who is interested in the process of birth. It provides women with a unique opportunity to transcend the pushing and pulling of ideologies in the birthing world and it gently guides and educates women about the birth process and about their options in the hospital and at home.

Birth Day: a Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History and the Wonder of Childbirth. Mark Sloan, $28.00

In Birth Day, pediatrician Mark Sloan weaves memoir, history, science, and culture into a fascinating — and often funny — tapestry of this fundamental human passage. Birth Day takes the reader on a remarkable journey, from the dawn of human history to the quiet efficiency of a modern operating room. Delightfully instructive and entertaining, Birth Day offers a fresh, sometimes irreverent take on a universally familiar topic — a meditation on the hiding-in-plain-sight marvels of human birth.

The Birth House. Ami McKay, $10.99

The Birth House is the story of Dora Rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of Rares. As a child in an isolated village in Nova Scotia, she is drawn to Miss Babineau, an outspoken Acadian midwife with a gift for healing. Dora becomes Miss B’s apprentice, and together they help the women of Scots Bay through infertility, difficult labours, breech births, unwanted pregnancies and even unfulfilling sex lives. Filled with details as compelling as they are surprising, The Birth House is an unforgettable tale of the struggles women have faced to have control of their own bodies and to keep the best parts of tradition alive in the world of modern medicine.

The Birth Partner: a Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions, 4th Edition. Penny Simkin, $26.95

THE BIRTH PARTNER is the definitive guide for life partners, relatives, friends, and professional doulas (labor assistants) who wish to help a woman through childbirth. It’s a must-have for every labor companion. This fully-revised fourth edition offers guidance to caring for a new mother from the last weeks of pregnancy through the early postpartum period.

Birthing Fathers: the Transformation of Men in American Rites of Birth. Richard Reed, $25.95

Anthropologist Richard Reed takes a fascinating look at men’s roles in childbirth and the ways in which the birth of a child transforms a man’s identity and his relations with his partner, his new baby and society. Drawing on the feminist critique of the medicalization of birth, he argues that the clinical nature of medical interventions and a medical model of childbirth distances fathers from the birth — despite the fact that fathers are welcomed into the birthing unit.

Born In the USA: How a Broken Maternity System Must be Fixed to Put Women and Children First. Marsden Wagner, $22.95

In this rare, behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in hospitals across the country, a longtime medical insider and international authority on childbirth assesses the flawed American maternity care system, powerfully demonstrating how it fails to deliver safe, effective care for both mothers and babies. Written for mothers and fathers, obstetricians, nurses, midwives, scientists, insurance professionals, and anyone contemplating having a child, this passionate exposé documents how, in the most expensive maternity care system in the world, women have lost control over childbirth and what the disturbing results of this phenomenon have been.

Born in the USA examines issues including midwifery and the safety of out-of-hospital birth, how the process of becoming a doctor can adversely affect both practitioners and their patients, and why there has been a rise in the use of risky but doctor-friendly interventions, including the use of Cytotec, a drug that has not been approved by the FDA for pregnant women. Most importantly, this gripping investigation, supported by many troubling personal stories, explores how women can reclaim the childbirth experience for the betterment of themselves and their children.

Brought to Earth by Birth. Harriette Hartigan, $35.50

This stunning collection of black and white photographs by one of the world’s master birth photographers celebrates giving birth and being born.

Calm Birth: Empowering Preparation for Childbirth CD. Robert Newman & Dara Knerr, $24.95

Calm Birth is a safe, noninvasive, and drug-free childbirth method, based on meditation and mind/body medicine, which has been used in hospitals for more than 10 years. Supported by many highly respected childbirth specialists, including Jeannine Parvati Baker, Ina May Gaskin, and Ruth L. Miller, it encourages natural childbirth, but is effective even when medical interventions are necessary, as it helps heal the side effects of medications and invasive procedures. The three narrations on this CD guide mothers-to-be and new mothers through the main relaxation and meditation practices detailed in the author’s book Calm Birth: a New Method for Conscious Childbirth.

Calm Birth: a New Method for Conscious Childbirth. Robert Bruce Newman, $19.95

Beginning with a history of the repression of women as midwives and healers and a look at the lingering legacy of that time, Calm Birth shows how to restore childbirth to its sacred status. Calm Birth combines three proven practices that together create a powerful new approach. These practices — relaxation, meditation, and healing — combine with current scientific knowledge to nurture the expectant mother’s natural ability to give birth in true harmony with her body and with her infant. The book contextualizes the multilayered Calm Birth method within the existing literature of mind/body medicine and meditation science, as well as the meditation traditions from which two of the methods originate.

Choices in Childbirth. InJoy Videos, $89.99 (2 Volume DVD Set) Note: InJoy DVDs are sold for Home Use Only; and for sale only within Canada. All other users can contact Parentbooks for more information

Choices in Childbirth guides parents step-by-step through three different childbirth interventions and provides an even-handed presentation of benefits and drawbacks.

Volume 1: Epidural Anesthesia 20 minutes. Compare and contrast two birth stories: an epidural and a non-medicated birth. Understand the epidural procedure and how it may affect labor and birth. The merits and drawbacks of this most common pain relief option are explored thoroughly.

Volume 2: Cesarean Birth 22 minutes. With first-of-its-kind, 3D cesarean animation, intertwined with one couple's unplanned cesarean birth story, viewers will have a better understanding of the procedure than ever before. (An actual surgery is included at the end to be shown at your option).

Confident Birth. Susanna Heli, $18.95

Women have an innate ability to give birth, a knowledge that has been acquired through thousands of years of evolution. Yet all too often fear and stress can get in the way and block the natural process of childbirth.

In this inspiring new book, Susanna Heli, an experienced doula and physiotherapist, shows how childbirth can be transformed by understanding how fear can affect birth and how it is possible to overcome it by using four simple, dynamic and effective tools to rediscover the inner power to give birth. The tools are equally effective whichever type of birth you choose, and whether or not you have given birth before. The book also offers practical advice to help the birth partner support the labouring woman. CONFIDENT BIRTH will give you and your birth partner all the tools you need to cope with the challenges of childbirth, and make it an empowering and positive experience.

The Dad’s Playbook to Labor and Birth. Theresa & Brad Halvorsen, $17.95

A practical and strategic guide to preparing for the big day!

Deliver This! Make the Childbirth Choice That’s Right for You … No Matter What Everyone Else Thinks. Marisa Cohen, $19.50

A woman’s decisions around childbirth reflect her identity, personality and values as much as they do her understanding of the availability of different options. This smart, informative book looks at the choices women make and why they make them, as mothers and mothers-to-be explore traditional and alternative birthing methods. From home birth to elective Cesarean section, Marisa Cohen gives thoughtful consideration to how women find the birth choice that makes the most sense for them.

Don’t Just Stand There. Elissa Stein & Jon Lichentstein, $14.95

How to be clued-in, supportive, engaged, meaningful and relevant in the delivery room.

The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth, 3rd Edition. Marshall Klaus, John Kennell & Phyllis Klaus, $22.00

Expectant parents are increasingly choosing the help of a trained labour assistant, or doula, to support them during the birth of their children. THE DOULA BOOK is a warm, authoritative guide to helping families plan for the best possible birth and postpartum experience. Full of informative material including the research on doulas and their effect on birth, this is a terrific read for anyone considering hiring a doula.

The Doula Guide to Birth: Secrets Every Woman Should Know. Ananda Lowe & Rachel Zimmerman, $20.00

The Doula Guide to Birth is a comprehensive guide to every major pregnancy and delivery issue — from the perspective of experienced doulas and labour support professionals.

Doulas’ Guide to Birthing Your Way. Jan Mallak & Teresa Bailey, $24.95

Knowing what to anticipate and having a birth vision will help you take control of your birth and make educated decisions should the need arise. Doulas’ Guide to Birthing Your Way leads you step-by-step through the birth process so you’ll know what to expect.

Doulas: Why Every Pregnant Woman Deserves One. Susan Ross, $25.95

Doulas are trained to look after you, both emotionally and physically, during pregnancy, labour and birth. They empower you to negotiate the best care for you and your baby. They act as your advocate, and provide support, reassurance, and encouragement. In DOULAS, you will find all you need to know about:

• Why doulas are so important to the birth experience
• Choosing the right doula for you
• What doula care entails
• Prenatal education
• Conquering your fear of labour and birthing
• And much more …

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: a Doctor’s Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Practices. Sarah Buckley, $21.99

Sarah Buckley might be called a third-wave natural birth advocate. A doctor and a mother, she approaches the question of how a woman and baby might have the most fulfilling birth experience with respect for the wisdom of both medical science and the human body. Using current medical and epidemiological research plus women's experiences, she demonstrates that what she calls "undisturbed birth" is almost always healthier and safer than high-technology approaches to birth. Her wise counsel on issues like breastfeeding and sleeping during postpartum helps extend the gentle birth experience into a gentle parenting relationship.

A Good Birth: Finding the Positive and Profound In Your Birth Experience. Anne Drapkin Lyerly, $19.00

Drawing on a landmark study involving more than one hundred pregnant women and mothers, a renowned OB/GYN synthesizes the secrets to a good birth — medically and emotionally.

Homebirth in the Hospital: Integrating Natural Childbirth with Modern Medicine. Stacey Marie Kerr, $19.95

Homebirth in the Hospital is a wonderful blend of birth-stories, compassionate and inspiring ideas and woman-centered care. This book demonstrates what is possible when caregivers and clients work together to honour the birthing process.

Homebirth Stories: a Documentary. Amit Miller & Miri Urman, $24.95 DVD, 42 minutes

Three Israeli couples share their homebirths stories in this beautifully filmed documentary. From their deliberations on the safety of homebirth to the various outcomes — including a waterbirth — each couple relates their unique journey with candor.

How You Were Born. Mònica Calaf & Mikel Fuentes, $11.99

A clear, gentle and loving description of the process of a homebirth, with charming illustrations — perfect for satisfying a child's curiosity about how babies are born.

HypnoBirthing: the Mongan Method, 4th Edition. Marie Mongan, $28.95

HypnoBirthing® has gained momentum around the globe as a positive and empowering method of childbirth. Here's why: HypnoBirthing helps women to become empowered by developing an awareness of the instinctive birthing capability of their bodies. It greatly reduces the pain of labor and childbirth; frequently eliminates the need for drugs; reduces the need for caesarean surgery or other doctor-controlled birth interventions; and it also shortens birthing and recovery time, allowing for better and earlier bonding with the baby, which has been proven to be vital to the mother-child bond. What's more, parents report that their infants sleep better and feed more easily when they haven't experienced birth trauma. With the Mongan Method parents can take control of the greatest and most important event of their lives. This is not hocus-pocus, this is science.

Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. Ina May Gaskin, $20.00

What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you. Based on the female-centered Midwifery Model of Care, INA MAY’S GUIDE TO CHILDBIRTH gives expectant mothers comprehensive information on everything from the all-important mind-body connection to how to give birth without technological intervention.

Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource takes the fear out of childbirth by restoring women’s faith in their own natural power to give birth with less pain, more ease, and greater satisfaction.

It’s My Body, My Baby, My Birth: a Film about Natural Childbirth. Wisewoman Childbirth Traditions, $13.95 (DVD format, 27 minutes)

An educational birth film that tells the story of seven mothers and their emotional journeys to natural childbirth. Beautifully filmed, the DVD presents the views and experiences of mothers, their partners (including one lesbian couple), midwives, an obstetrician and a childbirth educator. Each woman’s story is unique and powerful. Pain, safety and fear are all addressed in this compelling film.

Laboring Under an Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs. the Real Thing.  Vicki Elson, $32.95 DVD format, 50 minutes

Anthropologist Vicki Elson explores media-generated myths about childbirth and how our culture influences our birth experiences. Using over 100 video clips from television and film, Elson contrasts fiction with reality and the result is hilarious, engaging and enlightening.

The Mama Bamba Way: the Power and Pleasure of Natural Childbirth. Robyn Sheldon, $21.95

The core tools offered in this peaceful book are meditative awareness, relaxation and deep exploration of the unconscious mind — so that no matter what unfolds birth is a satisfying experience.

Mama Midwife: a Birth Adventure. Christy Tyner, $18.95

Join Miso the Mouse and her friends on a hip and tender birth adventure with Miso’s mother — a hard working midwife.

Mama, Talk about When Max Was Born. Toni Olson, illustrated by S. Marie Carlson, $24.95

This sweet picture book tells the story of Max’s birth, which takes place at home in water. Max’s older sister likes to hear about when Mama first learned she was pregnant, about visiting the midwives, about preparing for Max’s arrival, and about the birth itself.

Mindful Birthing: Training the Mind, the Body and Heart for Childbirth and Beyond. Nancy Bardacke, $24.99

With MINDFUL BIRTHING, Nancy Bardacke, nurse-midwife and mindfulness teacher, lays out her innovative program for pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, mindfulness meditation, and mind/body medicine, Bardacke offers practices that will help you find calm and ease during this life-changing time, providing lifelong skills for healthy living and wise parenting.

Mindful Hypnobirthing: Hypnosis and Mindfulness Techniques for a Calm and Confident Birth. Sophie Fletcher, $34.50

Hypnotherapist and experienced doula Sophie Fletcher shares with you the secrets to having a safe, natural and positive birth. Using a powerful combination of mindfulness, hypnosis and relaxation techniques, Sophie will ensure you feel genuinely excited and completely prepared for birth. With stories from women who have successfully used the tools in this book, and downloadable hypnosis and relaxation tracks, discover how to:

• use your mind and body together to stay focused and in control
• draw on visualisation and breathing techniques to help birth progress
• feel positive and empowered, before, during and after you give birth

Miracle of Birth 3: Five Birth Stories DVD. InJoy Videos, $49.99 (51 minutes/5 segments) Note: InJoy DVDs are sold for Home Use Only; and for sale only within Canada. All other users can contact Parentbooks for more information

Candid interviews, real labor footage and a diverse collection of mothers and birth experiences will keep viewers entertained and informed as they prepare for their own birth experience.

Natural Hospital Birth: the Best of Both Worlds. Cynthia Gabriel, $23.95

In Natural Hospital Birth, doula Cynthia Gabriel shows expectant mothers what they can do to avoid unnecessary medical interventions and how to take initiative and consciously prepare for the kind of birth they want to have. Also included are inspiring stories from other women who know firsthand that natural birth in the hospital is possible. With this book, you will be equipped with the knowledge you need to ensure a satisfying hospital birth.

The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence, Revised. Judith Lothian & Charlotte DeVries, $13.99

The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence presents childbearing as an elegant, simple, healthy process instead of an experience fraught with danger. Written in a respectful and positive tone this is a great guide for all expectant parents to guide them toward a safe, healthy pregnancy and birth and the best start for their baby.

Positions for Labor: Maternal Movement and Optimal Fetal Positioning DVD. InJoy Videos, $39.99 (19 minutes) Note: InJoy DVDs are sold for Home Use Only; and for sale only within Canada. All other users can contact Parentbooks for more information

This program uses state-of-the art 3-D  animation of fetal rotation and descent, to show moms and their support people the benefits of walking, sitting, forward leaning, side-lying and more throughout labor and birth.

The Simple Guide to Having a Baby, Revised Edition. Janelle Durham, Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley & Ann Keppler, $14.99

THE SIMPLE GUIDE TO HAVING A BABY is short, simple and easy to follow. It holds your hand and walks you through pregnancy and childbirth, covering what you need to know about being pregnant, giving birth and taking care of your baby. It includes advice on what to do and what not to do during pregnancy, easy exercises to help you stay healthy and feel better, information on what to expect during labor and birth, coping skills for childbirth pain, and helpful hints on breastfeeding and being a parent.

Strategies for the C-Section Mom: a Complete Fitness, Nutrition and Lifestyle Guide. Mary Beth Knight, $18.95

Whether your Cesarean section is planned or unexpected, you need to know about the risks, the recovery and realities of being a mother post-surgery. Mary Beth Knight, the founder of StrollerFit® has developed a program especially designed for women recovering from a C-section. Starting with the first day after surgery, Knight offers nutrition, fitness and early parenting guidance to help you recover faster and get the most out of your experience.

Survivor Moms: Women’s Stories of Birthing, Mothering and Healing after Sexual Abuse. Mickey Sperlich & Julia Seng, $39.95

Sexual abuse and the reactions to it affect mothers' whole lives—from thinking about having children all the way to being grandmothers. These effects are far-reaching and deeply felt. Survivor Moms shares narrative excerpts from interviews with women who have survived abuse; along with the clinical perspectives of midwives and contributions from other healthcare professionals. Whether you are a survivor, a midwife, a mental health provider, or you know a survivor who is on this path, you will learn from this book about mothering and the ongoing journey of healing and surviving.

Tried and True: a Collection of Labor Techniques DVD. InJoy Videos, $49.99 (32 minutes) Note: InJoy DVDs are sold for Home Use Only; and for sale only within Canada. All other users can contact Parentbooks for more information

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this video is priceless. Tried & True is a visual encyclopedia of labor techniques, all clearly demonstrated using actual birth footage. Parents will learn in a whole new way, as they see moms, dads and support persons work with labor pain using a variety of comfort measures appropriate for each of the stages of labor.

Understanding Birth: a Comprehensive Guide, 2nd Edition DVD. InJoy Videos (2 DVDs, 135 minutes & 48 minutes) $129.95 Note: InJoy DVDs are sold for Home Use Only; and are for sale only within Canada. All other users can contact Parentbooks for more information

The second edition of this award-winning program includes current, evidence-based information, all new footage, and an overall fresh look. As viewers follow the featured families from pregnancy through postpartum, they see a variety of labor experiences, including a natural birth, interventions, and an unplanned cesarean section.

 2 DVDs are included with the purchase: Understanding Birth 2nd Edition Express condenses the full-length program and provides the most sought-after topics in less than an hour. The package includes a Facilitator Guide that provides discussion questions and information about the featured families.

Waiting for the Sun. Alison Lohans, illustrated by Marilyn Mets & Peter Ledwon, $7.95

Each summer day Mollie wakes up, waits for the prairie sun to rise, and hopes that today the baby will be born. Waiting for the baby is like waiting for the sun to come up in the morning—it takes its own sweet time. Finally, in the middle of the night, the midwife comes over and soon after, the baby arrives! Mollie races to her parents’ room see her new brother. His eyes are squeezed shut and his face is wrinkled and red.

"He's ugly!" Mollie announces.

But when she holds her new brother he opens his eyes and looks right at her. Mollie can't help but smile. Together, they watch the sun come up, and Mollie decides this is quite enough for now.

Your Best Birth. Ricki Lake & Abby Epstein, $25.99

Expectant and birthing mothers are often left feeling powerless, as their instincts are replaced by drugs and routine medical procedures. In Your Best Birth, advocates of informed choice Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein inspire women to take back the birth experience. You have a choice, and you have the power to plan the kind of birth that's right for you — whether it is at a birth center, a hospital, or at home.

The book includes inspiring birth stories and is packed with crucial advice from childbirth professionals, all delivered in a down-to-earth, engaging voice. Your Best Birth is sure to renew your confidence and put the control back where it belongs: with you!