BTCanada offers a lending service to women. All the books listed below are available.
_______________________________________________________________________
Choosing Cesarean: A Natural Birth Plan Dr. Magnus Murphy and Pauline McDonagh Hull Prometheus Books, New York, 2012 A culture that values mothers is one where women have the right to decide
how to plan their births and they have the right to have that choice
respected. That level of maternal
autonomy requires access to honest, factual information based on scientifically
credible evidence. Canada fails badly at
respecting this basic human right. Let me be very clear. A woman can plan a vaginal birth or she can
plan a cesarean birth. Those are the
only available options if she chooses motherhood. Each
of those options come with their own set of risks. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) and the
Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) have a long history of anti-cesarean
bias, without any credible evidence to support that stance for at least two
decades. They lag well behind more
progressive countries in this respect. Their lack of critical thinking and their
steadfast refusal to adopt a genuine, scientifically literate, evidence-based
model of medicine for obstetrics is responsible for obstetrics’ well-deserved
reputation for poor quality research and negative short term and long term consequences
for millions of Canadian mothers and their babies. Their behaviour is rooted in misogyny and
ideological bias in an era where other medical specialties have long since
moved forward to embrace improvements in medical advancement and technologies. Their position has affected every federal, provincial
and independent medical association in this country to the point where it is
near impossible to rise above the fortress of systemic anti-cesarean group-think
without being metaphorically shot at, even if you are an obstetrician or a prospective
mother (sadly, often because you are an obstetrician or a pregnant woman). It is not the first time they have been
wrong. The crusade against planned
cesareans as a legitimate birth option for healthy mothers at 39+ weeks, by the
Canadian birthing industry, is a battle with modernity and the wounded in this
battle are mothers. This is an industry
that believes that suffering and morbidity – when they happen to women– is
normal. I hope “Choosing Cesarean: A Natural Birth Plan” is the impetus for
long overdue transformational change. This does not mean that all obstetrical caregivers in Canada listen to
or care about the dictates of the SOGC or CAM.
There is an underground
resistance in this country. It is a
calling made more difficult by the fact Canada does not have a privately funded
medical system as many other developed nations do. Most of these rebels operate quietly, working
hard to serve the women they care deeply about, while quietly working within the
system, staying under the radar with respect to maternal request planned
cesarean. Very rarely do you see an
obstetrician or a mother with the courage to speak out publicly about this
issue in Canada. Dr. Magnus Murphy is
one of those physicians. Pauline
McDonagh Hull is a former journalist with the BBC and a mother with the same
integrity and courage. “Choosing Cesarean: A Natural
Birth Plan” is a frank, clearly written book outlining why planning a
cesarean is a legitimate birth plan. The
authors expect controversy from natural birth crusaders (given my own
experience advocating for maternal autonomy and honesty in obstetrics, they
will get it). Every myth and outright lie about cesareans is addressed in a
well-referenced, logical manner. Women
have long been denied informed consent in obstetrics in Canada. They are not told about the serious and
common risks associated with planning a vaginal delivery while the risks of planned
cesareans are consistently overstated.
This book levels that playing field.
It is well past time that cesareans be respected as the most important
medial advancement in obstetrics since the advent of hand washing before tending
birthing women. This was championed by Semmelwies and Gordon in the 1800s (both
vilified for that bit of common sense by a medical profession at the time that
didn’t believe in germs). It is worth
noting that quality hospitals with qualified, skilled surgical personnel have
been able to consistently, over many years, perform planned cesareans with very
few, or no, adverse events (an impossible feat for planned vaginal
births). It is not a question of whether
cesareans can be done safely. Clearly
they can. We need to ask why some
hospitals won’t. “Choosing Cesarean: A Natural
Birth Plan” covers the risks women take when they plan a vaginal
delivery and the risks they take when they plan a cesarean. They address human evolution as it applies to
reproduction. I particularly like the
chapter on the politics of birth; the politics of which make all other politics
seem tame by comparison. Dr. Jennifer R.
Berman calls this book ‘a must-read for all women’. I could not agree more. If you only read one childbirth book in your
life, whether you are considering motherhood or if you are pregnant now, please
let it be this one.
WILLIAMS OBSTETRICS (Cunningham et al. McGraw-Hill, Medical Publishing Division, )
and
WILLIAMS MANUAL OF OBSTETRICS: PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS (Leveno et al, as above)
These are medical textbooks that give a good overview of vaginal and cesarean deliveries and obstetric complications from a clinical standpoint. They are written with little regard for maternal experience but, as a mother or prospective mother, you will have no problem filling in those blank spaces. There is very little attention paid to the psychological ramifications of childbirth and, like textbooks everywhere, the information is usually outdated before the latest edition is published. Recommended reading for women considering pregnancy or delivery options.
_______________________________________________________________________ATLAS OF TRANSVAGINAL SURGERY ( Shlomo Raz, W.B.Saunders Company, 2nd edition, 2002)
________________________________________________________________________
Management of Labor and Delivery
Robert K Creasy
Blackwell Science 1997
This is another medical textbook. Like all medical textbooks there is no mention of PTSD and the relationship between childbirth and trauma symptoms. Recommended reading for anyone contemplating having a baby.
_______________________________________________________________
EVER SINCE I HAD MY BABY: Understanding, Treating and Preventing the Most Common Physical Aftereffects of Pregnancy and Childbirth (Roger Goldberg,Three Rivers Press, 2003)
Dr. Goldberg gives a pretty honest assessment of the negative consequences of vaginal births and what is available to treat them. He talks about obstetrical politics and what to expect during a urogynecology checkup. Many books about pregnancy and childbirth have the bizarre and irritating habit of saying something truly awful and then making a joke about it or make light of it with the liberal use of exclamation marks. Dr. Goldberg isn't immune to this but he keeps the chirpy dismissiveness to an acceptable level. If you are looking for actual informed consent we highly recommend this book.
_______________________________________________________________________
PELVIC HEALTH & CHILDBIRTH: What Every Woman Needs to Know (Magnus Murphy and Carol L. Wasson, Prometheus Books, 2003)
Like Dr. Goldberg, Dr. Murphy gives a no -nonsense and compassionate account of genital tract damage associated with vaginal deliveries and the various invasive and non - invasive methods used to treat associated problems. This book is written in clear language with excellent illustrations. Dr. Murphy is known as a pro-cesarean doctor (as most urogynecology specialists are and he is pretty white bread about this compared to other pro-cesarean proponents in other parts of the world) but we think he gives a balanced assessment of the situation. I think there are only 4 exclamation marks in the whole book and he speaks from a Canadian perspective. He also gives a good account of how difficult it is to be an obstetrician and we think it's important for people to know why Canada has a shortage of obstetricians and why this shortage is expected to get worse. The field of obstetrics needs sea changes not just from a mothers perspective but from a doctor's as well. Highly recommended.
______________________________________________________________________
The Birth That’s Right For You: A Doctor and a Doula Help You Choose and Customize the Best Birth Option to Fit Your Needs Amen Ness, Lisa Gould Rubin, Jackie Frederick-Berner; McGraw Hill, 2006
This book is a welcome literary slap up-side the head to all those self-righteous, self important childbirth ‘experts’ who feel they know the best way for you to give birth and, damn it, it’s their way or the highway. Eureka and good on these authors for stating what should have been obvious decades ago. They recognize that each woman is different and, bless their hearts, they know that what makes sense to a woman before she goes into labour is exactly what is going to make sense to her when the birthing day(s) comes. If that childbirth educator sounds like she is too stupid to even get herself dressed when she is talking to you about chanting, hee-hee-hoo-hoo breathing and whatever else she is on about she isn’t going to seem any smarter when you are in labour. If that sort of thing relaxes you now (and it is to some, for sure) it will be useful to you then. The authors recognize that the mother is the expert when deciding what is best for her. This is a radical and revolutionary obstetrical attitude. In 2008. Very sad.
The authors are dismissive about some stuff, they completely ignore other stuff (like maternal morbidity) and they aren’t completely honest about everything but they are honest about enough stuff that you will have a good idea about what to realistically expect, at least about vaginal deliveries, up to the point of placental expulsion. It is a book primarily about labour and vaginal delivery but, bless their hearts again, they support and acknowledge the right of woman to a planned cesarean if a vaginal delivery is deemed objectionable to her based on both psychological and physical reasons. They give good advice on how to get the type of birth you want.
The book isn’t without bias (one example: it is written for married/partnered women and if you aren’t or if your partner isn’t a ‘he’ you are going to notice this discrimination) but we are so thrilled with the message that we still think it is well worth reading. Just roll your eyes and move on when you come to any bias. That won’t happen that often.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CESAREAN SECTION: Understanding and Celebrating Your Baby's Birth (Michele Moore and Caroline Costa, John Hopkins Press, 2003)
This book is written by two doctors - both mothers. They wrote it as a means of ending discrimination against women who have cesarean sections. It is directed to women who had emergency sections and planned cesareans for currently acceptable reasons, although they do acknowledge cesareans as a means of protecting the pelvic floor. They talk about why cesarean sections are necessary and give a description of what to expect. They gloss over the placental removal part of cesarean surgery (most sources do and that is never informed consent in our mind) and they tend to overplay what to expect after a cesarean - especially a planned one. We think this is a good primer for anyone considering a planned vaginal delivery or planned cesarean. Prenatal classes don't adequately prepare women for this possibility but it happens frequently.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LIFE AFTER BIRTH: What Even Your Friends Won't Tell You About Motherhood
Kate Figes with Jean Zimmerman
Penguin Group 1998
The title pretty much says it all. This book was published nearly a decade ago and the studies cited are older than that so the medical information - particularly about cesareans- is outdated. Many cultural attitudes have changed during that time as well, particularly with respect to marital status and motherhood. Even considering this information this book is as relevant today as it was in 1998. It is reassuring to any mother who has ever felt inadequate, guilty, isolated or alone. Kate Figes gives a moving tribute to mother love but doesn't varnish the negative aspects of motherhood. She criticizes the modern emphasis on the naturalness and healthiness of pregnancy and childbirth and acknowledges the conspiracy of silence that surrounds these issues. She also feels - as we do - "that if we are not honest about the extremes then we perpetuate the myths and reinforce the taboo. To deny the existence of the negative is to let women down badly. Mothers shouldn't be considered a mere container for a more precious cargo."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorders: A Clinician's Guide
Cheryl Tantano Beck/Jeanne Watson Driscoll
James Bartlett Publishers 2006
Drs. Beck and Driscoll look at seven psychological problems caused by childbirth from a clinical nursing perspective. They are:
- maternity blues
- psychosis
- depression
- bipolar disorder
- panic disorder
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- post traumatic stress disorder
They define the maternity 'blues' as symptoms which can include, but are not limited to, sadness, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, worry, sleep problems, periods of mania and/or hypomania, grieving and a sense of loss over who you used to be, low self-confidence and sensitivity to stressors like bright lights, noise and visitors. These symptoms last up to three weeks and they refer to them as 'normal' reactions to childbirth. We would certainly agree with the term 'common' or 'understandable' but I don't think there are any women out there who would consider any of these normal - for them or other women they know. These are trauma symptoms and in any other situation these symptoms would indicate severe distress, not normalcy. Women contemplating motherhood should know that dismissiveness about these symptoms is ubiquitous among obstetrical caregivers and they should also know how common this form of psychological distress is. Drs. Beck and Driscoll peg percentages from 50 to 75% of all mothers.
Each of the seven problems includes diagnostic criteria and a brief case study along with their assessment strategies and care protocols. Women suffering from any of these problems will immediately relate.
This book ends with some postpartum assessment questionnaires and an extensive list of pharmaceuticals used to treat each of the mood and anxiety disorders discussed. Beck and Driscoll address postpartum problems with respect and empathy for mothers and, just as importantly, with an understanding that no two women are alike. Each is a complex, unique individual. It is a refreshing change from many cookie cutter obstetrical attitudes. Their work is an important step forward and Birth Trauma Canada applauds their efforts to shine a light on problems that have been ignored, stigmatized and neglected for too long.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following books have been helpful in assessing and understanding trauma and in self-directed healing from trauma. They are available through our lending service.
The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment; Babette Rothschild, Norton Publishers, 2000
I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors; Aphrodite Matsakis, New Harbinger Publications, 1996
Life After Trauma: A Workbook for Healing; Dana Rosenbloom and Mary Beth Williams, Guilford Press, 1999
The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing, Recovery and Growth; Glen R. Schiraldi, McGraw-Hill, 2000
The Body Bears the Burden: Trauma, Dissociation, and Disease Robert Scaer, Haworth Medical Press, Inc.
An excellent primer on the role trauma plays in a myriad of different diseases.
Women’s Inhumanity to Women Phyllis Chesler, Lawrence Hill Books, 2009
An intelligent, understanding book about this difficult reality.
The Empire of Trauma: An Inquiry into the Condition of Victimhood Didier Fassin, ….., 2009 under review.
When the Body Says No Gabor Maté
Dr. Maté’s underlying message is to learn to say ‘no’ to stress, trauma and unreasonable expectations – or your body will - and that this lesson is especially pertinent to women as women have more stressful lives.
Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma; Peter A. Levine, North Atlantic Books, 1997
Trauma and Recovery; Judith L. Herman, Basic Books, 1997
Does Stress Damage The Brain? Understanding Trauma-Related Disorders from a Mind-Body Perspective, J. Douglas Bremner 2005 (short answer is yes)
Dark Waters: Stress After Trauma Opal Rose, Author House, 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best investment for the future? A life-affirming choice? The worst decision you will ever make? We often field questions from women deciding whether motherhood is the right choice for them. It is a big decision, and like all life’s major decisions, it requires thought and honesty. These books are helpful resources. Each of these is available through our lending service.
The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Our Lives, Susan Maushart, Penguin Books 2000
The Price of Motherhood: Why The Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued, Ann Crittenden, Owl Books, 2002
No Kid: Quarante raisons de ne pas avoir d’enfant, Corinne Maier, Michalon, 2007 (This book is published in French. We can mail (or email) English excerpts if you wish.)
A Suburban Mom: Notes From the Asylum, Meredith O’Brien, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, 2007
What’s The Matter With Mommy: Rantings of a Reluctant Stay-at-Home Mother, Kelley Cunningham, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, 2006
Great Expectations: Twenty Four True Stories About Childbirth, Editors Dede Crane and Lisa Moore, Anansi Press, 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoy
Your Labor: A New Approach to Pain Relief for Childbirth [The Only Book that
Takes the Fear, Mystery and Guilt Out of Epidurals and Spinals] Gilbert J. Grant, Russell Hastings Press, 2005
Epidural Without Guilt: Childbirth Without Pain Gilbert J. Grant, Russell Hastings Press, 2011
Dr. Grant is an anaesthesiologist
specializing in obstetric anaesthesiology at New York University
Medical Center. These are the best books we’ve read
about the safest and most effective ways to provide pain relief to women during
labour, vaginal deliveries, cesarean deliveries and the postpartum. He debunks myths and gives an honest account
of the risks of regional and systemic pain relief methods, as well as the risks
of not electing to choose pain relief.
We only wish all obstetrical caregivers and hospitals were as
enlightened. [They aren’t] It is
required reading for anyone considering obstetrical pain relief.
The only problem we have is the title
‘Enjoy Your Labor’. It still pumps up
unrealistic expectations. Even with a
skilled and enlightened anesthesiologist and regional anesthesia there are
likely going to be many other reasons why you shouldn’t order the party hats
and bring in a mariachi band to wile away the hours or days you will be in
labour. Unresolved pain is only one
reason (but a VERY big one) women develop post partum psychological trauma
symptoms. Loss of control –which will be
lessened with timely and effective pain relief they can control– , a lack of
respect for her privacy, dignity and choices and having to cope with
life-altering negative health problems are all ways women are traumatized
before, during and after childbirth.
Pain, loss of control and lack of respect, privacy and dignity (or any
dehumanizing treatment) and serious health problems cause post traumatic stress
in ANY human being - male or female.
The new approach Dr. Grant talks about
isn’t epidurals and spinals. They have
been around for decades. ‘Walking’
epidurals aren’t new either. They are
just regular epidurals that use a different combination of drugs and none of
those drugs are new. It isn’t that
anesthesiologists aren’t trained to perform epidurals and spinals safely and
aren’t aware of the best techniques for performing them. They’ve known that for decades, too. It is what anesthesiologists do and these
techniques have been used in other medical specialties for decades.
The new approach Dr. Grant is referring to
is the attitude that women shouldn’t suffer because they are women. They have the same right to effective pain
relief as anyone else does in situations of extreme pain and they have the
right to it before the pain happens. His
point is that it is inhumane and blatant misogyny to deliberately deny women
pain relief during childbirth and the postpartum. The new approach is that someone from the
obstetrical community has the courage to publicly state what many already know
and haven’t bothered to say.