Childbirth without Fear
The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth
-
-
4.3 • 7 Ratings
-
-
- $7.99
-
- $7.99
Publisher Description
In an age when normal birth can still be overtaken by obstetrics, Grantly Dick-Read's philosophy is still as fresh and relevant as it was when he originally wrote this book. He unpicks the root causes of women's fears and anxiety about pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding with overwhelming heart and empathy. As one of the most influential birthing books of all time, Childbirth Without Fear is essential reading for all parents-to-be, childbirth educators, midwives and obstetricians!
This definitive reissue includes the full text of the fourth edition, the last completed by Grantly Dick-Read before his death in 1959, and The Autobiography of Grantly Dick-Read, compiled from his writings.
With a foreword by Ina May Gaskin.
Customer Reviews
I’m not joking 😡
Birth is not a joking matter it hurts bad the way the baby comes out 🤰
Needs Proper Updating to Have Any Value
This man managed to figure out that men aren’t compassionate when they need to be, which was refreshing to hear from a man writing originally in the 1930s. I liked his take on labour and delivery, saying were never meant to be a negative experience. He explained the physiology of labour very well. In that, I believe his claims hold some merit. He has certainly give us something to think about.
The good points end there. This is a man who cannot fathom anyone truly not believing in the Christian god. Somehow he believes that an atheist just isn’t compatible with motherhood. I have a feeling many atheist and agnostic mothers would have a few arguments against that claim. Despite believing that men have a compassion issue, he also believes the height of being a female is being a mother. All of chapter 2 was completely insufferable. It was his manifesto on womanhood and I almost stopped reading there.
What made me stop reading this book was the absolutely ridiculous belief that things which we have discovered are entirely hormonal and out of anyone’s control are pathological. I get that this book was written in a time when that was scientific theory, but this is an updated version from 2013. Update the science. For a book claiming to be pure logic, it’s full of myth, bigotry, and BS.
Yes, this does give the reader something to think about, but honestly, just read a few excerpts and move on. The rest is male chauvinism and total rubbish. I have tested his theory on perception and expectation of pain on other things like Charlie Horses and it genuinely works. It’s actually pretty interesting. Still, that’s not worth the rest of this book. You honestly couldn’t pay me to finish this book.