Techniques for birth - can anyone recommend a book or class?

[ItsyBitsyTeenyWeeny1233]

I'm stressed and anxious about childbirth. Can anyone recommend a book, audio or classes that teaches different techniques for birth? Things like breathing techniques, coping with pain, helping relax, reducing anxieties, encouraging baby into a good position. I think there are probably some very useful tips and techniques out there it's just finding them!

It's really important to me that it's realistic and definitely not pushy on the natural birth side of things. It's a high risk pregnancy and I really don't want anyone/anything making me feel guilty, disappointed, or to make me hesitate in using pain releif if needed or having an EMCS and other interventions if that's what's required to keep me and baby safe. If all does go smoothly (or even if it doesn't!) though I would like to have some of these techniques up my sleeve to support me if anyone can recommend something?

I just used Maggie Howells natal hybnobirthing cd and book. I took a lot of it with a pinch of salt, and as far as my virth plan went I was pretty much open to whatever was needed to get my DD here safely. I used the breathing techniques during labour and it kept me calm, plus was good in the weeks before I gave birth as made me less anxious.

I think Birth Skills by Juju Sundin might be what you're looking for. It definitely helped me have a straightforward, drug-free labour and birth second time round. I was also mindful that I didn't want to read something that would leave me feeling guilty or like I'd failed if I ended up with an epidural or emcs. Many of the techniques in the book can still be useful before or alongside whatever interventions you need.

Good luck!

Hypnobirthing, active birth and pregnancy yoga. Also acupuncture
In the last part of your pregnancy. If you have anywhere like this near you go and have a look.
activebirthcentre.com/

Ps I had high risk pregnancies too. I understand that feeling. Hypnobirthing helped me so much while I was pregnant even before giving birth.

Thanks everyone! I'll take a look at the book and CD. When do you normally start hypnobirthing and practising breathing techniques? Midway through the pregnancy or a bit later?
When would you start acupuncture? Can you do it all the way through?

I think I'll try all of those suggestions and see what works for me.

gwlondon There's a place like that near me. I was worried they'd be too 'natural is best'. Were they okay? We almost lost DC1 in childbirth due to a midwife who refused to involve a dr because I needed to 'trust my body' so I really have a big adversion to it! I prefer an approach of : if all is well lets go natural but if it's not going well let's use some common sense and medical support. I suppose I could give them a call and I would get a sense from how the talk about things on the phone..

The reviews for 'Blooming Birth' look good and I think it covers all scenarios (I only heard it recommended after my second).

I can recommend the epidural

If you're after a realistic approach to childbirth, I'd avoid general pregnancy and birth books as well as books written by organisations like NCT and I'd go for a midwifery (teaching) book instead.
Why?
Because publishers are marketers who identify gaps in the market and produce books accordingly so they can sell as many books as possible. General pregnancy and birth books tend to be endorsements by "celebrities" and books by organisations promote the agenda of that particular organisation.
Where is the book starting with telling you roughly have a 60% chance of a spontaneous delivery explaining that for the remaining 40% it will be instruments or C-section?
If you just want breathing techniques and relaxation techniques, any mindfulness or yoga book/class should do.

All the best.

I would second Birth Skills by Juju Sundin. I actually only read 1/3 of the book by the time I went into labour but it was enough to get me through! I found it had quite a pragmatic view to surviving labour unlike some of the other books I had read.

CopperPot if I had guarantees that I could have an epidural as soon as I want one and that it would work and it wouldn't complicate the delivery then I would but from what I've heard this often isn't the case. The number of 'anesthesiast wasn't available to do the epidural' stories I've heard is really very sad for women giving birth in the uk.

I've found an online preview of the birth skills book. Looks fab! Finally a book which acknowledges that Drs AND natural methods each have their place! I hope the techniques work!

Will probably take a look at blooming birth too but can't find a preview online only reviews.

I would recommend Daisy Birthing classes for breathing techniques - practicing every week really made them come naturally to me when I was in labour. The couples class also helped DH know how to help me.

I think the degree to which natural birthing is pushed might come down to the teacher. Mine was very pro natural birth but as I'd had an EMCS with DC1 I was able to ignore anything I didn't agree with. Might be worth asking on a local Facebook group to see what your local teacher's approach is?

The Daisy techniques really worked for me and helped me have my VBAC for DC2. (I did also read the birth skills book to have a few more tricks up my sleeve but Daisy was what I ended up using.)

I had my Sheila Kitzinger book, with black and white drawings. It is probably way out of date now, but I found it warm and encouraging. It is really useful to be sure about what your body is doing (or trying to do) and let it do it.

I just used my yoga breathing and relaxation. No classes.

What the medical staff were trying to do was a complete mystery and there were no books for that - hopefully their communication has improved since I had mine.

Pingua, the NCT website has plenty of detailed information about induction, c-section and assisted delivery.

It also gives you evidence based information on things you can do which may increase the likelihood of a normal birth. These recommendations are the same as those set out in the NICE guidance on intrapartum care.

Reading midwifery textbooks is pointless. The OP has no need to know about how to deliver a baby.

OP - I third (fourth?) the recommendation of Juju Sundin's Birth Skills. Love her approach - it's very flexible and positive.

Also posting to recommend Juju Sundin's Birth Skills. She's very realistic, having had epidurals and assisted deliveries herself, but gives you tools to try for a natural birth. Also a whole chapter on back to back labour and how you may need to adjust your approach if that's how your baby comes - the first book I've read that acknowledges it can be very different to 'normal' labour and actually gives you some strategies.

Juju Sundin Birth Skills is amazing! I saw it recommended on here and it worked an absolute treat for me