Your Best Birth

February 16, 2009
Former talk show host Lake, producer of the documentary The Business of Being Born
, joins with Epstein, the film’s director, to further probe the subject of birth in America. Asserting that the “high tech, low touch” trend in medicalized births has usurped parents’ sense of power and choice, the authors present a detailed examination of the birthing experience, beginning with their own personal accounts. Employing the premise that although one can’t predict what will happen during birth, one can prepare, they present options that women should consider, including home birth and the use of a midwife or doula. Lake and Epstein point out that while 99% percent of births in the U.S. take place in hospitals and one-third are cesareans, the vast majority of births are not high risk and may not require medical intervention. But the fear of pain combined with unnecessary hospital protocols cause many couples to narrow or relinquish their options. The authors discuss the pros and cons of such interventions as episiotomies, epidurals and electronic monitors, and encourage women to carefully question their practitioners and hospital personnel. Above all, the authors advocate a safe and empowered birth, whether one chooses a hospital, home or birth center.

March 15, 2009
TV talk-show host Lake and Epstein, executive producer and director, respectively, of the 2007 documentary "The Business of Being Born", present an accessible starting point for learning about the approaches that constitute a natural birth. They list the different options that exist outside of a hospital labor ward and include many checklists about what to ask and look for when visiting each place. Sections cover doulas, midwives (and their different designations), birthing centers, home birth, inductions, and cesarean sections and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Giving clear explanations of jargon and drawing on the advice of experts, the authors hope their book will empower prospective parents to take control and make informed choices. One gets the sense that the authors believe that hospitals regard patients' wishes as somewhat lower priority than policy and lawsuit avoidance; therefore, for balance, make sure this is not the only title on the subject in a collection.Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Los Alamos Cty. Lib. Syst., NM

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