Natural Birth Resources
Explore natural birth podcasts, books, people, and other resources to help you prepare for pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Doulas & Midwives
Organizations, directories, and websites for finding doulas and midwives and learning more about their role in birth.
Online Courses
Birth preparation and natural birth education.
Podcasts
Natural birth, home birth, physiological birth, and midwifery podcasts.
Blogs & Websites
Useful websites covering pregnancy, birth, home birth, and birth preparation.
Books
Books about natural birth, childbirth preparation, midwifery, and the birth experience.
The Natural Birth Podcast
A podcast sharing natural and empowering birth stories from women around the world. It aims to inspire and encourage mothers to trust their bodies and feel more confident in the natural birth process.
Happy Homebirth
A homebirth resource created by Katelyn Fusco, a mother of three homebirths, childbirth educator, podcast host, and storyteller. She offers a podcast, free resources, and childbirth education to help women prepare for an intuitive and informed homebirth experience.
Don’t Push is a short, practical guide based on five births, with ten lessons to help you prepare for birth, work through fear and pain, get the support you need, and know what to do when it matters.
Learn how to:
prepare yourself before labor
work through fear
work with pain rather than resist it
know how your partner can really help
use simple practical techniques during labor
trust your body
prepare for the moments after birth
rest and recover
Ten lessons from five births. Short, practical, no fluff.
The Homebirth Midwife podcast
A podcast hosted by Sarah McClure and Charli Zarosinski, two practicing homebirth midwives from Hearth and Home Midwifery in Oregon and Washington. They discuss natural pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, with practical information for women preparing for pregnancy and birth.
Doulas & Midwives: Organizations, Directories & Resources
A curated list of professional organizations, directories, and educational websites for finding doulas and midwives and learning more about their roles in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.
Doulas
1. DONA International
DONA International is one of the best-known professional organizations for doulas worldwide. The organization provides doula education, certification, professional standards, and resources for families interested in birth and postpartum support. DONA explains the different roles of birth and postpartum doulas and provides guidance for choosing a doula.
2. DONA International — Find a Doula
URL: https://dona.org/find-a-dona-certified-doula/
A searchable directory for finding DONA-certified doulas. You can search by location and filter for birth or postpartum doulas. This is a useful starting point if you specifically want to find a doula with professional certification and training.
3. DONA International — How to Hire a Doula
URL: https://dona.org/how-to-hire-a-doula/
A practical guide explaining what to consider when choosing a doula. It covers training, certification, experience, availability, services, fees, and questions to discuss during an interview.
4. Association Doulas de France
URL: https://doulas.info/
A French professional association for doulas. Its website explains what doulas do, how doula support complements medical care, and how families can find doulas through its directory. It is particularly useful for people looking for a doula in France.
5. Doulas de France — Doula Directory
URL: https://doulas.info/trouver-une-doula/
The Association Doulas de France directory helps families find doulas who have signed the association's professional charter. You can use it to look for doulas in different parts of France.
Midwives
6. International Confederation of Midwives (ICM)
URL: https://internationalmidwives.org/
The International Confederation of Midwives is the global professional organization representing midwives and midwifery associations. Its resources explain the role and scope of midwifery and provide information about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, newborn care, and reproductive health.
7. ICM — International Definition of the Midwife
URL: https://internationalmidwives.org/resources/international-definition-of-the-midwife/
A useful resource for understanding what a midwife is and what midwives are trained and qualified to do. It describes midwives as responsible healthcare professionals who provide support and care during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postnatal period, as well as care for newborns.
8. American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)
A professional organization for midwives in the United States. The website provides information about midwifery, pregnancy and birth care, and the different types of midwives practicing in the U.S. It also provides resources for finding qualified midwives.
9. Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)
URL: https://mana.org/
A professional organization focused on midwifery and community-based maternity care in North America. The site offers information about midwifery as a profession and resources for families interested in midwife-led care.
10. Royal College of Midwives
The Royal College of Midwives is a professional organization representing midwives and maternity-support professionals in the United Kingdom. Its website provides educational information about pregnancy, birth, maternity care, and the role of midwives.
Pregnancy & Birth Education
11. Evidence Based Birth
URL: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/
An educational resource that translates research about pregnancy and childbirth into accessible information for families and birth professionals. Topics include labor, pain relief, induction, cesarean birth, postpartum care, and other common birth decisions.
12. Lamaze International
URL: https://lamaze.org/
A longstanding childbirth education organization offering resources for expectant parents and professionals. The website provides information about labor, birth, newborn care, and evidence-informed approaches to childbirth education.
13. March of Dimes
URL: https://www.marchofdimes.org/
A large maternal and infant health organization offering educational information about pregnancy, prenatal care, premature birth, birth complications, newborn health, and postpartum health.
Quick Guide: Doula vs. Midwife
Doula: A doula provides non-clinical emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, birth, and/or the postpartum period. Doulas do not replace medical care. The Association Doulas de France specifically describes doula support as complementary to the medical care chosen by the parents.
Midwife: A midwife is a trained and regulated healthcare professional whose scope can include pregnancy care, labor and birth, postpartum care, and newborn care, depending on the country's regulations and the individual's qualifications. The International Confederation of Midwives provides an internationally recognized definition and scope of practice.
When choosing either one: Look at the personal connection and communication style that feels right for you.
Questions for a Doula | How Do I Have a Natural Birth?
A team of birth workers serving families in Buffalo, New York. They provide labor and postpartum support through a collaborative team of trained, privately insured doulas and birth professionals.
The Modern Doula
A Central Coast, Australia-based birth support and education platform created by Alice Worthy. It offers doula support, practical birth preparation, online education, and resources for women and their birth partners, with a focus on evidence-based information and hands-on techniques.
Don’t Push is a short, practical guide based on five births, with ten lessons to help you prepare for birth, work through fear and pain, get the support you need, and know what to do when it matters.
Learn how to:
prepare yourself before labor
work through fear
work with pain rather than resist it
know how your partner can really help
use simple practical techniques during labor
trust your body
prepare for the moments after birth
rest and recover
Ten lessons from five births. Short, practical, no fluff.
Free Birth Society
"To birth freely is to step into the ancient truth of your power, love, and instinct, and to own the responsibility that comes with it." - Emilee Saldaya
Online Courses: Birth Preparation & Natural Birth Education
A curated list of online courses, classes, and educational platforms for preparing for birth, understanding labor, learning comfort measures, and exploring natural and low-intervention birth options. Course formats range from self-paced programs to live classes with birth educators, doulas, midwives, and childbirth professionals.
Birth Preparation Courses
1. Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class
URL: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/
A research-focused online childbirth course designed to help expectant parents understand their options and make informed decisions during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. The course combines evidence-based information with practical preparation for common birth scenarios.
2. Mama Natural Birth Course
URL: https://www.mamanaturalbirth.com/birth-course
A popular online childbirth course focused on natural birth preparation. It covers labor preparation, comfort measures, nutrition, mindset, partner support, birth planning, and postpartum topics. It is particularly geared toward parents interested in a natural or low-intervention birth.
3. The Positive Birth Company — Hypnobirthing Course
URL: https://thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk/digital-course
An online hypnobirthing program designed to help parents prepare mentally and physically for birth. Lessons cover relaxation, breathing, visualization, birth physiology, labor positions, and ways partners can provide support.
4. Hypnobabies
URL: https://www.hypnobabies.com/
A structured hypnosis-based childbirth education program that teaches relaxation, visualization, breathing, and self-hypnosis techniques for labor. The program is designed for parents who want to incorporate hypnosis and deep relaxation into their birth preparation.
5. HypnoBirthing Institute
URL: https://hypnobirthing.com/
The official home of the HypnoBirthing® approach, offering information and resources for parents interested in preparing for birth through relaxation, breathing, visualization, education, and confidence-building techniques.
Natural & Low-Intervention Birth Education
6. Birthing From Within
URL: https://www.birthingfromwithin.com/
A childbirth preparation approach that combines practical birth education with emotional and psychological preparation. Courses and resources encourage parents to explore their expectations, fears, values, and individual experiences of birth rather than focusing exclusively on one particular type of birth.
7. Lamaze International
URL: https://lamaze.org/
Lamaze provides childbirth education and resources focused on informed decision-making, healthy pregnancy, labor support, comfort techniques, and evidence-informed birth preparation. Its educational approach is useful whether someone is planning an unmedicated birth, medicated birth, or cesarean birth.
8. Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA)
URL: https://cappa.net/
CAPPA provides education and professional training for childbirth educators, doulas, lactation professionals, and postpartum professionals. Its resources can also help parents understand the different types of birth and postpartum support available.
Hypnobirthing & Mind-Body Preparation
9. The Calm Birth School
URL: https://www.calmbirthschool.com/
An online childbirth preparation program centered on relaxation, confidence, breathing, visualization, and education. It is designed for parents who want practical tools for staying calm and feeling prepared throughout labor and birth.
10. Mindful Birthing
URL: https://www.mindfulbirthing.org/
Resources based on mindfulness and childbirth preparation. The approach focuses on awareness, relaxation, managing stress, and developing practical mindfulness skills that can be useful during pregnancy and labor.
Courses for Birth Partners
11. The Birth Partner — Penny Simkin
URL: https://www.pennysimkin.com/
Penny Simkin is a well-known childbirth educator, physical therapist, doula, and author whose work focuses extensively on labor support. Her resources are particularly useful for partners who want to learn practical ways to support someone during labor.
12. DONA International
DONA International provides information and education about doula-supported birth and postpartum care. Although its primary focus is professional doula training, its resources can help expectant parents understand what doulas do and how continuous labor support can fit into a birth plan.
Free Birth Education Resources
13. Evidence Based Birth®
URL: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/
In addition to its paid childbirth course, Evidence Based Birth offers a substantial collection of free articles, podcasts, research summaries, and educational resources. It is especially useful for learning about common birth interventions and comparing different options using current evidence.
14. Global Health Media Project
URL: https://globalhealthmedia.org/
Provides free educational videos covering pregnancy, childbirth, newborn care, breastfeeding, and maternal health. The materials are designed to make important health information accessible and easy to understand.
15. NHS — Pregnancy and Baby
URL: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/
The UK's National Health Service provides extensive free information about pregnancy, labor, birth, pain relief, breastfeeding, and newborn care. It is a useful evidence-based reference alongside any paid childbirth course.
DONA
One of the largest and longest-established doula organizations. It provides evidence-based training and certification for birth and postpartum doulas, with the goal of supporting high-quality doula care and professional standards.
CAPPA
An international organization that provides training and certification for professionals working with families during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Its programs include training for labor doulas, postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, infant and family educators, and lactation educators.
Don’t Push is a short, practical guide based on five births, with ten lessons to help you prepare for birth, work through fear and pain, get the support you need, and know what to do when it matters.
Learn how to:
prepare yourself before labor
work through fear
work with pain rather than resist it
know how your partner can really help
use simple practical techniques during labor
trust your body
prepare for the moments after birth
rest and recover
Ten lessons from five births. Short, practical, no fluff.
Doulas de France
A French association dedicated to supporting and developing the doula profession. It brings together doulas who support women and families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, and provides information and resources about doula support in France.
Podcasts: Natural Birth, Home Birth, Physiological Birth & Midwifery
A curated list of podcasts exploring natural birth, home birth, physiological birth, midwifery, doulas, pregnancy, postpartum care, and the experiences of families and birth professionals.
1. The Birth Hour
URL: https://thebirthhour.com/
The Birth Hour is a long-running birth story podcast featuring parents sharing detailed experiences of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum recovery. Episodes cover a wide range of experiences, including unmedicated hospital births, home births, birth center births, cesareans, inductions, and VBACs.
2. Evidence Based Birth® Podcast
URL: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/podcast/
Hosted by Evidence Based Birth founder Rebecca Dekker, this podcast explores research and evidence surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. Episodes cover topics such as induction, pain management, cesarean birth, birth positions, postpartum care, and informed decision-making.
3. The Birthful Podcast
URL: https://birthful.com/podcast/
The Birthful Podcast explores pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum life, and parenting through conversations with birth professionals and parents. Topics include physiological birth, labor preparation, doulas, midwives, breastfeeding, and emotional aspects of the transition to parenthood.
4. Down to Birth
URL: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/down-to-birth/id1479619874
Down to Birth is hosted by midwife Cynthia Overgard and childbirth educator Trisha Ludwig. The podcast discusses pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care, and evidence-informed approaches to maternity care, with particular attention to physiology and informed decision-making.
5. Happy Homebirth
URL: https://www.happyhomebirth.com/podcast
The Happy Homebirth Podcast focuses specifically on home birth and midwifery care. Episodes include conversations with home-birthing parents, midwives, doulas, and other birth professionals, covering preparation, labor, postpartum experiences, and the realities of planning a home birth.
6. The Homebirth Midwife Podcast
URL: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-homebirth-midwife-podcast/id1455526130
A podcast centered on home birth and midwifery. Episodes explore pregnancy, birth preparation, home birth, midwife care, postpartum recovery, and the experiences of families choosing out-of-hospital birth.
7. Birth Kweens
URL: https://www.birthkweens.com/
Birth Kweens is a podcast created by birth professionals that discusses pregnancy, birth, postpartum, doulas, midwives, home birth, hospital birth, and reproductive health. The hosts combine professional knowledge with conversations about real-world birth experiences.
8. Midwives' Cauldron
URL: https://www.midwivescauldron.com/
A podcast hosted by practicing midwives that explores pregnancy, birth, midwifery, and maternity care. The conversations often examine birth physiology, common interventions, professional practice, and the experiences of midwives working with families.
9. Midwifery Wisdom Podcast
URL: https://www.midwiferywisdom.com/podcast
A podcast featuring conversations about midwifery, pregnancy, birth, women's health, and the broader maternity-care system. It is particularly useful for listeners interested in the professional and clinical side of midwifery.
10. The Midwives' Podcast
URL: https://www.rcm.org.uk/news-views/the-midwives-podcast/
The Royal College of Midwives' podcast explores topics relevant to midwives and maternity care in the United Kingdom. Episodes discuss professional practice, maternal health, birth, healthcare policy, and issues affecting maternity services.
11. The VBAC Link Podcast
URL: https://www.thevbaclink.com/podcast/
A podcast focused on vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). It features birth stories, conversations with birth professionals, and educational discussions about preparing for VBAC, informed decision-making, and navigating maternity care after a previous cesarean.
12. Australian Birth Stories
URL: https://www.australianbirthstories.com/podcast
A popular Australian podcast featuring detailed stories from parents about pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum experiences. Stories include hospital births, home births, inductions, cesareans, water births, and other experiences.
13. Birth Stories in Color
URL: https://birthstoriesincolor.com/
A podcast and educational platform sharing birth stories from people of color while discussing pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum experiences, doulas, midwives, and maternal health. It provides perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream birth storytelling.
14. The Natural Birth Podcast
URL: https://thenaturalbirthpodcast.com/
A podcast focused on natural and physiological birth, with conversations about pregnancy preparation, unmedicated labor, home birth, birth centers, midwives, doulas, and postpartum experiences.
15. Happy as a Mother
URL: https://www.happyasamother.com/podcast
A maternal mental-health-focused podcast exploring pregnancy, birth, motherhood, postpartum experiences, relationships, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing. It can be a useful complement to more physiology-focused birth podcasts.
Blogs & Websites: Pregnancy, Birth & Birth Preparation
A curated collection of websites and online resources covering pregnancy, childbirth, home birth, physiological birth, midwifery, birth preparation, and informed decision-making.
1. Mama Natural
URL: https://www.mamanatural.com/
Mama Natural focuses on natural pregnancy, natural birth, unmedicated birth, homebirth, breastfeeding, and postpartum. The site includes practical pregnancy and birth preparation articles as well as personal birth stories and resources for women planning a natural birth.
2. Positive Birth Flow
URL: https://positivebirthflow.com/blog/
Positive Birth Flow focuses on positive, confident birth preparation, including natural and unmedicated birth. The blog includes birth stories, preparation tools, relaxation techniques, and resources intended to help women feel calmer and more confident about birth.
3. The Natural BirthHouse
URL: https://www.naturalbirthhouse.com/birth-stories/
The Natural BirthHouse focuses on natural birth, homebirth, midwifery, and positive birth experiences. The site features personal birth stories and practical information for women interested in preparing for a natural or low-intervention birth.
4. Anahata Mamas
URL: https://anahatamamas.com/
Anahata Mamas offers a holistic, mother-centered approach to pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. The site includes natural birth and homebirth stories, pregnancy resources, and content around intuition, confidence, and trusting the body.
5. Rewild Mothers
URL: https://rewildmothers.com/
Rewild Mothers focuses on natural motherhood, homebirth, midwifery, birth stories, and a more instinctive approach to pregnancy and birth. The site emphasizes women's experiences, personal choice, and reconnecting with the natural process of birth.
6. Mother Mother Doula
URL: https://www.mothermotherdoula.com/
Mother Mother Doula provides birth preparation and doula-focused resources, with an emphasis on natural birth, emotional support, and confidence. The site also features personal birth stories, including homebirth and unexpected birth experiences.
7. Waves + Lilacs
URL: https://wavesandlilacs.com/
Waves + Lilacs focuses on natural and unmedicated birth and provides resources for women preparing for birth. The site includes birth stories, natural birth resources, books, documentaries, and other material for women interested in a low-intervention approach.
8. Naturelle Maman
URL: https://naturellemaman.com/
Naturelle Maman is a French site focused on natural pregnancy, motherhood, and birth. It includes personal birth stories, homebirth experiences, and content encouraging women to approach pregnancy and birth with confidence and trust in themselves.
9. Doula Marseille
URL: https://www.doula-marseille.fr/blog/
Doula Marseille provides mother-centered resources around pregnancy, birth preparation, labor, the partner's role, and postpartum. The blog offers a gentle doula perspective on supporting women emotionally and practically through birth.
10. Céline Fourcade Doula
URL: https://www.celinefourcadedoula.com/
Céline Fourcade Doula offers pregnancy and birth support with a focus on women's confidence, informed choices, and a positive experience of birth. Her approach is personal and mother-centered, with an emphasis on helping women feel prepared and supported.
Books: Natural Birth, Childbirth Preparation, Midwifery, Doulas & Birth Experience
A curated reading list focused specifically on natural and physiological birth, childbirth preparation, midwifery, doula support, labor, home birth, and personal birth experiences. The selection includes practical guides for expectant parents, classic books in the natural-birth movement, resources for doulas and birth workers, and professional midwifery textbooks.
1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth — Ina May Gaskin
URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/31174/ina-mays-guide-to-childbirth-by-ina-may-gaskin/
A classic book in modern natural-birth literature. Ina May Gaskin combines positive birth stories with practical information about labor, birth physiology, comfort measures, and the body's capacity for childbirth. It is particularly popular among parents interested in natural or low-intervention birth.
2. Spiritual Midwifery — Ina May Gaskin
URL: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/31175/spiritual-midwifery-by-ina-may-gaskin/
One of the foundational books associated with the modern natural-birth and community-midwifery movement. It combines birth stories, midwifery philosophy, practical information, and discussions of pregnancy and labor. It is especially interesting for readers wanting to understand the history and philosophy behind physiological birth.
3. Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering — Sarah J. Buckley
URL: https://www.sarahbuckley.com/gentle-birth-gentle-mothering/
Written by a physician and mother, this book explores pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early parenting from a physiological and attachment-oriented perspective. It discusses the hormonal processes involved in birth and the potential effects of interventions.
4. The Birth Book — William Sears & Martha Sears
URL: https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/william-sears-m-d/the-birth-book/9780316783319/
A comprehensive childbirth guide covering pregnancy, labor, birth choices, medical interventions, pain management, and postpartum topics. The book is useful for parents who want to understand different approaches to childbirth rather than following a single predetermined birth plan.
5. The Birth Partner — Penny Simkin
URL: https://www.pennysimkin.com/shop/product/the-birth-partner-5th-edition/
A highly practical guide for partners, doulas, and anyone supporting a person during labor. It covers comfort measures, labor positions, relaxation, breathing, pain-management options, medical procedures, and ways to provide continuous emotional and physical support. Penny Simkin currently lists the fifth edition among her books.
6. The Labor Progress Handbook — Penny Simkin & Ruth Ancheta
URL: https://www.pennysimkin.com/shop/product/the-labor-progress-handbook-4th-edition/
A practical reference focused on supporting labor progress through positioning, movement, hands-on techniques, and other non-pharmacological approaches. It is particularly relevant for doulas, midwives, childbirth educators, and birth professionals. The fourth edition is currently listed by Penny Simkin.
7. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn — Penny Simkin et al.
URL: https://www.pennysimkin.com/shop/product/pregnancy-childbirth-and-the-newborn/
A comprehensive childbirth and early-parenthood guide covering pregnancy, labor, birth, newborn care, and postpartum recovery. It is designed to help expectant parents understand their choices and prepare for different possible birth experiences. Penny Simkin currently lists the sixth edition.
8. Myles Textbook for Midwives — Jayne E. Marshall & Maureen D. Raynor
URL: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/myles-textbook-for-midwives/marshall/978-0-7020-7642-8
A major professional textbook for midwifery students and practicing midwives. The 17th edition provides comprehensive coverage of pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care, newborn care, professional practice, ethics, and evidence-based midwifery. Elsevier describes it as a seminal midwifery textbook written by midwives for midwives.
9. Heart & Hands: A Midwife's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth — Elizabeth Davis
URL: https://www.elizabethdavis.com/
A well-known guide to the art and practice of midwifery, with particular attention to pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care, and hands-on support. It is frequently used as a reference by midwifery students and practitioners and appears on midwifery-school reading lists.
10. Varney's Midwifery — Tekoa L. King, Mary C. Brucker et al.
URL: https://www.jblearning.com/
A comprehensive professional reference covering the theory and clinical practice of midwifery. It is intended primarily for midwifery students and healthcare professionals rather than as a general pregnancy book. Varney's Midwifery is included among recommended midwifery textbooks by the Association of Texas Midwives.
11. Holistic Midwifery — Anne Frye
URL: https://www.annefrye.com/
A detailed midwifery reference emphasizing holistic care during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. The books are particularly relevant to readers interested in physiologic birth, out-of-hospital midwifery, and the practical aspects of midwifery care. The volumes are included among recommended texts by the Association of Texas Midwives.
12. The Doula Book — Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell & Phyllis H. Klaus
URL: https://www.donacertification.com/
A foundational book about continuous labor support and the role of the doula. It explores the emotional and physical support provided during labor and discusses research surrounding continuous birth companionship.
13. Mothering the Mother — Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell & Phyllis H. Klaus
URL: https://www.donacertification.com/
An influential work on continuous support during childbirth and the development of the modern doula role. It explores how supportive companionship can affect the experience of labor and the transition into parenthood.
14. Nurturing Beginnings — Annis V. Goldsmith & Phyllis H. Klaus
URL: https://www.donacertification.com/
A resource focused on the transition from birth into early parenthood and the importance of practical and emotional support. It is particularly relevant for doulas and families interested in postpartum support.
15. Home Birth — Sheila Kitzinger
URL: https://www.sheilakitzinger.com/
Sheila Kitzinger was a renowned childbirth educator and author who wrote extensively about pregnancy, childbirth, home birth, and women's experiences of maternity care. Her work explores birth not only as a medical event but also as a deeply personal and social experience.
16. Homebirth in the Hospital — Stacy A. Haynes
URL: https://www.goodreads.com/
A resource for readers interested in understanding how elements of home-birth philosophy—such as autonomy, continuous support, movement, and a calm environment—can be incorporated into hospital birth. It can be useful for parents who want a physiological approach but plan to give birth in a hospital.
17. Birthing From Within — Pam England & Rob Horowitz
URL: https://www.birthingfromwithin.com/
A childbirth preparation book that approaches birth as both a physical and emotional experience. It encourages parents to explore expectations, fears, uncertainty, personal values, and different ways of preparing for labor rather than focusing exclusively on achieving one particular type of birth.
18. The Red Tent — Anita Diamant
URL: https://www.anitadiamant.com/the-red-tent/
A historical novel rather than a childbirth guide, but one that explores women's lives, pregnancy, childbirth, midwifery, sisterhood, and women's knowledge in an ancient setting. It can be an interesting complementary read for someone exploring the cultural and historical dimensions of birth.
19. A Midwife's Handbook — Constance Sinclair
URL: https://www.jblearning.com/
A practical midwifery reference covering pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care, and newborn care. It is aimed primarily at students and professionals and is included in midwifery-school reading lists.
20. When Survivors Give Birth — Penny Simkin
URL: https://www.pennysimkin.com/shop/product/when-survivors-give-birth/
A specialized resource examining the experiences of people with histories of sexual trauma during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. It offers practical guidance for birth professionals and support people working to provide trauma-informed care. Penny Simkin currently lists this among her books.
Don’t Push is a short, practical guide based on five births, with ten lessons to help you prepare for birth, work through fear and pain, get the support you need, and know what to do when it matters.
Learn how to:
prepare yourself before labor
work through fear
work with pain rather than resist it
know how your partner can really help
use simple practical techniques during labor
trust your body
prepare for the moments after birth
rest and recover