Birth Without Fear

The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum

De: January Harshe

Narrado por: January Harshe, Cynthia Barrett

An inclusive, non-judgmental, and empowering guide to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum life that puts mothersfirst, offering straightforward guidance on all the options and issues that matter most to them (and their partners) when preparing for a baby.

In Birth Without Fear, January Harshe--founder of the global online community Birth Without Fear--delivers an honest, positive, and passionate message of empowerment surrounding everything that involves having a baby. It's a guide that fills in the considerable cracks in the information available to women and families when they're preparing to welcome a child--covering care provider choices, medical freedom, birth options, breastfeeding, intimacy, postpartum depression, and much more.

Birth Without Fear shows moms, dads, partners, and families how to choose the best provider for them, how to trust in themselves and the birth process, and how to seek the necessary help after the baby has arrived. In addition, it will educate them about their rights--and how to use their voice to exercise them--as well as how to cope with the messy postpartum feelings many people aren't willing to talk about. Unlike other pregnancy books, Birth Without Fear will also help partners understand what mothers are going through, as well as discuss the challenges that they, too, will face--and how they can navigate them.

Shattering long-held myths and beliefs surrounding pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience, Birth Without Fear is an accessible, reassuring, and ultimately inspiring guide to taking charge of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"With endless warmth and encouragement--and not a single ounce of judgment--January Harshe shares a wealth of wisdom and resources to help you discover what the best pregnancy and birth experience is for you. Birth Without Fear is a must-have book for anyone who is preparing to welcome a baby into the world."—Dawn Dais, author of TheSh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy

"The first book on pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender postpartum period that will leave you feeling truly supported, understood, and informed. January bravely calls out in a straightforward, funny, and thought-provoking way where we have gone wrong with prenatal and postnatal care, and how women can reclaim their experience and find empowerment on their journey to motherhood."—Bryn Huntpalmer,M.Ed., founder of "The Birth Hour" podcast

"Birth Without Fear is an inspiring, non-judgmental guide to taking charge of your birth and postpartum experience, as well as a no-nonsense, mother-centered approach to empowerment. A must read!"—Dr. Vivian Keeler, D.C., CD, HBCE, CH, VicePresident of HypnoBirthing International

"Practical, positive, and empowering."—Booklist

Exceptionally helpful

Even though motherhood was an active, informed choice my partner and I made, I was still terrified about birth and motherhood! This book helped me get my mental state and emotions ready for this life changing journey. This isn’t a “how to” book. It’s more like a long conversation with a wise, non judgmental friend.

great book for moms!

This book has some great insight for moms in all stages. I would highly recommend it!

Full of truth and love

After reading 20+ pregnancy books to prepare for our twins this book easily hits the top 3 list. January’s honest, loving and kind approach to pregnancy, birth and postpartum is beautiful. In a world where birth can be surrounded by fear, secrets, judgement, and shame January creates space to reset expectations and explore our true and evolving selves with love.

Repetitive and not informative

There’s a few things I didn’t enjoy about this book. First of all, the intro and preview you get when you test the book is read by the author. But the remaining chapters are all read by an alternate and she is not as good. I wish this were clearly stated before purchasing.

Second, I’m comparing this book with other informative books like Expevting Better and Cribsheet. I tend to be a person whose fears are calmed by information, telling me about the process, and giving me clear outlines and questions I can be thinking of. Birth without fear for me personally added to my fears because every chapter is essentially the same: “things could go wrong, but trust yourself.” Or “you do you, protect your bubble.” For someone like myself, these types of phrases are dismissive, patronizing, and only add to my fears because they’re both obvious and empty at the same time.

Finally, I felt this book was for a mom who lacked self esteem or who has a hard time delegating, advocating, and leading her life (and therefore her birth). I have a personality where this is not the case. I started my own business, I generally have very high confidence levels, and I won’t bat an eye delegating tasks or fighting for respectful treatment from medical staff. I’m sure this book is wonderful if you identify as a people pleaser and need the extra encouragement that asking for help is not a crime, but for me the fact that this was the overarching theme of the book and the point of every chapter felt repetitive and unhelpful.

The chapters are essentially
- you know yourself advocate for yourself
- protect your bubble (but no discussion of what this means exactly or how to do it)
- make sure you choose doctors who treat you well (gee I never though of this)
- have a back up plan, birth is unpredictable (again, both obvious and also sort of adding to fear not reducing it)
-postpartum: take it easy on yourself (no discussion of how to do this or what this means)
-sex and intimacy: same as above
-self love generation

The most helpful part of this book is the attached PDF with questions and actual help on creating your birth plan and questions to ask your potential providers etc. I really appreciate that and would have returned the book if not for the PDF.

The book is more aptly titled “birth and self love” rather than birth without fear. I personally would recommend this just for the PDF but the chapters are all pretty much summaries as love yourself trust yourself and advocate for yourself.

Empowering

As a man reading this book, I have learned a lot. There is so much empowering information from start to finish and I highly recommend it. It shows you how to stand for what is real, and what to do as a man.