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The Official Lamaze Guide
Giving Birth with Confidence
The Official Lamaze Guide
(OLG), written by Judith Lothian and Charlotte DeVries of Lamaze International truly changed my perception of Lamaze. The book blows away stereotypical "Lamaze." Toss those television images of women huffing puffing through labor and classes full of parenting learning how to blow through "hee, hee, hee" sounds. The opening pages of the book contain the reality of Lamaze International: "Lamaze is no longer a method for giving birth. It's a philosophy that educates and instills confidence in women preparing to give birth and become mothers."
The OLG is an exceptionally well researched and unapologetic resource on the how's and why's of having a natural birth. The book is full of quotes and tidbits from advice from those at the forefront of natural birth advocacy. It opens with a brief overview of the state of birth in modern-day first world countries and gives a glimpse of birth throughout the ages.
The book has a brief overview of each stage of pregnancy, but doesn't really delve into fetal development or much about how the mother's body develops during pregnancy. There are sections on taking care of yourself during pregnancy to ensure that you and your baby have the best chances for health.
The OLG gives a basic outline of excellent prenatal nutrition, but I felt that it didn't emphasize the importance of prenatal nutrition in healthy birth outcomes as strongly as it could have. The book also brushed off prenatal vitamins due to the trouble in getting accurate amounts of nutrients in the pills. Yet if they do not cause nausea, prenatal vitamins can be a good way to enhance the prenatal diet.
A large chapter of the book is devoted to choosing a caregiver and a birthplace, with an emphasis on the advantages of choosing a midwife. The chapter outlines some common myths about childbirth and gives a good list of considerations/questions to keep in mind as a caregiver and a birth site are chosen. The OLG does not present the option of unassisted prenatal care/unassisted childbirth, but it does give an excellent overview of each type of care provider and potential birthplace.
The OLG covers the common prenatal tests and gives a review of the risks and benefits of each one. Many childbirth books being published today simply cover the benefits of these tests with no consideration given to the physical or emotional risks involved. The OLG reviews both sides of the tests in a welcome change from the norm.
If you're considering childbirth classes the OLG gives a good overview of what to look for in your classes and instructors. It gives a warning against classes that advertise themselves as "Lamaze" classes but do not adhere to the philosophy of Lamaze International. The book is obviously biased slightly to Lamaze instructors, but it gives a good list of considerations for choosing a class.
The chapters on birth are well-laid out and easy to read. There is a chapter full of helpful suggestions for finding comfort during labor. There is also a chapter that reviews possible interventions during labor and their risk/benefits. It gives hints for labor and birth as well as for the early minutes, hours, and days after birth. This chapter, titled "Creating a Birth Plan and a Baby Plan" is particularly well-laid out and makes for quick and easy reference. The following chapter gives sensible guidelines for communicating with caregivers and contains some personal stories from mothers.
The final chapters of the book give a lot of good information on what to expect from your new baby and what to expect as you become a parent. There are reviews of common newborn procedures and the usual, balanced benefit/risk review.
Overall I was very impressed with the OLG. It discusses natural birth in an unapologetic manner and gives very balanced perspectives on childbirth issues. The OLG also references and recommends other excellent childbirth books. I think that this book would be ideal for a mother considering natural birth who may be intimidated by the strong language of other leading natural childbirth books. It is an excellent starting point for women desiring natural birth.