The Water Birth Book: The Ideal Companion to Hypnobirthing and Active Birth

As a huge Janet Balaskas fan, I was hugely excited when I heard about this book. It is the perfect book for anyone planning a water birth. My first baby was born in water, and I only wish I had had this book during my first pregnancy. I have purchased it for my sister who is pregnant with her first at the moment. The book is very accessible and beautifully illustrated with birth stories and water birth photos.

This a really fantastic book about water birth! It is both a really practical guide about how to prepare for a water birth, but also seems to weave in the philosophy behind birthing in water, history of birth and all kinds of other relevant topics into quite a poetic yet useful book.Janet Balaskas has a lovely writing voice and makes it easy to understand the benefits of water birth and why many women choose it to birth. Sadly I didn't get my water birth due to other complications but this book also goes into details about this side of things as well.It also has lots of quotes from women so you get a sense of real experiences of water birth.It is quite inspiring and very in-depth (no pun intended!).Not only is it a useful guide, it is also a joy to read!

I am beyond impressed with this book! I always wanted to have water births with my future children and this book puts me at ease with the process. Janet Balaskas dedicates the first chapter to research (including her own contributions) that has been done on water births, which is extensive. She also explains why water births are popular in Europe and not as much in the US. Throughout the book she sites research and references from doctors, medical journals, and midwives. It's apparent that her knowledge of the female body and the process it undergoes during pregnancy and labour is also extensive. She is also up-to-date on hospital procedures, what they are intended for, and why sometimes a hospital birth is necessary based on your unique situation. I love that she isn't trying to convert anyone but instead lays out all the research, her experience, the reality of complicated births, and says you need to do whats best for you and your baby.She has added quotes and stories from many mothers who have had water births, as well as beautiful pictures of mother and baby after delivery. Her goal with this book is to enlighten and provide information for those who are interested and want more information on water births, as well as those who don't have the research readily available to them.

As a midwife supporting Waterbirth’s I think this book does a great job