A Good Birth by Anne Drapkin Lyerly, MD
Reviewed by: Barb Rude, Adult and Reference Services
Genre: Non-fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: A Good Birth: finding the positive and profound in your childbirth experience chronicles the Good Birth Project, where Dr. Lyerly collects hundreds of birth stories and defines what she considers the most important aspects of a good birth: control, agency, security, respect, and knowledge. Unlike many other childbirth books, this one remains neutral on the ‘how’ and focuses on the mother’s experience.
My Review: Sometimes you find just the right book at just the right time and it fills a gap. This definitely happened to me. I enjoyed the book’s compassionate tone and complete acceptance of all mothers regardless of how they gave birth. The book’s definition of a ‘good’ birth is about experience, not method, and allows for some frank discussions on a topic that has generally been private. This book helped me find some peace with previous birth experiences and accept that delivering my children would be a tangle of good and bad, of complicated feelings and transformations, but most importantly, they would be good births.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!