The birthing process is fully explained with attention to the female anatomy and how it changes due to pregnancy. The pictures and descriptions are very convincing. I like that it shows that active birth can be done at home, at a birthing center, or in a hospital. Also, there are some indespensible pictures of pre-natal yoga excersizes that you can do alone or with a partner. I combed through this book again and again since I got it, and I know I'll be referring back to it for at least the next nine months! Well worth the purchase, however I ultimately decide to have our birth experience.

What I love about this book is that there is not one photo of a mom birthing on her tailbone anywhere in the book!! Every photo is a great example of a mom laboring or birthing in one of the many other positions available to mothers! What a wonderful way to erase the hollywood image of a mother in lithotomy position for labor and birth. Photos make birthing in alternative positions much easier to imagine, and show it being done! Photos include waterbirth and breech birth. There are also a lot of great illustrations of the bony pelvis and muscle groups in various positions showing how to make the most of maternal position for labor and birth. Preparation for birth is highlighted in the book, and there is a section on yoga positions for pregnancy. This is a much more useful book than many of the mainstream Pregnancy prep books out there. Worth it for your library if only for the great photos of standing, squatting, and kneeling birth!

This book is exactly what the title describes. It is about giving birth naturally and "actively."
What I like about this book is that it did not lean towards birthing in a hospital as oppossed to home birthing, or prefer a doctor over a mid-wife. Instead, it gave neutral and clear facts about medications and birthing procedures.
I was frightened about childbirth before reading this book. Now I am looking forward to the experience! I feel very prepared mentally and emotionally, because I know exactly what to expect. This book took me through the birthing process step by step, eliminating my fears!
This book has a section of helpful excersises as well, which are yoga based, and great for stretching those muscles that will be used during labor!
Although the book touches on breast-feeding, it does not cover it extensively.
The book also touches on water birthing, with an entire chapter dedicated to it. I found that chapter a bit outdated, but the information was still very useful and helpful.
This is an excellent book for those wanting to take control of their birthing process/experience, and learn more about how a woman's body is designed to open up to give birth.
There are some pictures of women giving birth, that are not pretty but helpful to get a better idea of positions. There are also many diagrams that do the same thing.
I would recommend this book to anyone experiencing a first-time pregnancy or anyone planning on giving natural birth. It was extremely helpful, interesting, informative and mind-easing.

There's a lot of yoga type poses that the book recommends for exercise and birth, but without photos, I couldn't figure out the poses. I'm not that familiar with yoga poses, so that may have been a hinderance.

This book didn't help me much with prepping for birth, except to encourage deep breathing. I highly recommend THE BIRTHING PARTNER. The book is for the birthing partner, but I learned every little thing there is to know about the birthing process.

I recommend this book for all pregnant women- whether you are determined to have a natural childbirth, know for sure you will use drugs, or somewhere in between. After reading this book, I am less scared of the childbirth process.
The book is wonderful. It explains some positions that can help in childbirth, and that will make contractions more effective (and offers good explanations as to why) and has a section of pregnancy yoga so you are prepared to use those positions. There also is a section on how to cope with pain.
As far as the pictures in the book go- if you are offended by the childbirth process and pictures depicting it, then you may not want to get this book. These are natural pictures of women having babies. Yes some are naked, but I don't find them offensive at all.
I *know* I will use some kind of painkiller during childbirth, but I am determined to go as long as I can without them. This book makes a very stong and logical case for being active during labor and delivery. I didn't feel that the author put down anyone who preferred a hospital birth - there's a chapter on how to have an active birth in a hospital. She did make strong points against using drugs in labor, but again, I didn't feel she was totally against using them- she said that there are some cases where the benefits of painkillers may be worth the risks. I definitely didn't get a sense of "hospitals and painkillers are evil" like I have with other birthing books. Another birthing book you may want to look into that doesn't have that attitude is "Birthing Partner."
Again, I cannot recommend this book enough. It offers a lot of knowledge and reassurance for pregnant women.