Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein have put together one of the most informative, comprehensive books about giving birth that you can find. If you’ve seen the documentary “The Business of Being Born,” this book carries some of the same sentiments, but it is much more accepting of all kinds of births.

The main message in this book is that women should be as informed as possible before going into labor and the book does an excellent job of doing that. Included are valuable sections with questions to ask your caregiver and the institution at which you plan to give birth. The authors also provide a couple birth plan frameworks in the appendix that are well done.

The book is laid out in a very organized and chronological fashion, guiding you from pregnancy to labor, birth and then postpartum. Interlaced within the multitude of statistics, possibilities and advice lie powerful birth stories; a few that are discouraging (used to make a point), but the majority are encouraging and inspiring. The book is also written in such a colloquial way, that even the lightest of readers will be able to take a lot away from it, enjoying it all the way. Granted, the book definitely heralds the all-natural birth a bit, but essentially it strips birth down to its most basic components so that you can see what is normal. The authors give the reader easy, factual lists of acceptable reasons for c-sections and inductions and share the benefits and dangers of labor pain relief in all its available forms. They highlight the importance of knowing your hospital’s and doctor’s policies and provide examples of things you should avoid, depending on the type of birth you want. Some other helpful pieces include using birth to heal from sexual abuse, warning signs when hiring a birth professional, and information on vaginal birth after cesarean. Every pregnant woman (and their willing partner) should read this book; it truly covers everything you need to know about giving birth today. Pick up a copy here.