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Natural Childbirth After Cesarean, A Practical Guide

Karis Crawford, PhD and Johanne C. Walters, BSN, RN, with foreword by Charles Mahan, MD

Blackwell Science (1996) ISBN 0-86542-490-X

The title of this book first struck me as being misleading since the emphasis is more on 'normal' birth after caesarean with all the wide variations and sometimes technological approach that 'normal' can encompass.

However the further into the book I got the more I liked it. The style has a subtlety and simplicity that is likely to appeal to a great many caesarean mothers who would prefer a 'normal' birth next time.

This is not a book of facts and figures. It is a book about birth. Women who have experienced a difficult birth or who have had a caesarean need to be able to move on from the previous experience. The authors demonstrate a deep understanding of the needs of VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) mothers and give simple explanations and suggestions on how a woman's chances of having the birth experience she wants can be increased.

Although some of the suggestions relate solely to the American system, there is much in this book to interest the British mother. It is a practical guide which is thought provoking, helpful and positive.

Apart from the title, the only other niggle is the absence of references. Nevertheless this is a good book to add to branch libraries and those held by caesarean birth groups.

Reviewed by Gina Lowdon (1997)

First appeared in NCT New Generation March 1997

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