Birth's Best Practices

After my first post, I tried to imagine being in the shoes of a beginner to this birth world.  This is fairly easy considering this was exactly ME prior to having my son.  I knew nothing.  I didn't even know that there was something to know!

Where ever you find yourself, the following links will be a good quick resource to look up as a starting point.  Some things you will recognize as recent changes have been made in area hospitals! (Yea!!!)  Some things you may still have not known was a possibility (and a very real necessity in order to achieve the birth you aspire).

Lamaze International's Best Practices in Maternity Care

Link Here
The 6 linked above are listed individually with an explanation for each. 

CIMS - Coalition for Improving Maternity Services

Link to The Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative and The Ten Steps of Mother-Friendly Care
You can also go to their "free documents and downloads" tab on the left and read this and more in a brochure format.

Childbirth Connection

Link to their Evidence-Based Maternity Care Resource Directory

The books that are recommended are listed permanently on the right side bar.
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer is a great book for a first start.  I have it in my lending library ready to read!

 And in my own short words....what does one need to achieve her best birth?
---education,  support, labor beginning on its own, movement & positions, avoiding unnecessary interventions, giving birth in the position of your choice (avoiding the back), following your urge to push rather than directed pushing,  and after birth...no separation of mother & baby.