The second half of INA MAY'S GUIDE TO CHILDBIRTH is brilliant. First half is birth stories (which I find boring to read) but the second half is essays on pain, sexuality, and other topics---including some of the best descriptions of the birth process that I've ever read. It's written by a homebirth midwife, but would be completely appropriate for a mother desiring less intervention in the hospital too. If you can, stress the importance of a GOOD DOULA and that having less intervention during birth is not about earning a purple heart (grrrr....so annoyed when people infer this!) but that what happens in birth can impact her postpartum experience drastically, not to mention her breastfeeding experience which as we know has lifelong implications for both mother and baby (as if I need to tell YOU this LOL). Jessica Claire LLLL IBCLC Los Angeles *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome