Birth Doula Books

BWI BIRTH Doula Reading List  

Doula Studies & History of Birth

Birth – The Surprising History of How We Are Born - Tina Cassidy
Birth as an American Rite of Passage - Robbie Davis-Floyd
Birth Matters – Ina May Gaskin
The Doula Advantage - Rachel Gurevich
The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth  - Klaus, Klaus, Kennell
Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth - Marshall H. Klaus
Special Women - Paulina Perez

Labor Support Skills
Active Birth, Revised Edition - Janet Balaskas
The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other  Labor Companions  - Penny Simkin
Easing Labor Pain - Adrienne Lieberman
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth – Ina May Gaskin
The Labor Progress Handbook - Penny Simkin, Ruth Ancheta
The Nurturing Touch at Birth - Paulina Perez

Pregnancy & Birth
Active Birth, Revised Edition - Janet Balaskas
A Good Birth, a Safe Birth - Diana Korte & Roberta Scaer
An Easier Childbirth: A Mother's Guide for Birthing Normally – Peterson
Easing Labor Pain - Adrienne Lieberman
Gentle Birth Choices - Barbara Harper
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering – Sarah J. Buckley, MD
The Greatest Pregnancy Ever – Laurel Wilson, Tracy Wilson Peters
Immaculate Deception - Suzanne Arms  (Original or II)
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth – Ina May Gaskin
Mind over Labour - Carl Jones
The Mother of All Pregnancy Books:  An All Canadian Guide to Conception, Birth and Everything in Between - Douglas
Natural Hospital Birth:  The Best of Both Worlds – Gabriel
The New Pregnancy and Childbirth: Choices and Challenges - Kitzinger
Optimal Care in Childbirth – Henci Goer & Amy Romano
Optimal Care in Childbirth:  The Case for a Physiologic Approach – Goer & Romano
Pregnancy & Childbirth Secrets - Dahl
Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn: The Complete Guide - Simkin, Whalley, Kepler
Visualizations for an Easier Childbirth   Carl Jones
Your Best Birth – Ricki Lake 

Emotional / Spiritual Prep
Birthing from Within – Pam England
Hypnobirthing – Mongan
Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth - Jeannine Parvati Baker

Sacred Pregnancy:  a Loving Guide and Journal for Expecting Moms – Anni Daulter

Spiritual Midwifery -  Ina May Gaskin

Birth Partners
The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other  Labor Companions  - Penny Simkin
Fathers at Birth – Rose St. John
When Men are Pregnant - Shapiro

Breastfeeding
The Breastfeeding Cafe - Behrmann
Breastfeeding Made Simple: 7 Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers - Mohrbacher & Kendall-Tackett
Breastfeeding Solutions: Quick Tips for the Most Common Nursing Challenges - Nancy Mohrbacher
Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding – Ina May Gaskin
The Nursing Mother’s Companion - Huggins
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers - Dr. Jack Newman & Teresa Pitman
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - La Leche League International – West & Pitman

Caesarean / VBAC
Birthing Normally After a Cesarean or Two – Helene Vadeboncoeur
Cut, Stapled, & Mended – Rosewood
Immaculate Deception - Suzanne Arms
Silent Knife - Nancy Cohen
The VBAC Companion - Diana Korte 

Special Situations:
Survivor Moms – Mickey Sperlich & Julia Seng
When Hello Means Goodbye - Kirk & Schweibert
When Survivors Give Birth – Penny Simkin

Postpartum Challenges
The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood – Kendall-Tackett
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety – Pacific Post Partum Support Society
The Smiling Mask: Truths About Postpartum Depression and Parenthood -  O’Reilly, Paterson, Bird, Collins
Depression in New Mothers: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Alternatives (2005) - Kendall-Tackett
The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for living with Postpartum Depression Paperback (2001) - Kleiman
This isn’t What I Expected:  Overcoming Postpartum Depression (2^nd Ed, 2013) – Kleiman & Rasking