Birthing from Within: A Childbirth Preparation Book Recommendation Plus a Giveaway!

One of the first tasks that I recently completed in preparation for a natural VBAC was to read the book Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. I have to admit that although I have heard many glowing recommendations for this book, I wasn't sure if it was the right kind of book for me. This is because it talks a lot about making birth art, and I am not an art person. I have a great appreciation for it and those who create art, but I have never enjoyed crafts, drawing, painting, or even coloring, so I was in for a big surprise when I found myself completely embracing this book - birth art included!
Birthing from Within is extremely empowering! Regardless of your birth plans and hopes, this book offers you a non-intimidating way to explore your feelings about childbirth. In addition to making birth art, it offers opportunities to journal, read poetry, examine birth customs from other times and places, think about family birth traditions, create rituals, and consider new perspectives.
England and Horowitz provide excellent advice on pain coping techniques, and they spend time simply exploring assumptions about pain. In addition, they offer an extensive amount of material for fathers and partners. There is entire section of the book devoted to information for partners, and there are also opportunities for role playing, as well as information on a subject that many childbirth preparation guides seem to ignore - babyproofing your marriage.
I love the underlying message of Birthing from Within: We're not here to tell you how to give birth; we're just helping you examine your deepest thoughts and feelings about childbirth and how they may help or hinder your childbirth preparation process. Even though I used Hypnobabies to prepare for Baby's birth and have read extensively about natural birth, this is the first time I was able to identify my real fears and what would actually be most helpful to ME. Birthing from Within facilitates self-expression, and this seems to magically enable a new sense of confidence and self-awareness - two things that I think are invaluable to any woman preparing for childbirth, regardless of the kind of birth experience the woman is looking for.
I wrote to the lovely people at Birthing from Within to let them know how much of an impact this book as had on me, and they were kind enough to send me a couple of exciting gifts - and the best part is that there is a gift set for me and a gift set for one lucky reader located in the U.S. or Canada!
Please enter below for a chance to win a copy of Pam England's new book, Labyrinth of Birth - a book for new parents looking to "explore ceremony and personal growth during the childbearing year" - as well as a copy of Pam's CD: Pain-Coping Practices for Parents.