I liked _Active Birth_ by Janet Balaskas. It's natural childbirth oriented, so your miles may vary. (I have a huge aversion to needles, which I was mostly able to accomodate.)
I remember that Balaskas described things well enough that I could recognize them at the time (things like transition, aka, the realization that you cannot possibly do this). I don't remember it as an anti-epidural creed, but since my mind was made up already I tended to ignore advice either way on that. I reread it before my sister's labor, and it again helped in recognizing what was going on so that we arrived at the hospital on time. I think a big thing I got out of it was that all labors are different as they go through the same basic stages, which I knew but this book made that seem concrete, maybe with examples. (My kids are 9 and 7, so my memory is a bit vague.) I think it has some pre-birth yoga exercises in the back as well. I gave my copy to someone I liked who was pregnant.
Good luck! (or does that count as unsolicited advice? if so, sorry)
no subject
I remember that Balaskas described things well enough that I could recognize them at the time (things like transition, aka, the realization that you cannot possibly do this). I don't remember it as an anti-epidural creed, but since my mind was made up already I tended to ignore advice either way on that. I reread it before my sister's labor, and it again helped in recognizing what was going on so that we arrived at the hospital on time. I think a big thing I got out of it was that all labors are different as they go through the same basic stages, which I knew but this book made that seem concrete, maybe with examples. (My kids are 9 and 7, so my memory is a bit vague.) I think it has some pre-birth yoga exercises in the back as well. I gave my copy to someone I liked who was pregnant.
Good luck! (or does that count as unsolicited advice? if so, sorry)