Love the list! Can I suggest two others? Henci Goer's "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" and "Obstetrical Myths vs. Research Realities." These are especially great if you are a person who wants the research and hard facts to contradict the mainstream managed birth.
Uxor | Homepage | 03.11.06 - 9:09 am | #

Good luck Aisling! I loved the two homebirths I successfully had and sort of mourn the fact that this one won't be at home. Even my stillbirth at home (we knew the baby was done several days before the actual delivery) was much better at home. I'll keep your successful delivery in my prayers!
Elena | Homepage | 04.28.05 - 8:05 am | #

oooh i've read several of those books. I just got Ina May's Guide To Childbirth. Yay. I think that is a good idea, my boys know we're having our baby here at home & childbirth is a safe non-medical thing. I was present at my brothers birth when I was 10 and it was so so cool. I decided then i wanted to be a midwife, but i've since reconsidered that & have just given birth a lot. hehe (pg w/ #4)
aisling | 04.27.05 - 11:32 pm | #

Right now if I want to freak the kids out, I just have to lift my shirt and show off my very pregnant and at times wiggly pregnant belly!! They get a kick out of that.

But I rather agree with Katie's approach and I've been doing that all along with my kids. They need to know that life stuff just like they need to know about banking, cooking, auto repair, cemetery options - it's all just part of life's big continuum and as their parent I want them to hear it here first.
Elena | Homepage | 04.27.05 - 10:42 pm | #

My sons have never been in a sex ed class -- I opted them out in the public school, and the high schooler is in a Catholic school that leaves these topics to parents.
General information on fertility and childbirth is fine, but IMO specifics regarding same (nitty gritty mucus readings, epidurals, fetal monitoring, etc.) are not necessary for teenagers. In fact, one of my objections to the "family life education" program in the public school 5th grade was that there was WAY too much specific information provided on menstruation and breast development -- e.g., how wearing two tampons can help prevent leaks, how to shop for a bra, ect. -- that, however, important and interesting for the girls, was completely unnecessary and quite embarassing for the boys in the class. My son was the only boy opted out on the first day of this class, but the next day two of his male classmates joined him, having evidently heard enough about flows and leakage to last them for a LONG time...
Marie | 04.27.05 - 8:45 pm | #

I totally agree Katie!
Elena | Homepage | 04.27.05 - 7:40 pm | #

Of course Elena, much of whether or not your teen is ready for this stuff depends on the family they are growing up in. My parents taught NFP, and some things we just all knew from being around them and listening to their conversations. When my (Catholic) school introduced sex ed in Gr.5, my mother took me step by step through A Child is Born. I remember being very impressed by the childbirth photos at the conclusion of that book. That, and other resource books, were all on bookshelves - within our reach - in the livingroom.

I think that if we talk about child birth and fertility as natural and wholesome things, and evince no discomfort or fear on the topics ourselves, then our children will be ready to start taking in more information themselves as they become more interested in their own bodies and sexual well-being.
Kate | Homepage | 04.27.05 - 7:13 pm | #

Oh, if they can sit through a sex ed class they can probably handle The Art of Natural Family Planning (which would actually mesh nicely with a high school biology class on the human reproductive system.) Same with Hearts and Hands, VBAC Companion. Mind over Labor has a lot of correlation with sports and music. Spiritual Midwifery, Open Season and Silent Knife I think I would assign specific sections and anecdotal stories. Breastfeeding I definitely want them to know something about!

BTW Anonymous, please give a screen name and e-mail OK!
Elena | Homepage | 04.27.05 - 4:43 pm | #

I don't know about the boys thing. My oldest is in high school, and he is nowhere near ready to consider this stuff. Way too much information, way too soon.

I don't have girls, but I'm not sure that I would have high school girls read these books either.
Anonymous | 04.27.05 - 3:20 pm | #