Book review of 'Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering' by Dr. Sarah Buckley

"Birth may be an instinct just like sex but we can learn to give birth just as we can learn to be good lovers."

Written by Aurora Goff

While reading Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr. Sarah Buckley while going through my third trimester of pregnancy, I found many things in her book that I could resonate with and relate to. 

In her section “Helping our Instincts”, she says “birth may be an instinct just like sex but we can learn to give birth just as we can learn to be good lovers.” I felt I could resonate with this, especially with this being my first child. I have definitely inquired with my own mother to learn about her five births to inform me for when mine comes.

In the section “Instinct and Energy” she talks about how “the energy that gets the baby in can help get the baby out.” Even though my son was unexpected, I have continuously envisioned the energy for my son's birth being calm and tranquil and have written, spoken and meditated on this so that I can achieve this energy. 

I especially liked when she talked about how our cravings and desires and even dreams can be the baby telling us what he/she may need. And how the baby even communicates with us through the placenta. I have also felt this to be true. 

Buckley touches a lot on the medical side of birth (all of the tests and procedures the doctors do) and how this can extremely negatively have long term effects on the baby and the mother. I learned that even routine things like an ultrasound or even just a Doppler can affect a baby’s little developing organs and brain functions! The test they do on the mother (always saying that they are needed or even that she must have them) can cause the mother a tremendous amount of unnecessary stress leading to bad outcomes for mother and baby. 

I myself have had a very non-medical pregnancy, only having one ultrasound (though my midwife has used a Doppler several times) and no screenings. I did not know this information about the effects of the ultrasound and Doppler on the baby until reading her book. I don't think I would get another one with my future babies.

Luckily, I did know many of the things that Buckley talks about in her book about hospitalized births and the traumatic things they do to the mothers and babies in hospitals. Buckley herself is a doctor and so she witnessed first hand the things that would be done, like unnecessary drugs and c-sections. I shall be having a home birth because I don't want that kind of medicalized birth for my baby.

This book is a great read and is an amazing eye opener to the medical system for mommas. I 100% recommended it for any pregnant woman.