As a mom who had back-to-back babies not that long ago, I was immediate intrigued by the synopsis of Birth by Rebecca Grant and wanted to learn more about these 3 women's birth journeys.

I learned a lot about midwifery and out of hospital births, especially since both of mine were physician and hospital based. There was a lot of great historical information about the history of midwifery and how the current structure in the U.S. came to be. I will note that at times, it seemed like some of the info was unnecessary but was overall beneficial.

I think this book would be great for anyone looking to learn more about midwifery and/or to read about actual experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum months.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the gifted copy!

This was a really fascinating read! Very readable and very informative, and I loved the way Rebecca Grant weaved together individual stories with elements of history, medicine, and sociology. I learned a lot! The focus on midwifery and birth center births was also really interesting. That focus made the stories feel cohesive, but at times I did find myself wishing there was more about why someone might choose a hospital birth too, and wishing there was a greater diversity of experiences represented.

The author includes an introductory statement about gender inclusivity, and she does comment on the increased obstacles that queer families face in pursuing good reproductive healthcare. I do still wish there was more inclusivity of queer families throughout the entire book, though, and of pregnant people who do not identify as women—it felt more like a last-minute add-in than a sustained effort. However, the introductory statement still makes this book more inclusive than a lot of books on the subject of birth, and I did appreciate it.

Overall, Birth is a compelling, well-researched, and accessible introduction to the world of birth centers and midwives, as well as to the more general experience of giving birth in the United States, and the stories at the heart of the book are well-told and a pleasure to read. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this world, and especially anyone considering going to a birth center or midwife themself.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is exactly what it says it is--the story of three women, their pregnancies, and the birth stories. It will be of interest primarily to those who are pregnant, have given birth, or want to know more about midwifery. It's well written and a lot of information about birth in America and different issues is given.
I was surprised at the complications that incurred in two of the births. But... that's life. Happy endings all around, but getting there was not easy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It adds a lot to what is currently available about childbirth.

I enjoyed this book. I found some of the discussion around c-section a little biased but in general I thought it was really well written with a good mix of empathy and objectiveness. It broke down how the US health system worked in a compelling way.

A fascinating intimate look at each of the featured woman’s pregnancy and delivery choices.This was fact filled informative a really well written study.#netgalley #avidpress

I loved this book. I loved the history and the sociological aspects. It is clearly well researched and you understand every woman's reason for her choice.
It was a hard read for me though, as midwives we 're my only "issue" during my complicated twin pregnancy. Pushing for "natural" or even vaginal births to a woman who knows her baby isn't likely to survive that scenario is just as dangerous as "hospital interventions." in fact, more than one midwife challenged me to take the risk. My baby B had a serious heart defect, we had fetal surgery, and her umbilical cord was not attached at all to the placenta. It was a "clusterfuck" in there and she wasn't getting out alive with about 12 people in the delivery room and another 20 waiting outside.
If my water had broken before I was in the OR she would not have made it.
This book, as lovely and well researched as it was, in some ways sets a dangerous precedent. The best things any of us can do is make sure we are medically literate and aware of the risks of every type of birth situation.
Of course, a woman with my type of pregnancy had no business with midwives in the first place.
Anyway, Yes this was a great book that a lot of women would benefit from reading.
There is a lot of information about birth trauma here and I think for many of us it is traumatizing no matter who is there and what happens. Birth is traumatic.

Thank you for the ARC and thank you to the author for writing this.

As a person who also utilized the services of a midwife for the births of my children, the stories in this book were both familiar and yet informative. I was quite naive about the details of pregnancy and birth, and learned much on my own, some of it, perhaps, was less than accurate. The midwives in this book sound like the best kind to have- supportive, knowledgeable, and kind- the sort that all mothers should have, no matter how they give birth. I genuinely felt connected to the moms in this book, and felt like in some ways it made me nostalgic for my own birth experiences. I also nodded in agreement at the end of the book when the postpartum recoveries and efforts to regain some semblance of "normal" again didn't come as swiftly or easily as most new parents hope. At some points, I felt the book was bogged down with too many minor details, but for the most part it was on par with what I expected a book about giving birth in America to be.

What an interesting book. Perfect for soon to be mothers or anyone.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.