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Birth Without Fear: The Judgment-Free Guide to Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Kindle Edition

by January Harshe (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 618 ratings
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An inclusive, non-judgmental, and empowering guide to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum life that puts mothersfirst, offering straightforward guidance on all the options and issues that matter most to them (and their partners) when preparing for a baby.

In Birth Without Fear, January Harshe--founder of the global online community Birth Without Fear--delivers an honest, positive, and passionate message of empowerment surrounding everything that involves having a baby. It's a guide that fills in the considerable cracks in the information available to women and families when they're preparing to welcome a child--covering care provider choices, medical freedom, birth options, breastfeeding, intimacy, postpartum depression, and much more.

Birth Without Fear shows moms, dads, partners, and families how to choose the best provider for them, how to trust in themselves and the birth process, and how to seek the necessary help after the baby has arrived. In addition, it will educate them about their rights--and how to use their voice to exercise them--as well as how to cope with the messy postpartum feelings many people aren't willing to talk about. Unlike other pregnancy books, Birth Without Fear will also help partners understand what mothers are going through, as well as discuss the challenges that they, too, will face--and how they can navigate them.

Shattering long-held myths and beliefs surrounding pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum experience, Birth Without Fear is an accessible, reassuring, and ultimately inspiring guide to taking charge of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.
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  1. Print length
    259 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Hachette Books
  5. Publication date
    March 5, 2019
  6. File size
    801 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"With endless warmth and encouragement--and not a single ounce of judgment--January Harshe shares a wealth of wisdom and resources to help you discover what the best pregnancy and birth experience is for you. Birth Without Fear is a must-have book for anyone who is preparing to welcome a baby into the world."―Dawn Dais, author of TheSh!t No One Tells You About Pregnancy

"The first book on pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender postpartum period that will leave you feeling truly supported, understood, and informed. January bravely calls out in a straightforward, funny, and thought-provoking way where we have gone wrong with prenatal and postnatal care, and how women can reclaim their experience and find empowerment on their journey to motherhood."―Bryn Huntpalmer,M.Ed., founder of "The Birth Hour" podcast

"Birth Without Fear is an inspiring, non-judgmental guide to taking charge of your birth and postpartum experience, as well as a no-nonsense, mother-centered approach to empowerment. A must read!"―Dr. Vivian Keeler, D.C., CD, HBCE, CH, VicePresident of HypnoBirthing International

"Practical, positive, and empowering."―Booklist

About the Author

The mother of six children, January Harshe knows firsthand how widely birth experiences can range. In 2010 January founded the Birth Without Fear Facebook page and Birth Without Fear Blog in order to spread her message of empowerment, to give women their voices back in the face of a powerful medical industrial complex and widespread cultural ignorance about birth. Soon, Birth Without Fear became so much more than a website--January had sparked a movement. Her community had grown so big that January expanded her platform so she could speak directly to areas of specific need. She created Take Back Postpartum, Don't Forget Dads, and Breastfeed Without Fear under the Birth Without Fear tent, all of which today collectively represent a social media following of over 1 million and counting.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07F67JV4K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Books (March 5, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 5, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 801 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 259 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 618 ratings

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January Harshe

January Harshe

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
618 global ratings
Better than all the other pregnancy books out there
5 Stars
Better than all the other pregnancy books out there
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the author and gobbled up this book in two days. As a doula who has supported hundreds of families, this has now become my number one recommendation for those starting on this journey. A true and honest look at pregnancyand birtg, with tons of education and resources.
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Top reviews from the United States

robyn marie koch
5.0 out of 5 stars A great guide to a mother-centered experience
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book provides a detailed description of how you can choose to take charge of your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods. It provides examples of mainly the authors journeys but also a few other women as well. The author is thorough, has a bit of humor and is very blunt in some areas but also provides this culture of love an acceptance for any mother and her partner to meet them where they are and provide support to help them achieve their best pregnancy, birth, and/or postpartum period. The author has 6 children and has had a variety of birth experiences, some in her control and others not. She explains the benefits of making birth plans and back-up birth plans. I loved the way the book was written; you can read it in order or skip to the chapter you feel is most relevant to your situation. She provides space and understanding for everyone and really promotes self-care. Her goal is for everyone to achieve birth/pregnancy/and postpartum without fear. She explains that it doesn’t mean you have no fear but that you have the courage to acknowledge your fears, so they no longer have power over you. I found this book extremely helpful in supporting a mother-centered birth and promoting practices we have learned within the ICEA. I highly encourage this read.

As she writes in her book: “If you are thinking about getting pregnant or you are pregnant, this book is for you. If you are a new mother, this book is for you. If you are a husband or a partner, this book id for you. If you are a birth care provider, this book is for you. Simply put, if you are a human being, this book id for you.”
6 people found this helpful
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Hannah
5.0 out of 5 stars Options, support, respect... for real.
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
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This is my favorite book on childbirth/mothering, and I've read many of them. This book doesn't tell you which way to birth and parent is best, it isn't selling you a method to labor in, it is not written by somebody who thinks she is right and everybody else is wrong. This book is INCLUSIVE. January Harshe's fantastic "you do you boo" attitude is in every single sentence. It's all about deciding for yourself what YOU want, and how to make sure you get the options, support, and respect you deserve. This book gets very real about the difficulties of birthing babies and being a parent. It doesn't skim over how hard and vulnerable the postpartum period is. Even better- it reminds parents that your "postpartum period" is NOT determined by some outside source. It's determined by you. This book reminds parents to take the lead and to do it in a positive way during their time of having children. No scare tactics, no gimmicks. This book is like having a supportive best friend at your side. It is uplifting to read, in a way that many books on these subjects are not. It is 100% positivity and support for you and how you choose to have and parent your children. There's not enough unbiased, genuine support out there for so many parents, especially not in media/text... but this book is changing the game. It's a must read for not just for anybody who is thinking about having children, but for anybody who wants to live out their best life as an advocate for themselves. This is everything I wish I had been told before I became a mother, it's everything new parents should hear.
49 people found this helpful
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Allison Lynch
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is like inviting January in your living room for a pep talk
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2019
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I just got the Birth Without Fear book in the mail and if you are pregnant or plan to be this is definitely a must have. It might be my 36 week pregnancy hormones but this is literally the first book in my life that has brought me to tears. Happy tears. Hopeful tears. Healing tears. This book has been transformational for me. I have been an avid follower of Birth Without Fear for years and I thought I knew what was going to be in the book, but boy was I wrong. This book contains such important messages for all types of birth, and trust me, you need to read them all. This book is so inspiring and it feels like January is sitting in my living room giving me the best pep talk ever. The power to have the birth experience that I want is within me and this book gives actual tools and examples of how to make that happen. We can't plan for birth, but we can try our best to plan for so many outcomes that however our babies choose to be born, we feel empowered in that experience. Buy the book, you won't regret it.
20 people found this helpful
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Katie J
4.0 out of 5 stars Good inspiring message but not what I expected
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2022
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It reads more like a really good and heartfelt pep talk from a best friend. While what is said is important and reassuring, it’s not what I was expecting. I was expecting more direct tactics and ways to empower your birth. I liked the example birth plans a lot.
8 people found this helpful
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Amy
5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Read for All Parents/Parents to Be
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
I wish I'd found this book early in my pregnancy with my now 10 week old daughter, but I still gleaned so much knowledge and affirmation from it. She covers the first trimester through postpartum with so much knowledge, firsthand experience, support, and validation. It is not a "What to Expect When You're Expecting" type of book that says, "Your baby is the size of a grape this week," but a book about remembering and empowering ourselves as the expecting parent and remember this is OUR pregnancy and OUR births and OUR bodies and we have every right to speak up for ourselves. It is a warrior call to birthing parents and our partners. I love that January's husband adds his perspective as the non-birthing partner/parent. This book is invaluable for the journey from pregnancy to postpartum.
One person found this helpful
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beantime27
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for partners too
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2019
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I got this for an expecting friend whose partner read it before they did. They said, "I will say of all the things I've been trying to do to prepare him for the birth, I think this has been the most helpful. Last night he said, "Hey as we go into the home stretch of this are there things I can do that would be really helpful?" And then he gave me a list of those things! Apparently he just wants to be a good partner!" She said it also prompted him to want to have a discussion with the doctor to double check the baby could stay in the room with them, etc. So as amazing as this book is for the person having the baby, it's also a great read for partners as well. It truly is a non-judgmental guide that doesn't care what type of birth you have, just that you know what your options are and are empowered to make the best choices for you.
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. T. Ogorman
2.0 out of 5 stars Not relevant outside US
Reviewed in Sweden on April 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book was written by an American woman who claims to have supported women all over the world, which I don’t doubt, but this book is basically entirely focussed on what it looks like to give birth in the US. Aside from this, don’t buy this book if you are looking for detailed practical tips. There are the odd practical tips in here sprinkled with a lot of “you can do it” and “you are in charge” and a lot of the book is focussed on “if someone says something and you dont like it then you can disagree” which is fine but how many women are truly confident enough to question a doctors decision when they are mid-labour especially when that doctor is an expert. Again, if you’re outside the US or looking for detailed birth advice more than “don’t forget to have a birth plan and don’t forget you decide where you give birth” i wouldn’t recommend this book. Also the partner advice was frankly bizarre including one weird chapter about being a guard dog for your wife?
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Mikki
5.0 out of 5 stars Healing- without fear
Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book is everything that I wish I had had during my first pregnancy. After being induced at 38 weeks 5 days and my birth ending with an episiotomy, I found myself feeling like my baby had been stolen from the safety of my womb. These interventions where all done under the umbrella of “better to be safe” and I thankful that she is, but I was left wondering if I had really been given all of my options. Fast forward a year, reading this book has honestly helped me heal, giving me space to feel hurt and disappointed as well as greatful. I feel like I now have the confidence to ask for what I need and to make sure that I am giving all of my options and I feel like it was alleviated my fears of having another negative birth experience, by reminding me that it is my body and I can trust it and ask for what I need.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest Book Ever
Reviewed in Germany on February 2, 2020
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Thank you for supporting women in making informed choices and thank you for your voice!
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Anabelle
4.0 out of 5 stars Motivational and informative
Reviewed in Italy on December 17, 2019
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Interesting book about pregnancy, delivery and post-partum from both partners perspectives. Recommended it!
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Mrs Holly Fulforth
5.0 out of 5 stars A book that is “on your side”. Empowering!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2019
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A brilliant compelling thoughtful book, written for all Mother’s; mothers in pregnancy, those about to give birth and ones post party, whether it be 1 day or 20 years after giving birth.

The books author has conveyed strong empowering messages with being aggressive and makes you, the reader, feel validated by all the normal and abnormal things to do with parenthood.

Love the partners point of views sections which are Witty and to the point. This is not a week by week account of what to expect in terms of child development but probably the most helpful book in helping a mother through the passage of parenthood.

5 stars January Harsche! Thank you for saying it all.
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