Anyone who knows me knows one thing: I read a LOT of books. As a result, this page is probably going to be pretty long by the end.
You can check out the full list of Books That I Like or the list of Books That I Don't.
If you only want to read a couple books, check out the Short List for Expecting Moms, the Short List for Expecting Dads and the Short List for Parents for (surprisingly) short lists of books that I think everyone should read.
If you're a doula checking out my page, check out my Short List for Doulas!
If you're more of a visual person, you can check out my List of Videos. Only ones I liked are listed though.
I haven't really sorted out any kind of formal rating for books yet, however, stars 
indicate books and videos I feel are especially good.
I now have a list of links to local B.C. Libraries! It was pointed out to me that many libraries have their catalogues online these days. Check it out!
If there's a book (or video) (or library!) you think should be listed here, or if you want to dispute my judgment on a book (good or bad), why not leave a message in my guestbook, or email me at kwoodbridge@uniserve.com.
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
| Joani Blank & Marcia Quackenbush | The playbook for kids about sex | If I had had this book when I was 9 instead of a public health pamphlet explaining how chickens procreated, my life would have been a lot different. |
| Anne Briggs | Circumcision What Every Parent Should Know |
A very readable book about the realities of what circumcision is and does. A must-read for parents considering circumcising a son. |
| Ingrid Bauer |
Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene |
Getting caught up in the cloth/disposables debate? Check out the completely different third option of Elimination Communication (EC) in which infants can be essentially diaper free from birth. This is NOT early toilet training, but rather parent's recognition of infant's elimination cues. Check out the website as well. |
Nancy Wainer Cohen |
Silent Knife: Cesarian Prevention & Vaginal Birth After Cesarian |
You've never had a cesarian you say? Do you want that to continue? Read this book! |
Open Season: A Survival Guide for Natural Childbirth and VBAC in the 90s |
Likewise this book! |
| Ann Douglas | The Mother of All Pregnancy Books |
It's Canadian! This is an okay book, but it didn't make my short lists. It's got a fair bit of information on fertility and conceiving that you won't find in most pregnancy books, and the Canadian info and perspective is nice to have. |
Henci Goer |
Obstetric Myths vs. Research Realities |
A great book for getting the actual facts about obstetric research (your doctor may not know this stuff either). Check out her website! |
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Birth |
Excellent book! Good information and actual references for helping to disprove a lot of the common modern myths regarding childbirth. |
|
Deborah Jackson |
Three in a Bed |
I just finished reading this book and I loved it! Almost more of an anthropological study of human sleeping behaviour than an ordinary parenting book... but very readable. Many thoughts on the whys and wherefores of cosleeping and our attitudes for and against. It has a great chapter near the end with short answers to all the common questions about cosleeping, which could be a great reference in case of nosy relatives, neighbours and complete strangers on the street. |
| Marshall Klaus & Phyllis Klaus | Your Amazing Newborn |
Great book and pictures about interacting with newborn babies and understanding their cues. Also check out the companion video. (aside - July 28, 2003) I actually met Phyllis and Marshall Klaus at the recent Doula Education Day at Douglas College. I really enjoyed speaking to them. It's obvious that they care about what they do. It's also obvious that Marshall is not as young as he once was. Which is kind of sad. |
La Leche League |
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding |
A very good book for moms. Lots of great advice to do with common problems and questions. Very readable. |
The Breastfeeding Answer Book |
A good reference for support persons. A bit expensive for parents though, get "The Womanly Art" instead. |
|
Robert Mendelsohn |
How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor |
A great book written by a pediatrician. Gave me a much clearer understanding of illness and how our bodies naturally combat it. |
Confessions of a Medical Heretic |
His first book, and highly recommended. As you might guess, I'm a bit of a rebel (only a bit?) and so his feelings on not letting the medical establishment rule the roost really resonate for me. |
|
Male Practice: How Doctors Manipulate Women |
Actually, I haven't read this one, as I can't find it at the local library. But I have heard good things about it, and his other books are great. |
|
Anne Semans & Cathy Winks |
The Mother's Guide to Sex: Enjoying your sexuality through all the stages of motherhood |
I'm not pregnant or a mother and I got a lot out of this book! A sensitive topic treated very well. |
Penny Simkin |
The Birth Partner |
I was actually a little bit disappointed with some aspects of this book, but it's still one of the better book for dads and doulas. |
Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley & Ann Keppler |
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn |
The book I hope replaces "What to Expect" as THE book for expecting parents. Lots of helpful labour coping suggestions. |
not sure, sorry! |
A Good Birth, A Safe Birth |
Doctors, and even midwives, may sometimes be prone to using the "you want what's best for your baby" guilt trip to make you conform. This book is good for helping to balance that. |
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
Eisenberg, Murkoff & Hathaway |
What to Expect When You're Expecting |
Are you surprised to see this book here? It's a very popular one. It just doesn't help women to see pregnancy or birth as natural events in their lives, and it doesn't empower them to gain knowledge or have opinions of their own. |
Gary Ezzo & Robert Buckham |
On Becoming Baby Wise |
Wow, this stuff is dangerous and just plain wrong. Check out this article for a more eloquent explanation. |
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
Henci Goer |
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Birth |
Excellent book! Good information and actual references for helping to disprove a lot of the common modern myths regarding childbirth. |
Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley & Ann Keppler |
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn |
Lots of Labour Comfort Measures, very readable explanations of what's going on in labour and birth. |
Anne Semans & Cathy Winks |
The Mother's Guide to Sex: Enjoying your sexuality through all the stages of motherhood |
A very down-to-earth book about a sensitive topic. |
La Leche League |
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding |
A good all-round book that should answer a lot of your basic breastfeeding qustions. |
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
Penny Simkin, Janet Whalley & Ann Keppler |
Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn |
Lots of Labour Comfort Measures, very readable explanations of what's going on in labour and birth. |
Penny Simkin |
The Birth Partner |
Good information on how to support a woman in labour. |
| Marshall Klaus & Phyllis Klaus | Your Amazing Newborn | Great book and pictures about interacting with newborn babies and understanding their cues. Also check out the video! |
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
Robert Mendelsohn |
How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor |
A great book written by a pediatrician. Gave me a much clearer understanding of illness and how our bodies naturally combat it. |
|
Three in a Bed |
I just finished reading this book and I loved it! Many thoughts on the whys and wherefores of cosleeping and our attitudes for and against. It has a great chapter near the end with short answers to all the common questions about cosleeping, which could be a great reference in case of nosy relatives, neighbours and complete strangers on the street. |
| Joani Blank & Marcia Quackenbush | The playbook for kids about sex | A great book for kids in an open family about personal sexualness and sexuality. |
| Anne Briggs | Circumcision What Every Parent Should Know |
A very readable book about the realities of what circumcision is and does. A must-read for parents considering circumcising a son. |
| Authors | Book Titles | My Comments |
Nancy Wainer Cohen |
Silent Knife: Cesarian Prevention & Vaginal Birth After Cesarian |
These books are an absolute must-read for anyone working with birthing women. |
Open Season: A Survival Guide for Natural Childbirth and VBAC in the 90s |
La Leche League |
The Breastfeeding Answer Book |
A good reference book on breastfeeding for support persons. A bit expensive, but worth every penny. |
| Video Titles | My Comments |
| An Unremarkable Birth (Canadian Film Board, 1978) |
This one has a kind of special meaning for me... it was produced the year I was born! My mom had a better hospital experience than these women. Although it's a bit outdated in some ways, I love the attitude of this film. |
| The Amazing Talents of the Newborn (Klaus) |
An absolutely wonderful video showing newborn behavior. A companion video to the Amazing Newborn book. |
| Lower Mainland Libraries Burnaby Public Library New Westminster Public Library Surrey Public Library Fraser Valley Regional Library Richmond Public Library Coquitlam Public Library North Vancouver District Public Library West Vancouver Memorial Library Squamish Public Library Whistler Library |
Northern B.C. Libraries Fort Nelson Public Library Dawson Creek Municipal Public Library Prince George Public Library Prince Rupert Virtual Library Mackenzie Public Library |
| B.C. Interior Libraries Okanagan Regional Library Nelson Public Library Cranbrook Public Library |
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| Vancouver Island Libraries Greater Victoria Public Library |
Yukon Libraries Whitehorse Library |