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Birth {f*ck yeah} An Honest Guide to Natural, Epidural & Caesarean Choices
Previous cover edition for ASIN B018EB87OM
For a new cover edition go here
For all women with healthy pregnancies who want to arm themselves with knowledge and avoid unnecessary interventions.
Author and mother Sonia Killik, urges and empowers expectant mothers to take back control of their bodies and their births. In a medicated world dominated by caesareans, interventions and impersonality, this step-by-step guide navigates the world of childbirth procedures.
It provides an in-depth account of all the options available to expectant women - from midwives and doulas, home and hospital births, and all the drugs and interventions in between, leaving the reader fully-equipped, knowledgeable and ready to choose the method of their baby's birth.
By sharing her own personal experience of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, this book is an honest, empowering and highly readable guideline to childbirth.
- Learn about each birthing method available to you
- How your birthing choice effects your baby and yourself
- Pre and post birth guides and support
- Breastfeeding and formula choices
If you read only one book before birthing your child, this should be it.
For a new cover edition go here
For all women with healthy pregnancies who want to arm themselves with knowledge and avoid unnecessary interventions.
Author and mother Sonia Killik, urges and empowers expectant mothers to take back control of their bodies and their births. In a medicated world dominated by caesareans, interventions and impersonality, this step-by-step guide navigates the world of childbirth procedures.
It provides an in-depth account of all the options available to expectant women - from midwives and doulas, home and hospital births, and all the drugs and interventions in between, leaving the reader fully-equipped, knowledgeable and ready to choose the method of their baby's birth.
By sharing her own personal experience of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding, this book is an honest, empowering and highly readable guideline to childbirth.
- Learn about each birthing method available to you
- How your birthing choice effects your baby and yourself
- Pre and post birth guides and support
- Breastfeeding and formula choices
If you read only one book before birthing your child, this should be it.
311 pages, ebook
First published November 23, 2015
1 person is currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Sonia Killik
2Ìýbooks13ÌýfollowersSonia Killik is a metaphysical psychologist, life coach, and author who has helped thousands worldwide rediscover and redesign their lives. With a science backed approach to human healing, Sonia empowers individuals to live free from stress and shame. Known for her gentle and authentic teachings, she is passionate about offering simple, effective solutions to life’s most challenging healing goals. Her work provides a sense of support and connection, guiding readers and clients alike through life’s struggles and moments of transformation.
She is the author of Coach My Life: How To Shake The Past and Shape Your Future, and Birth: An Honest Guide To Natural, Epidural And Caesarean Choices. In addition she was the columnist for Me Magazine and was awarded the Outstanding Community Honour for promoting the human rights and empowerment of women, and was recognised by Marie Claire as one of the Female Green Warriors of the Year.
She is the extremely proud mother to a vivacious and fearless daughter, owns an enviously impressive bookshelf, is a clandestine poet, is easily seduced by adrenalin and has a sense of humour that will either have you blushing or laughing, but never bored.
She is the author of Coach My Life: How To Shake The Past and Shape Your Future, and Birth: An Honest Guide To Natural, Epidural And Caesarean Choices. In addition she was the columnist for Me Magazine and was awarded the Outstanding Community Honour for promoting the human rights and empowerment of women, and was recognised by Marie Claire as one of the Female Green Warriors of the Year.
She is the extremely proud mother to a vivacious and fearless daughter, owns an enviously impressive bookshelf, is a clandestine poet, is easily seduced by adrenalin and has a sense of humour that will either have you blushing or laughing, but never bored.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 24, 2018
While there were many things I did not agree with about the labor and delivery section of this book, there are many things I realized I had in common with the author in ways of parenthood. I got (and still get) grief about co-sleeping with my children. As a working mother, I am away from my children most of the day and feel that nighttime is our special bonding time. I would never give up co-sleeping and highly recommend it to all parents. I also strongly agree with Ms. Killik that co-sleeping gives me constant monitoring ability to insure my newborn does not stop breathing or chokes in his sleep. My husbands older brother passed by choking in his sleep, because of this, my husband almost obsesses over the possibility. I know he sleeps better at night knowing his child is right next to him breathing routinely.
Again, just because I may have not agreed with all of the authors beliefs or suggestions, I still feel this guide would be a great resource for any expectant mother to have. If anything, it does enlighten the reader and gives an understanding that THEY are in control of their birthing, not the doctors.
Again, just because I may have not agreed with all of the authors beliefs or suggestions, I still feel this guide would be a great resource for any expectant mother to have. If anything, it does enlighten the reader and gives an understanding that THEY are in control of their birthing, not the doctors.
July 10, 2016
During my last of three children, I opted for a natural birth so I was all about this book when I read the title and synopsis. Unfortunately, the book starts fine only to make a steep decline for the rest of the ride. I was absolutely astonished at the anger emanating from this book. I completely empathize because my first birth was awful and played out with some of the horrors described in this book. But that was NOT typical. I don't spout off about doctors as if they are evil villains. They're not. I have been on opposite sides of this experience and have a doctor that has cared for me and my family, and still does to this day. I know many people who do and they haven't had to look far.
The writing was absolutely impeccable. I cannot rave about that enough because a lot of the indies I have read look like an editor never touched it. The reader is warned beforehand that there will be anger and swearing, but I was truly not prepared for the amount of vitriol in this book. The author has every right to express her anger, I was angry about a lot of the information not given to me either. The only thing is, this book is not going to win anyone over. The anger is extreme and anything not deemed natural is treated subjectively, with examples leaning toward fear mongering. All in all, if the constant opinions were to be contained to a chapter or two, and the options were painted with a lot less bias, I wouldn't have been so put off.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
The writing was absolutely impeccable. I cannot rave about that enough because a lot of the indies I have read look like an editor never touched it. The reader is warned beforehand that there will be anger and swearing, but I was truly not prepared for the amount of vitriol in this book. The author has every right to express her anger, I was angry about a lot of the information not given to me either. The only thing is, this book is not going to win anyone over. The anger is extreme and anything not deemed natural is treated subjectively, with examples leaning toward fear mongering. All in all, if the constant opinions were to be contained to a chapter or two, and the options were painted with a lot less bias, I wouldn't have been so put off.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2018
Oh man, I hated this book. It's right up my alley- I don't actually disagree with like 90% of the content, and it's all the information I like and know well. I am very into books that talk about how medical practices have utterly fucked up what birth is and how it happens and we think of it.
But man, this book is not going to convince anyone. It's angry and aggressive and hard line, and rarely cites facts, even when the author's opinion is based in facts I know to be true. Some of it is horribly researched as well- the definitions of midwives are all weird, there's a claim that most of the birth rhetoric doesn't focus on the baby when the opposite is often true, there's a thing about how humans have such a long gestation period when it's pretty short. Just weird stuff thrown around like it's fact.
For the most part, I don't think what is in this book would HURT anyone to know or follow. Like I said, it's all what I believe about modern birth. But the attitude is fucked. The author literally cites a time she harassed a friend out of getting an elective cesarean as a proud moment. And a HUGELY NOTABLE EXCEPTION? The two paragraphs she spends casually telling people vaccines are dumb and not to get them.
If you want a book that is the true history of birth in the western world and how it's been corrupted, or even something to help convince someone that this is the case, I recommend Pushed or Birth: A History. Birth: Fuck Yeah is just a manifesto of a sanctimonious woman who read, like, one article online.
But man, this book is not going to convince anyone. It's angry and aggressive and hard line, and rarely cites facts, even when the author's opinion is based in facts I know to be true. Some of it is horribly researched as well- the definitions of midwives are all weird, there's a claim that most of the birth rhetoric doesn't focus on the baby when the opposite is often true, there's a thing about how humans have such a long gestation period when it's pretty short. Just weird stuff thrown around like it's fact.
For the most part, I don't think what is in this book would HURT anyone to know or follow. Like I said, it's all what I believe about modern birth. But the attitude is fucked. The author literally cites a time she harassed a friend out of getting an elective cesarean as a proud moment. And a HUGELY NOTABLE EXCEPTION? The two paragraphs she spends casually telling people vaccines are dumb and not to get them.
If you want a book that is the true history of birth in the western world and how it's been corrupted, or even something to help convince someone that this is the case, I recommend Pushed or Birth: A History. Birth: Fuck Yeah is just a manifesto of a sanctimonious woman who read, like, one article online.
March 19, 2023
This is a terrible book.
Along with the angry undertone, it has an incredible amount of misinformation and bias.
Along with the angry undertone, it has an incredible amount of misinformation and bias.
October 18, 2019
This is a very well-researched & well-written book, which shines a light on the disproportionately high rate of c-sections in South Africa compared to the rest of the world. I have already recommended it to several pregnant friends. Knowledge is power, & all that jazz.
That said, on a *personal* level, I do have to defend medicalised birth. My pregnancy was NOT a healthy one. I gained only 6.5kg, 1.78kg of which was my tiny preemie at birth. I suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which is basically severe morning sickness, for the entire 7 months my body was able to carry my baby. And honestly, if it wasn't for the discovery of Asic tablets, which helped keep the *worst* of the nausea at bay & *some* of my food down, I/he probably would’ve gained even less.
At 30 weeks I had a placental abruption & landed up having an emergency c-section, 2 months before my due date (I had an elective caesarean booked for 38.5 weeks � my choice, no-one talked me into it). Had it not been for the intervention of doctors & nurses taking control of the birth process, both my son & I would have died. I am eternally grateful to modern science & medicine, & the angels that were on duty that night. And for the record, I *did* experience the rush, the euphoria, the natural high of oxytocin on the operating table � even though I never went into labour, & even under the most terrifying of circumstances (the Ob/Gyn said we had a 20-minute window before he would've lost both mom & baby), all whilst hopped up on a cocktail of synthetic drugs & anaesthetics.
I also bonded immediately with my son, even though I had never planned on being a mother (I was 36 when I accidentally fell pregnant, just 2 months after coming off the Pill, which I had been taking continuously for more than 2 decades), even though the first time I was allowed to hold him was when he was 10 days old (he spent the first month of life in NICU), & even though I couldn't breastfeed (I could only provide the nurses with whatever colostrum & tiny amount of breastmilk I was able to express, until it eventually dried up � despite taking Eglonyl AND drinking jungle juice), as my small human had to be fed via a tube in his nose.
My son is now a beautiful, healthy 5.5-year-old &, without a doubt, the BEST thing that ever happened to me. What we went through 5 - 6 years ago was harrowing, but I do believe it gave me a unique perspective on life & love. I think we need to be careful about generalisations, & give credit to medicalised birth where credit is due. The fact that I am sitting here writing this review, with my son playing Minecraft in the background, is a small miracle, testimony to the skill & dedication of outstanding doctors & the marvels of modern medicine.
It must be noted that I have completely opposing views to the author’s anti-vaccination stance (page 180 � 181). Otherwise, overall, I believe this is a valuable addition to the global canon of literature on birthing options. Definitely a must read for first-time moms before deciding on a birth plan.
That said, on a *personal* level, I do have to defend medicalised birth. My pregnancy was NOT a healthy one. I gained only 6.5kg, 1.78kg of which was my tiny preemie at birth. I suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), which is basically severe morning sickness, for the entire 7 months my body was able to carry my baby. And honestly, if it wasn't for the discovery of Asic tablets, which helped keep the *worst* of the nausea at bay & *some* of my food down, I/he probably would’ve gained even less.
At 30 weeks I had a placental abruption & landed up having an emergency c-section, 2 months before my due date (I had an elective caesarean booked for 38.5 weeks � my choice, no-one talked me into it). Had it not been for the intervention of doctors & nurses taking control of the birth process, both my son & I would have died. I am eternally grateful to modern science & medicine, & the angels that were on duty that night. And for the record, I *did* experience the rush, the euphoria, the natural high of oxytocin on the operating table � even though I never went into labour, & even under the most terrifying of circumstances (the Ob/Gyn said we had a 20-minute window before he would've lost both mom & baby), all whilst hopped up on a cocktail of synthetic drugs & anaesthetics.
I also bonded immediately with my son, even though I had never planned on being a mother (I was 36 when I accidentally fell pregnant, just 2 months after coming off the Pill, which I had been taking continuously for more than 2 decades), even though the first time I was allowed to hold him was when he was 10 days old (he spent the first month of life in NICU), & even though I couldn't breastfeed (I could only provide the nurses with whatever colostrum & tiny amount of breastmilk I was able to express, until it eventually dried up � despite taking Eglonyl AND drinking jungle juice), as my small human had to be fed via a tube in his nose.
My son is now a beautiful, healthy 5.5-year-old &, without a doubt, the BEST thing that ever happened to me. What we went through 5 - 6 years ago was harrowing, but I do believe it gave me a unique perspective on life & love. I think we need to be careful about generalisations, & give credit to medicalised birth where credit is due. The fact that I am sitting here writing this review, with my son playing Minecraft in the background, is a small miracle, testimony to the skill & dedication of outstanding doctors & the marvels of modern medicine.
It must be noted that I have completely opposing views to the author’s anti-vaccination stance (page 180 � 181). Otherwise, overall, I believe this is a valuable addition to the global canon of literature on birthing options. Definitely a must read for first-time moms before deciding on a birth plan.
February 15, 2016
Refreshing and informative / I'm 6 months pregnant and was scared of how my birth would go. I'm not scared anymore. I really recommend all pregnant women (and dad's) read this book.
February 15, 2016
This is a great book for childbirth, my only negative comment is on the authors view of vaccines.
February 15, 2016
I loved the book but don't get the swearing (must be my catholic upbringing :)
February 15, 2016
Loved it. F*ck yeah
February 15, 2016
Recommended
February 15, 2016
I live in South Africa and this book totally describes our hospitals. I hope mothers are treated better in other places.
May 2, 2016
Finished it in one sitting! Best thing to read when pregnant! I feel a lot more prepared after reading this... Knowledge IS power!
September 6, 2016
A good read if you are looking for validation of why not to get a c-section. Not a read if you are all for vaccinations, formula, dummies and medical interventions.
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