Men, Love & Birth by Mark Harris, 2015
I was given a preview copy of this quite a few years ago for review, but I’m not sure that I ever got around to actually reviewing it!
This book has been written by Midwife Mark Harris and is aimed at Men who are supporting their Partners in the birth room.
It looks at the history of men in the birth room and identifies that this is a relatively new thing (Last 50 or so years). I was born in the late 60’s and can confirm that my Father was down the pub, when my mum had her homebirth with me!
Dads have taken on an unfamiliar role with no actual guidance over this time and this is the first book that I have come across that has unpicked this unique situation from a male partner’s point of view. The way it is written could be described as being a chat with a mate down the pub, which is ideal for those who do not want to wade through vast text books. This is great to dip in and out of when the need arises.
This Book is full of practice guidance for Husbands, Partners and male Lovers. His understanding of the male role at birth has led him to identify several helpful practices that partners can practice in the run up to the birth itself. Many of which he can carry forward into life with a newborn.
Mark appears to have done a really good job, and the pointers that he comes up with support the hypnobirth teachings from the Dad’s perspective. He uses the term ‘your pregnant lover’ quite freely, which at first I found a bit naff. But soon started to identify the emotions that he was seeking to uncover with the insight he exudes.
This book has stood the test of time in that most women birthing their baby’s are in gender typical relationships. In the current situation where support networks are restricted, this book provides a vital tool for men in the birth room.
NB, this book is written from the Male partner supporting his Female Lover, point of view. These terms are used freely within. If you can overlook the gender typical language, this book is great at looking at the birthing person/partner roles from any perspective.
