“So good & informative at a level that everyone about to give birth can take on board, whether it’s the first time you’re having a baby or if you’ve had a baby before.”

“I got to borrow the book from a friend, who had inherited it from her sister, who had lent it to three friends after getting it from a friend herself. It’s so good that people want to share this important information with each other. Sisterhood FTW! I’m not particularly afraid of giving birth itself. My fears are more about what happens afterwards. But I still want to feel that I’ve prepared as best I can. Reading a book like this felt perfect and I now feel more confident that I have techniques for handling the contractions and labour. Pierre and I read some bits out loud so he has been involved too. We’ve also discussed my notes and gone through my fears. Above all, that’s probably the best bit about the book, the way it gets us to start processing what is going to happen and discussing it together as a team. It’s going to be really exciting!”

“Definitely one of the best books I read when I was pregnant! It’s helped me face my fears and make friends with them instead of running away from them. I was terrified about giving birth but after reading the book, I feel much calmer and now I’m even looking forward to it! Susanna talks about the different techniques for breaking down fear and stress and trusting your own body and its strength in a very simple, clear, comprehensible way. I’d really recommend this book to all pregnant women.”

“Would recommend this book to any first time mum”

“Recommended to me by a colleague and I am so grateful as I feel this book really contributed towards a very positive birth experience. Inspiring and positive throughout in an easy to read (and easy to carry around for reading on the commute) format. The tools are really simple common sense stuff, but I gained the confidence to use them effectively by reading the real life stories. I managed to stay calm and relaxed throughout my second birth after reading this book, having had a tricky experience first time round. No pain killers and no stitches, something worked for me on the day and I have to give this book a lot of the credit. Thanks Susanna Heli for providing the confidence I was seeking.”

“The book is like brand new. I really enjoyed reading it. Very helpful. I’ve learned a whole new perspective about giving birth. Very fast shipping! Thank you!”

“I would highly suggest this book to any expecting mama and dad. The main focus of this book is on relaxation and not allowing anxiety to overcome you while in labor. The book gives you four basic tools to combat anxiety and increase your likelihood of remaining calm and relaxed during labor. The book also has a few good exercises to practice with your partner. I easily got my husband to read this book, practice exercises with me, and gave both of us more confidence.”

“Great book for preparing for your birth, helping you trust your body and focusing on tools that help you through labour.”

“I love the insights in this book! LOVE IT! It’s doesn’t sugar coat anything but helps you to find your own way through it! Have a confident birth we were made for this!!!! (I’m not saying that is all we were made for, I’m just saying that certain part of our anatomy)”

“I think this book is very well written and practical. It will teach you tools that you can actually use. I also read Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth but I thought it was very over-hyped and not nearly as useful as this particular book.”

“This got me through my pregnancy fears! Knowledge is power and you should arm yourself with this book, especially if this is your first! GREAT INFORMATION! Really eases the big day jitters!”

“Many women don’t realize how scared you can be of birth before you start having pains. By then it is usually too late to learn a new technique or tool. Highly recommend this book for anyone who thinks they are afraid of pain, getting hurt or letting go of control.”

“I first read this book two years ago, and now with baby number three imminent I knew it was the only one to re-read. The author doesn’t try to sell you the idea that childbirth can be painless, but that you have coping mechanisms you can utilize to manage the process to be a lot more comfortable. I have read a lot of books on mindfulness, hypnobirthing, and natural childbirth, and I found this one to be most helpful.”

“I’m so happy I have read this book. it explains so much of what I didn’t like about my first birth experience and how I can hopefully prevent the same occurances in any subsequent labors. I had no idea that fear was a part of labor. I didn’t think I was afraid…. and then my inner cavewoman came out and shut down my labor so I could escape a non-existant threat! haha. The techniques are not groundbreaking. But learning “why” I felt and reacted the way I did was a huge help to me. I think this book would be good for a birth partner to read, as well.”