The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions

I think anyone who is going to be with a birthing person should read this. It has helped my husband better understand what I'm going to be going thru and how to help me so that he doesn't feel helpless or useless thru the process, especially since I plan to do this unmedicated.

As a new Doula I found this book to be very informative and super helpful. This is a great resource for the whole family as it shares the various stages of pregnancy and good tips and tricks along the way. Overall the books is pretty digestible and easy to follow. As a doula I understand the change of using birthing person vs mother however I know that some mom's are honored by that title and want to feel seen and represented while reading. If you want to read a book that labels you as mother or mom get the 4th edition or any of the previous editions. If you're okay with a shift in language the overall content of the book will be super supportive to any family expecting a new baby.

At first when I read this book at 20 some weeks I was kind of overwhelmed by it… however, now that I’m 40 weeks pregnant and I have to make a ton of decisions (whether or not to induce, membrane sweeps, etc) this book is very straightforward and way less overwhelming than multitude of info online. Also, I like the verbiage of “birthing person” and it doesn’t bother me that it’s a little gender neutral. I know a lot of people’s eyes are bleeding over it, and to them I say chill bro lol.

This book is one of my required reading resources on my path to become a certified doula. I opted to purchase the most recent edition and was pleased to discover that this edition had been updated to use inclusive language. This book does not assume that the pregnant person identifies as either a woman or a mother, nor that their partner identifies as a male or a father. If you are a pregnant woman married to your baby’s father and have a more traditional family, you will most likely prefer an earlier edition of this book. If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, or if you will be focusing your care on members of the LGBTQ+ Community, you will likely find appreciation and value in the updated language, or at least in the publisher’s efforts to update the content. I personally felt the reading of this book flowed well, and it was not cumbersome. Great content!

My sister is giving birth at the end of summer. She's the first person I've known really well to be going through pregnancy and giving birth, so aside from what you might 'figure to be so' most of this is new to me. I had no idea it's such a process—and learning that alone I think makes me more sympathetic and helpful to her. Anyway, my goal with the book is to learn what to expect as the pregnancy goes on, how to handle things during the birth, and in general to know enough to be helpful and supportive for her. Kind of like a doula but without the actual training. This book is a great resource. It goes through in quite a lot of detail the different stages of birth, for example, covering what the mother might be feeling, what the birth-partner (father) might be feeling, what the doula might be doing, and what the caregivers might be doing. (At EACH stage.) It has suggested exercises to start now to make the birth easier. Some general advice for the mother. All in all I think it's very helpful. The colored pages to help you find important sections is nice, although there are a LOT so I'll be dog-earing and using bookmarks, and keeping this for reference going forward! The loss of 1 star is my disgust at the 5th edition. I'd borrowed the 4th edition from the library, but after about a chapter I figured I wanted my own copy so I bought one. Perhaps the 5th edition had more useful information, or more concise narratives? Quite the opposite. Instead, someone went through find-and-replace and changed the word 'mother' to "pregnant person" or "laboring person" or "person in labor". Congratulations, all you who were excited to be "mothers", you'll find that word mind-bogglingly sparse in this edition. Aaaand they missed a few places (you'll see a few 'mother' and 'woman' that were spared the purge). So it wasn't like they actually cared about it, more like a cursory gesture toward... whomever might be offended at the word 'mother'? And who is that exactly? Even if you don't consider yourself a 'mother' you understand what the book is talking about, it's not like 'pregnant person' is any better. It just makes it LONGER and less personal. I may have raged quite a bit when I realized this had happened (which was instantly). If I were a first-time mother I would send the book back. Seriously. (I considered it anyway. But I can't figure out how to get the 4th edition so I'll just keep being frustrated.)

I started reading this book with no knowledge and no experience at all. Since finishing, I feel 100% more confident in my ability to get this baby out and well informed about all of the things that may go wrong and alternatives to my birth plan. This book is by far more helpful than a birthing class and can be easily referenced in the moment with orange highlighted pages and tables to help you make decisions. There are also lists of things you need for go bags and items to have ready at home after baby comes. I 100% recommend this book! I will add though that the book leans a little in the way of natural birth and not getting an epidural. Do some other reading on this topic before you make the best decision for you.

Loved this book when I was pregnant/at the hospital Definitely informative and would recommend to anyone who is pregnant

I'm a first-time mom, and my husband is a first-time dad. Our goal is a natural birth. We're both big readers, so as soon as I got pregnant I checked more than a dozen books out of the library- some Lamaze, hypnobirth, assorted natural birth resources, and more mainstream stuff like Mayo guide. This book was the only one we bought, and I knew within a few minutes that it was perfect. It's extremely practical and informative, and the new addition does a GREAT job of using the orange color to denote checklists, tools, and charts. Everything is framed in terms of (a) what is the laboring woman experiencing, (b) what signs can you observe to determine this, (c) what can you do to help. We haven't had the baby yet, so I might update later, but for now, if you buy just one book for yourself and your birth partner, I recommend this one.

As a first-time dad preparing for our baby's arrival, I wanted to be as supportive as possible during labor. After hearing about The Birth Partner from a doula friend, I decided to read it—and it was a game changer. This book is incredibly thorough, covering everything from recognizing the early signs of labor to postpartum care. It offers practical advice on how to support your partner through each stage, including pain management techniques, understanding medical interventions, and providing emotional reassurance. The language is clear and accessible, making complex medical information easy to grasp. One of the most valuable aspects is its emphasis on the birthing partner's role—not just as a bystander, but as an active participant in the process. It helped me understand how to be present, calm, and helpful, which made a huge difference during the actual birth. However, some readers have noted that the 5th edition uses gender-neutral language, such as "birthing person" instead of "mother." While this approach aims to be inclusive, it may feel awkward or unnecessary to some, especially if you're used to traditional terminology. It's worth considering if this aligns with your preferences before purchasing. Overall, I highly recommend The Birth Partner to anyone looking to be a supportive and informed presence during childbirth. It's a resource I wish I'd had sooner, and I'm grateful for the guidance it provided.

A very detailed and informative book to start with

Muy practico e instrutivo. Tiene listados para preparse al nascimento y vida con su bebé que muchas veces padres y madres de primer viaje no tienen ni idea. Perfecto para los compañeros ya que la embarazada está a full con otras cosas en la cabeza... Se lo compré a mi esposo y le encantó. Lo recomendamos 100%.

Very interesting book!

Thanks to publisher for the hand written note. Nice packing and like the book.