Since the original publication of The Birth Partner, partners, friends, relatives, and doulas have relied on Penny Simkin’s guidance in caring for the new mother, from her last trimester through the early postpartum period.

Now fully revised in its fifth edition, The Birth Partner remains the definitive guide to helping a woman through labor and birth, and the essential manual to have at hand during the event. The Birth Partner includes thorough information on:



Preparing for labor and knowing when it has begun
Normal labor and how to help the woman every step of the way
Epidurals and other medications for labor
Pitocin and other means, including natural ones, to induce or speed up labor
Non-drug techniques for easing labor pain
Cesarean birth and complications that may require it
Breastfeeding and newborn care
and much more


For the partner who wishes to be truly helpful in the birthing room, this book is indispensable.