The Gentle Greeting: An Obstetrician's Complete Guide
to Planning a Loving Pregnancy and Birth Experience
by Ronald L. Cole, M.D.

Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks, 169 pages. (1998).

The detailed step by step journey through conception, pregnancy, birth and post-partum adjustments are well chronicled in this insightful book written for "expectant" parents. It is comfortable reading that flows easily from beginning to end.

The Gentle Greeting provides information about the developmental, physical and emo-tional changes that occur during pregnancy, and about the variety of pregnancy and birthing options available for people of child bearing age. The author goes beyond the traditional allopathic model of supine vaginal labor and routine C-section surgery to offer other vaginal birthing positions, family birthings, and water birthings.

Author Ronald Cole is an enlightened allopathic obstetrician who focuses on the com-plete wholeness (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) of the three principal parties involved: mother, father, and baby. He invites parents to participate fully in all decisions.

Let us hope that this comfortable little book will reach large numbers of people who know only the standard obstetrical model for birth. Cole emphasizes the many options parents have for pregnancy and birth and sees the critical importance of mind-body inter-actions in creating a safe and healthy childbirth experience . He deeply cares about the vulnerability of babies (inside or outside the womb) and especially the risk of traumatic "first impressions" which can influence an emerging personality for a life time.

Review by Kelduyn Garland, L.C.S.W., LMT.
Lakeland, Florida