Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth has ratings and reviews. Kristen said: this is a really good book that a patient recommended to me when I told.
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Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body. View all 13 comments. Apr 22, Heidi Hart rated it did not like it Shelves: Motherhood is Not a Competition: Why Pressure Moms to Strive for the "Perfect" Natural Childbirth and make them feel guilty if that isn't in the cards?

Now that my youngest and probably last, alas son is a year old, I feel like I have enough distance to be able to write this review. My wife and I have two boys: My wife went first for several reasons, not least of which was that I had have a real and irrational fear of ch Motherhood is Not a Competition: My wife went first for several reasons, not least of which was that I had have a real and irrational fear of childbirth.

The hope was that Pelly's birth experience would be smooth, and having observed it, I'd feel better when my turn came around. Knowledge is power, right? Well, it didn't work out that way. Due to complications, Pelly delivered our older son by emergency c-section four weeks early, without experiencing a single contraction. When my turn came around, I still felt woefully unprepared and not a little bit terrified of childbirth.

We took the classes, I talked to other moms, I read everything I could get my hands on including this book , I read a billion birth stories on birthwithoutfear, but in this case, Knowledge was NOT Power. So much of what I read just made me more scared even though I tried to avoid the triggering stuff, the loss stories, the bad outcomes. Eventually, my wife and my doctor staged an intervention. They told me to throw out my birth plan and put away the books and websites and just let it go.

Here's the birth plan: We go to the hospital, and we come out with a healthy baby, and two healthy moms. That's all that matters. My brain doesn't work that way! What about all the what-ifs and contingencies? I'm a girl who likes to be prepared for any eventuality. I was put on bed rest at 33 weeks and then delivered by emergency caesarian at 38 weeks.

It was not what I wanted. I felt like my body had betrayed me by failing at this most basic task of womanhood, which my female relatives have done countless times without issue. Maybe I was too old. Maybe I'm just a wimp when it comes to pain. Maybe I should have resisted medical interventions for longer.

Maybe I should've hired a doula. But when I tried to tell my wife all this, she shook her head. Healthy baby; two healthy mamas. You're a rock star. Here's the thing and I'm finally getting to the book review part of this review, I promise: Motherhood has become a competitive sport in our culture. We are under enormous pressure to be the Right kind of parents, get our kids into the Right schools and the Right activities, use the Right methods of feeding, weaning, sleep training, discipline, et cetera. The media and social pressure often make it seem like the fate of the world or at least the future well-being and societal value of our kids rests on basic parenting decisions like whether or not to use cloth diapers or BPA-free sippy cups.

And this insane social pressure on moms begins even before kids are born, in the Natural Childbirth movement that this book represents. Let me be clear. I have nothing against natural childbirth. If it had worked for me, it would have been ideal. The days and weeks following my son's birth should have been the happiest of my life well, barring the hormones rocking my boat, of course , but instead I had to spend the first year of my baby's life wrestling with guilt and shame and a sense of inadequacy, and that's just stupid. Healthy Babies, Healthy Mamas. That's the bottom line.

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As long as readers don't lose sight of that, and start viewing doctors as the enemy and medical intervention as failures, this book contains a lot of useful information. Dec 21, Heather rated it liked it Shelves: And if one more person tells me how great the Moosewood Cookbook is, I will heave a bag of whole grain flour at her.

I come back to the issue of goodness of fit -- just like one looks for an OB who's a good fit, one looks for a birthing book that's a good fit.


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  4. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth : Ina May Gaskin : .

Despite what I expected, this isn't really me. I read this over a couple of days. The first day I spent crying because I didn't want to have my baby at a drum circle. The second day, I made up a drinking game -- drink every time there's a picture of a guy with a big 70s mustache. I should reread now that I'm in a position to play. I think the point is absolutely right: I think Ina May sounds like an interesting person. I'd read a biography about her. The book is written with the kind of conviction that can feel, I don't know, maybe condescending?

A little like "I have found truth and if this doesn't work for you, it's probably because you're repressed and have been brainwashed by patriarchy and big pharma. The book makes the assumption that a pregnant woman will feel more comfortable and cared for in the company of other women because her wishes will be respected. Other women bring the benefit of their experience. The solidarity of sisterhood. No shame, no judgement. You do whatever you have to do to birth that baby and its all good and beautiful.

But here's the thing -- I wonder sometime how often our deference for what we're told is good for us gets in the way of what really makes us comfortable. I had to make an unexpected trip to the ER early in my pregnancy. The doctor was nice, but he was rough. I didn't like him because my legs weren't shaved and I was cold and because he had two, pretty, tiny nurses whose legs probably were shaved stare at me the whole time I'm sure for our mutual protection, but still , and because he said "now try to relax" which has to be the most useless, most insensitive thing to say, ever implication: Because he was a doctor.

Because he was doing his job. Because they've seen it all. Because it's dangerous to care more about propriety than accuracy. Because you really can't make an accurate diagnosis through a sheet. Because caring about modesty in a hospital seems so Victorian and retrograde. My lack of comfort was a sign of progress! In the case of Ina May, I'm a little embarrassed that the whole thing kind of makes my blood run cold. These are my people.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin | leondumoulin.nl

Or at least the parents of my people. I should be all over this book. But sometimes I wonder if the message isn't the same, just in a different context. While being stared at by women who smell like patchouli. Because we're all sisters. Because we're empowering your body to do what it does naturally. Because this is so much better than being in a hospital where the repressed, dominated women go. Both environments carry with them a narrative that this is Progress and Better For Me: Bleah to them both! I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but it was something I pondered a lot while I was pregnant.

My right not to have a drum circle. My right to be repressed. My right to be comfortable. And I guess ultimately my right to control my narrative. My objection was to the romanticization of midwifery in the past which I think is absolutely bonkers. The power of the all-female birthing chamber is not an adequate compensation for the mortality rates which were beyond dismal. I worried about giving birth - about how long it would take and how much it would hurt and whether or not I would grunt - but I never worried about dying. And I get it - I gave birth circa with a spa tub and a birthing ball and hypnotic mantras and an anaesthesiologist standing by.

Ina May had a different experience. She was reacting against condescending doctors and straps and ether and a lack of choice or voice. Which is still better than bleeding to death. Jan 07, Reina rated it really liked it Shelves: The first half of this book I felt was filler and outdated, the content could have been halved.

It consisted of birth stories and after reading a few they all sounded the same. I ended up skimming the rest. These stories are all from the s so I felt like I was reading a history book since I am so far removed from that age group. The second half of the book was really helpful with information on what to expect during childbirth, what your options are, and techniques to help you during childbi The first half of this book I felt was filler and outdated, the content could have been halved.

The second half of the book was really helpful with information on what to expect during childbirth, what your options are, and techniques to help you during childbirth. It is heavily biased toward home birth, midwifery, and natural birthing. So take some of the comments with a grain of salt because Ina May is talking from her experience which is outside the hospital and from her experiences on the Farm. I'm not sure what information was updated.

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When reading you do get a clear idea of how experienced of a midwife Ina May is and you can respect her talent and expertise in her field. Overall I took one star away for the amount of birth stories pages worth and the fact that they were very old. Then I took another star away for the lack of positive information about hospital birth and lack of other statistics, by state, stating what the cesarean rate was vs natural birth, as well as drug use during labor. I would have liked to see a more balanced approach to back up more of her claims.

This "guide to childbirth" is only a guide if you are outside a hospital but was helpful regardless. I would read again and give to friends to read as well.

Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & The Farm Midwives

It took a lot of the mystery away and clarified that labor was more than "hours of the worst pain in your life and very scary" like everyone tells you. I feel more prepared and know my body will know what to do when the time comes. Any book that lessens the fear with reliable information about the birthing process is valuable. Jul 03, Justin rated it really liked it Recommends it for: A lot of information on the professional merits of midwifery, so I admit skipping some chapters for the time being to learn content more directly related my partner's pregnancy.

I will continue to read the birth stories, though I only needed a dozen of them or so before I wanted to hear what she actually had to say this may partially be because I am a male reader who's brain learns slightly differrent that the target audience. I will read them all before my first child arrives.

I believe this A lot of information on the professional merits of midwifery, so I admit skipping some chapters for the time being to learn content more directly related my partner's pregnancy. I believe this book is encouraging and empowering as it assists a woman in trusting her body to perform the task it was biologically made for- childbirth. Her direct teaching and the stories will help me technically assist my partner, though she doesn't teach about pregnancy and childbirth as much as she provides research, opinion, experience, and statistics to argue that the common medical model for childbirth is poorly developed.

As with any discussion about a debatable topic, the experts are not likely to be very open-minded, but she impressed me with her logical and tempered, if not unaggresive, presentation. Select peices are extremely helpful and informative as well as empowering, so I would consider this a must read for the expecting parent who truly wants a well-balanced perspective in order to make informed decisions. Jan 08, Eileen rated it it was ok Shelves: If you really, really, really want a natural childbirth in a birthing center or at home this is a good book for you. Personally, I will be giving birth in a hospital.

This book uses scare tactics to decrease medical intervention. While I agree that it is best to have an uncomplicated, natural vaginal birth, it doesn't always happen that way. Going into it with that specific plan is great, but I think women need to realize it doesn't always work out this way. I plan to go without pain meds for as If you really, really, really want a natural childbirth in a birthing center or at home this is a good book for you. I plan to go without pain meds for as long as I can but if labor goes on too long, or gets to be too much, or if I have to be induced which is looking likely I am open to the meds.

Obviously all we all want is the best outcome for mom and baby. This book does give some good information about helping labor progress and some of what she says makes sense to me.

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I generally don't like anything that is too biased strongly in one direction or another though. And when it comes to giving birth, I don't know if you can know what to truly expect until you are in the situation. Nov 15, Carissa rated it liked it. I have so many conflicting thoughts about this book. This is the fourth book that I've read about childbirth.

On the one hand, I have found it to be the most helpful in preparing me for childbirth. On the other hand, there is an obvious bias. While I agreed with much of what the author wrote, there were several parts that really bugged me. The book starts off with a bunch of birth stories. I was excited to read about birth in a positive light. However, there were several factors that made the sto I have so many conflicting thoughts about this book.

However, there were several factors that made the stories less helpful. Over half of the birth stories took place in the 's and 's. So I personally felt some disconnect from reading about women who could be my mom! And although I know that natural birth hasn't changed all that much since then, I felt that the hospital parts of the various stories were grossly unfair--although interesting! It's safe to say that hospitals have come a long way since the 70's and 80's!

Stories from the modern day in various environments i. Also, some of the women in the birth stories came off as very I found the story about the woman stripping down and physically holding the woman who was in labor particularly odd. Some of the wording in the birth stories threw me off.

There were a few mothers who would talk about their babies or body parts dancing. Sometimes the stories seemed to get off-topic. They often focused on how wonderful the farm was versus how the women handled birth. There was a story about abortion that while interesting, really didn't go into very much detail about the birth.

Despite all of those flaws, I did find some of the birth stories helpful. I just wish that could have been a focus in all of the stories. I experienced some confusion about "The Farm". A better introduction that explained exactly what the farm was would have been helpful. As it was, it took a me a bit of reading to piece together exactly how the farm worked. And I still imagine people living on buses or in tents like a couple of the stories mentioned.

Maybe that's really how "The Farm" functions. I found the beginning of the second section of the book by far the most helpful. I was able to write down many techniques that I want to try in my next birth. There was a of useful advice and if the whole book would have been like that, it would have easily been a five star book!

She seemed excessively cautious about medical tests. The benefits of medical tests were skimmed over while the possible harm of these tests was thoroughly covered. I especially thought that the author was overly critical of the Rhogam shot. I raised my eyebrows when she stated that routine Rhogam injections at 28 weeks was internationally controversial. The international hospital that I will be giving birth at does routine Rhogam injections at 28 weeks.

In fact, my foreign Dr. After having an antibody scare myself and following women who deal with anti-D antibodies during pregnancy, the few sentences she had on sensitization were not enough to fully understand the risky and potentially heartbreaking future pregnancies of those who are sensitized.

I felt preached at for the last part of the book. While a lot of her outrage seemed justified to me, it wasn't very helpful in a book that was supposed to be a "guide" to childbirth. Some of the topics she discussed could have been covered much more succinctly. And at times, the author went too far in her criticisms. I thought it was especially unfair to claim that Dr. While this is certainly true of some Dr. The author got somewhat political in her writing which made me slightly uncomfortable. After she thoroughly detailed problems within the medical field, she gave suggestions that included more federal regulation and national healthcare.

I would have appreciated a broader selection of solutions. The author described all that Dr. Which gets me to the last part that bothered me. The author mentioned the high rate of epidurals and the resulting interventions. However, she failed to note that part of the problem was the large number of women who demand epidurals.

There are many women who refuse to give birth without an epidural and therefore, have no desire to have a midwife or intervention-free birth. I personally don't have anything against that. But it would contribute to why so many American women use Dr. This very lengthy review might suggest that I didn't like this book or that I majorly disagreed with the author. Again, this is the most helpful of the four books I have read so far. I learned a lot and would even recommend this book as long as it is not the only book a future mother reads.

Mar 11, Wendy rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Anyone hoping for a natural childbirth. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I had heard of Ina May before and knew that she was a famous midwife and this book was also recommended to me by my fabulous prenatal yoga instructor. Although I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the book, I knew that there would be some ideas that probably wouldn't mesh well with what I wanted or had planned for childbirth.

I was right, but I can't tell you how immensely grateful I am that I read this book anyways. A preface about me: When I becam I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. When I became pregnant, I toyed with the idea of using a midwife instead of an OB. I was hoping for as natural a birth as possible with little, if any, medical interventions.

Yet, I also knew that there was no way I wanted a home birth, and because of my insurance coverage, it would be cheaper for me to give birth in a hospital rather than a birthing center. It was interesting to read about Ina May and her background and birthing philosophies, but I found the other half of the book that included real women's birthing stories absolutely fascinating!

Once again, I knew that a lot of the stories shared were not what I would personally want, but it was beautiful seeing that giving birth can be such a natural thing. I went into childbirth with almost no fears and I think this book and simply trusting my body had a lot to do with it! Because I read this book, I knew that was a normal thing and not a reason for concern.

Yet, no other classes, books, or doctors had prepared me to be in labor for days. It was worth it for me to read this book, even if that was the only bit of information that I took in - and trust me, it wasn't! Dec 19, Aneesa rated it it was ok Shelves: I only read the middle section of this book, not the birth stories. I appreciated the positive attitude toward the body and the amazing things it can do if you just let it. However, I think it's a bit out of date, especially in terms of what the hospital will and won't allow but we'll see. This book is very anti-hospital, and even though it claims I only read the middle section of this book, not the birth stories.

This book is very anti-hospital, and even though it claims that fear causes pain, it actually instills fear of the medical system. At least where I live, many of the things this book said you would have to fight for, like skin-on-skin and delayed cord cutting, are standard policy. Jan 13, Ashley rated it it was ok. Disclaimer, I did not read this book in its entirety.

As with any book I began at the beginning. After half a dozen birth stories I found myself stressed, slightly horrified and definitely not as the author says she intends empowered. So I skipped to the middle of the book, part two, the practical information. Part two was better. There is a lot of good information; much of it insight into alternative, little heard of, more natural ways of approaching and coping with the experience of childbir Disclaimer, I did not read this book in its entirety.

There are specific examples given of when, and the author's insights as to why, certain natural methods achieve success in labor. There is wisdom from much experience and many years in this field from the author. However, I even had to skip a few sections in the latter half of the book. I was not interested in the professional benchmarks and promotion of midwifery. I am at a loss as to why this chapter even made it into a book for expectant mothers? There is enough material to wade through as a mom-to-be and precious little time to waste on a topic like this. I also found the chapter discussing maternal mortality rates off-putting.

I'm not squeamish, I'm a nurse, but as a woman trying to prepare to have a baby in a few months I don't want to fill my head with stories and statistics about women who die in the process of labor; unnecessary stress and certainly not empowering for me. One thing I had to chuckle to myself about was the author's accusation that doctors are not trained nor do they have the time required for thoughtful, critical reading and research either during their schooling or later in their every day practice.

Well let us hope most people don't approach this book with critical thinking skills either then! With even some slight objective or critical reading poor Ina May fails miserably as an author. Midwives, doulas, home births, and even birthing centers are given a lot of time. She uses an abundance of descriptive, soothing, comforting language when discussing these things. She loudly praises their every benefit and greatly downplays or completely ignores any of their shortcomings or risks.

While she does in many places provide good information, do not be fooled into thinking she is at all, in any way an objective or unbiased resource! I think she makes traditional clinical medicine and those that work in that field unnecessarily sterile and frightening while painting midwives and homebirth with rose colored glasses.

I've yet to find a really wonderful pregnancy, childbirth or parenting book that is objective and firmly in the middle ground. So in order to find good information about all the various options and opinions and views you are forced to wade through books from both extremes. Books by doctors that warn midwives are ill qualified and you will die at home or by using any alternative methods of coping with this life experience.

Or, in this books case, an extremely one-sided look at how wonderful birth is only if you are at home, with a midwife having an orgasm as your baby comes into the world the alternative being a piece of meat in line at the slaughter house where your chance of death is greatly increased, aka.

So, the short version of this review: Bear in mind the author is extremely prejudiced in one direction. I do like how the author encourages the reader to do their own research, question standard practices and educates women that they always have the right to not only question care and procedures, but to refuse them! Jul 08, Kirsten rated it it was amazing Shelves: Now that I'm pregnant, I went back and re-read this probably not for the first time.

I still find it remarkable and engaging. I will be having my baby in a hospital setting, so it was helpful to be reminded of things to ask my doctor and the hospital staff about prior to going into labor.

8. Ina May Gaskin on preventing vaginal tears in labour, forced pushing and fear.

It really gave me a lot to think about and research in terms of what I previously considered as normal for childbirth in the US. I experienced an i Re-read December I experienced an interesting emotional change as I was reading the birth stories that make up the first half of the book. At first I found them somewhat terrifying "Oh god, I'm going to have to do that? Then I quite simply found myself moved and awed. In story after story, women described the way that they faced the fear and intensity of the birth experience, overcame their worries and fears, and came out the other side.

I found myself moved to tears repeatedly by the natural power and resiliency of women's bodies. It's hard to say that without sounding too woo-woo, but it's true. The second half of the book discusses childbirth in physical terms, and then moves into the dangers of some ways of handling the childbirth that have become common practice. To download from the iTunes Store, get iTunes now. What you need to know to have the best birth experience for you.

Filled with inspiring birth stories and practical advice, this invaluable resource includes: I adore this book.


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    • It is one of the most powerful empowering books on normal childbirth. I recommend every woman expecting to read this book. I did and had an amazing natural labor with my son 4 months ago. I had the traditional American birth 11 years ago with my daughter and the second time all natural was so wonderful. I healed quicker and had a very alert happy baby. This book was not advertised as abridged or as providing only part 2 of two parts.

    Please deliver part 1 or return my money. The whole of part 1 is only birth stories but that's half the book. It's much more in depth and the amazing birth stories aren't cut out. Overview Music Video Charts. Opening the iTunes Store. If iTunes doesn't open, click the iTunes application icon in your Dock or on your Windows desktop.