Book Review: Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth

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As you can see, this book didn't take NEARLY as long for me to read. Not that that means one is any better - Ina May's was a little longer but was written in an experience based manner, making it read like one adventure after another. It also helped that the first half of the book was nothing but birth stories told by all different mothers who all had different experiences. The first half took me less than a day to get through and the rest of the chapters took about 3 (week) days to finish.



Would I recommend this book?
I would recommend this book to someone who was either on the fence about possibly trying a natural birth with midwives or to someone who was already sound in their decision for a natural birth. I will be very upfront and say that if you're set in your mind to deliver with an OB in a hospital and are indifferent to medication - this book will do nothing for you. 

For those that are on the fence about going natural and hiring a midwife over an OB - this book will supply you with the knowledge Ina May has gathered from numerous studies done over the years and her own experiences. This book is extremely one sided - pro midwifery and natural birth obviously - but will help you solidify your argument or your logic on what exactly the midwifery/natural route will be like.

For those who are already sound in their decisions for out of hospital births with a midwife - this will remind you exactly why what you've chosen is the best possible option for you and your child. We get a lot of flack about all the "dangers" and "short-comings" of the midwifery practice (especially out of hospital) and are often jeered at about how what we're doing is wrong or unsafe. When receiving such negative comments from just about everyone you choose to tell, it's hard to remember exactly why you're fighting so hard to go against the grain. This book will reaffirm every doubt you have about your body and reassure you that your body and your baby know what's best.

Your body is not a lemon.