Ina May Gaskin shares her exceptional birthing wisdom in this intuitive and informative guide.
Sharing a wealth of knowledge gleaned over three decades, she explains how the birthing process, when left to its own devices, can proceed beautifully on its own.
She believes that the most trustworthy knowledge about women’s bodies and childbirth must combine the best of what medical science has to offer with what women have always known instinctually, even before birth moved into hospitals. Going beyond the common medical understanding of the birthing process, this guide aims to encourage and inform women about the true capacities of the female body during labour and birth.
In this invaluable guide, Ina May Gaskin explains:
 What really happens during labour
How to create a safe and comfortable environment for a natural birth
Tips for maximising your chances of an unmedicated labour and birth
The risks of anaesthesia and caesareans – what your doctor doesn’t necessarily tell you
What you need to know about pregnancy and prenatal care
Wherever and however you intend to give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body, and your spirit for the rest of your life. Illustrated with real birthing stories by real women, this guide contains everything you need to know to have the best birth experience – whether in a hospital, birthing centre or at home.
Refreshingly different from other ‘what to expect when you’re expecting’ books on the market, Ina May's Guide To Childbirth contains the proven wisdom that has guided thousands of women through pregnancy and childbirth with more confidence, less pain and little or no medical intervention.
About the Author
Ina May Gaskin has been described as the “mother of authentic midwifery” and is the founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. Following the success of her first book, Spiritual Midwifery, she has lectured all over the world at midwifery conferences and medical schools. Recently appointed as a Visiting Fellow at Morse College of Yale University, Ina May also teaches midwifery, writes books and articles for medical journals and edits her own quarterly journal, The Birth Gazette.
What people have said....
Few books have the potential to improve the lives of everyone on the planet. This one does” – Alice Walker, author of The Colour Purple
“Ina May Gaskin is a magnificent midwife and a wondrous storyteller –a writer who thinks deeply about the literal and metaphoric place of birth…This book belongs on the bedside table of every expectant mother” – Chris Bohjalian, author of Midwives
July 2008
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