Of course, I loved learning more about the birth and labor process but my favorite part of the book was reading about the early days of Ina May's career and The Farm. It was almost like midwifery chose her rather than the other way around. She just happened to be in the right place at the right time. There was also a need for someone to be knowledgeable about birthing babies. It seems as though the role fell to her by default. It was interesting to see how she progressed in her studies. Most of it was through good old fashioned experience. However, there was the occasion when a physician randomly stopped by and gave her an impromptu lesson which proved to be very valuable. She also began to glean information from textbooks and then met The Farm's long-time backup physician, Dr. Williams, who continued to help all of the midwives grow in knowledge.
What did you not like about this book?
My least favorite part of the book were the descriptions of the medical procedures that midwives may perform. While I think it is important to be aware of these procedures, I know that I will not ever need to, for example, put in stitches. There were also some in-depth sections on diagnosing different medical issues with mom and baby and the details of those tests performed. I think it's important to have working knowledge of these possibilities but I did not study those sections in depth.
What was the most significant thing you learned when reading this book?
A breech vaginal birth is uncommon in America these days. It was interesting to see how this event was handled back in the early days of The Farm where they automatically delivered the woman in the hospital under general anesthesia. I enjoyed reading how Ina May's forward thinking pushed the boundaries of the norm so that eventually these babies were able to be born at home and many times without an unnecessary episiotomy. Another significant section of the book that I enjoyed was learning about their adoption program. They offered their prenatal services free of charge for any woman who was unsure about keeping her baby. Out of more than 260 women, only 12 chose to give up their babies after delivery. It was fascinating to learn about the benefits and emotional stability that come with good prenatal care and education. Another good thing to note here is that good prenatal and labor & delivery care doesn't have to cost a fortune. Genuine concern for the mother's well being goes a lot farther than dollars can.
How do you think this book will affect your role as a doula?
I believe the birth stories will be the most beneficial to me as a doula. The way these women describe their labors makes it seem so very natural and an appropriate way to give birth. Very few cases were actual medical emergencies and thus the remainder were treated in such a way that allowed the mom to experience the joys that accompany childbirth. There were always many women around to encourage mom, help her get comfortable, note the energy level, and make recommendations regarding what they felt was working to get mom through her labor. These women, mainly her friends and family, were doulas themselves in a sense. It's refreshing to read about births where mom is comfortable and surrounded by people she loves and therefore brings her baby into this world in the most peaceful way possible.
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