Ina May Gaskin: A Must Read for Mothers-to-Be

Not many people have heard her name, much less know what an incredible woman she is. I didn't learn about Ina May until my last semester of nursing school, when an instructor (and midwife) quoted her in a presentation. I don't even remember what the quote was. But the name stuck with me, and I ordered several of her books. I was blown away by the depth, sincerity, integrity, and strength of this woman, Ina May. So who is she?

Ina May Gaskin is a certified professional midwife. She began delivering babies by accident, back in the early 1970s, when the group of people she lived with needed someone to help out during deliveries. Over the years she taught herself, and others, about childbirth. At first she learned from books. Then, a physician that lived nearby agreed to assist and teach. She has stayed at what she calls "The Farm" (where their midwifery practice continues today) for nearly 40 years now, educating women and assisting in births.  But what makes Ina May so different and special?

Over the past 30 years, nearly 96% of births at The Farm occurred at home. Only 1.5% required emergency transport to a hospital. Nearly 99% of the births occurring at The Farm occur vaginally, leaving a c-section rate of just 1.4%. That's right: 1.4% c-section rate! How does that compare to the rest of the United States? Right now the c-section rate stands at 24.4% - and is rising. That's right: one out of every four babies in our country is delivered by major surgery. This is outrageous and unacceptable. It not only puts a mother at higher risk for post-surgery complications, it also puts the baby at risk for a long list of complications (including breathing problems, premature birth, and instrument injury). Additionally, Ina May assists women at The Farm in delivering naturally, with no need for epidurals and other medications (which can not only leave a baby lethargic and "sleepy" upon delivery, but also get in the way of the body's natural production of oxytocin - the "love" hormone that helps mother-child bond during the first few hours after birth).

Ina May teaches internationally about how to improve maternal and fetal outcomes during labor and delivery. She speaks to midwives and physicians all over the world about low-intervention methods during childbirth. Her philosophy toward childbirth includes appropriate medical intervention. She is not opposed to c-sections and other invasive medical techniques when necessary - but she strongly believes (and has shown) that most of the time, these interventions are completely unnecessary! She is a living testament that through proper prenatal care and education, in addition to providing a relaxing and gentle setting for birth to occur in, women in our society can continue to enjoy the experience of natural childbirth.

Ina May encourages women who are pregnant (or thinking of becoming pregnant) to stop listening to and stop watching all the horror stories of labors gone wrong. Because, quite simply, almost 99% of women will delivery naturally. Even with twins. Even with a breech birth. Without serious complications. The media, movies, and television love to dramatize birth and make it into something it simply is not. While pregnant myself, I heeded Ina May's advice. Instead, I picked up Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery. Whenever I began to doubt my decision to have a natural labor, Ina May's words would encourage and inspire me. Story after story of women telling their experience of labor and delivery. I could hear the pride and joy in their words as they described what it was like for them to labor unmedicated, surrounded by loving and caring midwives, husbands, and friends. There were also one or two stories of women who did need a c-section - and their stories also inspired and encouraged me. The more I would read, the more calm and reassured I became.

I encourage every woman who is pregnant or plans on becoming pregnant to buy a copy of Ina May's books. She has a new one (Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding) which is also a lovely and informative read. It is time to reassess the direction in which childbirth is moving in our country. With infant and mother mortality rates on the rise, we need to decide, as a culture, if modern medicine and hospitals as a first line of defense is really the right choice for most women. It is also time to say STOP to how birth is portrayed in movies and on television, turning it into something that is scary and unbearable - rather than something that is beautiful and empowering. So find a copy of Ina May's books for yourself, read it, re-read it, and buy a copy for your friends and family.