Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Is Ina May the new "It" girl?

Via this article. PS - Those Braids? Awesome.
No. Seriously. Ina May Gaskin, the mother of natural and empowered (modern) child birth and authentic midwifery is suddenly everywhere.

Of course, we all know her tomes to natural childbirth. But now, more people are learning about here through some really exciting projects and stories.

* Documentary I can't wait to see. (Please consider helping them with their Kickstarter fundraising. Any level of support will help more people see what is sure to be an amazing film.)

* Profile in The New York Times Sunday Magazine.

* Feature in Sun Magazine. Ok...so maybe a small, independant, ad-free magazine isn't exactly everywhere...

And then there was this article recently about the midwife as a status symbol in the Times' Style section. (!) As celebrities like Natalie Portman and Gisele Bunchen seek natural childbirth with the support of a midwife, it becomes appealing, or at the very least intriguing and worth exploring, to more women.

While birth with a midwife doesn't have to be natural or without medical intervention, it very often is that. So this midwife movement may be spurring more women to consider forgoing the epidural and taking control of their own birth together with their partner. We can only hope so.

While I am a dedicated natural birther and wholeheartedly believe everyone can and should do it - I also understand it is not for everyone. As long as you are making a conscious choice about your birth experience (natural, epidural, planned C, home, whatever), that is the best choice for you.

Giving birth is probably the strongest emotional experience women will ever experience (I imagine it only close to the death of a parent or child) and you should make sure you know what you want, so that when you get what you get (because nothing in parenting goes as you expect it - starting with birth), you're able to respond.

I will put together a list of birth resources to share here. What's your favorite I should include?

XO





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