Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

This is by far my favorite book written on the topic of birth. I would saying reading this book several years ago was a turning point for me. I was working as a labor and delivery nurse. I was in the stage of hoping for another baby, and yet not wanting an experience as so many women were having in the hospital. This book changed my thinking in many ways, and I probably would not be where I am today without it. For this, I am deeply grateful to Mrs. Gaskin.

This is the book that opened my eyes to homebirth, which was the single most life changing, empowering event I have ever experienced. Ina May has done a noble work for birthing women for many years. She has gained our trust and shown us what birth can be like. Before this book, I was only vaguely aware of homebirth. I wasn’t sure homebirth could actually be a possibility for me, yet I was intrigued. By the end of this book, I had found the strength to pursue a homebirth.

The most important part of this book to me was addressing the concept of fear surrounding birth. This is discussed in various parts littered throughout the book. It was astounding to me at first to learn that some people are not afraid to give birth. I realized that I was internally afraid even though I had already given birth to my first child. This book was my first step in understanding why we do have fear during birth, and for the first time, I felt like I may be able to get to a point where I was not afraid.

Ina May devotes a chapter of this book to the “Sphincter Law.” This brilliant concept illustrates how the cervix is a sphincter. The cervix works much like other sphincters of our body. Just as it would be hard to have a bowel movement in bright lights with an audience, so it is the same with giving birth.

Similar to Spiritual Midwifery, this book also contains empowering birth stories of women having experienced natural childbirth. The book gives insight as to why it is helpful to read positive stories before giving birth. Many of these stories have the potential to open a woman’s eyes to a way of birth she never thought possible.

I feel this book is geared a little more toward the average woman than Spiritual Midwifery, also by Ina May Gaskin. There are parts that detail information on labor, birth, prenatal care, and the midwifery model of care. The reader will walk away with a greater knowledge and understanding of the process of birth.

Ultimately, the words Ina May writes ring true. Much of what she wrote resonated within my being and left a deep impression on me. This book could change birth as we know it if the wisdom contained within is heeded.