The Birth House: a must-read!
It's summer her in Vancouver. Which means plenty of long, warm hours outside whether on the beach or in the garden. The perfect time to settle down with a good book! I recently purchased The Birth House by Ami McKay. Several friends, some not even involved in the birthing community, had recommended this book. Because I loved my stay in the Maritimes and in particular in Nova Scotia, a province that reminds me a lot of my mother's Brittany, I thought it would be a good pick for some summer reading and because I am a bit of history buff this turned out to be a great pick!
I couldn't put the book down! The tapestry woven by the author around these turn of the twentieth century women in rural Nova Scotia is absolutely stunning. The story of these lay midwives and the beginnings of the medical overtaking of births is beautifully told and gripping. You can really relate to these women fighting for the right to give birth their way! It's funny that after so long it seems like nothing has really changed... A predominantly male medical establishment still wants to rule the way women "should" give birth, pushing unwanted interventions and disregarding midwives as no more than witches... The doctor depicted in the book seems completely clueless at what really is at stake in birth and more intent on making money on poor people's credulity.
If you haven’t had the chance to read The Birth House, I highly recommend it. Even if you are not so much into the whole birthing movement, it’s a wonderful read! I just added it to the Birthing Goddess Library. You can just go to the Women's Health and Midwifery section to order a copy.
