Friday, October 19, 2012

Spiritual Midwifery

Spiritual MidwiferySpiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Why," you surely ask, "is a man reviewing Spiritual Midwifery?"

Frankly put, I delivered two of my children at home. Yes, there was a midwife looking over my shoulder, but I did all the dirty work with my wife. From start to finish, these pregnancies were ours.

Ina May Gaskin's book is . . . well, groovy is the word. It's not a real how-to, nuts and bolts guide to home delivery, though it does explain in great (and graphic, not for young children) detail the mechanics of it all. It also offers sage advice on nutrition, circumcision, prenatal visits, and so forth. The most intriguing aspect of the book, however, are the vignettes recounting the stories of various pregnancies on The Farm. From a multitude of viewpoints, life and the giving of life on The Farm is dissected and observed, examined and appreciated by those who lived it. Would I choose to live there? Heck, no. But I see the attraction. And just like living at the farm, this book isn't for everyone, but it's definitely worth considering. Again, not for the faint of heart, but for the open heart.

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