Birthing Liberation: How Reproductive Justice Can Set Us Free

by Sabia Wade

Birthing Liberation presents reproductive justice as the pathway to equity and the birthplace of liberation.

Sabia C. Wade, renowned radical doula and educator, speaks to the intersections of systemic issues—such as access to health care, house transportation, and nutrition—and personal trauma work that, if healed, have the power to lead us to collective liberation in all facets of life.

Collective liberation rests on the idea that in order for us all to have equity in this world—from the safety of childbirth, to the ability to bring a baby home to a safe community, to having access to resources, safety, and opportunities over the long term—we must all become liberated individuals.

Birthing Liberation creates a path to social and systemic change, starting within the birthing world and expanding far beyond.

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Feminism, Politics, Health, Audiobook

240 pages, Hardcover

Published March 7, 2023

Reviews

[Bri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very interested in this book and how I could evaluate, change, or improve my practice. However this book fell flat for me. I don’t think it focused on birth for me. Rather racial justices as a whole.

[Hava · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved the first two chapters. learned a lot about history of gynecology and the current inequities around birth, esp regarding race. very important. but…the rest fell a little flat for me, read like many other self help social justice books. wish there was more discussion of constraints of the medical industrial complex generally. appreciated inclusion of somatics in reader experience.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to the audiobook and it was great, but I felt like she said “the end” but should have said the beginning of continued work or something else along those lines. Fabulous read for anyone and everyone. She did a great job explaining BIPOC & Non-BIPOC perspectives. Really like her ideas of not reinventing the wheel and supporting what’s already out there. In the age of social media I think reinvention is so common when it’s often a waste of time and there isn’t time to waste on the issues especially around childbirth.

[gema · Rating 4 out of 5]

an exciting first step into the world of birth justice and doula care work. “the only way to a new, improved, and safe world for all people, esp Black and Indigenous people and people of color, is to return to birth.”

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book so desperately trying to be intersectional, the lack of discussion on class was particularly astounding and disappointing.

[Tijuana Reeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Argues that the high maternal and infant mortality rates experienced by Black birthing persons is due to racism, which for me may be useful in analyzing the high maternal and infant mortality rates experienced by Indigenous birthing persons. Opens with a story about a Black woman who died during childbirth and explains the factors that led to her death, which was preventable. Interestingly, Wade ends the book with the same story, only this time the experiences of everyone involved are transformed, leading to a prevented death. This reminds me of Saidiya Hartman’s concept of critical fabulation.

[Annaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, thank you, Sabia, for sending me this ARC. It was a great pleasure to read this book (and often a productive struggle). This is a great primer on Reproductive Justice and all of the many aspects of society and the self that fit into RJ's dreams for liberation. I cried and felt joy. Most of all, I felt seen by Sabia's analysis and the exercises spread throughout the chapters. Everyone should read this whether they can/want to give birth or not. RJ helps everyone. Liberation helps everyone. Equality helps everyone.

[Avary Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabia's book provides a journey for transformation and healing - the stories are evocative and stir up a wide variety of emotions. Sabia integrates throughout the book different somatic reflection and processing exercises to support really taking in the stories and their impact - inviting us to feel and connect rather than go numb and disengage.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the dangerous maternal health disparity in this country.

[Emma De · Rating 3 out of 5]

My labor and delivery nurse book club read this and we wished that there was a conclusion of guidance for non-BIPOC caregivers. We were given a picture of lots of the bad without a conclusion of what we can do in our practice to make it better. More about history and what trauma a BIPOC person brings to the delivery room than about actual birth or birth liberation. The book was a little off topic and missed an opportunity to speak directly to strategies to support BIPOC birthing people.

[Britta Bushnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabia is a powerhouse of information and wisdom in the field of birth and reproductive justice. Reading this book gives you a foundation of information all of us in this field of work will benefit from. The first few chapters alone are worth the price of the book as they place practices and protocols of today within the important historical context that is often missing in conversations about birth.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book that includes many somatic exercises to help the reader truly engage with the text and the emotions. It’s a super important read for people, both BIPOC and non-BIPOC. Some of the chapters did feel a little bit repetitive, but in my line of work we often say most people need to hear things more than once to truly understand it. Definitely recommend this book

[Renee Bracey Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated how much care they take in the reader’s experience, particularly when reading about pregnancy and historical trauma. It’s a really beautiful and caring read that I think is essential to everyone doing pregnancy work.

[Hannah Greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birthing Liberation is a must-read for every birthworker, both new & experienced! This book was so informative, with somatic exercises & prompts throughout to help you be grounded and integrate the information.

Sabia Wade is a wealth of knowledge!

[Karla Kort · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very informative and motivating but more about racial justice as a whole, I would have liked more about birth specifically. Also I was sometimes missing more explanation or examples to fully understand what she was saying, or how to put things into practice.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

it reminded me a lot of the book “my grandmothers hands” with the exercises incorporated, which i enjoyed!! i took a star off bc i feel like a lot of the book was not directly related to reproductive justice, which is why i wanted to read this book. still full of important and value ideas thought

[Paige Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read for birth workers!

[Savannah Graziano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so great that I Googled the author thinking I could email her. I could not. Sabia Wade ily.