The History Book Club discussion

This thread discusses midwifery thought the ages. Please add books which are non fiction books or historical fiction books which deal with this topic.

Here is one that I also posted under East Asia (Japan):

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet

David Mitchell

Publisher's Synopsis:

Japan, 1799; Jacob de Zoet arrives on Dejima in Nagasaki harbour. For over 150 years this artificial island, manned by the Dutch East India Company, has been the only point of contact between Japan and Europe. The foreign traders are forbidden to leave the island whilst the Japanese may not travel beyond their native land. Yet through the porthole of Dejima the new learning of the Enlightenment seeps into the Shogun’s cloistered realm while tales of a mysterious land seep out.

As a junior clerk, de Zoet’s task is to uncover evidence of the previous Chief Resident’s malpractice. Ostracised by his compatriots, he befriends a local interpreter and becomes drawn to one of the few women on the island, a midwife with a scarred face who is granted permission to study under the Company physician. But in the battles for supremacy on Dejima and the mainland, and between the Dutch and British on the high seas, trust is betrayed and loyalties are tested to breaking point.

At once a love story, an adventure, a study of power and corruption, and a glimpse into a hidden world, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet brings to vivid life the ordinary - and extraordinary - people caught up in a tectonic shift between East and West. It is an historical novel unlike any other from one of the brightest talents writing in the English language.

Awards:

Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book in South Asia and Europe (2011), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Favorite Book, Fiction (2010)

In my twenties, I read many books by Stephen Gaskin and life on the commune called the Farm. Despite the hippy jargon, he always made a lot of sense to me. Those books led me to "Spiritual Midwifery" by his wife, Ina May Gaskin. It is just a beautiful and inspiring book. She's written others, I see.

Her Goodreads bio: Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, is founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. Founded in 1971, by 1996, the Farm Midwifery Center had handled more than 2200 births, with remarkably good outcomes. Ms. Gaskin herself has attended more than 1200 births. She is author of Spiritual Midwifery, now in its fourth edition. For twenty-two years she published Birth Gazette, a quarterly covering health care, childbirth and midwifery issues. Her new book, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth was released 4 March 2003 by Bantam/Dell, a division of Random House. She has lectured all over the world at midwifery conferences and at medical schools, both to students and to faculty. She was President of Midwives' Alliance of North America from 1996 to 2002. In 1997, she received the ASPO/Lamaze Irwin Chabon Award and the Tennessee Perinatal Association Recognition Award. In 2003 she was chosen as Visiting Fellow of Morse College, Yale University.

Ms. Gaskin has lectured widely to midwives and physicians throughout the world. Her promotion of a low-intervention but extremely effective method for dealing with one of the most-feared birth complications, shoulder dystocia, has resulted in that method being adopted by a growing number of practitioners. The Gaskin maneuver is the first obstetrical procedure to be named for a midwife. Her statistics for breech deliveries and her teaching video on the subject have helped to spark a reappraisal of the policy of automatically performing cesarean section for all breech babies. As the occurrence of vaginal breech births has declined over the last 25 years, the knowledge and skill required for such births have come close to extinction.

Ms. Gaskin’s center is noted for its low rates of intervention, morbidity and mortality despite the inclusion of many vaginally delivered breeches, twin and grand multiparas. Their statistics were published in “The Safety of Home Birth: The Farm Study,” authored by A. Mark Durand, American Journal of Public Health, March, 1992, Vol. 82, 450-452. She was featured in Salon magazine’s feature “Brilliant Careers” in the June 1, 1999 edition.

by Ina May Gaskin

by Ina May Gaskin

Thank you Bea for the excellent write-up and fine adds.

Here is a highly rated book that looks that it might be perfect for readers interested in any of these topics: midwifery, rural Africa/Mali, or the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Goodreads blurb:

Monique and the Mango Rains is the compelling story of a rare friendship between a young Peace Corps volunteer and a midwife who became a legend. Monique Dembele saved lives and dispensed hope in a place where childbirth is a life-and-death matter. This book tells of her unquenchable passion to better the lives of women and children in the face of poverty, unhappy marriages, and endless backbreaking work. Monique's buoyant humor and willingness to defy tradition were uniquely hers. In the course of this deeply personal narrative, as readers immerse themselves in the rhythms of West African village life, they come to know Monique as friend, mother, and inspired woman.

by Kris Holloway (No photo)

This just proves that there are many ordinary heroes in this world. Monique is one of them.

This is the first of a trilogy.

The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times

by Jennifer Worth

Synopsis:

An unforgettable story of the joy of motherhood, the bravery of a community, and the hope of one extraordinary woman

At the age of twenty-two, Jennifer Worth leaves her comfortable home to move into a convent and become a midwife in post war London's East End slums. The colorful characters she meets while delivering babies all over London-from the plucky, warm-hearted nuns with whom she lives to the woman with twenty-four children who can't speak English to the prostitutes and dockers of the city's seedier side-illuminate a fascinating time in history. Beautifully written and utterly moving, The Midwife will touch the hearts of anyone who is, and everyone who has, a mother.

"Granny women" were healers and midwives in Southern Appalachia and the Ozark Mountains, documented as practicing from the 1880s to the 1930s. They were usually elder women in the community and were often the only practitioners of healthcare in the poor rural areas of Southern Appalachia. They seldom expected or received payment, and were respected as authorities on herbal healing and childbirth.

The Southern Highlander and His Homeland

by John C. Campbell

Synopsis

In 1908 John C. Campbell was commissioned by the Russell Sage Foundation to conduct a survey of conditions in Appalachia and the aid work being done in these areas to create "the central repository of data concerning conditions in the mountains to which workers in the field might turn." Originally published in 1921, The Southern Highlander and His Homeland details Campbell's experiences and findings during his travels in the region, observing unique aspects of mountain communities such as their religion, family life, and forms of entertainment. Campbell's landmark work paved the way for folk schools, agricultural cooperatives, handicraft guilds, the frontier nursing service, better roads, and a sense of pride in mountain life -- the very roots of Appalachian preservat

Kathy, I have read the first in the trilogy, and it is not only informative but also amusing!

Great adds Kathy. Thank you for keeping up all of your threads.

Good adds Kathy

Great add

Reconceiving Midwifery

by Ivy Lynn Bourgeault (no photo)

Synopsis:

The "renaissance" of Canadian midwifery, suggest editors Bourgeault (sociology, McMaster U., Canada), Benoit (sociology, U. of Victoria, Canada), and Davis Floyd (anthropology, U. of Texas at Austin, US), rests upon complex blends of indigenous, provincial, and international models of maternity care and has come to serve as a inspirational model for many of outside of Canada. They present 14 papers that together aim to provide an account of the historical and cultural roots of midwifery; its evolving regulatory and institutional status; and differences in practice across ethnic, socio-economic, and regional groups. Distributed in the US by Cornell U. Press Services. Annotation © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The New Midwifery: Science and Sensitivity in Practice

by Lesley Ann Page (no photo)

Synopsis:

Practicing as a midwife today requires not only good clinical skills but also a broad understanding of the social and emotional changes a woman experiences before and after birth. This book combines scientific knowledge with the more intangible skills needed for sensitive communication to provide the best possible care to the mother and her family. The second edition of this celebrated text vividly explores the various skills and approaches that lead to successful midwifery practice and uses care stories to bring these to life.

The Art of Spiritual Midwifery: Dialogos and Dialectic in the Classical Tradition

by Stephen Faller (no photo)

Synopsis:

What comes after reflective listening? What comes after the ministry of presence? Spiritual midwifery is a powerful framework for offering pastoral care in today's fast-paced environment. Midwifery offers ways of thinking about those who are served, the work itself, and what it means to be a clinical caregiver within the tradition of the care of souls.

Spiritual midwifery has philosophical and spiritual roots that stem from the earliest seeds of Western thought, even back to Jesus and Socrates. Readers will find an inductive approach toward a conceptual model that offers insight for richer assessments and outcome-oriented goals of care.

Part One sets out the metaphors of the midwife and the dialogue. Part Two unpacks the methodology behind the mechanics. Part Three looks at creative applications of midwifery, and is followed by a Symposium patterned after Plato's own Symposium.

A rigorous theory remains at the centre of the work, but the tone is poetically balanced enough to invite the transformation of the spiritual caregiver. From the philosophy of Heraclitus to the theology of Kierkegaard and the spiritual direction of Guenther, The Art of Spiritual Midwifery brings forth a comprehensive conception of pastoral care and its delivery.

A Midwife's Story: Life, Love and Birth Among the Amish

Upcoming Book
Release Date - April 7, 2016

by Penny Armstorng (no photo)

Synopsis:

When hospital-trained midwife Penny Armstrong takes on a job delivering the babies of the Amish, she encounters a way of life deeply rooted in the earth. As she renews her respect for nature, she discovers an approach to giving birth that changes her life forever.A Midwife s Story is a life-affirming book that never fails to enlighten, inform and surprise. Honest and ultimately very moving, it is inspirational reading not only for midwives and childbirth educators, but also for all parents."

Pharmacology for Women's Health

by Mary C Brucker (no photo)

Synopsis:

Awarded First Place In The 2016 AJN Book Of The Year Awards In The Maternal-Child Health Category!

Pharmacology For Women’S Health, Second Edition Is A Unique Text That Discusses Pharmacology As It Specifically Relates To Women’S Health.

Completely Updated And Revised To Reflect The Changing Field Of Pharmacology, It Includes New Pharmacological Agents For Common Conditions, Changes In Indications, The Use Of Vaccines, Updated Guidelines From The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) For Treatment Of Sexually Transmitted Infections, And The Effects Of The Affordable Care Act.

It Also Includes New Resource Boxes In Each Chapter For Easy Access To More Information. Each New Print Copy Includes Navigate 2 Advantage Access That Unlocks A Comprehensive And Interactive Ebook, Student Practice Activities And Assessments, A Full Suite Of Instructor Resources, And Learning Analytics Reporting Tools.

Katy wrote: "A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812

by [authorimage:Laurel Tha..."

I loved this book. Really gives a sense of the woman's life and how she managed her household AND her practice. Great read.

Thank you Faith for posting. We are glad that you enjoyed the book.

My grandmothers were midwives for several generations, so that book in particular, but the midwifery thread in general is fascinating to me.

Very good.

Birth Cry: A personal story of the life of Hannah D. Mitchell, Nurse Midwife

by Shirley Roland Ferguson (no photo)

Synopsis:

Birth Cry documents the journey of an obscure woman from a poor, hard-working Christian family in Missouri who achieves advanced education, acclaim and esteem in adulthood. With insight and humor, her story reveals how, through adversity, her life and character develop – into a life surrendered to God.  

Heaven in My Hands: A Midwife's Stories of Birth & Life

by Nancy Spencer (no photo)

Synopsis:

We are wrapped in a mantle of awe at the beauty around us. But there is one particular experience transcending all others-a baby's first breath, that primal cry of a brand-new human being that's so powerful, so rich, and so pure, it brings instant tears. The cycle of life begins anew-full of expectation, hope, and love. Every baby is magnificent, beautiful, perfection itself, whose grand entrance into this world is never commonplace. How could it be? For those first several minutes, it seems as if one can sense the very breath of God come to earth. This brief exchange with holiness is undeniable, a treasured memory forever, and certainly a story worth sharing. These are the stories Nancy Spencer shares in Heaven in My Hands. Accept the invitation to laugh and be surprised and inspired as you read some of the most humorous, tender, poignant, and life-altering births Nancy has encountered in her decades-long midwifery practice. Journey with these families and see the glory of God shining in the face of each sweet little boy and girl. When the miracle of life changes everything, these gifts from God truly are heaven in our hands

Midwife on Call: Tales of Tiny Miracles

by Agnes Light (no photo)

Synopsis;

Funny, poignant, and rich with period detail, Midwife on Call traces Agnes's touching journey from squeamish pupil to assured professional. Agnes Light trained as a nurse in the 1960s and went on to become a midwife—helping to bring new lives into the world for more than 30 years. After fainting from shock at the first birth she attended as a student, Agnes grew to adore her job and the lifelong friends that worked with her on the maternity ward. In her enchanting memoir, she recalls how she struggled at first with the strict rules of hospital etiquette, and the expectation that she would always know the right thing to do—from dealing with hysterical fathers to miracle multiple births, Agnes quickly learned she had to keep a cool head whatever the circumstances. This is a heartwarming portrait of a thoughtful and compassionate midwife

The Midwife's Here! The Enchanting True Story of One of Britain's Longest Serving Midwives

by Linda Fairley (no photo)

Synopsis:

Delivering my first baby is a memory that will stay with me forever. Just feeling the warmth of a newborn head in your hands, that new life, there’s honestly nothing like it… I’ve since brought more than 2,200 babies into the world, and I still tingle with excitement every time.

It’s the summer of 1967and St Mary’s Maternity Hospital in Manchester is a place from a bygone age. It is filled with starched white hats and full skirts, steaming laundries and milk kitchens, strict curfews and bellowed commands. It is a time of homebirths, swaddling and dangerous anaesthetics. It was this world that Linda Fairley entered as a trainee midwife aged just 19 years old.

From the moment Linda delivered her first baby – racing across rain-splattered Manchester street on her trusty moped in the dead of night – Linda knew she’d found her vocation. ‘The midwife’s here!’ they always exclaimed, joined in their joyful chorus by relieved husbands, mothers, grandmothers and whoever else had found themselves in close proximity to a woman about to give birth.

Under the strict supervision of community midwife Mrs Tattershall, Linda’s gruellingly long days were spent on overcrowded wards pinning Terry nappies, making up bottles and sterilizing bedpans – and above all helping women in need. Her life was a succession of emergencies, successes and tragedies: a never-ending chain of actions which made all the difference between life and death.

There was Mrs Petty who gave birth in heartbreaking poverty; Mrs Drew who confided to Linda that the triplets she was carrying were not in fact her husband’s; and Murial Turner, whose dangerously premature baby boy survived – against all the odds. Forty years later Linda’s passion for midwifery burns as bright as ever as she is now celebrated as one of Britain’s longest-serving midwives, still holding the lives of mothers and children in her own two hands.

Rich in period detail and told with a good dose of Manchester humour, The Midwife’s Here! is the extraordinary, heartwarming tale of a truly inspiring woman

Outback Midwife

by Beth McRae

Synopsis:

Outback Midwife is the story of Beth McRae's 40 years as a midwife, from her terrifying first day witnessing a birth as a naïve student nurse to her training as a midwife – the days when the words ‘birth plan' were unheard of and what women wanted was a long way from being part of any plan - to the outback.

Beth's career of catching babies takes her from the city to the bush, bonding with people from all walks of life at one of the most important moments in their lives. But there was one more frontier she was determined to conquer.

At a time when most people are thinking about slowing down, Beth decides to move to a remote Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land to embark on a whole other adventure

Lina what great adds. Thank you.