| Naomi Wolf's newest book, Misconceptions, is | | | | Gaskin, however, is somehow exempt from this |
| a testament to her own experiences and | | | | group and given the title, "The Patron |
| prejudices about childbirth. Ms. Wolf shares | | | | Saint." It is obvious that Ms. Wolf is in |
| her own culturally-learned fears about | | | | awe of Gaskin, yet wasn't converted by her to |
| childbirth but fails to recognize that this | | | | better educate herself and choose a less |
| is in response to 100 years of medical | | | | interventive childbirth. It is also apparent |
| society propaganda. Although she has access | | | | that Ms. Wolf did not read the original |
| to research and studies documenting the | | | | Spiritual Midwifery book. If she had, she |
| safety of homebirth and non-medical | | | | would have learned that Ina May wasn't |
| midwifery, she paints birth outside an | | | | exactly "a self-taught, lay midwife" but that |
| institution as dangerous. She chose to give | | | | her earliest training had come from an |
| birth with obstetricians in high risk | | | | obstetrician (who also provided medication |
| hospitals and had cesareans both times. I | | | | and instruments) and a local physician who |
| think the book could have been more aptly | | | | provided friendly back-up for years. She |
| titled, "(Misrepresentations) My Pain Phobia | | | | also would have learned that the Farm clinic |
| and Justification for My Cesareans."I heard | | | | included a physician.It is curious that Ms. |
| about this book through discussions on the | | | | Wolf is intrigued by free-standing birth |
| internet which praised it for setting the | | | | centers and offers them up as a perfect |
| record straight about childbirth. After | | | | choice for women. She is somehow under the |
| looking at the book myself, however, I have | | | | impression that pain-relieving drugs are |
| come to an entirely different conclusion. It | | | | readily available for those who give birth at |
| is simply another book, written to justify | | | | these centers, yet her depiction of Elizabeth |
| the unwarranted use of medical intervention | | | | Seton indicates a transport to the hospital |
| and sequelae, unnecessary cesareans, and | | | | for those who wish an epidural. How this is |
| excuse bad maternity care decisions. Instead | | | | an improvement over one's own home is a |
| of accurately depicting birthing choices in | | | | mystery to me. Perhaps it is her fascination |
| America, Ms. Wolf used this book as a vehicle | | | | with institutions? and her phobia about |
| to promote her own opinions and discredit | | | | pain?Complete Mother readers will find her |
| traditional midwives, homebirth, full-time | | | | descriptions of breastfeeding revolting: |
| motherhood and ecological breastfeeding.Ms. | | | | "become someone's addiction." And quoting |
| Wolf places great importance on the book | | | | Sarah Hardy, "once nursing begins, bondage is |
| "What to Expect When You're Expecting", as | | | | a perfectly good description for the ensuing |
| though this is some highly regarded research | | | | chain of events (and) lives on a mammary |
| book or the childbirth Bible. Sadly this | | | | leash." How sad she didn't bother to go to a |
| book is written to promote the medical model | | | | Le Leche League meeting or meet someone who |
| of care and justify the many interventions | | | | was content breastfeeding. We can only guess |
| foisted upon women who choose to have | | | | that she probably was bottle fed, and lacking |
| hospital births. She carefully goes through | | | | the nurturing of being breastfed herself, is |
| the many routine hospital procedures and | | | | compensating by portraying breastfeeding in a |
| explains the many risks and few benefits of | | | | dim light.Her social programs which would |
| each, yet she apparently did not believe her | | | | improve the world basically abdicate parental |
| own research.Those who have fought for years | | | | responsibilities to the government. She |
| to eradicate the meaningless term "lay | | | | wants paid extended maternity leave, tax |
| midwife" will immediately recognize Ms. | | | | deductions and benefits to relatives who come |
| Wolf's superficial understanding of birth | | | | to help the new mothers, on-site day care and |
| attendants. Her repeated use of this term is | | | | nurseries, lots of hospital support programs, |
| a clear indicator of her lack of research and | | | | hospital statistics disclosure, parentless |
| knowledge of childbirth. I half expected to | | | | playgrounds monitored by "young people" so |
| see the terms "redskin" or "nigger" pop up | | | | "an active, thoughtful mother, father. (won't |
| during discussion about minority | | | | be) uncomfortable at the playground." |
| statistics.She writes as a fact, "homebirth | | | | Basically she wants the government to act as |
| is now as safe as hospital birth." Now as | | | | nanny so she can get her work done. "Work" |
| safe? It has always been at least as safe! | | | | being something far more important than |
| An entire book, The Five Standards by David | | | | caring for her children herself.Save yourself |
| Stewart, gives thousands of studies and | | | | a few hours of frustration wading through |
| statistics which conclude that homebirth is | | | | this tripe. Instead, make a pot of raspberry |
| safer than hospital birth.I took great | | | | leaf tea, give the older kids a fun project |
| offense at her term, "Naturalists," (pages | | | | to do, put your feet up and put baby to |
| 182-186) to describe anyone who would dare to | | | | breast and read the books she ignored: The |
| promote or give birth without | | | | Five Standards, Under the Apple Tree, The |
| high-technology. She explains that this | | | | American Way of Birth, Being Born, Birth at |
| option "has been presented as so rigid .with | | | | Home, Your Baby, Your Way, Special Delivery, |
| such extreme requirements of courage and | | | | Labor Pains, Silent Knife, Malpractice: How |
| faith. It was for that reason that my | | | | Doctors Manipulate Women, Obstetric Myths |
| husband and I would not consider it as an | | | | Versus Research Realities, Gentle Birth |
| option." I wonder, what research led her to | | | | Choices and back-issues of The Compleat |
| this conclusion? Judging from many comments | | | | Mother Magazine.Rebecca Waters is the book |
| which salt her book, it would seem she is her | | | | reviewer for The Compleat Mother Magazine - |
| own source of "factual" information.Anyone | | | | Rebecca is also a contributor to Nursing |
| who promoted birth without drugs is included | | | | Programs Online at and to Go-Law-School at |
| in this Naturalist group and portrayed as | | | | Rebecca is also a mother of seven and the |
| romanticizing the birthing event. Ina May | | | | wife of an interesting dude. |