wisewords
ing this natural functioning wastes a lot
of energy.
Yet, a birthing mother can make an
instant change and release the ecstatic
hormones naturally, simply through
deep breathing, laughter and even
experiencing gratitude for those helping
her. All of this works best in an atmo-
A Conversation with
sphere of privacy and calm.
Ina May Gaskin
Q. Will you explain what you refer to
as our country’s “big secret” regarding
Leader in America’s Natural
childbirth?

Childbirth Movement
There is a generally held belief that
childbirth is safe in the United States
by Gail condrick
while, in reality, we lack accurate re-
porting on this country’s rising maternal
death rate. The reports we do have,
based on long-term data compiled by
the Centers for Disease Control and
a later National Vital Statistics Report,
I
na May Gaskin is the author of Q. What do women and their partners
Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May’s need to know about natural childbirth?
reveal a doubling of the annual ma-
Guide to Childbirth, developer of
ternal fatalities tracked per 100,000
the Gaskin maneuver for shoulder
Women need to know that their bodies
live births, from 7.5 in 1982 through
birth complications, and founder of
work better than they think they do. It is
1996 to 15.1 in 2005. Given suspected
The Farm Midwifery Center, in Tennes-
vital to trust the process of nature. We
under-reporting due to misclassifica-
see. Since 1971, she has influenced
tion, some estimate that the number of
must believe that women’s bodies are
and inspired women around the world
deaths attributed to pregnancy and its
perfectly made for childbirth and the
with her views on natural childbirth.
complications (which include Cesarean
natural rhythms of giving birth. When
births, or C-sections) may be as high as
our larger culture understands how
Q. You have been called the nation’s
three times that.
women’s bodies work and we trust that
leading midwife and the founder of
ours will work, we will have an entirely
the natural childbirth movement in
Q. What can families do to ensure a
new psychology of childbirth.
more natural birthing process is avail-
America. How did you get started?
Natural childbirth can provide a
able to us and our daughters?
holistic approach to childbearing, one
Like many women, I had tried a hospi-
that includes the physical and emo-
We need to do a lot of rethinking.
tal birth and vowed never to be treated
tional, spiritual, and cultural needs of
Americans believe that the more
that way again. It was the late 1960s
each unique birth. To attend the birth
technology we throw at problems, the
and Americans were in rebellion.
of another person is a great, humbling,
better. But, that is not necessarily true in
Women began demanding access to
wonderful opportunity.
giving birth. We need to study why the
birth centers and midwives.
death rate is rising and take major steps
At the time, my husband Stephen
Q. Why does the mind/body connection
to turn it around. We need a national
and I were traveling on a cross-country
play a key role in childbirth?
system collecting data, more midwives,
lecture tour with a caravan of 50
a revolution in obstetrical education
school buses; along the way, babies
When the biological process is allowed
and a national health-insurance system,
were born and we midwifed each
to unfold in the most peaceful way, the
with better prenatal and postpartum
other. We began to coalesce into a
mother experiences the natural release
care for all women. Families must insist
community, finding roots and settling
of a mixture of ecstatic hormones,
on it. All of this is possible.
in Tennessee, where we founded The oxytocin and beta endorphins. Birth-
Farm. Some members of our com- ing mothers actually have the ability
For more information visit InaMay.com
munity were doctors and nurses and to become more fluid and are able to
and consult a health care provider. Ina
we made contacts with local hospitals relax the muscles that need to open. If
May Gaskin’s latest book, Ina May’s
and health authorities. We had good the body senses fear, the muscles of the
Guide to Breastfeeding, will be released
outcomes with our pregnancies and involuntary system become rigid and in- this fall.
breastfeeding rates right from the start. flexible, which makes it hard to change
Our on-the-job training grew as we
shape. Then, the immobility escalates,
Gail Condrick is a freelance writer in
learned from each other as midwives
causing extreme pain where normally,
Sarasota, FL. Reach her at
and friends.
labor would continue unimpeded. Fight-
NiaVisions.com.
May 2009
23
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