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Yet...she also points out that midwives and doulas are a strong antedote for women to deal with the "not so perfect for pushing a baby out" bodies that they may have.
It felt like Cassidy approached her book, and birth, like a journalist, looking for answers through facts rather than reaching into her gut.
But, having said that, it's an interesting book on the history of birth. I don't think it's an inspiring book for the average woman to read and when she's finished she won't necessarily feel pumped up to give birth.
My two cents!
Karen
PS: I LOVED Sheila Kitzinger's book, Birth Crisis, and I will give you all a little heads-up that this is most likely our next book! Jillian is contacting Sheila Kitzinger about having a teleconference with us at the end of April! It's shocking and honestly I don't know if it's for consumers, but it's essential reading for anyone who is a maternity care provider and perhaps a healing book for women who have had a traumatic birth.
Hi all J
I don't know if you've seen Cassidy quoted, and even if it was taken out of context, you will not hear her words come from my mouth – if a mom wants to push for 12 hours and she and baby are ok, then good for that momma. It's her journey – no one else's. I'm a bit turned off that she is included in the BIRTH audio documentary. I guess I need to hear it and what she has to say, but the clips I've seen her quoted have been anything but empowering for women, including this doozy, perpetuating the myth that small women cannot birth healthy normal weight (8# is quite normal) babies:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/15929243.htm
The best I've heard yet was from a woman who pushed for 12 hours," she says.
It was a home birth, in which the expectant mother was hoping for a vaginal birth after cesarean.
"Twelve hours, no epidural, nothing," Cassidy recalls. "She was a tiny person -- under 5 feet tall, with a pre-pregnancy weight of 88 pounds -- and she had an 8 pound baby."
Cassidy shakes her head in disbelief. "She's telling me and I'm thinking, 'Why would you do that to yourself? It's just not going to work for you. It's OK, you're tiny.'"
I would never recommend her book if quotes like this are in it. Now Born in the USA – I'm trying to get all the local doulas to make it required reading of their doula clients. Especially since they are serving the moms choosing hospital brith. If someone has read her book and there are no disempowering words of wisdom from Cassidy in it like the above, please let me know. I'm so turned off from her and her book right now.
And so TURNED ON to Born in the USA! J Tammi
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