Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwifery Center

A pioneer in the field of natural birthing, Ina May Gaskin MA, CPM, PhD (Hon.) is the nation's leading midwife. She shows us how we should learn from how our ancestors birthed, without fear and trusting in our bodies. She recognises that there is a strong mind-body connection and the majority of women can birth without interventions.

Despite her low tech facilities on the Farm Midwifery Center, she has beat her high tech counterparts achieving low rates of interventions, morbidity, and mortality. She also has high rates of delivering twins and breech babies vaginally and even babies with shoulder dystocia.

An author of a handful of books about birthing and breastfeeding, as well as a recipient of many awards, she is out to change the world and help women birth without fear. Her website contacts articles, books, and videos and are backed up with statistical data.

Her book Ina May's Guide to Childbirth is a fantastic read since childbirth is explained in layman's terms, but also contains tons of medical references that you can show to your doctor to help back you up. Her TED talk is a powerful, moving video about reducing fear during the birthing process. The fear-pain-tension process is something that has to be eliminated and becoming informed is the first step you can take. Other videos that you might like to watch are Orgasmic Birth and Organic Birth and the Business of Being Born.  There's also a sequel, called More Business of Being Born, which has four parts.

1. Part 1: Down on the Farm
2. Part 2: Special Deliveries
3. Part 3: Explore Your Options
4. Part 4: The VBAC Dilemma

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Tender Embrace Birthing offers childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes and support.