Review of: “pregnancy and birth: in support of autonomy”

by WHIC, Women’s Health Information Collective, Glasgow, distributed via AK Press and printed by Clydeside Press, for the price of £3.00, ca.170 pages

This is a collection of articles contributed by various women on the aspect of birth, but focussing mainly on the mother and her feelings and problems, not so much on the baby. It gives self-experienced advice on nutrition, herbs, aromatherapy, homoeopathy, shiatsu, alexander technique, homebirth, breastfeeding, vaginal birth after caesarean, and breathing, movement and optimal fetal positioning. The second part of the book is a collection of birth stories and how they wanted it to happen, their plans and how it actually went.

The book actually expresses in various chapters the intention to reclaim the responsibility and the autonomy of mothers back from the medics. This book is a collection of various womens’ experiences and is quite appreciated by the readers, although some of the information given, might arouse some suspicion and doubts in the reader, like e.g. the chapter on vaccination. The book gives addresses and contacts for further information, and gives the warning right at the beginning, that a book in isolation has its limits.

Overall the book is quite challenging from the average “birth books” as it is written from experienced persons, trying to look for alternatives and further possibilities in the present medical system for what’s suiting the women best and giving their valuable experience away for the benefits of other pregnant women. The cost of the book is low and it is affordable, the style is comprehensive and understandable and varies from chapter to chapter, but getting away from the often experienced style of “ordering the reader around telling them what to do in an arrogant, superior manner” advisory books often have. You feel quite comfortable whilst reading it, it’s like meeting friends and having a cup of tea and a nice chat with them.

Published At