Happy Birthday, Ina May — Mother of Modern Day Midwifery.
A birthday is such a special day for anyone, but when you think of the mother of authentic midwifery, for some reason a birthday seems like an even better time to reflect on the great things a person has done.
Born March 8, 1940, Ina May Gaskin has given the world a lot of great things. She has written several books and has received numerous awards and recognition throughout her life. It’s easy to see why she is loved and revered when you think about the value she has brought to our society.
When I was considering natural childbirth for my fourth baby, I was both worried and excited. I met with a local midwife and wanted to get a little more information. Some of the best resources the midwife gave me were a couple of Ina May Gaskin’s books. She let me borrow both Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, and her Guide to Breastfeeding. I ate those books up like they satisfied a craving. The only thing I regret is that I couldn’t highlight and mark them up with endless notes, since the books were borrowed. So many great words, so much wisdom, and so many positive things were in those books that it amazed me. A lot of what Ina May taught about natural childbirth and about the way our society sees birth made so much sense, and had a huge impact on me and my natural birth experience.
There are so many things I could talk about when it comes to Ina May Gaskin, but sometimes the best way to honor a person is to look at some of the things she has said herself, and to express how those words have influenced me. It’s hard to pick my favorite quotes from Ina May, but here are my top five.
The quote I would like to start with is something that we need to keep in mind these days.
“Remember this, for it is as true as true gets: your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.”
Many times people pull out that last part of her quote, which I completely understand, because it is so incredibly important. Think positively about your body! This doesn’t mean only when you’re expecting, but all throughout your life! It’s something we all need to incorporate into our daily lives. But not only that, I love how this entire quote talks about how we are not broken, our bodies are meant to give birth!
The next quote is just as impressive.
“I think that women can be just completely surprised by the change in them from giving birth-you have something powerful in you-that fierce thing comes up-and I think babies need moms to have that fierceness-you feel like you can do anything and that’s the feeling we want moms to have.”
My first three pregnancies I used an epidural. Giving birth that way was still a wonderful experience, and I was happy to have my babies, no matter how they came. But this quote means so much more to me after having given birth naturally. There really is a fierce thing that comes up when you are exposed to all the raw emotions and hormones that you experience during natural childbirth. It’s empowering. It’s something that fills you with pride. It is completely and utterly female.
This leads right into Ina May’s next quote. This is such a great quote.
“If a woman doesn’t look like a Goddess during labor, then someone isn’t treating her right.”
I love the humor and light-heartedness of Ina May. While this quote always makes me laugh, it also makes me very thoughtful. Birth can be such a special and amazing experience, and we really can look like Goddesses during labor. We are beautiful, we are strong, and we are powerful. And when we are giving birth, we are completely natural.
In my opinion this next one is one of the most touching quotes from Ina May. When I read this for the first time, I cried.
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother never. A mother is something absolutely new.”
This. Just, wow! Read it again. Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.
Something I have come to realize after giving birth to four beautiful children, is that while I am now a big proponent of natural childbirth, I also realize that no matter how a baby is born, it is always precious. If you go natural, have an epidural, get induced, or have a c-section, the fact is that you are becoming a mother, and that is the most incredible thing in the world. I just wish that more women saw natural childbirth as a real and viable option.
Ina May said,
“This option to give birth in the place of choice should be open to women who desire it, as long as their physical condition permits it as a safe choice.”
Women should have a right to know that there are more options than the popular hospital birth setting, and thanks to Ina May Gaskin, many women are starting to realize that truth.
Now that is a birthday worthy of celebrating!
So whether you’re expecting right now and looking forward to exploring your childbirth options, you’re planning to get pregnant in the future, or you’re the close friend of someone who is expecting, make sure to consider natural childbirth as one of your options, and weigh the decision to see if it’s right for you.
And if you need some great resources for making that decision? Pick up any one of Ina May Gaskin’s books and consume them. Trust me. Your cravings will thank you.
Note: Here’s a link where these quotes were found, along with many, many other inspiring quotes by this amazing lady.