Think Empowered Birth. Now list the top 5 most influential people (to you personally),

[yaboobarb]

Think Empowered Birth.  Now list the top 5 most influential people (to you personally), and why?  This could be teachers, authors, midwives or ….?

P.S.  I am going to use this on my website somehow, I WON’T  use your name with your quote unless you  let me know you DO want me to.

Thank you!!!

Barbara

[lunarlady]

My husband for supporting my right to choose how to birth our child.
My MIL for having DH at home, along with his siblings, so that he grew up seeing birth as a natural, normal thing.
Irma may gaskin for writing books that show that birth is natural, normal, and spiritual.
My mother, for telling me her birth stories honestly, openly, and clearly. Because she was not afraid to tell me that she was afraid, it made it okay for me to admit that I was afraid and sklowly coming to terms with my fears about labor, delivery, and parenting.
My first MW, for helping me with a birth that was empowering, peaceful, and a wonderful passage into motherhood.

[MegBoz]

1. Henci Goer

"Thinking Woman's Guide" started it all for me. IRL, I didn't know a soul who had any desire to attempt to birth without an epidural, let alone went through with it & enjoyed it, let alone had an OOH birth. When I first got PG, I honestly thought, "Sure, of course I'll get an epidural! Why go through all that pain if I don't have to?!" But thankfully I knew enough to know about the high US CS rate and that set me on a path to learn some facts - specifically just to protect myself from an unnecessary CS. I started with that book & that set me on the path to NCB & changed my life.

2. Dr. Marsden Wagner

For being the 'whistle blower' of American obstetrics, for standing up to make a difference by testifying as an expert witness, for further lending his great credibility to the cause by writing "Born in the USA" and for letting his passion & anger shine through in the book.

(Ha, I tell people if they think I'm being melodramatic in my anger & my statements that American maternity care is an "atrocity" to just read that book!)

3. My MW

She's a CPM & they're outright illegal here in Maryland where she lives. (Although she's licensed in Virginia.) Rather than moving, stopping practicing midwifery, or pursuing CNM training, she practices civil disobedience. The state brought charges against her many years ago & she still continues to practice. (She prepared for the case, but it was dropped since they couldn't find anyone to testify against her.) She also believes in helping expand midwifery by training others.

4. Barbara Stratton

Baltimore ICAN leader - but also nationwide VBAC-activist. Has organized protests, obtained media coverage, and been instrumental in having VBAC-bans overturned.

Hm, for #5, I loved the book "Pushed" by Jennifer Block, as well as the movie BoBB. I think both are fantastic resources & so valuable in helping to open people's eyes. They're particularly useful resources in that they're entertaining & interesting, so they can help illuminate the truth to people who don't otherwise care about technical medical research details (and therefore wouldn't read through "Thinking Woman's Guide.")

But I guess in terms of people who have a positive impact on helping women have empowered births - I'd have to choose all doulas who attend hospital births. I imagine watching women being victimized & abused even occasionally, if not frequently, while continuing to be positive & supportive has to be amazingly difficult.

The book "Pushed" did a good job of portraying this tough task. I recall one doula said she stopped because it was too rough on her. I couldn't do it. I'd flip out on the first doc who cut an unnecessary episiotomy or did AROM without even TELLING the mama, let alone waiting for informed consent. I couldn't watch such abuses & keep my cool, let alone stay positive. I commend them for the work they do.