Diary of a Midwife 1st Edition

I will preface this review by saying I am only half-way through. I am an aspiring nurse midwife and have read tons of books on midwifery, pregnancy and childbirth. This one has been particularly tough to get through due to the detailing of some horrific things done to infants and women at the hospital. I have a one-year-old and some of the passages made me either sob uncontrollably or sick to my stomach. I even skipped a few sections due to my strong reaction. As other reviewers have said, DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE PREGNANT! I realize times have changed since the author experienced these things and am pretty sure stuff like this doesn't happen anymore...but still.The reason I gave it 4 stars is that the book is otherwise interesting and informative. If you want something more uplifting, read 'Baby Catcher':)

Today, midwives undertake the highest level of scrutiny in an age of litigation. Licensing and legislation have brought respectful care to a grinding halt. Books like this are so important to both mothers as consumers and those who choose to serve mothers....the overwhelming message is a personal drive to keep birth safe and positive.

Diary of a Midwife was a wonderfully written book by Penny Armstrong taking us thru her schooling to become a CNM all the thru her different clinical experiences and her journey to the Amish country in Pennsylvania where she ended up delivering babies for the Amish. Parts of the book she shared the many politics that midwives have to wade thru, just to be accepted as competant baby catchers. The Amish unlike many folks are not out to find fault and sue the midwife if something goes wrong. Penny takes on her journeys from Scotlant to Philidelphia then out the the Amish country. I had a very hard time putting this book down until I was finished. Anyone that is interested in births that are attended at home will like this book. Ms. Armstrong eventually marries and buys land right next to her Amish families. Great book.

Diary of a Midwife by Juliana van Olphen-Fehr, is just that, a diary. Juliana tells a beautiful, albeit sobering, story of how she became a midwife through the births of her children and her experiences with teaching disabled children. Early on in her life, Juliana made the connection that disabled and mentally retarded children often have their conditions directly from their time in utero and birth. She knew that she could do more to help these children. She could prevent it.With this realization, she launched into understanding what adequate prenatal care and education for pregnant women can do. Her journey into midwifery involves becoming a nurse, and then going to midwifery school to become a nurse-midwife. But I won't give it all away.I love this book because Juliana tells of her journey, the hard things she went through, and that all midwives are still going through today, but she also educates the reader on what birth is. Story-telling and listening to stories is such a beautiful way to learn and something that all cultures have used and still use to teach concepts. For those wanting to grasp what obstetricians do in their job and what midwives do in theirs, what "obstetrical interventions" really are, how they work in real-life birth scenarios, how to avoid them, and why it even matters, this book is a must read. I loved most how Juliana describes how safe birth is, as long as it is done in God's timing, God's way.Some people may tire of her story format. I rather did at first but now I appreciate it. Juliana is just a midwife telling her story but it reminds me that we are all on a journey, each in a different place, with life experiences teaching us different things. I just wish that every woman could take it from Juliana and learn from her life! Definitely worth your time :)

I read this book straight through while traveling recently, unable to put it down except for meal breaks! I cried through the stories of difficult hospital births, laughed through the many inspiring accounts of incredible home births and finally put the book down with a feeling of great joy and inspiration. _Diary of a Midwife_ is a keeper and worth giving to every woman you know. Juliana's insights into women's health and particularly into the "birthrights" that women have lost in the past few decades are revealing and thought-provoking.If you are already a midwifery advocate, this book will serve to cement your beliefs. If you have doubts about the safety of home birth, this book will challenge your thinking. If you'd like to try "natural" birthing, but are a little worried, Diary of a Midwife will encourage you to find the strength you already possess and experience the true joy in giving birth.On a personal note, I called Juliana in 1996 when I found out I was expecting my first child. Although she was shutting down her midwifery practice to start the new school at Shenandoah University, she took the time to talk to me about my options and refer me to some other midwives in the area. Her book only served to reinforce my positive impression of her and midwives in general, and I have now had two midwife-attended births--one in a center and one at home--both incredible, happy experiences. _Diary of a Midwife_ is empowering, motivating and beautiful. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

The book promised a positive story, but I ended up not being able to go past the first few chapters because I found her hospital stories so disturbing. I was middle of my first pregnancy and was so terrified after some torturous stories about doctors and healthy moms I went to bed shaking. I can't reccomend this book to a pregnant mother, it's too horrific. I LOVED Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It gave the good with the bad in a loving and gentle way. It made me happy and excited to be pregnant rather then trembling in my skin about being harmed by my doctors. I had already planned on birthing with a midwife, but the images this book put into my head still scared me. The story around the "horror hospital" stuff I found interesting.