Review: An exquisite account of the life of a midwife
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2013
I bought this book as I had previously bought the Mini Midwife book that the author wrote it. I 'know' the author through Facebook and Twitter  but I was not asked to do a review for this book, I bought it and reviewed it purely on my own just to clarify.I am a mother of two children myself and have had two joyous easy births, one at 6 days over my DD and one at 12 days over! I have had fertility drugs and been induced, and had two normal deliveries, both of which I was home after 6 hours. So I am lucky, but I know others who have had traumatic births. My own birth was 22 hours of agony, and my mother has never let me forget it since!This book is an anecdotal account of the author's time as a midwife, which is the culmination of many years experience. Kirkby has a very calming way of writing, and I found myself utterly soothed as her words washed over me, which is unusual in itself for me.I actually cried over this book, with sadness and tears remembering my own births of my children. Call me weird (it might have been the gas and air) but I utterly loved labour and often lament the fact that we have chosen to stop at 2 children. Pregnancy and labour is a precious experience, and this book does that journey due justice.Not every birth is easy, and the author speaks of parents having heartbreaking births, decisions to make and unique family networks surrounding them.The story of the baby twin to be adopted from birth deeply affected me, and I have done nothing to think about it since. It is so hard to know what to do in that situation until you encounter it I suppose, and I don't envy the parents in that dilemma.What struck me is that the author gives a frank account of all these stories, and does not judge once. Who can honestly say that? I can't and as a parent and early years educator, this is something that we seek to avoid too for an inclusive environment, but we all have our opinions behind closed doors. This book is impartial and does not judge any walk of life, which is amazing, and I can only imagine makes for a very good midwife.A first time expectant mother has nothing to fear from this book, and I encourage everyone to read it, whether pregnant, a parent, or a man as it is not only a fantastic account of life in all its wonder, but a study of human nature in general.On a last note, I would have killed the clamper (of her car, not a birth term!) so hats off to her for that too!