The Politics of Birth

One way of looking at birth is to see it entirely in terms of biology - how the reproductive process works in the human body. Another is to assess risk - examine what might go wrong in physiological mechanisms, and describe methods of preventing and treating malfunction. But to understand how women experience birth it has to be seen in its social context: the way in which people interact, the meanings that events have for them, and the relationships between all those involved - the social construction of reality. "The Politics of Birth" explores ways in which we learn about birth, how we talk and feel about it, assumptions that professional caregivers may make, and the roles and skills of midwives. Topics include home birth and water birth; the use of drugs in childbirth; obstetric and nursing interventions which are often used routinely; Caesarean sections; pressures that care-givers are under, and the choices presented to women that are more apparent than real. Throughout, the author draws on research-based evidence to present both an holistic yet grounded examination of topical issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. This is not a 'how to' book. The aim of "The Politics of Birth" is to help the reader develop deeper insight and understanding of how a technocratic birth culture shapes our ideas about birth and obstetric practice. This book is for everybody who wants to understand and improve the technocratic culture.

ISBN 0750688769   Pages 248 ISBN13 9780750688765 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Elsevier Health Sciences   Weight (grammes) 430 Imprint Books for Midwives   Published in London Format Paperback   Height (mm) 156 Publication date 24 May 2005   Width (mm) 234 Library of Congress RT   Spine width (mm) 10 DEWEY 306.461   Academic level Tertiary education DEWEY edition DC22

1		Giving birth		1
2		The birth place		9
3		The clock, the bed and the chair		15
4		Images of birth and breastfeeding		23
5		Breastfeeding : public health, birth and shame		33
6		Birth education : from pedagogy to politics		45
7		The language of birth		57
8		Touch and its meanings		67
9		The caesarean epidemic		73
10		Court-ordered caesareans		85
11		Birth plans		89
12		Home birth		99
13		Waterbirth		123
14		Birth dance		135
15		What's happening to midwives?		141
16		Doulas		155
17		Fathers		165
18		Children at birth		171
19		Silence is collusion : violence in pregnancy		177
20		Mothers and babies behind bars		185
21		Pregnant asylum seekers : the dispossessed		205
22		Changing our birth culture		213

The book will be a godsend for students who are looking for a concise analysis of a childbearing issue.Rosemary Mander, Professor of Midwifery, University of EdinburghThe Practising Midwife, July/August 2006The Politics of Birth challenges readers to open their eyes, examine current practice, analyze the birth culture, and stay open to innovative ways of creating more humane environments for giving birth and becoming families. This deeply thoughtful, eminently practical book, full of intriguing surprises, is a welcome addition to my libraryElizabeth Hormann, EdM, IBCLC, Cologne, GermanyJournal of Human Lactation, Volume 22, Number 1, February 2006

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