Leah Hazard

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

When I saw that a midwife authored this book, I knew that it would be relevant, detailed, and female-friendly. The womb is regulated by the government, dismissed by some physicians, and disparaged by men. It is also a misunderstood organ, considered to be simply the place where the fetus lives. That could not be farther from the truth! The uterus has far -reaching effects upon a woman, more than just the cause of mood swings each month during menstruation.
Each chapter discusses a different subject, such as endometriosis, hysterectomies, transplants (yes, you can put a uterus into a woman just like a heart transplant) hormones, and the various stages of the womb from first menses to menopause. The final chapters are reminiscent of BRAVE NEW WORLD, as the author discusses the possibility of an external uterus (called a biobag) and ways that a woman could be pregnant even without a womb.
There are stories in each chapter that make you realize just how much this organ is ignored and how men have used and abused it, from Josef Mengele’s experiments to the eugenics movement in the United States. Some of the details are cringeworthy, such as the woman who tried to remove her own uterus, or the story of the doctor at the Irwin County Detention Center whom they called the “uterus collector”.
Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, women’s reproductive rights have been at the forefront of a great deal of news cycles. It seems unreal how the government, especially male politicians, have the final say on whether a woman can end her pregnancy or not. Regardless of your convictions (pro-choice or pro-life), it is unfathomable that a woman has no control over her own organs.
This book should be required reading for anyone that has a uterus. There are so many amazing facts and thought-provoking ideas – it’s almost guaranteed that you will learn something as you read WOMB. The author’s writing style is easy to understand, as she explains the science and history of this wonderful organ in a way that will make you want to keep reading.
… (meer)

This was a well written memoir of a midwife and everything she faces on a day to day basis, working really long hours, training and helping women bring their miracle into the world safely, but this is not just a memoir of the good, obviously with being a midwife there are sad outcomes too.
I couldn’t put the book down, it gave me so many different emotions but it is real life, what really happens on the maternity wards.
I enjoyed reading Hard Pushed, it gives a true account on what it is like to be a midwife working in an NHS setting. They really are hard pushed.

I have had 3 children, all three I had complications and my children would not even be here without the quick thinking and kindness of the midwives who were with me throughout my labours. So it was obvious I would like to read this and see it from the midwives side of things.… (meer)

When I read the description of this book, I knew that I needed to read it. I was curious to see whether it was packed full of lovely birth stories or just featured characters 'playing up' like you see on the television. What I read appeared to be a balanced account of what it is like to be a midwife these days. There is a bit about being a student midwife, a bit about working on labour ward, some antenatal care is covered and quite alot about working in a busy triage unit.

Several personal stories are told in detail. I am sure identities have been protected but they give the reader a sense of the variety of work the midwife faces and challenges such as mental health difficulties and lack of english which may not be considered by the general public.

The part of the book which resonated most with me was the description of the person in tears in the changing room, overly anxious about what she was about to face in her next shift and feeling overwhelmed by this. I was that person once and I can relate absolutely to the way this has been described. Leah goes on to describe that many of her colleagues are medicated for anxiety or depression and that this is considered normal in the service. Some colleagues walk away and never return (that was me) and others bravely battle on. At the end, Leah describes her book as a battle cry - it is in part a plea for the authorities to recognise the ways in which modern maternity care is broken.

This book should be read and carefully considered by anyone who is interested but especially by anyone who is considering working for the NHS in maternity services. Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)

What do a Dutch university lecturer, a US Marine, a Scottish artist, and an English engineer have in common? They have all experienced the transformative power of home birth, and their stories - and many others - are told in this groundbreaking book. As hospital-based maternity services become increasingly medicalised, more and more parents are deciding that birth belongs in the home. For many women, this choice may be an easy one, but for their partners, home birth raises some serious questions. For the first time, The Father's Home Birth Handbook provides a resource aimed specifically at exploring men's hopes and fears around home birth. Thorough research, balanced discussion, and dozens of home birth stories from real men all over the world make this book essential reading for all fathers-to-be and the professionals who support them.… (meer)