Recommendations - wanting to buy a book for the student midwife who attended me

[Blottedcopybook]

I was attended by a first year student midwife at my daughter's birth this weekend, she was absolutely fantastic and asked loads of questions about our birth choices (physiological third stage with no cord clamp until it had finished pulsing, oral vit-k instead of injection, no narcotics etc). Unfortunately I was a little distracted and didn't give quite the answers I would have if I'd been a little more with it!

I am getting her a little present and was thinking of including Ina May's guide to Childbirth because I've seen it reviewed positively in various discussions but I haven't actually read it myself. Is it very hippy-dippy and/or US-centric? I don't want to scare this student into thinking that those of us who have slightly outwith the norm birth preferences are all raging tie-dye wearers but she seemed really receptive to what we'd asked for and I'd like to give her some literature that would better represent our thinking.

If Ina May is a little too full-on, can you recommend something else? The other book that Amazon threw up was Emma Mahony's Stand and Deliver! but again this isn't a book I've read yet.

Thanks!

Ina mays stuff is extremely hiipy- dippy imo.
What about sensitive midwifery (i think that was the name) by caroline flint. Shes a brilliant midwife.

Ina May is quite hippyish but as a student midwife I found it very inspiring, the way she focuses on the women and to help them have the type of birth they want. I also liked Peggy Vincent's Baby Catcher, not as hippyish but still very inspiring.

Thanks ellasmum1 I've popped that on my list to flick through.

SKSS That's encouraging. I'll have a look at that book you've recommended too.

Have any of you read Sheila Kitzinger's work? A friend suggested it as it's from a UK perspective.

It's lovely that you are going to get her a present but do you not think that as a student midwife she might already have access to all these books and many more besides? (plus could she take it the wrong way and think you were hinting that she didn't seem to know that much about midwifery?).

I would consider a non-midwife-related gift with a little card saying you appreciated all that she did for you and if there were any questions that you weren't able to fully answer at the time you would be more than happy to do so now.

Another thought - Why not a book token with a little note saying that if she's interesting in learning more about your way of thinking with respect to childbirth and hasn't already come across the following books, you recommend x/y/z books?

However, surely the point is to present her with a book that inspired you - whereas you are proposing to get her a book that you haven't even read yourself and you don't really know whether it represents your views or not?

Write her a very nice personal letter. She will cherish that. IMO students of medical professions have to go through a lot of stress and hard work and many times they are not even thanked for it.

It is always nice to hear that something that you did has had a positive impact, that you are doing a good work and most importantly, that somebody had noticed it.

I'm a student midwife so hopefully I can help I agree that she may already have those books (I do!) I think a letter would be lovely as it shows that she has done her job well and made an impact on you. The other week I recieved a card and bottle of champagne from a woman who's baby I 'caught' I wasn't expecting it at all and was very touched by the card. (I'm sure the champagne will come in handy after my exams

a good book written by a midwife, either just out or about to come out, is "Your Body, Your Baby, Your Birth" by Jenny Smith. Excellent. Meant for the reader, but good information for midwives about what women want out of birth. The midwife who wrote it is very much in demand.

Ceebie - Hmm. Valid points there I hadn't considered. My thinking was that she would have specific texts to read which would extol the virtues of interventions and medications but there might not be much by way of counter-information. She had asked why we didn't want the cord clamped and cut which made me wonder if anyone had ever explained the other options. I like the idea of a book token though, I think I'll go down that route

OrangeFish and Me23 - Thanks, I'll definitely be writing her a letter and I'll consider the champagne idea too!

KneeDeep - Thanks for the recommendation