Ever since I purchased it for a song at the Reston Used Book Shop, I've really been enjoying reading Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, MD. She has a lot of wonderful, factual information on the mind-body connection that I found really fascinating--such as the recognizable and documented differences in the personalities and life experiences of women who suffer from cervical cancer versus those who get breast cancer, for example. Reading through her list of common anxieties and stressors, I identified the category that rang true to me--and lo and behold, it was the group identified with chronic stomach problems. Anyone who's known me for very long will recognize the accuracy of that diagnosis!
She also talks about the importance of creativity in preventing chronic health problems. When I thought about it, I realized how much enrichment I really do get from activities like blogging, gardening, cooking, and all the weird do-it-myself-ing I do around here. Ultimately, I also believe it makes me healthier. This has led me to resolve to keep these things in my life to the fullest extent that I can, precisely for their own sake and whether or not they yield visible or tangible gains.
As Northrup is an OB/GYN who believes in natural childbirth (gasp!) and has been through it herself, I found her perspectives on birth especially interesting. Something she says that I plan to pass on to my patients is "Trust birth, and expect the best." How different is THAT from the messages that women get laboring in the hospital? And truly, how much more useful? Fear doesn't make for any better or more prepared care, and it sends all kinds of harmful chemical messages that we know are detrimental to the body.
Northrup also has thought-provoking material on menstruation and menopause. Just like I felt from an early age that the way our culture treats birth is shameful and degrading and nothing I had an interest in being a part of, I've always felt like the current medical stance on menopause seems overly reductionist and pessimistic. Why would God/nature choose to give women such a short shrift at the close of their childbearing years? Instead, Northrup examines cultures where menopausal women are revered and respected, and incidentally, those women have a much lower incidence of associate physical problems. She's always fair and balanced in noting that there will always be those for whom conventional medical treatment is necessary and successful, but she also raises the point that this doesn't mean that a blanket approach of medical and surgical intervention is right for all women who happen to be undergoing a normal, healthy time of physical change. Sound familiar? The idea that women's bodies, along with their attendant cycles and abilities, are a gift and a privilege rather than a curse is a resounding theme that I try to incorporate in my practice as a nurse, and someday as a midwife. This reminded me that the concept is clear throughout a woman's lifespan, in addition to the times of pregnancy and birth.
I also finished Spiritual Midwifery this past week, and thought it was wonderful. (Not the least of which was the wonderfully 1970's vernacular--such as referring to contractions as "psychedelic rushes" and noting that labor "can be really, really heavy, and you have to help the couple to be more downhome with each other." LOVE IT. I was also flattered when a co-worker told me yesterday that the photos of the women in the book remind her of me!) More than half of it consists of birth stories, as opposed to being a how-to manual; but, there is very clear-cut instructional information at the end of the book. And honestly, sometimes I think you learn more from the stories. It's what I wish there were more of in medical and nursing practice--anecdotes from real experiences, that inspire you and help build up your arsenal of tools and tricks. It's also incredibly inspiring to read about and see pictures of so many people who view birth as a sacrament, instead of something disdainful to be avoided if possible.
Someday, I would absolutely love to teach nursing class on women's health. These two books (along with so many others) would be required reading, and the required viewing would include The Business of Being Born, Birth Day, and Birth As We Know It. (Warning: The last link proves the maxim, created by none other than my wonderful husband, that "You can't see birth without seeing breasts." My husband, who, just this week, called a friend to congratulate him on the birth of his/his wife's baby, and took the time to ask how the labor was--how long? how did it go? Natural or induced? -Do you love that or what?!) Actually, I'd love to make it general education for all college students, as part of a health or women's studies requirement. Because I honestly think that when it comes to knowledge of and respect for the capability of their bodies, at all stages of the lifespan, women don't even know what they're missing.
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