Guest Author - Maryn Leister


"When the streams of talk we collected are gathered together, many hard truths are revealed. But in addition, putting together many individual voices has produced a rousing chorus. The exhilaration and the wisdom in this chorus tell us of many visions of life, different for different women and powerfully different from the reality that now holds sway."
-Emily Martin


The above quote opens Sisters on a Journey: Portraits of American Midwives, by Penfield Chester. Martin's words, which sum up the beauty of this book, seem to get to the heart of midwifery and what it must feel like to be a midwife. This is the first book I have read about birth and midwifery that focus on the actual women that are providing care, as opposed to a collection of birth stories that a midwife has been a part of.

Although I have enjoyed many books written about and by midwives, no other book has touched me with such an intimate view a midwife's life. Much of the beauty comes from the fact that there are over 20 different portraits presented, and no two are alike. There are midwives of every kind; from very academically-minded CNMs to "spiritual" midwives that provide no medical care at all. The diversity is astounding, and even the way each "interview" flows is completely unique to each woman being interviewed. As the author states in the introduction, the portraits are so touching because they force the reader to ask herself these same questions and to reflect upon her own life. Some of the more inspiring interviewees gave me ideas of the midwife I want to be, and these ideas are not ones I would have found in any text or even in one book about just one person. The interview of Jill Breen and Candace Whitridge were especially important to me as I formulate my "identity" as a midwife.

Jill Breen has been a community midwife in Maine for about twenty years. What affected me most about her profile was her attitude about the medical community. Instead of being bitter about the resentment she may feel, she clearly tries to put that aside and tells the reader that we need to satisfy ourselves as midwives. Whether it be educational standards, or whatever, we do not need to satisfy the medical profession. We need to believe in our values as people, and as midwives. She also mentions "intuition" (a "common thread" among many of the portraits) as what makes a midwife smart and effective.

The profile of Candace Whitridge is one that I hope stays with me through my midwifery career. To put it simply, her words touched me on a deep level that resounds with my soul on why I am following the path to be a midwife. She speaks with such patience, love and wisdom about pregnancy and birth and her role in these life-changing events. Candace likens caring for her clients to gardening, and it is truly a beautiful analogy. She speaks of learning how to care for someone by letting them teach you, and to accommodate the relationship by immediately going to them and meeting their needs. More than anything, this idea got to the heart of why the medical community will never understand the art of midwifery, and why we need midwives and midwifery care. It all makes great sense when she describes how these relationships naturally flow into labor and birth, as an extension of the prenatal care. Her view of a midwife's role is so simple yet so complicated. I hope to have the ability to work with women in the way that Candace describes, as I think it is more of a gift than a skill.

Chester's book is a wonderful affirmation of the normalcy of birth and the amazing midwives that assist in this process. The profiles presented are so diverse, and affirm that midwifery is truly an art. Her book gave me courage and hope that all it takes is one midwife at a time to make a difference in this world.