Does liking this book make me a hippie? Probably. But it may say more about our culture than me if I'm branded as a hippie for wanting a VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). I don't think I'm terribly radical, but if you check with a couple of doctors in the Baltimore area, they might say otherwise. And that’s a pretty sad comment on certain geographical regions of our country.

It can be a bit lonely – searching for VBAC/natural childbirth stories, even among my group of what I consider progressive, enlightened friends, was fruitless. This book provided a description of what much of my community is lacking – a supportive, empowering network of people (mostly women) who believe that natural childbirth is not only preferable, but doable. The stories were real and powerful, and provided me with the perseverance to create that community for myself – hire a doula, change care providers and hospitals with only a few weeks left before my due date, see a chiropractor, and, at the very end when a doctor was threatening induction, an acupuncturist. This book allowed me to stand up to the doctors and have faith in my body’s ability to not have a repeat c-section. And it worked! Unfortunately, due to the health care system in our country, every community needs an Ina May. Too bad we can’t all live in Tennessee!