Sisters on a Journey: Portraits of American Midwives

The 27 midwives profiled here share certain traits: respect for the spiritual side of childbirth, a strong belief in women's rights and a vision of midwifery as ""an attitude, a philosophy."" But Chester, who interviewed each woman and edited their accounts, does an admirable job of helping each woman's particular approach and experience come through. Some are trained as nurses and work in hospitals; others attend births in private homes. Each describes how race, religion or economic background has affected her work. Eighty-five-year-old Jesusita Aragon carries on Hispanic traditions passed down from her, Jo-Anna Rorie describes herself as ""a corporate image midwife... an aggressive manager in labor and delivery,"" and Faith Gibson is a midwife in the Mennonite Order of Maternal Services. All of the women touch on both the joy inherent in assisting childbirths, as well as the emotional toll it takes on them and their families. As Chester intended, the stories flow like a ""tapestry,"" with both ""harmonious patterns created by common threads... and the tangled strands that indicate areas of conflict and disharmony."" She puts the midwives' accounts in context by describing current controversies over accreditation and clashes with the medical establishment. She also explains all obstetrical terms making her text accessible to a general audience. While this book has obvious appeal for practicing midwives, it is also a valuable reference for anyone interested in exploring the mysterious process of childbirth. Photos. (Oct.)