Ina May Gaskin

Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, PhD(Hon.) is founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. Founded in 1971, by 2011, the Center had handled approximately 3000 births, with remarkably good outcomes. Ms. Gaskin herself has attended more than 1200 births. She has lectured all over the world at midwifery conferences and at medical schools, both to students and to faculty. She was President of Midwives’ Alliance of North America from 1996 to 2002. In 1997, she received the ASPO/Lamaze Irwin Chabon Award and the Tennessee Perinatal Association Recognition Award. In 2003 she was chosen as Visiting Fellow of Morse College, Yale University. In 2009, she was conferredw with the title of Honorary Doctor by the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences of Thames Valley University in London, England. In 2011, she was chosen as one of four recipients of the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize), given in an award ceremony before the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm.

What topics and genres does Ina May Gaskin write about?

Her work focuses on midwifery, childbirth, breastfeeding and birth advocacy, combining practical guidance, birth stories and advocacy for natural, woman-centered care.

Which book is a good place to start reading her work?

Spiritual Midwifery (4th edition) and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth are commonly recommended entry points for readers seeking both practical information and firsthand birth narratives.

Are her books suitable for expectant parents or for health professionals?

Yes. Her books are accessible to expectant parents and are also referenced by midwives, childbirth educators and medical students; she has lectured at midwifery conferences and medical schools.

Do her books form a series or is there a recommended reading order?

Her titles are largely standalone rather than a formal series. There is no strict reading order; readers often begin with Spiritual Midwifery or Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and then choose other titles like Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding or Birth Matters as needed.

What notable awards and recognitions has Ina May Gaskin received?

She served as President of the Midwives' Alliance of North America (1996 to 2002) and has received honors including the ASPO/Lamaze Irwin Chabon Award, the Tennessee Perinatal Association Recognition Award, a Visiting Fellowship at Yale's Morse College, an honorary doctorate from Thames Valley University and the Right Livelihood Award.