Heart and Hands: A Midwifes Guide
to Pregnancy and Birth by Elizabeth
Davis
Great Resource For Midwives
Elizabeth Daviss Heart and Hands, though subtitled A Midwifes Guide to
Pregnancy and Birth, is not just for midwives. Its an excellent and
thorough resource for parents-to-be who are thinking about delivering
their child with a midwife, or who are concerned about the medical
establishments over-control of birth. (Two previous editions sold more
than 100,000 copies and there are nowhere near 100,000 midwives or
midwifery students to buy this book, proving that parents-to-be have
looked to this resource for options.) Completely updated in the third
edition, Heart and Hands is a practical guide, textbook, and reference that
is both hands- and hearts-on. Davis, a long-time, well-known midwife,
gives how-to details on all aspects of midwifery practice, including
prenatal care, problems in pregnancy, assisting at births, labor
complications (including a devastating and beautiful description of a

stillbirth by midwife Shannon Anton), and caring for the entire family
postpartum. Each chapter has a special section for parents, but expectant
parents can use all of Heart and Hands to get as much knowledge as
possible about their upcoming experience.
Personal Review: Heart and Hands: A Midwifes Guide to
Pregnancy and Birth by Elizabeth Davis
I am currently taking the Heart & Hands course offered by the author,
Elizabeth Davis, who is a HUGE wealth of knowledge and has been a
huge advocate for modern midwifery care in California and the USA. In
contrast to most pregnancy/birth books whose target audience is the
pregnant mother, Heart & Hands is a resource specifically designed for the
birth-worker. The information is presented clearly and is up to date and
Davis includes real-life stories of her former clients - which make the book
seem less like a textbook, easier to read, and give examples of how
situations come up in real life. In the past with textbooks for birth
professionals I have found that sometimes the language gets very
medicalized. I appreciate that Davis uses proper terminology, but at the
same time, the reader does not need a medical dictionary in order to get
through a paragraph.
I supposed I wish there could have been more information on screening
clients and more on the business aspects of running a midwifery practice
and protecting yourself from litigation. There are sections for both those
topics, but I wish there was more. Maybe in the next revision? One other
section that I think was missing was working with clients who have been
victims of sexual abuse. It was mentioned in the book but I wish there
could have been more. In the USA, one in three women has been sexually
victimized at some point in her life - so addressing how to help her cope
with any unresolved feeling, and even learning ways to make her feel more
in control and safe during labor should be addressed. Obviously this topic
is huge and would need to take up significant space in the book, which is
perhaps why it was limited.
Hands down, the section on pelvimitry was the most significant thing I
learned. There is a huge misconception that smaller framed women don't
have enough room in their pelvis so they "must" have a c-section. This
section dispelled that misunderstanding about the female pelvis and how it
relates to the birth process. As a doula/midwife, being able to comfort your
client by telling them that they DO have enough room - and backing up that
statement with anatomical knowledge - can help her to find the courage
and confidence within herself to not give up her hopes for a vaginal birth.
Overall, I love this book. I think it is essential for any midwife, from the
beginner to the seasoned pro. The information is clear, accurate and not
intimidating at all. Elizabeth Davis is an amazing teacher and also an
amazing writer! I hope she comes out with many more books!

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