Sheila Kitzinger campaigns
for women to have the information they need to make choices about childbirth. She is a
strong believer in the benefits of home birth for women who are not at especially high
risk. Sheila is also concerned to give a voice to pregnant women and new mothers in prison
and has worked to free them from chains during birth, to keep mothers and babies together
unless a woman can be shown to be a danger to her baby, and to provide woman-to-woman help
to prisoners during birth.
Sheila Kitzinger lectures to midwives in many different countries. She is honorary professor at Thames Valley University and teaches the MA in midwifery in the Wolfson School of Health Sciences there. She also teaches workshops on the social anthropology of birth and breastfeeding and on unhappiness after childbirth for birth educators and postnatal counsellors, too.
Sheila Kitzinger combines birth activism with research, writing, lecturing and appearing on radio and TV. Her research includes work on women's experiences of antenatal care, birth plans, induction of labour, epidurals, episiotomy, hospital care in childbirth, children's experiences of being present at birth, post traumatic stress following childbirth and the many different messages that touch can give during childbirth.
| "... she
has become like the many-breasted Artemis, Goddess of Fertility. Readers can "latch
on" to any of her twenty-three books and receive knowledge ..." Robbie Kahn, Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering 2002 |
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According to Sheila, birth is a highly personal, sexual, and social event. Living Treasures - Sheila Kitzinger Mothering No. 96
Sept/Oct 99 |
She has been described on the one hand as `Birth
Mother' to the nation and on the other as `the scourge of reactionary obstetricians' for
her vociferous opposition to indiscriminate birth induction. Options |
If you were never close to your mother (and even if you are) Sheila Kitzinger is the next best thing. Sensitive and expert, cosy yet objective, she infuses her writing with warmth. Woman's Journal |
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High priestess of the childbirth movement, author and social
anthropologist. Vigorous campaigner for rights of women in matters of birth and sex. The Independent Sheila Kitzinger has devoted her working life to making women feel good about themselves. As Britain's premier earth mother she, more than anyone, has been responsible for a more natural approach to childbirth and an increase in breastfeeding. You Magazine |
| She is
the Earth Mother, or Birth Mother of the nation. If Britain is now one of the most
progressive countries in obstetric practice, it is largely due to her. Polly Toynbee, The Guardian A woman of remarkable insight, with a sharp and often very witty tongue. Leslie Kenton, Harpers & Queen |
Leading authority on natural childbirth and breast-feeding. The Independent |
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