Jeannine Parvati Baker

[Sus]

Some of you may know, or know of, Jeannine Parvati Baker (especially you mamas and herbalists)....she is one of the "mothers" of the lay midwifery movement in the last 30 yrs, and an advocate for womens' and childrens' health...she wrote many books (Hygeia is probably the best known), wrote articles for various magazines, had a school for midwives called Hygeia, etc. She died on Dec. 1st after suffering from hepatitis C for several yrs. ( contracted from a contaminated needle used to give her medication during the only hospital birth she ever had...she has 6 kids). I was stunned to hear the news...even though I know death is not the "enemy" so to speak, it saddened me immensely. She was one of our "greats" a strong, wise woman who spoke her truth, and shared that truth with us all. She will be missed. :(

[shameless_heifer]

Blessed Be as our sister lays to rest before her journey into the Universe. Her Light ever shinning to guide our pathways.
Hep C is taking us out one by one. What a horrible Legacy for the Love Generation to leave behind us. So many called "Home", our loss is great.
sh

[Sus]

Yes, she was an amazing woman... www.birthkeeper.com

Here is her website...as far as I can see, it doesn't even talk about her dying yet; it was only 5 days ago...but, she had been very sick for quite awhile.

[teepi]

After reading Hygeia in the late 70' I knew I would never have another child in the hospital.
Or go to the hospital unless tied to a gurney..

In 1982 I became preggers with Donovan... this book and Jeannines wisdom, led me to my midwife Laura McPherrson-Smith.
She too is a big proponent of less intrusive exams and was very supportive in my wishes as to how I wanted to homebirth.

It is sad for us when we lose someone with such a voice, women everywhere lost a wonderful friend and spokesperson.

[white rabbitt]

:) thanks teepi,

i never knew that i allways thought that ina may gaskin
was the modern founder of mid wifes
thanks for in forming me
the farm i thought had trained alot of women
i guess i learned wrong
white rabbitt

[Sus]

Ina May was right in there too, white rabbit. I don't know which one of them started first (or maybe it was simultaneoulsy), but they both are/were advocates of lay midwifery, healthy birth, healthy women and babies.

[chillaxintoday]

Few people every scratch the surface, much less exhaust the contemplation of their own experience. Randolf Bourne She was an wan enthusiastic voice, leader and preceptor, her presence will be missed.

[mosaicthreads]

I just learned this today! Oh my how she will be missed. The world, and women's choices in birth, are better for her having lived!

Another warrior in the fight for woman's dignity in pregnancy and birth is very ill, Tom Brewer. I don't know the details, but it is sad to think that all the amazing work he has done is not reconized by the medical community because they will never reconize the link between nutrition and disease. Tom Brewer refused to put pregnant women in danger by using them as guinea pigs. His research was never accepted because he did not have the perfered 2 groups, one following the healthy diet, and one following the malnutrition diet recommended by obs of the day.

[Sus]

I hate to say this, mosaicthreads, but I think that Dr. Brewer passed also...just a few days before Jeannine...visit www.blueribbonbaby.org

There is an obit there...I am not really terribly familiar with Dr. Brewer's work, unfortunately, but I do know he did help pregnant women with nutritional issues...

[mosaicthreads]

so sad