Books by Ina May Gaskin

If you don't already know who Ina May Gaskin in, allow me to have the honour of introducing you to her.

Born in 1940 on a farm in Iowa, Ina May (and her husband) founded a commune in Tennessee called The Farm. Because they were attempting self-sufficiency and she had an amazing gift for it, she became a midwife to the expectant mothers there and eventually created The Farm Midwifery Center.

Through the 70's and until now, she has been helping women achieve the natural birth they desire for their babies, and has been speaking publicly, publishing books and travelling the world to spread the message of natural birth. She was featured in the films, The Business of Being Born and Orgasmic Birth.

She also founded The Gaskin Maneuver which allows a baby to be born safely when they were at risk of broken shoulders. She recently celebrated her much deserved induction into the National Women's Fall of Hame.

If you want to learn more about her amazing work, there is a new documentary out called Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives.

So why am I head over heels excited to talk about her right now? Well, besides the fact that I am entering my third trimester of pregnancy and she is my inspiration for natural birth, it's because... We are speaking at the same conference in a few short weeks! On November 9th, 2013 - I, Amy Harrison, will be presenting a lecture on Holistic Nutrition as the same conference, in the same convention centre, that the legendary Ina May Gaskin is also presenting at. (On a range of topics from .... )

You can hear more about the conference on their website, and in my YouTube video here:

So my main reason for writing this post today is to inspire you to read one of her books and let it change your life! A good friend lent me Spiritual Midwifery when I was only a few weeks pregnant the first time and it motivated me to get in the care of a midwife, start practicing my relaxation, and ultimately it led to an amazing outcome.

You can find all of them at your local library but I recommend making them a purchase!

Birth & Beyond Conference 2013 (London, Ontario)

It's official: Alla Vallejo and I will be speaking at this year's Birth and Beyond Conference. What exciting news.

And as if my mind reading skills are as sharp as my current block of parmesan (seriously, ouch) here are my answers to your questions.

What is the Birth and Beyond Conference?

It is a weekend-long extravaganza of everything that is related to babies - from conception to infanthood. Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding - you've got it.

The conference brings together leading experts in these fields including ONE OF MY PERSONAL HEROES, Ina May Gaskin. I shutter to type this because mere words on a page cannot do her justice. She is the world's most famous midwife. She basically brought natural childbirth back to America. She single-handedly brought me the peace and confidence to give birth naturally through her wise words, amazing experiences and positive outlook. I've read all of her books and every piece of literature (in print and online) that relates to her in any way. I am a major Gaskin fan-girl. 

The conference will welcome midwives, doctors, doulas, nurses, lactation consultants, and anyone with an interest in birth and breastfeeding, and offers a variety of talks, workshops, and social events.

It takes place at the London Convention Centre from November 6 - 9th, 2013. 

Who is Alla Vallejo?

I will start by saying: another one of my PERSONAL HEROES. (Okay, is it getting old? I'm being completely serious - she is!) Alla graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2007, about two years before I met her. We worked at a health food store together and pretty much instantly knew we'd be friends and colleagues in some capacity for life. After her schooling in nutrition she attended the Institute of Natural Health Technologies in Oakville, Ontario to become certified as a BIE practitioner which means she can test for and help alleviate the symptoms of intolerances (not just food either!)

Alla is incredibly knowledgeable and is a perfect person to geek out with. We have enjoyed countless hours of spotting literary devices, deciphering medical terminology using root words and laughing at math and science jokes. But what sets her apart from all the rest is her winning personality. I have never, and will never, meet a person who did not instantly fall in love with Alla Vallejo. She can make you laugh, make you feel comfortable and make you feel important. I cherish her for all three.

While Alla and I no longer work at the health food store together we do offer nutrition education talks at various times and locations. In fact, if you would like to book us for up to 90 minutes in the London area you can email me. amyjoyharrison.com

If you don't get a chance to attend this conference, I highly recommend that you still make a point to talk with Alla. She can help you with not only food intolerance but environmental and much more. She helped me identify that I was sensitive to cardamom, soy and peppermint (yeah, my morning tea lattes were not going well.) After one session with her, my problems were gone. I also discovered that my body hates white sugar, but rather than have a treatment for that I've just tried to reduce my intake. Not easy!

What will you be speaking on?

We will be speaking on pregnancy and breast feeding nutrition, with some content on nutrition post-birth for non-breast feeding mothers, nutrition for conception, and even nutrition during labour. We hope to dispel myths (We once gave an entire nutrition education talk called "TOP MYTHS: DEBUNKED!" - it was so much fun.) and we hope to give some very valuable information about what affect your diet during pregnancy and breast feeding can have on your little one's future allergies/intolerances/sensitives.


How can I get tickets?

Tickets are available here: http://birthandbeyondconference.ca/content/pricing-and-registration

We hope to see you there!