Baby Catcher

Chronicles of a Modern Midwife

By: Peggy Vincent

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

An inspiring collection of birth stories by a charming midwife.

Each time she knelt to "catch" another wriggling baby - nearly 3,000 times during her remarkable career - California midwife Peggy Vincent paid homage to the moment when pain bows to joy and the world makes way for one more. With every birth, she encounters another woman-turned-goddess: Catherine rides out her labor in a car careening down a mountain road. Sofia spends hers trying to keep her hyper doctor-father from burning down the house. Susannah gives birth so quietly that neither husband nor midwife notice until there's a baby in the room.

More than a collection of birth stories, however, Baby Catcher is a provocative account of the difficulties that midwives face in the United States. With vivid portraits of courage, perseverance, and love, this is an impassioned call to rethink technological hospital births in favor of more individualized and profound experiences in which mothers and fathers take center stage in the timeless drama of birth.

©2002 Peggy Vincent (P)2019 Tantor

Very informative

This book was required reading for my doula class. I enjoyed it and learned so much.

Amazing storytelling!

I couldn’t push pause on this book, it was absolutely captivating!! I cried so many times and laughed out loud! I want to buy a copy for every birth worker I know!!

Not what I thought.. Exactly what I needed!!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I am 37 weeks along and I have been devouring baby books and instructional Youtube videos, but I was looking for something else.. something different because I kept hearing the same stuff over and over. This book was exactly the thing I didn't even know I needed or wanted. It was informative about birth, but gave such wonderful context and perspective and actually entertained me throughout. I laughed at parts, I definitely cried a few times, and when I put it down I honestly feel like it was an enriching experience. I had a very rushed, medically induced birth with my first child and it left me more than a little traumatized. With this 2nd pregnancy, I found so much comfort in the authors words and she made me feel validated, like I had a whole tribe of women out there that would completely understand me and my experience.. because I do!! Great book.. mad props Peggy :)

Amazing

Great story especially for nurses, midwives or anyone interested in birth. The stories were so interesting, I loved it!

Great read!

Kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to hear the journey and outcome of each birth.

If you're into birth stories, you'll love it

if you want to read about childbirth and midwifery, this is an excellent book. Also includes a lot about the development of the obstetrics and midwifery fields in the late 20th century, which I find fascinating. it wasn't so transcendent that anyone would like it, regardless of their interest in the topic. but if you like the topic, the author is a wonderful storyteller, and the reader is very good. it could probably have been shortened a bit by pruning the middle parts, but the end is important.

The positives about child birth we need

I loved all of it. So hard to put down. I dare say my favorite read of all time. Well written and well read! I wish every parent could read this for a refreshing perspective and encouragement about birth and life.

Wonderful story well represented by Narrator

Peggy Vincent’s midwifery journey as told through this book is exciting and so nicely woven into her personal life. Coleen Marlo does a great job representing her and keeps emotion fitting perfectly and without fail.

I can't recommend b/c of profanity & sexuality.

My most memorable moment was a story I ended up partially skipping about a woman whose husband was a self-absorbed model and obsessed with his physical perfections. I pray the negative images seared into my brain describing his unloving treatment of his laboring wife will soon vanish.

There is also the problem of excessive profanity throughout.

Great read

If you are into birth in any sense this is a great read. Peggy is a wealth of information and her stories are so relatable yet so captivating! I found myself not wanting to put it down and always eager for the next tale in Peggy’s journey. A beautiful look into midwifery and birth work in general and it’s written in a way that you feel like a good friend is telling you the story. Highly recommend