There are many interesting birthing stories. But there was one that really stood out in my mind as the author was wrong. A man had been convicted of making and distributing child porn on a national level. One room of his house had been turned into a professional-style video studio. He was later imprisoned, but his wife denied all knowledge of his activities and the police did not have enough evidence to charge her. She went off with her husband's best friend (who was also not charged) and was now in hospital giving birth. Social services were going to take the baby and give the parents a court date for hearing to see if they could reclaim their child. The author was very firmly in the camp of if the parents hadn't been convicted they must be innocent and therefore should have their child. Besides the woman was a very nice woman, not the sort... Short-staffed, over worked and underappreciated - these crippling conditions are taking their toll on the dedicated staff doing their utmost to uphold our National Health Service, and the consequences are very serious indeed. The story was at times harrowing as you can expect knowing the subject and it was also heart-breaking but I was compelled to keep reading, I really wanted them all to make it to the point of liberation and I really wanted them to be able to try to rebuild their lives I really enjoyed "The Secret Midwife." I've never read a story quite like this. The characters were compelling and such a tragic story. However, I felt like it was a bit long in places yet also could have used a bit more in others. I liked how she was telling her story to her daughter for the first time.

The Secret Midwife | Soraya M. Lane | 9781662504068 | NetGalley The Secret Midwife | Soraya M. Lane | 9781662504068 | NetGalley

I really didn't know much about what being a midwife really means. I had no idea of the pressure and strain midwifes face every day.I loved this honest review of being a midwife. The whole warts and all birds eye view from the coal face. I found the vivid descriptions of the various births/stitches/blood & meconium made me feel like I was in the room. Brilliant loved it The dual timeline narrative isn’t easy to read, the Holocaust was brutal and inhumane and nothing is left out. Even worse was the treatment of young innocent teenage girls, pregnant women and newborn babies. These two hero's then come together to do what they can to save lives and treat the women in their care with dignity and respect in the unbelievably terrible circumstances. She explained: “On the one hand I had a duty of care to this woman and child. On the other hand, going inside meant taking an unnecessary risk.

The Secret Midwife — Soraya M. Lane

Northern-based Philippa – not her real name – also told how she became so anxious about infecting her family that she was scared to hug her six-year-old daughter. The author did a great job of providing a window into this brutal history, and am empathetic look at what many suffered through. It was a tough but worthwhile read. The next day she’s sent to work as a midwife, she’s horrified by what she witnesses, she’s saved from being severely punished by Doctor Aleksy Gorski. Emilia, Doctor Aleksy and her new friend Lena come up with a dangerous plan, to save as many pregnant women and babies as they can and with the hope that one day they will be reunited.One of the main characters is Emilia, a midwife from a small town in Poland. Emilia is committed to helping everyone, including delivering Jewish babies and helping to smuggle these babies to safety. Our other main character is Alesky, a doctor, who is trying to keep his town safe from the Nazis by leading them to believe his town is in the midst of a typhus outbreak and helping any injured resistance members. Because of their behavior, Emilia and Alesky end up in Auschwitz. Together, they do what they can to protect and care for as many of their fellow prisoners while risking their own lives. There are numerous, horrible things that occurred during WWII but one that never crossed my mind was unborn babies. Imagine a pregnant woman living in a concentration camp and having your child born into such deplorable conditions, where you have no way to protect or care for them. Some of these pregnant women were promised better conditions and more food if they came forward - only to be studied and experimented on by the infamous Dr. Josef Mengele or other SS physicians. She had to call me to translate. If I had Covid, she would have, so it didn’t make sense for me to sit outside.

The Secret Midwife by The Secret Midwife, Katy Weitz

Piedzīvoju savu vecmātes aicinājumu kā lāstu, no kura nespēju tapt brīva, bet neslēpšu, ka reizēm vēlētos. Philippa’s calm, kind and funny personality has seen her through some extraordinary times. She gave birth to her own child at the same NHS trust where she worked, and her colleagues, whom she describes as her ‘second family’, delivered her daughter. From the bestselling author of The London Girls comes a story of courage and resilience amidst the horror of Auschwitz—and one woman’s last chance to share it with the world. There were several unexpected twists throughout the story and I became so emotionally invested in the characters and the horrors which they faced. Emilia, a midwife, is caught helping Jewish mothers deliver their babies during the war. She is taken to Auschwitz and is immediately exposed to horrors she couldn't have imagined before.All staff should have the opportunity to ask for support without worrying about being viewed as not coping Great book, well written & good depiction of a day in the life of a midwife in the NHS & how insidious working in such an environment can be to ones health. Strongest advocate, best friend, expert, cheerleader and chief photographer . . . Before, during and after labour the role of a midwife is second to none.The Secret Midwifereveals the highs and lows on the frontline of the maternity unit, from the mother who tries to give herself a DIY caesarean to the baby born into witness protection, and from surprise infants that arrive down toilets to ones that turn up in the lift. When she meets Aleksy a Polish doctor and Obstetrician they join forces to work together and then young Lena steps in to help as well and soon they are saving babies and woman at such danger to themselves.