After completely falling in love with the idea of midwifery this book helped me to understand what I was experiencing in my last four pregnancies. This book still assists me when helping out friends as is a great reference.

I have known Anne Frye as part of the midwifery community here in Oregon since 1992. I first met her at a midwifery conference where she gave the most thorough presentation of prenatal nutrition I'd ever had in the 4 years, at that point, that I had been learning midwifery. Her clear, easy to understand, but incredibly detailed explanations about such things as how the pregnant woman's different blood volume and makeup affects iron levels, protein needs, and commonly misunderstood conditions known as pre-eclampsia and "prenatal diabetes" still stick with me to this day. From what I recall at the time, Anne wrote this series in response to the lack of a comprehensive textbook that focused specifically on midwifery. Until that time, midwives all over used a couple of standard medical texts for obstetrics, one that focused on British nurse-midwifery (a very different standard, though useful), and a combination of books on more focused topics written by midwives. This book provides enough information that, if a midwife had only this text, she would be able to offer excellent prenatal care.

I was one of the first to receive this book, having placed my order directly with her prior to it's first printing. I have referred to it countless times, as I am about to do again for a Master's level counseling course I am taking. Anne Frye draws from many sources, both modern scientific/medical and ancient health practices, to tell, in completion, everything you need to know to adequately be "with woman" in childbearing. The drawings in this book are also beautiful, amazingly done by an artist friend of hers who took great care to ensure their accuracy.
If you are interested in assisting women in their childbearing year, you MUST have and use this book.

This is a wonderful text. Unfortunately it is in a soft cover, unlike vol. 2 which is hard cover, but that aside, it is wonderful.

I am a first-time mom who is planning an unattended home birth. Because of various problems I've also ended up without prenatal care so this volume has proven invaluable to me!! It is clear and exhaustive. This volume has a lot of information directed exclusively for midwives (philosophy of midwivery, how to set up a practice, how to work with different kinds of women, initiating contact and establishing care, etc.), but there is plenty of information useful to "do-it-yourself" prenatal care. It covers what to do during a prenatal exam during each trimester, special circumstances, problems that can occur during pregnancy and information on conditions that might preexist pregnancy.

There is a good section that explains anatomy and physiology that you need to know and I found it easy for me, as a non-medical/non-scientific person, to understand. The index is very thorough.

If you are buying the second volume and aren't sure you should get this one I would recommend that you do get this one because the second volume says that you should review the anatomy and physiology covered in the first volume since it doesn't repeat it and the foundation is essential to understanding the information in the second volume. (If you have medical/midwivery training it may not be so necessary, but then you might appreciate the text for other reasons).

Overall I'd say that if you plan an unattended birth and want to be as informed and safe as possible it is very worthwhile to purchase this volume as well as the second volume and invaluable if you are doing your own prenatal care. If nothing else it can give guidance on when you need to seek a healthcare professional. If you have an attendant then it may only be useful to you if you like to know everything and are willing to pay this much. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend it to the non-midwife.

Oh, don't let the term "Holistic" throw you. It gives in-depth medical information as well as giving some alternative medicine information. My husband is a bio-chemist researcher and has worked as a nurse; he is very pleased with the scientific information in this volume and the next.

If I had to choose one book on pregnancy and birth from my bookshelf (a very hard pick!), this would be the one. Although not aimed at the general public, women planning a natural birth would find authoritative and invaluable information in this book. Midwife Anne Frye uses her own experience and midwifery wisdom as well as a thorough but critical look at the medical research in the subjects that she addresses. She brings, to my mind, the best of medical research with a holistic and gentle approach. I'm looking forward to Volume 2!

If you bought no other books on midwifery, Anne Frye's books would be the ones you should have. Holistic Midwifery, Volume I is one of the books that I am constantly refering back to in my studies and in dealing with clients. It is worth its weight in gold. I just received the second volume of this set and am ecstatic to have it. I have gotten so much use and learned so much out of Volume one that I know that Volume II will be the same way. Holistic Midwifery is also a required text at most (if not all) CPM midwifery schools in America. I know that I enjoyed completing the requirement for Ancient Art Midwifery Institute in answering the questions relating to and reading/taking notes from Volume I of Holistic Midwifery. In a nutshell, if you don't have it, get it!