--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many midwives work as employees in large…" description: "\"“Many midwives work as employees in large hospital practices, where the techno-medical model of care is still the rule. In practices like these, midwiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ina-may-gaskin-10809_midwifery_many-midwives-work-as-employees-in-large_758302.jpg" --- # Many midwives work as employees in large hospital… ![“Many midwives work as employees in large hospital practices, where the techno-medical model of care is still the rule. In practices like these, midwives are used to attract women who desire midwifery care, but they may in fact be under constant pressure to practice within the techno-medical mode.” quote by Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ina-may-gaskin-10809_midwifery_many-midwives-work-as-employees-in-large_758302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ina-may-gaskin-10809_midwifery_many-midwives-work-as-employees-in-large_758302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/ina-may-gaskin-10809_midwifery_many-midwives-work-as-employees-in-large_758302.jpg) > ““Many midwives work as employees in large hospital practices, where the techno-medical model of care is still the rule. In practices like these, midwives are used to attract women who desire midwifery care, but they may in fact be under constant pressure to practice within the techno-medical mode.”” [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Midwives in hospitals face pressure to conform to tech‑driven medical models, limiting authentic care. **In simple terms:** Hospital pressure limits true midwifery. Key Takeaway Support autonomous midwifery practice. Themes midwifery healthcare systems professional autonomy Mood critical hopeful Type analytical advocacy When to use this quote - hospital policy reform - midwife training - patient advocacy - clinic design Key Concepts techno‑medical model institutional pressure patient‑centered care Questions to Reflect On - How can midwives retain autonomy in tech‑heavy settings? - What alternatives exist to the techno‑medical model? A Different Perspective May underestimate systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Midwifery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midwifery/) [Midwives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midwives/) ## Related quotes > [“Today, the lay midwife is a response to a growing home-birth movement. In my own community most physicians have decided to withhold prenatal care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mccutcheon/today-the-lay-midwife-is-a-response-to-a-growing-home-birth-movement/) Susan McCutcheon > [We are the only species of mammal that doubts our ability to give birth. It's profitable to scare women about birth. But let's stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/we-are-the-only-species-of-mammal-that-doubts-our-ability-to-give/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/remember-this-for-it-is-as-true-and-true-gets-your-body-is-not-a/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [There is no other organ quite like the uterus. If men had such an organ they would brag about it. So should we](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/there-is-no-other-organ-quite-like-the-uterus-if-men-had-such-an/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [I think midwifery was developed by people with common sense, people who were close to nature, and people who observed other species of mammals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-think-midwifery-was-developed-by-people-with-common-sense-people/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [We midwives and physicians have a lot to teach each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/we-midwives-and-physicians-have-a-lot-to-teach-each-other/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [When you destroy midwives, you also destroy a body of knowledge that is shared by women, that can’t be put together by a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/when-you-destroy-midwives-you-also-destroy-a-body-of-knowledge-that/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [The one seeks a midwife to deliver his thoughts, the other, someone to assist: thus a good conversation comes into being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-one-seeks-a-midwife-to-deliver-his-thoughts-the-other-someone-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“She was not as stupid as some I have had, and better company, but still perhaps her going was for the best. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-cushman/she-was-not-as-stupid-as-some-i-have-had-and-better-company-but-still/) [Karen Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-cushman/) > [Abortion politics have distracted all sides from what is really essential: a major aid campaign to improve midwifery, prenatal care and emergency obstetric services…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/abortion-politics-have-distracted-all-sides-from-what-is-really/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [If we want to find safe alternatives to obstetrics, we must rediscover midwifery. To rediscover midwifery is the same as giving back childbirth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/if-we-want-to-find-safe-alternatives-to-obstetrics-we-must-rediscover/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [How can the oppressed, as divided, unauthentic beings, participate in developing the pedagogy of their liberation? Only as they discover themselves to be 'hosts'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/how-can-the-oppressed-as-divided-unauthentic-beings-participate-in/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [“And thus, through the courage and great skill in obstetrics of Queequeg, the deliverance, or rather, delivery of Tashtego, was successfully accomplished, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-thus-through-the-courage-and-great-skill-in-obstetrics-of/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Having a highly trained obstetrical surgeon attend a normal birth is analogous to having a pediatric surgeon babysit a healthy 2-year-old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-wagner/having-a-highly-trained-obstetrical-surgeon-attend-a-normal-birth-is/) [Marsden Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-wagner/) > [“I am persuaded from long years of experience amongst women of many nationalities that good midwifery is essential for the true happiness of motherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantly-dick-read/i-am-persuaded-from-long-years-of-experience-amongst-women-of-many/) [Grantly Dick-Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantly-dick-read/) ## More by Ina May Gaskin > [The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-way-a-culture-treats-women-in-birth-is-a-good-indicator-of-how/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“The techno-medical model of maternity care, unlike the midwifery model, is comparatively new on the world scene, having existed for barely two centuries. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-techno-medical-model-of-maternity-care-unlike-the-midwifery-model/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [The best a health care system can do is to equip itself to meet the needs of each individual woman and birth. Those needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-best-a-health-care-system-can-do-is-to-equip-itself-to-meet-the/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [Why do we, then, continue to treat women as if their emotions and comfort, and the postures they might want to assume while in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/why-do-we-then-continue-to-treat-women-as-if-their-emotions-and/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [I had to learn not to let anyone push me around, to be brave and to say things I knew might make people mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-had-to-learn-not-to-let-anyone-push-me-around-to-be-brave-and-to/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [When we as a society begin to value mothers as the givers and supporters of life, then we will see social change in ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/when-we-as-a-society-begin-to-value-mothers-as-the-givers-and/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“I have felt incredible energy and life force through my body, and I have really been reborn a happier, healthier, and more confident person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-have-felt-incredible-energy-and-life-force-through-my-body-and-i/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/remember-this-for-it-is-as-true-and-true-gets-your-body-is-not-a/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [Simply put, when there is no home birth in a society, or when home birth is driven completely underground, essential knowledge of women’s capacities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/simply-put-when-there-is-no-home-birth-in-a-society-or-when-home/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [A society that places a low value on its mothers and the process of birth will suffer an array of negative repercussions for doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/a-society-that-places-a-low-value-on-its-mothers-and-the-process-of/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [I know of no country in the world that has passed a law specifically denying a woman's right to choose where she intends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-know-of-no-country-in-the-world-that-has-passed-a-law-specifically/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [I have never observed even the slightest laceration in a woman who used clitoral stimulation as a relaxation method during birth. Clitoral stimulation seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-have-never-observed-even-the-slightest-laceration-in-a-woman-who/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [I dreaded having a boring life when I grew up. And I certainly can't complain about being bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-dreaded-having-a-boring-life-when-i-grew-up-and-i-certainly-can-t/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [There is no other organ quite like the uterus. If men had such an organ they would brag about it. So should we](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/there-is-no-other-organ-quite-like-the-uterus-if-men-had-such-an/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [It will take your breastfed baby an average of five to six months to double her birth weight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/it-will-take-your-breastfed-baby-an-average-of-five-to-six-months-to/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) [Explore all 63 Ina May Gaskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) ## More Midwifery quotes > [“I am persuaded from long years of experience amongst women of many nationalities that good midwifery is essential for the true happiness of motherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantly-dick-read/i-am-persuaded-from-long-years-of-experience-amongst-women-of-many/) [Grantly Dick-Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantly-dick-read/) > [Having a highly trained obstetrical surgeon attend a normal birth is analogous to having a pediatric surgeon babysit a healthy 2-year-old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-wagner/having-a-highly-trained-obstetrical-surgeon-attend-a-normal-birth-is/) [Marsden Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-wagner/) > [“And thus, through the courage and great skill in obstetrics of Queequeg, the deliverance, or rather, delivery of Tashtego, was successfully accomplished, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-thus-through-the-courage-and-great-skill-in-obstetrics-of/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/remember-this-for-it-is-as-true-and-true-gets-your-body-is-not-a/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“Today, the lay midwife is a response to a growing home-birth movement. In my own community most physicians have decided to withhold prenatal care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-mccutcheon/today-the-lay-midwife-is-a-response-to-a-growing-home-birth-movement/) Susan McCutcheon > [There is no other organ quite like the uterus. If men had such an organ they would brag about it. So should we](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/there-is-no-other-organ-quite-like-the-uterus-if-men-had-such-an/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [How can the oppressed, as divided, unauthentic beings, participate in developing the pedagogy of their liberation? Only as they discover themselves to be 'hosts'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/how-can-the-oppressed-as-divided-unauthentic-beings-participate-in/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [If we want to find safe alternatives to obstetrics, we must rediscover midwifery. To rediscover midwifery is the same as giving back childbirth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/if-we-want-to-find-safe-alternatives-to-obstetrics-we-must-rediscover/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [Abortion politics have distracted all sides from what is really essential: a major aid campaign to improve midwifery, prenatal care and emergency obstetric services…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/abortion-politics-have-distracted-all-sides-from-what-is-really/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [“She was not as stupid as some I have had, and better company, but still perhaps her going was for the best. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-cushman/she-was-not-as-stupid-as-some-i-have-had-and-better-company-but-still/) [Karen Cushman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-cushman/) > [I think midwifery was developed by people with common sense, people who were close to nature, and people who observed other species of mammals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/i-think-midwifery-was-developed-by-people-with-common-sense-people/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [The one seeks a midwife to deliver his thoughts, the other, someone to assist: thus a good conversation comes into being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-one-seeks-a-midwife-to-deliver-his-thoughts-the-other-someone-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We are the only species of mammal that doubts our ability to give birth. It's profitable to scare women about birth. But let's stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/we-are-the-only-species-of-mammal-that-doubts-our-ability-to-give/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) > [“The midwife considers the miracle of childbirth as normal, and leaves it alone unless there's trouble. The obstetrician normally sees childbirth as trouble; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-stubbs/the-midwife-considers-the-miracle-of-childbirth-as-normal-and-leaves/) Sheila Stubbs > [I was always interested in midwifery; it was my plan B.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domino-kirke/i-was-always-interested-in-midwifery-it-was-my-plan-b/) [Domino Kirke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domino-kirke/) [Browse all 20 Midwifery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midwifery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Many midwives work as employees in large hospital practices, where the techno-medical model of care is still the rule. 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