university lecturing job, SK’s 186–9
upright positions for birth 8, 78, 142, 180, 191, 229, 233, 262, 265, 335
Urquhart, Miss 32
USA
lecturing/book tours 138–41
litigation against doctors 272
midwifery in 156, 251, 272
photography of breasts banned 329
puritanical revival 329–30
SK and Uwe meeting in 55–7
SK’s work in 57–9
USSR 244–50
Vallergan 202–3
Valsalva manoeuvre (‘purple pushing’) 264 see also commanded pushing
Van Hoosen, Bertha 139
Vaughan, Kathleen 69
veganism 345
vegetarianism 35, 51, 61, 72, 343, 344–53, 354
Velvosky, L 79
vines 127, 308
visual aids 84, 232–3, 233 (pic), 244
Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa 149
Wageningen, Holland 62
Wagner, Marsden 232, 254, 257, 294
Waldorf, Mary 146–7
Walker, Georgina 227
Walker, Marjorie 188
war
asylum seekers 318–24
conscienctious objectors 18
conscientious objectors 40, 52–3
David Webster (SK’s brother) in WW2 52–3
giving birth in warzones 315–18
Lentils for Dubrovnik 14, 274–82
SK’s family in WW1 16, 17–18, 24
SK’s family in WW2 23, 24, 31–3
Warner, Lloyd 48
warrior children, vs obedient 95
water birth 70, 226–7, 293–5, 305, 310
Water Birth conference 293–5, 305, 307
weaning 72, 105
Weatherhead, Mrs 50
Webster, Alec (SK’s father)
army service 16
cooking 34, 343, 350
family of 64–5
as Father Christmas (on fire) 355
on his wife’s death 164
household management skills 28
letter to (about sailing adventure in France) 134–7
music 27
relationship with grandchildren 99
and religion 19, 29
at SK’s birth 15
stroke 34
woodwork skills 27
in WW2 31–2
Webster, Clare (SK’s mother)
and abortion 49
birth of SK 15
at birth of SK’s children 88
child-rearing philosophy 19–20, 28
cooking 34–5, 343, 346
death of 79, 163–4
design-sense 25
feminism 9, 17, 19
fighting for equality 9, 17, 21, 209, 342
free thought 17, 209
household management skills 28
in Little Thatch 35
on meeting Uwe Kitzinger 61
music 27
nursing 17, 34, 36
open Christmases 355
pacifism 20–1, 40
as role model 17
SK accredits in obituary 357, 359
on Uwe Kitzinger 67
war work 31–3
Webster, Daniel (SK’s nephew) 54
Webster, David (SK’s brother)
childhood 26–7, 52
later life 52–5
death 54–5
mothball tea 35
music 28
at Oxford 47, 52
picture - as child with sister 26 (pic)
picture - at BBC 55 (pic)
squashed fingers 28
tripped over by Aunt Hannah 65
Webster, James (SK’s grandfather) 16, 164
Webster, John (SK’s paternal ancestor) 64
Webster, Lucy Law (SK’s (ex-) sister-in-law) 53, 54, 164
Webster, Willie (SK’s paternal ancestor) 64–5
wedding, SK’s 62–3
wedding rings 64
Weslyan Methodists 19, 29
West Indian Society 59–60
Westleigh House, Taunton 26–7
wetnursing 149, 226
Wheare family 48
white poppies 21
Wigtownshire 64
wildlife, valuing 127–8
Wilkinson, Sue 64, 306, 340–2
William, Prince 335
Williams, Lynda 286–7
Winterton report 163
Wise, Audrey 162
witch, SK as 219
witchdoctoring 149, 150
withdrawal method 209, 213
woman-for-woman service 232
Woman’s Experience of Sex (Kitzinger, 1983) 152–3, 188, 194, 196
Woman’s Hour 14, 215–16, 331–2
woman-to-woman aid parcels 274–5
Women Against Violence Against Women 197
Women for EGA pressure group 232
women only classes 81
women supporting other women 10, 81, 101, 103–4, 105, 117, 196, 210, 312, 347–8
Women’s Strength 197
workhouse, visits to 30–1
working motherhood
generally 211, 231
SK combining work with motherhood 8–9, 11, 74, 88–90, 92, 93, 99, 303, 358
writing, SK’s see also books, SK’s own authored/edited
early mornings 89, 94, 303, 306, 358
energy flows and 196
first book - Experience of Childbirth (1962) 88–90
first published article 42–3
in France 132
of this book 7
Yatti 48–9
Year After Childbirth, The (Kitzinger, 1994) 307
Yugoslav crisis 14, 274–82
Zander, Luke 166
‘It’s impossible to measure the breadth and
depth of Sheila Kitzinger’s influence on maternity
care, not just in the UK, but in scores of countries
all over the world. Anthropologist, author, actor,
mother, world traveller, and advocate for multiple
causes, she has masterfully combined these roles.
Fortunately for us, she has written her
autobiography with the same exuberance
with which she has led her life.
Ina May Gaskin’
Sheila Kitzinger (1929–2015), MBE
was a women’s rights and childbirth activist and
author specialising in pregnancy, childbirth
and the parenting of babies and young children.
She authored of over 25 bestselling books
including The New Pregnancy & Childbirth,
The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth,
Birth & Sex and Rediscovering Birth.
Internationally renowned childbirth educator, anthropologist
and feminist icon Sheila Kitzinger (1929–2015) was one of the
most influential figures in the natural childbirth movement.
In a pioneering career spanning more than 50 years she
campaigned for and oversaw a radical change in maternity care,
placing women’s rights and choices at the very heart of childbirth.
Her passion, research and knowledge of childbirth have had
enormous impact on millions of women worldwide.
‘ The right to knowledge about
our bodies and minds in childbirth
and to decide what hospitals and
professional caregivers do to us
and our babies is a fundamental
human freedom.‚
In her long-awaited autobiography finished shortly before her death in
April 2015, Sheila speaks openly about her remarkable life and career.
From childhood growing up with a feminist mother and her student
days in Oxford, to her global anthropological and activist work
and family life with husband Uwe and their five daughters,
this is a fascinating insight into an extraordinary woman.
pint
erandmartin.com
A Passion for Birth Page 48