Janet Balaskas is an
author
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
, founder of the
Active Birth Movement, and
childbirth
Childbirth, also known as labour and delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million births glo ...
educator. She is perhaps known best for her advocacy of ''active birth'' where the woman is free to move during labour, rather than being placed into stirrups or the
lithotomy position
The lithotomy position is a common position for surgical procedures and medical examinations involving the pelvis and lower abdomen, as well as a common position for childbirth in Western nations. The lithotomy position involves the positioning of ...
. She coined the term ''active birth'' which she explained in the first of her books ''Active Birth'' published in 1983.
Born in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
she is currently the Director of the Active Birth Centre in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
UK.
Seven ways to survive pregnancy
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide ...
(August 12, 2006)
Bibliography
Books
* ''Active Birth.'' Unwin, London, 1983,
* ''New Life - the book of exercises for childbirth.'' Sidgewick & Jackson, 1983
* ''The Active Birth Partners Handbook.'' Sidgewick & Jackson, 1984
* ''The Encyclopaedia of Pregnancy and Birth (with Yehudi Gordon).'' Macdonald Orbis, 1987
* ''Water Birth (with Yehudi Gordon).'' Unwin Hyman, 1991
* ''New Active Birth - A concise guide to natural childbirth.'' Thorsons, 1991,
Articles
* Janet Balaskas, Sophie Hoare, Lyn Durward, Jo Garcia, and Caroline Langridge, "Birth Rights: Radical Consumerism in Health Care," ''Critical Social Policy'', v. 2, n. 5, pp. 62–65 (1982)
See also
* Childbirth positions
* Home birth
A home birth is a birth that takes place in a residence rather than in a hospital or a birthing center. They may be attended by a midwife, or lay attendant with experience in managing home births. Home birth was, until the advent of modern med ...
* Squatting position
Squatting is a versatile posture where the weight of the body is on the feet but the knees and hips are bent. In contrast, sitting involves taking the weight of the body, at least in part, on the buttocks against the ground or a horizontal object ...
* Water birth
References
External links
Active Birth Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balaskas, Janet
Natural childbirth advocates
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
South African emigrants to the United Kingdom