Birthing in Unprecedented Times

'Through rich and often poignant narratives of womens’ birth stories, Birthing in Unprecedented Times explores the place of risk and distribution of decision-making power in giving birth. This work asks the question: what happens if we prioritize the birthing person’s agency in understandings of birth risks? Thought-provoking and at times provocative, this work will be of interest to anyone interested in birth and the social politics of obstetric care.' 
—Kate Boyer, Reader, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, UK.
'Decidedly political, Birthing in Unprecedented Times centres the stories of mothers who give birth during times of rapid social, political and economic change. Von Benzon and colleagues consider how healthcare services – when under extreme pressure – remove autonomy during birth, but also capture moments of genuine care and connection between mothers and NHS staff.'

—Dr Aimee Grant, Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translational Research (LIFT), Swansea University, UK.
​This book shines a light on the way in which risk – in and beyond childbirth – is highly contextual, and the way in which risk-management strategies can be understood as socially and materially constructed. 
Nadia von Benzon is Lecturer in Human Geography at Lancaster University, UK. She researches children and mothers, and has published on topics as diverse as access to outdoor green space, disability, home education, historic child migration and Victorian Reformatory Farms. 

Rebecca Whittle is a scholar and activist whose work centres on care and emotional and relational geographies. She has worked across a number of fields including food, flooding, energy and children and family life. Participatory action research and ecofeminism are key influences in her research and teaching.

Jo Hickman-Dunne is a social geographer and Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research interests span youth development and engagement in informal education, as well as advocating for research approaches that support and champion youth voice. She is an author in the edited book Unfamiliar Landscapes: Young People and Diverse Outdoor Experiences (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021).