Birthing among the Amish

WHO ARE THE AMISH?

The Amish are a religious and cultural group with their largest settlements in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, USA. Smaller settlements are found where good farmland can be purchased reasonably as agriculture is the mainstay of their economy.

The religious background is Christian and Anabaptist. The Amish forefathers left Germany and Switzerland to escape religious persecution. They believe in nonresistance and nonviolence, and they are conscientious objectors. They believe in "turning the other cheek," that it is better for them to accept a wrong done to them than to retaliate.

Belief in a simple lifestyle and being "separate from the world" is the hallmark for the Amish. They avoid modern conveniences such as electricity, telephones, and cars. Food is grown in gardens and preserved for winter use. Clothes are distinctive and made by mothers at home. Days are filled with hard work and simple pleasures.

The Amish believe that children are a blessing from God, and the number of children should be left in God's hands. Families are large: six to ten children are common. Occasionally there are families with up to twenty children born to one mother. The philosophy of life and faith in God flavors the Amish approach to childbearing.

MY PRACTICE

My parents were both raised Amish but had left the Amish church before I was born. My first language was the Amish dialect, Pennsylvania Dutch. I have an intimate knowledge of Amish culture growing up around my Amish relatives. I appreciate the religious views that lead Amish to make decisions that perplex the "English" (the term for those who are not Amish). The opportunity to start my practice in Wayne County, Ohio was a perfect match.

Most of my deliveries occur at the Mt. Eaton Care Center, the first freestanding birthing center in Ohio. It was built by and for the Amish and Mennonite communities with money donated by the churches and land by an Amish businessman. Patients are screened for normal, low-risk deliveries. Basic emergency equipment is available as is transportation to a local hospital in case of emergency. Professional staff includes physicians and certified nurse-midwives.

My obstetrics and gynecology practice is in nearby Kidron, a local hub for the Amish. The small town is at the...