Kid Gloves

A lot of my friends have had their first child last year, and after reading this book, my respect for mothers has grown immensely.

It’s a personal narrative that weaves in politics, culture, anatomy, medicine, psychology, kinda everything.

Like Knisley, I also researched the shit out of pregnancy, and I appreciate how she was able to weave in historical, cultural, and medical details to help understand pregnancy — this phenomenon that is often mentioned in stories and media, rarely in a realistic or inclusive way. There were all sorts of details and facts I didn’t know, which was highly satisfying to read.

It covers pregnancy loss and traumatic birth in a way that helps break stigma and guilt. That’s no small feat.

I read this book in two sittings in one day. This book is glorious, and so inspiring and heart-wrenching. I admire Lucy's honesty in approaching really difficult topics: fertility, miscarriage, the bumpy road of pregnancy, and a traumatic birth. I learned so much from this book and read so many pages out loud to my partner. "Did you know that the womb isn't just an empty space?" "Did you know that America has the highest maternal mortality rate out of any country in the global North?" "Did you know that people actually believed that if a pregnant person raised their arms, they'd strangle the baby?"

Another excellent, insightful book from Knisely, and I love her art.

Also, the American health care system is terrible.