Calumet Editions

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Back to the Womb

Reclaiming Birth Sovereignty

Back to the Womb traces the complexities of birth in America as well as the voices of home-birth moms in Hawai’i. This book uncovers the struggle for sovereignty, the issues with medicalized birth and the sacredness of home birth. It is a book about reclaiming our birthright, honoring our humanity, cultivating our divine feminine energy, trusting in ourselves, relying on our ancestral strength and returning back to the womb.

resonates through time, binding us with our ancestors

—Ibu Robin Lim, Bumi Sehat Foundation

Description

Back to the Womb is a radical invitation to return to the womb—not as nostalgia, but as sovereignty. Sociologist and doula Alexandra Kisitu weaves her own unconventional birth journeys with interviews from fifty-nine home-birth mothers in Hawai‘i, revealing how intuition, culture, and the microbiome shape both bodies and communities.

Moving from the history of obstetrics to the lived realities of racism, colonization, and poverty, she asks what “health” means when systems strip parents of voice. These pages honor pain and trauma without sensationalism, and celebrate births held in love, agency, and relationship—with partners, midwives, and ancestors. Part memoir, part social research, Back to the Womb offers grounded insight and courageous perspective for expectant families, birth workers, and anyone reclaiming trust in the wisdom of the gut.

Product Details

PublishedJanuary 2, 2024
ImprintCalumet Editions
LanguageEnglish
Print length270
ISBN-13978-1962834049
Dimensions6 x 0.68 x 9 inches

From her own experience and the shared experiences of fifty-nine mothers in Hawai’i, Alexandra comes to understand that childbirth is at the fulcrum of our human connection with our home, Mother Earth. It resonates through time, binding us with our ancestors, our culture. All of us are born from the womb of a woman, and this book shines moonlight on the significance of that fact.

—Ibu Robin Lim, Bumi Sehat Foundation

As someone who has been immersed in the world of birth for decades, I highly recommend Back to the Womb for expectant moms, new moms and anyone interested in stories of birth and reclamation. Dr. Alexandra Kisitu’s book is a testament to the power of understanding our origins and honoring pregnancy, birth and postpartum. This book is a transformative and enlightening read that will leave you with a deep sense of connection to the essence of birth and life itself.

—Debra Pascali Banaro, World-Renowned Inspirational Speaker, Filmmaker, Doula Trainer, Childbirth Educator & Author

I was unable to put it down. It opens a window to the world of birth and also opens your eyes to the things people face when birthing a child. I felt a mix of emotions as I turned each page as if i was in it. Very well written and helped me heal from my infertility journey. Relatable, raw, and such an amazing read!

—Jenna K. on Amazon

I came away with knowledge I never had before about the significance of reclaiming one’s birth, and the importance of educating oneself about the power and sacredness of birth. If you do anything this year, READ THIS BOOK!

—Kate Lossi on Amazon