When I was expecting our first child, I chose a kind and respectful obstetrician who was happy to work with patients who practiced Christian Science, and I had a harmonious birth experience.
By the time our second child was on the way, my husband and I had moved to another city, so I chose a midwife whom a friend recommended. During my first pregnancy the obstetrician had recommended taking prenatal vitamins, but the midwife told me new research had indicated supplements were ineffective. She requested I simply eat balanced meals.
However, she then warned me that at some point I would become anemic and would need to start taking iron pills because it was normal for pregnant women to become anemic. While I appreciated her good intentions in telling me this, the concept itself jumped out at me as ridiculous. Anemia is, by definition, an abnormal condition. How is it possible to have a normal abnormality? But since all the midwife requested of me at the time was to eat balanced meals, I was happy to do that.
