Fundamental connections are made at the point where new life begins: pregnancy and childbirth. Since 1976, leading midwife Joan Skinner has been at the heart of these connections.

Labour of Love weaves her experiences as a midwife into the story of childbirth in Aotearoa, a complex tapestry that includes the increased use of technology and risk management alongside the return of midwifery autonomy, some reacceptance of birth at home, and attempts to create birthing centres embedded in the communities they serve. It also describes her work supporting the development of midwifery internationally, especially in countries across Asia, including Afghanistan and North Korea.

Warm, engaging and important, Labour of Love is the story of a woman and her work, of holding together the complexity of living and the growth of skill and wisdom.