By Matt Mackinder
Clarkston News Editor

Gina Mundy is an attorney that has specialized in childbirth cases for over 20 years.
Now, the Clarkston resident is an author.
Rather than merely getting involved after an unfortunate mistake was made, Mundy has taken a proactive approach by getting involved before childbirth. Her goal is to assist parents in preventing these mistakes and help them have a healthy baby. She authored the book “A Parent’s Guide to a Safer Childbirth” to help prepare parents so they can make sure these preventable tragedies do not happen to their baby.
“I made the decision to write a book following my niece’s difficult labor and delivery,” Mundy said. “The baby struggled during labor and following a chaotic scene during childbirth, we went about 20 minutes without knowing if the baby was going to be OK. Her story is the introduction to the book. My niece’s childbirth was a close call that scared me and my family. Though we were fortunate that our close call ended with a healthy baby girl, I have witnessed the other side of close far too many times in legal baby cases. These are the heart-wrenching stories where families were just one decision or a few minutes away from a healthy baby, only to find themselves on the wrong side of a close call due to a mistake or oversight during childbirth.
“On March 18, while I tried my best to give my family important information over the phone, it was too late. I was 1,100 miles away from my niece that day. The realization that I may not be around for the birth of my grandkids set in. I knew it was time to write down what I had learned from the last two decades of analyzing the legal baby cases. Once I switched gears from attorney to author with the purpose of helping families have the safest possible labor and delivery, it became immediately apparent that there was much more to learn from these cases than I could have imagined.”
Mundy said once she started writing, she couldn’t stop.
“As I started writing, I would imagine the future conversations with my daughters and telling them everything they needed to know about childbirth,” said Mundy. “The lessons I had learned from analyzing the childbirth cases, the common facts and issues that were present when a mistake was made during labor and delivery, how to make sure these same mistakes did not happen to them during childbirth, what they should know about picking the right doctor, the importance of a good delivery team, how to make good decisions, and so forth. In the end, while the book was written to my children, it is information that will help every expecting parent have a healthy baby.”
Mundy went on to say that the overall theme of the book revolves around mothers being the decision makers during childbirth.
“Their doctor and delivery team are simply their medical advisors,” Mundy said. “Understanding and preparing for childbirth is key to making good decisions. When good decisions are made, healthy babies are born. Without educating yourself and preparing for childbirth, it is challenging to determine what is good or bad care or whom to trust. This book gives moms the information they need to discern what constitutes good care and will help guide them on whom to trust.
“While the book is for sale internationally and across America, it stems from the child birth cases in the Michigan. While every expectant parent should read this book, it is a must-read for the ones living in this state.”
One book down, does Mundy have plans to pen more in the future?
“Yes,” she said. “This book focuses on childbirth and the next book will focus on pregnancy.”
Growing up in Brighton, Mundy and her family, which includes her husband James and children Abigail, Eliana and Liam, has lived on Waumegah Lake for 14 years.
Mundy said she can offer advice for the younger generation looking to turn to authoring books.
“Just start writing and understand that it is a process,” said Mundy. “The first words I wrote are not in the book, but those words lead me to the ideas and thoughts that would eventually make my book what it is today.”
Mundy’s book can be purchased locally at Inscribe Books in Clarkston. The book can also be found on Amazon.
Readers can also go to ginamundy.com for more information.

PHOTO: New author Gina Mundy poses with her first book. Photo provided