Changing Childbirth:
The Politics of Childbirth in the USA
The questions about lack of options in birth are on the rise and there is certainly no shortage of resources for solid information. However, what is needed most is for consumers to speak up and create change by asking for what they want. Below are some resources that will help you both become more informed, and join with others to create change.
In the News
November 20, 2008
NY Times: Birth At Home Slideshow. This slideshow accompanied the NY Times article Baby You're Home. The article can only be accessed now if you log into the NY Times website, but the slideshow is easily accessible.
October 29, 2008
Make your PUSH promise today. At the 2008 MANA conference, attenders were invited to make a PUSH promise for the next year. What are you going to push for? Choose an area of maternity care that you think needs attention and "PUSH" for that change between October 2008-2009. And, if you are inclined to share, please e-mail us and let us know what you are "pushing" for!
October 10, 2008
Maternity-care failings can be remedied with cost-saving fixes. This article from USA Today cites overuse of interventions as costing our country billions of dollars in healthcare. "It's a problem seen throughout health care, but it might be of particular concern when the patient is a healthy pregnant woman: the overuse of tests and potentially risky procedures that, at best, might benefit only a limited number of patients, and the underuse of proven techniques with few or no known drawbacks...If the quality of maternity care were improved, the U.S. health care system could be saved billions, according to the report." This article was written due to the report released by Childbirth Connection, the Reforming States Group and the Milbank Memorial Fund, the three organizations that collaborated in planning, developing and issuing the report, including formulating policy recommendations. To read this report in full, please see Childbirth Connection.
October 8, 2008
Midwife-led versus other models of care for
childbearing women. This is a new review
from The Cochrane Collaboration. The Cochrane Collaboration includes, within
its Cochrane Library, a regularly updated collection of evidence-based
medicine databases, including The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
This database includes systematic reviews of healthcare interventions that
are produced and disseminated by The Cochrane Collaboration. It is the best
single source of reliable evidence about the effects of healthcare. new
review concerning maternity care. Please see the link to view the abstract
review.
September 12, 2008
Powerful movie trailer: The Other Side of the Glass. Newborn procedures are sometimes done routinely, without parental consent, and not based on evidence-based care. We are overdue in looking at how this effects our babies and how they enter the world. Look for more information on this film made just for fathers, due out in early 2009.
August 29, 2008
Did you change care providers after watching The Business of Being Born? Write Ricki Lake and the BOBB staff. (Please see below for details.)
We were in Los Angeles this August, filming for our follow-up DVD, which is due to release next May (2009) along with our book, Your Best Birth. Thanks to all those who submitted story ideas for the new DVD. We are still looking for more stories about couples who changed their birth plans or care providers after seeing the film.
info@thebusinessofbeingborn.com or join the online BOBB community (Ricki's Room) at http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
Write Dr. Phil for his upcoming show on homebirth. We got this e-mail from a fellow midwife.
I would like to bring your
attention to the link below and would ask you to write to
Dr. Phil with your story.
They appear to be asking specifically for negative
stories. Wouldn't it be nice to swamp him with stories about great
experiences and for the midwives to write and tell their stories. I think it
would really help for them to see how people really feel.
It seems that they are specifically asking for bad stories. Please send your
story in. It may not do any good, but we can only try. To be silent will
help no one.
Midwives, please send this link to all your clients and ask them to
do the same.
http://www.drphil.com/plugger/respond/?plugID=12524
Attend MANA Oct 16-19, 2008. The Midwives Alliance the
Michigan Midwives Association and Conscious Budget
present Midwives Alliance 2008 in Traverse City, Michigan October 16-19,
2008. (Pre-conference sessions on October 16) See
http://mana.org/mana2008/index.html for more details or to register.
And, don't miss our own Clarice's blog about the
MANA conference events!
See
http://pushmana2008.blogspot.com/
In the Community
Capital Area Birth Network. Can you make a difference for birth in Michigan? Yes you can! Find out how you can advocate for Mother-Friendly Maternity Care at the Capital Area BirthNetwork Community Birth Activist Meetings and help inform consumers about birth in our community.
The State of Midwifery-Join one or more of these efforts to create change in our community, state, and/or country.
Citizens for Midwifery. Citizens for Midwifery – the only national consumer-based group promoting the Midwives Model of Care! CfM works to provide information and resources that promote the local midwife, as well as midwives and midwifery care across the country!
The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services. CIMS is a coalition of individuals and organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families. Our mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs.
The Big Push for
Midwives. This
campaign was born from the National Birth
Policy Coalition, which has coalesced around
the following organizing statement:
"Increasing access to the Midwives Model of
Care in all settings is essential to the
health and well-being of childbearing women
and their babies. The National Birth Policy
Coalition supports legislative initiatives
that promote the autonomous practice of
Certified Professional Midwives and
Certified Nurse-Midwives, and that ensure
the availability of safe, evidence-based
care during pregnancy, labor, birth and
postpartum."
Birth In The Natural State. BirthNetwork of Northwest Arkansas is an organization of individuals and professionals committed to helping women and families in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding region have safe and fulfilling pregnancy and birth experiences while empowering them in their role as health care consumers. They promote an awareness of evidence-based care and informed decision-making through advocacy, information and support.
Knowledge is Power-Further education is key to creating change. Please check these excellent resources for valuable information.
Conscious Woman. An online resource for personal, community and global issues related to women's health and the environment. Through WebEx, the most technologically advanced and user-friendly online learning system in the market, we will take you into virtual classrooms where you can interact directly with the experts. And all in the comfort of your home!
Mothers Naturally. This a public education program from the Midwives Alliance of North America. The goal of Mothers Naturally is to increase the number of safe and positive births by educating and informing the public about natural birth options and empowering women to make pregnancy and birth choices appropriate for their lives.
Midwifery Today.
MT has been serving midwives, birth
enthusiasts and your community since 1986
with heartfelt interest and enthusiastic
customer service. Through networking and
education, Midwifery Today's mission is to
return midwifery care to its rightful
position in the family; to make midwifery
care the norm throughout the world; and to
redefine midwifery as a vital partnership
with women.
The name of our business is also our motto:
midwifery is not a thing of the past, but a
viable profession and, more than ever, the
best choice for birthing mothers today and
in the future. They feel compelled to give a
voice to midwifery as a profession, to
educate the public and to let our
communities know that midwives are working
for them in a responsible, reliable and
loving manner.
Childbirth Connection. A source for trustworthy up-to-date evidence-based information and resources on planning for pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period. Founded in 1918, Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving maternity care quality and value. They promote safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care for women and families.
VBAC as an Option
International Cesarean Awareness Network. ICAN is dedicated to prevention of cesareans, recovery from cesareans and advocacy of maternity issues surrounding cesareans. A wonderful resource.
Birth In The Natural State. BirthNetwork of Northwest Arkansas is an organization of individuals and professionals committed to helping women and families in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding region have safe and fulfilling pregnancy and birth experiences while empowering them in their role as health care consumers. We promote an awareness of evidence-based care and informed decision-making through advocacy, information and support.
Breastfeeding Rights
Breastfeeding and the Law. This page on the La Leche League International website has essential information regarding breastfeeding legislature, jury duty, family law and other crucial related topics.
GotMom.org
was created by the American
College of Nurse-Midwives to provide breastfeeding information and resources
for mothers and families. The link here covers important topics such as
Returning to Work and Breastfeeding in Public.
What are the breastfeeding laws in your state?
This document from Mothering.com
is a valuable tool in sharing with others and defending your right to
breastfeed.