Birth Activism 101

So here's what happened. I got an email a couple of days ago off the doula list serve that a local DO and her partner CNM had their privileges suspended at a local hospital. This is a group that is highly regarded and recommended in the community. The were the first doctor midwife and midwife for this particular hospital. I don't know the circumstances for the suspension (the community is abuzz with speculation) but no one really knows because they are not supposed to speak about it. This action is not based on a consumer complaint (these women are well loved and respected). A local homebirth midwife called a letter writing campaign to support them and hopefully get their privileges reinstated. We did the letter writing thing last night, about 25 moms and a couple of dads got together at our local birthing center (which just recently reopened) and wrote all these nice letters. The homebirth midwife and I will deliver them to the hospital this morning, as the big meeting with the DO and CNM is tonight- of course its a closed meeting.

This makes me so angry. Another CNM under attack by her own facility. I've seen so many CNMs in this city tiptoeing through practice in order not to upset the apple cart. Sometimes even being sabotaged by their own success. Physicians complain if their practices grow too big or too fast. Babies born in a squat on the floor instead of on the bed, well we can't have that. The list goes on and on. Those few practitioners who doggedly try to make changes in the hospital setting have to constantly watch their backs for things like this. Even their labor nurses will rat them out if they deviate from 'the norm.' Its difficult to be an agent for change, whether you are on the inside or the outside. My challenge right now is to keep the bigger picture in mind- it's not just about these two practitioners, its about all the women they serve. All the women due right now, who will have to be delivered by 'the physician on call' if they go into labor this week, or find a new care provider at term. This is untenable. This is unethical. Women deserve better than this.

So I'll put a smile on my face, be nice, and deliver the letters, and hope they get read, and responded to. If not, we may have to kick things up a notch...