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THE BIG PUSH!
The Big Push for Midwives Campaign will be launched today in Chicago to
advocate for regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives
(CPMs) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Big Push
Campaign is also pushing back against the attempts by the American
Medical Association to deny American families access to legal midwifery
care.
Chicago events include a "PushDay" news conference about the national
campaign launch, a book signing by author and journalist Jennifer Block
for her book "Pushed," a film screening of the Ricki Lake and Abby
Epstein documentary, "The Business of Being Born," and a viewing of The
Safe Motherhood Quilt Project created by midwife pioneer Ina May Gaskin.
In addition, multiple states will have PushRallies and PushParties to
kickoff the Big Push Campaign. There are events planned in Alabama,
Idaho, Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.
Currently, Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who work predominantly in
hospital settings, are licensed and legal in all 50 states. Certified
Professional Midwives (CPMs), who specialize in out-of-hospital
delivery, are licensed and legal in fewer than half of our states.
CPMs:
* Are specifically trained to provide out-of-hospital maternity
care for healthy women experiencing normal pregnancies.
* Offer a family-centered model of care, which is associated with
reducing the incidence of c-section, birth injury and trauma, as well as
significantly reducing the cost of maternity care.
* Play a vital role in reducing the two most preventable risk
factors for infant mortality: low-birth weight and premature birth:
babies born too small or too soon.
* Serve a disproportionate percentage of underserved populations,
including low-income, rural, inner-city, immigrant, and uninsured
families, as well as those Americans who choose out-of-hospital birth
for deeply held cultural and philosophical reasons.
The Big Push for Midwives Campaign is the first initiative of the
National Birth Policy Coalition (NBPC), which was established in 2007
and is focused on increasing access to the Midwives Model of Care in all
settings, as well as supporting legislative initiatives that promote the
autonomous practice of Certified Professional Midwives and Certified
Nurse-Midwives. So far, the NBPC has been endorsed by nearly 40
organizations, including national and state midwifery organizations, as
well as state consumer organizations.
Ricki Lake's statement of support for the Big Push campaign states:
""When I decided to give birth to my second child at home under the care
of a professional midwife, I faced a lot of criticism and skepticism
from family and friends. Most of the people around me had a perception
of childbirth as a risky medical procedure and thought that I was taking
a chance by giving birth in my home, instead of at the local hospital.
But after extensive research and a previous hospital birth with my first
child, I knew that homebirth with a trained midwife was not only safe,
but potentially safer than giving birth in a hospital. I knew that I was
giving my child a gift by allowing him to come into the world gently, in
our bathtub, with his mother in control of the birth. I knew that I was
receiving the best prenatal care available and that it was costing me a
few thousand dollars, instead of the thousands and thousand of dollars
involved in most hospital births. This was not just a privilege that I
could enjoy as a celebrity - this was excellent, cost- efficient
healthcare that all women should have access to. ...
"...The Big Push for Midwives Campaign comes at a time when we realize
we much increase access to U.S. maternity care, decrease maternity care
costs, and improve our nation's birth outcomes. The campaign will
facilitate this by achieving licensure for ALL midwives in ALL states,
D.C. and Puerto Rico. The campaign will highlight the importance of
family healthcare choices, and will defend the ability of CPMs to
provide legal and safe prenatal, birth and postpartum care to families
in every state...
"... I sincerely hope that U.S. state lawmakers do not deny parents a
basic human right by restricting how their children can come into the
world. I also hope that policy makers recognize midwifery as a serious,
social-service profession that deserves licensing, public support and
admiration."
Ohio Families for Safe Birth is proud to be a supporting member of the
Big Push and member of the National Birth Policy Coalition.
http://safebirthohio.org/blog/archives/category/the-big-push
The Big Push for Midwives Campaign will be launched today in Chicago to
advocate for regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives
(CPMs) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Big Push
Campaign is also pushing back against the attempts by the American
Medical Association to deny American families access to legal midwifery
care.
Chicago events include a "PushDay" news conference about the national
campaign launch, a book signing by author and journalist Jennifer Block
for her book "Pushed," a film screening of the Ricki Lake and Abby
Epstein documentary, "The Business of Being Born," and a viewing of The
Safe Motherhood Quilt Project created by midwife pioneer Ina May Gaskin.
In addition, multiple states will have PushRallies and PushParties to
kickoff the Big Push Campaign. There are events planned in Alabama,
Idaho, Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.
Currently, Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who work predominantly in
hospital settings, are licensed and legal in all 50 states. Certified
Professional Midwives (CPMs), who specialize in out-of-hospital
delivery, are licensed and legal in fewer than half of our states.
CPMs:
* Are specifically trained to provide out-of-hospital maternity
care for healthy women experiencing normal pregnancies.
* Offer a family-centered model of care, which is associated with
reducing the incidence of c-section, birth injury and trauma, as well as
significantly reducing the cost of maternity care.
* Play a vital role in reducing the two most preventable risk
factors for infant mortality: low-birth weight and premature birth:
babies born too small or too soon.
* Serve a disproportionate percentage of underserved populations,
including low-income, rural, inner-city, immigrant, and uninsured
families, as well as those Americans who choose out-of-hospital birth
for deeply held cultural and philosophical reasons.
The Big Push for Midwives Campaign is the first initiative of the
National Birth Policy Coalition (NBPC), which was established in 2007
and is focused on increasing access to the Midwives Model of Care in all
settings, as well as supporting legislative initiatives that promote the
autonomous practice of Certified Professional Midwives and Certified
Nurse-Midwives. So far, the NBPC has been endorsed by nearly 40
organizations, including national and state midwifery organizations, as
well as state consumer organizations.
Ricki Lake's statement of support for the Big Push campaign states:
""When I decided to give birth to my second child at home under the care
of a professional midwife, I faced a lot of criticism and skepticism
from family and friends. Most of the people around me had a perception
of childbirth as a risky medical procedure and thought that I was taking
a chance by giving birth in my home, instead of at the local hospital.
But after extensive research and a previous hospital birth with my first
child, I knew that homebirth with a trained midwife was not only safe,
but potentially safer than giving birth in a hospital. I knew that I was
giving my child a gift by allowing him to come into the world gently, in
our bathtub, with his mother in control of the birth. I knew that I was
receiving the best prenatal care available and that it was costing me a
few thousand dollars, instead of the thousands and thousand of dollars
involved in most hospital births. This was not just a privilege that I
could enjoy as a celebrity - this was excellent, cost- efficient
healthcare that all women should have access to. ...
"...The Big Push for Midwives Campaign comes at a time when we realize
we much increase access to U.S. maternity care, decrease maternity care
costs, and improve our nation's birth outcomes. The campaign will
facilitate this by achieving licensure for ALL midwives in ALL states,
D.C. and Puerto Rico. The campaign will highlight the importance of
family healthcare choices, and will defend the ability of CPMs to
provide legal and safe prenatal, birth and postpartum care to families
in every state...
"... I sincerely hope that U.S. state lawmakers do not deny parents a
basic human right by restricting how their children can come into the
world. I also hope that policy makers recognize midwifery as a serious,
social-service profession that deserves licensing, public support and
admiration."
Ohio Families for Safe Birth is proud to be a supporting member of the
Big Push and member of the National Birth Policy Coalition.
http://safebirthohio.org/blog/archives/category/the-big-push
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