As snow begins to fall in Iowa I think back to last winter when I was enormously pregnant, carefully making my way down icy sidewalks to Presidential primary events, and then caucusing for the first time about 10 weeks before my daughter's homebirth. Robin was with me when I saw John Edwards, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama speak in Iowa, and she was with me to see Obama elected president this week.
No matter who you caucused or voted for, I think we can all agree on a change that needs to happen for women in our state and in our country: they need full access to a model of care that respects and honors their bodies and births, and that will come through licensure of professional midwives. This is a great time to send a letter on the theme of CHANGE to our local, state, and national representatives urging them to implement midwifery and homebirth into the future of our healthcare system.
President-elect Barack Obama has created a website devoted to citizens' ideas about change and we encourage you to send a letter to him, as well as your local represenatives and our state representatives, arguing for midwifery as a part of your vision for change.
Barb at the Navelgazing Midwife has created a wonderful letter that we encourage you to use, edit, adapt, etc and send send send. A highlight from the letter:
Because I wholeheartedly support your desire to overhaul medical insurance availability…
Because I believe that home birth is a viable and safe option for women in the United States…
Because the mechanism for licensing non-nurse midwifery exists in this country through the North American Registry of Midwives…
Because studies increasingly demonstrate that non-nurse midwives are a safe option for women having normal pregnancies…
Because studies prove a midwife’s presence maintains low cesarean rates and saves an enormous amount of money when normal pregnant women utilize midwives instead of obstetricians…
Because non-nurse midwives are paid the least of all obstetric care providers even as they provide comprehensive quality care…
Because requiring Medicaid to include paying non-nurse midwives would save our country millions, if not billions, of dollars as women having normal pregnancies use the most cost effective care provider…
To reward your efforts, you will receive a FREE FOIM BUMPER STICKER for every letter you send! Email Lauren at laurendoula@yahoo.com to let me know what you wrote (if you'd like to share) and who you sent a letter to and you will receive a free sticker. HELLO! THAT IS AWESOME. YES WE CAN!
Lauren
clerk
1 comment:
Thank you!! I am glad you found the letter. I am encouraging as many people as I can to send it, or some letter like it, to their senators and representatives as well as President-Elect Obama.
This issue affects ALL of us, not just homebirthing families.
Thank you again!
Post a Comment