Friends of Iowa Midwives

Lobby Day 2011

2011-02-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from Lobby Day on Feb. 15. Everyone loved our banner and our cookies! Thank you to all who participated!

Our banner on the rotunda

Home born and representing!

Talking to Senator Bolkcom from Iowa City - one of our supporters!

M&M Cookies: Support Mothers and Midwives!

Conscious Birth Summit 2011

2011-01-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Conscious Birth Summit, January 15, 2011

Conscious Birth Summit, January 15, 2011
5th Annual Conscious Birth Summit, January 15, 2011, Iowa City Public Library, FREE

10:30 “Embodying Pregnancy” Janelle Railey, MA, LMHC of Mindful Birthing

11:15 Discussion with Dr. Ron Robinson, D.C. of Robinson Family Wellness

12:30 “Birth Movement: How to use positions, the birth ball, squat bar, & birth sling for your positive hospital birth,” Jun-Nicole Matsushita of Bamboo Birth Services

1:15 Meet the Doulas and Childbirth Educators

2:00 Film Screening. Laboring Under and Illusion: Birth in the Media vs. Reality

3:30 “Hospital Practitioners and Doulas,” with Ob and CNMs

5:00 Film Screening. Guerilla Midwife

6:30 Q & A Panel with Homebirth Midwives, sponsored by Iowa Midwives Association

This event promotes and supports the work of Friends of Iowa Midwives

Any Questions should be directed to Kristin Bergman, 319-621-0335

Sponsors: Robinson Family Wellness , Heartland Yoga , The Red Avocado , Iowa Midwives Association , Iowa City Doulas

Order your 2011 Born at Home Calendar!

2010-12-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

This beautiful calendar features photos of children born at home in Iowa, and families' stories about why they chose home birth. Calendars are only $12, and make wonderful gifts! Order one for yourself or a loved one, or better yet, sponsor a calendar for your state senator or representative.

Sponsor a Calendar

If you would like to sponsor a calendar, we will send you the calendar addressed and ready to mail to your state Senator or Representative. Order now!

A Message from Megan, FOIM Lobbyist

2010-11-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Megan Day, and I am lobbying on behalf of Friends of Iowa Midwives.

I became involved in Friends of Iowa Midwives in Nov, 2008. I have been a doula for 17 years, throughout Central, and Southern Iowa. I am a stay-at-home mother of two little ladies, whom were born at home. I have worn many hats, but my passion has always been birth related.

I know first-hand, and from clients, the struggle families face when choosing a home-birth midwife. In Central Iowa, there are no CPM’s, and only 3 practicing CNM’s attending home birth. The home births I’ve attended are beautiful, but they should be happening at a higher rate. More low-risk families should be afforded the opportunity to use a Certified Professional Midwife, with the comfort of knowing she is legal and/or licensed. More insurance companies should be covering the cost of home birth. More hospitals should be friendly to transfers. More people should be educated. I had to do more.

I attended a FOIM meeting in Nov of 2008, became involved, and attended a few lobbying days in 2009. In 2010, I went to the Capitol on the first day of the session, to talk to our lobbyist, and my representative and senator. I met with a few other legislators (as many as would speak to me). I kept going back, until I ran out of people to talk with, realizing that most of the Representatives would take a few minutes to listen. Suddenly, it was mid-session, and I was made aware that it was time to register as a “volunteer” lobbyist, before FOIM got in trouble for non-reporting.

I understand why it’s important for families to choose the provider and place of birth. I know the statistics, and I know what the current birth climate is first hand. I also have the availability to be at the Capitol. So, with that, and the connections I have made, I am now a “real” lobbyist.

I attended each meeting at the Capitol we were invited to, as your representative. I have spoken to your legislator, on your behalf. I have worked with our sponsors, and our co-sponsors to bring this bill to the attention of the legislators.

Last session we started with 13 Representatives supporting our issue, but we were never able to take a full committee vote. This year, we started with 17 sponsors, from both parties, and made it to the full committee. Our assigned committee was State Government, who deals with licensing issues. We had a committee vote, and came out with the majority in support of sending our bill to the floor for a full House vote. We never did see a full floor vote in the House, nor did we see any action in the Senate. Our bill rested. However, what we came away with was many, many more bipartisan supporters. Next session, we start over with sub-committees.

There will be many times this upcoming session when I reach out for your support. Legislators don’t mind hearing from me, but they LOVE hearing from you, their constituent. They hold town meetings or coffees, and look for your there. If they are not hearing or seeing constituents in support of the legislation, they assume there is no interest in their community for that issue. There is certainly strong opposition, and they do hear from them. This is why your support is key!

I hope you remain committed to Friends of Iowa Midwives while we push for the legalization and licensure of midwives. I can not push at the Capitol without your support at home. Write a note to your Representative and Senator, give them a call at home, or stop by a community coffee event. Whatever you do, stay involved and vocal! Donate generously to FOIM if you can, and ask for friends and family to donate on your behalf for Christmas!

Sincerely,

Megan

Submit your photos for our 2011 Calendar!

2010-11-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

2010 Calendar

Our 2010 Born at Home Calendars were so popular last year that we are bringing this project back in time for the holidays! If you would like to be included in our 2011 Calendar, send us photos of your kids born at home in Iowa!

The deadline for photo submissions is November 14. We prefer high resolution photos. Send your submissions to: foimcalendar@yahoo.com.

You can send as many photos as you like - we will narrow it down. Along with your photo, please include a paragraph that responds to the question "Why we had our child(ren) at home" and include the location where the birth took place. A committee will select the finalists and we'll get back in touch with you for permissions.

We would like to see families represented from across the state, so please share this notice far and wide!

Q: Do the pictures have to be from the birth?
A: No. Any beloved photo of your homeborn child is appropriate. Last year, we included family portraits, pregnancy pictures, professional and amateur snapshots, and pics of the kids all grown up. Find your favorites and send them in!

Q: Does the baby have to have born this year?
A: No. It's important to demonstrate to people that homebirth is NOT new in Iowa, and that families of all kinds have been using the services of Iowa midwives for decades. Anyone born at home is welcome, so get your pics of grandma and send 'em in!

Walk for Midwives 2010

2010-11-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who attended Iowa Walks for Midwives, and thanks to all our sponsors!
We had great turnout across the state. In Iowa City, we put our handprints and signatures on the banner we walked with, and we'll be taking that banner to the Capitol in January as a representation of our community's support for midwifery. Here are some photos from the Iowa City walk.

Labor Day Picnic Special Guest: Tribe Unda Bellydance

2010-09-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Tribe Unda Bellydance is Eastern Iowa's premiere American Tribal Style Bellydance troupe, led by Melanie Moore, Certified Professional Midwife. They will be performing at 3:15 at our Labor Day picnic in Iowa City. Don't miss it!

Labor Day Picnic: Special Guest

2010-08-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to feature Diane Tinker, birth doula from Des Moines, IA, as a special guest at our Labor Day Picnic and Silent Auction! Diane was recently published in an anthology titled Bearing Witness: Childbirth Stories Told by Doulas, and will be reading from that collection, as well as signing books, at the picnic. Books will be availabe for purchase. Diane says:

As a birth doula who has been practicing all over Central Iowa and beyond for nearly 15 years and having witnessed and supported women, their partners, and families through hundreds of births in both the hospital and home setting, I am very excited to have been choosen to be a contributing author of this book. It is a creation of poems and stories about birth written from a doula’s perspective. As doulas, we have an honor and privledge of being chosen to be part of a very intimate experience in a woman's life. We bear witness to one of life's greatest miracles - birth - time and again. In this process we also bear witness to the powerful forces of birth, the strength and capabilities of women and the the obstacles that are sometimes put in the way of a normal, natural process. This is a collection of our inside or bird's eye views from the birth space and our way of life as doulas that has been edited & authored by fellow doulas Lisa Doran and Lisa Caron.

More information about the collection:
Bearing Witness is an anthology of 50 stories about doulas working with birthing families. Stories of joy, awe, miracles. Stories that are gut wrenchingly funny and stories that are sad and difficult to hear. There is wisdom in these pages. These stories are presented here to you from the heart. The contributors to Bearing Witness are women who have made a lifestyle out of rising from their warm beds in the middle of the night to answer pages from their clients, of leaving their home and families sometimes for days on end. We do this because most doulas want to help change our birth customs. We want to educate women and advocate for natural childbirth so that they achieve a positive birth experience and feel strong and confident in themselves and will mother their babies in a healthy way. Birth needs to become human again. It needs to reclaim its wild primacy. Peace on earth does indeed begin with birth.

Auction preview: Enwrapture Vintage Silk Skirts

2010-08-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

If you love wrap skirts, you will love Enwrapture Vintage skirts! These double layer skirts come in a variety of gorgeous tones and can be tied in over 100 different ways! Our auction will feature two 24" length Enwrapture Vintage skirts! They retail at $50!

Bid on these and more at our Labor Day Picnic & Silent Auction at Wetherby Park in IC from 2-6 pm!

Auction Preview: Tax Prep from Carrie Houchins-Witt

2010-08-27T04:21:00.000-07:00

Item: Gift Certificate for preparation and filing of 2010 individual federal and state tax return.

Carrie Houchins-Witt provides honest, affordable and timely tax preparation and financial planning to ordinary families.

Carrie is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) Practitioner (CFPTM) with more than six years of professional tax preparation experience and an extensive background in business and finance operations. In addition to this professional experience, Carrie's own journey with personal finance has taken her through many common financial milestones.

Carrie can help you through ordinary or extraordinary periods of your financial life. She knows what it is like to struggle financially, to save for a house, and to put away money for her children's education. She has experienced debt, and better yet, knows the feeling of freedom that comes with shedding that debt. She explains taxes and personal finances in a simple, thorough way that anyone can understand. She wants you to be in control of our own life, and wants to help you reach your goals.

Carrie is a local work-at-home mother of two young boys born with the support of a midwife (one cesarean section and one beautiful VBAC).

Please explore her website at www.houchinswitt.com to learn more about Carrie and the services she offers.

Bid on this and lots more at our annual Labor Day Silent Auction and Potluck Picnic Sept 6, 2-6 pm at Wetherby Park in Iowa City.

Auction Preview: Bamboo Birth Doula Services

2010-08-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

Item: gift certificate for a complementary upgrade from Economy to Full Service doula package, $75 value.

If you know anything about birth services in Iowa City, you know Jun-Nicole Matsushita and her amazing doula services, Bamboo Birth. Jun-Nicole is a certified doula who empowers women to achieve their goals of low- to no-intervention hospital births and specializes in hypnobirthing techniques. Know a mom expecting? Does she want a natural birth, but is delivering with CNMs or an OB at a local hospital? She will help you with a natural birth, low intervention birth or a medicated birth with a low intervention approach.

Bamboo is a vigorous and versatile plant that symbolizes grace, endurance and compromise as it bends but does not easily break. Bamboo survives in the harshest conditions and endures nature's challenges with resilience and flexibility. Standing tall and green year-round a bamboo forest sways in the wind reminding us of the strength, yielding and adaptability necessary during the powerful process of birth.

Learn more about Jun-Nicole at her website, Bamboo Birth.

Bid on this and lots mor at our annual Labor Day Silent Auction and Potluck Picnic Sept 6, 2-6 pm at Wetherby Park in Iowa City.

Create a website to raise money for FOIM!

2010-08-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I just used a really simple, free website service to create a page to raise money for FOIM. Since we are having a Walk for Midwives in Iowa City this October, I'm taking the opportunity to use my social networking and ask friends and family for help as we work towards our goals this year.

It's Easy.
I used the website Weebly to set up my site very quickly. It allowed me to drag and drop elements I wanted to use and upload pictures.

To create a paypal donation button, you'll first need to create a paypal account. Once that's taken care of, click "services" and then "get paid." The site will generate a donate button. On Weebly, drag and drop "custom html" and then copy and paste the button code into that box.

I used the website Ticker Factory to create the fundraising ticker. Again, drag and drop "custom html" and then c&p the code into the box.

PLEASE NOTE: Being "sponsored" is NOT a requirement to participate in this or ANY walk in October!! I'm doing this of my own accord because...

It's Smart
With email, twitter, and facebook, publicity is already taken care of. How many times have YOU had friends or family ask you to sponsor them as they walked or ran for a cause? By sharing your website using social media you're already using, you raise awareness and money without hassling people or feeling embarrassed. I personally plan to post a link to my website once or twice a week until the day of the walk, and offer different reasons to donate money. Even if I only raise $100, that's a huge help to FOIM! That covers postage for our packets to legislators, the fee for an event, or a FULL DAY OF our lobbyist working on our behalf at the capitol. All from taking 30 minutes to create a site and share it on facebook.

It's Necessary
We have very ambitious fundraising goals this year (more details TBA). This year more than ever, FOIM needs support so that we can make our biggest push to license CPMs in Iowa in 2011. I have never asked family or friends who aren't in town, or who aren't parents, to support FOIM. Now I am asking them to support me and my personal stake in this issue.

My goal is to raise $500, enough to support a full week of lobbying. You can see my fundraising page here. I will update to share with you how well it goes!

Iowa City Area Events

2010-07-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

Chapters across the state are planning exciting events for the fall to raise money and awareness as we gear up for the 2011 session. Mark your calendars for two events in Iowa City this autumn, and pay attention for more events to come across the state!

Labor Day Silent Auction & Picnic
When: Labor Day, Sept 6 from 2 pm - 6 pm
Where: Wetherby Park on Taylor Dr. in Iowa City -- enjoy the picnic shelter, restrooms, playground, sandbox, and Iowa City's only SPLASHPAD!
What: Bring a dish to share and bid on tons of great products and services in the corridor area! Funds directly support our advocacy on the hill. Stay tuned for previews of all our amazing auction items. If you are a local business or craftsperson who'd like to donate something to our auction, please contact Jenn Bowen at jennuwine4@yahoo.com and thank you!

Walks for Midwives during National Midwifery Week
Raise awareness for midwives, homebirth, and licensure by participating in a walk in your community!
When: October 3-9
Where: Walks are being planned across the state. Iowa City's walk will be held Saturday, Oct 9th at 8 am. We will meet at College Green Park and take a route through the Farmer's Market and downtown Iowa City. Stay tuned for more dates and locations for walks across Iowa!
What: Families supporting Iowa's midwives will gather and walk through their communities to raise awareness for our cause. MORE INFO TBA SOON!

Pre-order your t-shirts!

2010-07-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to order t-shirts! We have several awesome designs, for kids and adults, available for pre-order on our website. Special discounted pricing is available with paid membership!

We will be shipping t-shirts in August, so visit our online store and support Friends of Iowa Midwives today!

Midwife Advocacy articles

2010-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Please go to
http://www.joylandgraf.blogspot.com/
Advocacy for midwives, homebirths, and families in Iowa

Submit your birth story!

2010-07-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

Did you have a midwife-attended home birth in Iowa? Want to share your story? Please send your birth stories, along with photos, to be featured on our blog! Send birth stories to: beautifulbirth@yahoo.com.

write your reps NOW!

2010-02-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

The deadline to get our bill to the floor is MARCH 5th.

We need you to contact you reps NOW and ask for them to support midwives. Even if you haven't or wouldn't have a homebirth, if you believe the option should be legally available, say so!!!

These reps especially need to hear from you:
Fairfield/Jeff Co.- Rep Curt Hanson needs to hear from you
Knoxville/Marion Co-Rep VanEnglenhoven
Ottumwa/Wapello -Rep Mary Gaskill
Washington-Rep Larry Marek
Sigourney/Ollie/Keokuk Co- Rep Betty DeBoef
Osky- Rep Eric Palmer

There are a bunch of regional letter writing parties happening in the next 2 weeks.

Letter Writing Tips

If your rep is a supporter, write to thank them and ask for their advocacy with their peers!

HF 781 PASSES OUT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE!!

2010-02-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Great news on the midwifery bill: We passed out of committee in the House!

This is a tremendous success, especially considering the shortened session and the state's current budget concerns. The fact that they even heard our bill is a big deal. We survived funnel week, and we are still in the game this session! This is farther than a midwifery bill has ever gotten in Iowa.

It's also true that we have a lot of work ahead of us. We will really need your help during the rest of this month and next month as we work toward votes on the house and senate floor. Please stay tuned for updates on how to stay involved!

Today's victory wouldn't have been possible without the help of Ida Darragh, CPM, who came to Iowa from Arkansas to educate our lawmakers about CPM education and help us lobby this week. She was absolutely instrumental to our progress. We are still needing financial contributions toward covering Ida's travel expenses - If you can make even a small donation to FOIM today, it would be a big help.
http://www.friendso fiowamidwives. org

Special thanks also go out to:
Megan Day-Suhr, who is consistently present at the Capitol, and is fearless and persistent when it comes to talking to lawmakers about midwives;
Eric Goranson, our lobbyist-consultant ;
Mary Mascher, our bill sponsor;
Everyone who came out to lobby day, baked cookies, wrote legislators, and sent calendars;
And all the wonderful midwives of Iowa who serve our families so lovingly and bravely.

It's such a great pleasure to be doing this good work with you all!

~Monica
Steering Committee

progress!!

2010-02-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

We have great things happening in Iowa! First, we are excited that we have bills in both the House and Senate this year, and our House bill has half a dozen co-sponsors. The leap in support for our cause this year is incredible! We were disappointed when our House bill was assigned the the HR committee last week, which has a few members who are extremely opposed to our cause. However, our brilliant sponsor, Mary Mascher, made a genius move yesterday: she resurrected our bill from last year, which had been assigned to the State Gov't committee, and added the new bill as an amendment to it.

This bill passed through subcom yesterday and goes to full committee today at 4. We don't know what will happen, but State Gov't is a much friendlier place for our bill to be than HR would have been, so we are optimistic!! It's been a blessing that Ida Darragh joined us this week, and got to speak to the committee yesterday to educate legislators. All in all, it's been an amazing week for midwifery! We have members at the capitol today to lobby the SG committee, and Ida will be there as well.

Hooray!

FOIM 2010 Calendar - Photos Needed!

2009-11-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

We're very excited about a new calendar project we are starting for 2010 and we need your help. We need photos of Iowa home birth families! If you would like your homeborn Iowa baby and/or your beautiful family included as one of our calendar images, please send us your photo(s) in a digital attachment to: foimcalendar@yahoo.com by MONDAY, NOV. 23rd.

Once we've made selections we will be in touch with those families to gather further info, obtain permissions and finalize the calendar design.

It is our goal to have the calendars available for the new year, so the sooner you submit, the sooner our beautiful calendar of Iowa homebirth families will be available!

Any questions you have about the calendar can be directed to the foimcalendar@yahoo.com email. Please forward to anyone you think may be interested in participating.

Thanks!

How You Can Help Foim, #4

2009-09-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

In honor of fall, and going back to school - I'd like to ask you to help FOIM today by becoming more educated, yourself, about the positive benefits of homebirth attended by a midwife. We can say it again and again, that birth is normal, and that a healthy pregnancy and birth can easily happen at home -- but it helps to know your facts! Here are some documents that you should check out this week, as a way to help FOIM legalize and regulate midwifery practice in our state:

1. The Milbank Report -- this one is long, but good

2. The Washington State Midwifery Cost and Benefit Study

3. Our FOIM Factsheets on the Yahoo page!

Happy Studying!

-Renee

Amazing Supporters Come Through for Us!

2009-09-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

We have been overwhelmed by the response we have had from individuals and businesses who have donated their skills, items, and talent for our fundraiser. With their help we have compiled a diverse Silent Auction for our Labor Day event! We wanted to give you a sneak peek of the auction catalog so you can plan ahead and see what will be available for your bids! We are so grateful for your donations and support. We'll see you on Labor Day!

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Friends of Iowa Midwives Silent Auction Items 2009!!

1) Prairieland Herbs gift basket
2) Moby D baby carrier from The Stork Wearhouse
3) Red Avocado restaurant $50 gift certificate, Dinner for 2
4) One Placenta Encapsulation from Sabbath Davies of Ganesa Birth Services
5) Natural Parenting Fiber Artists knitting gift basket
6) Des Moines Social Club T-shirt and $25 gift certificate
7) Gourmet Wine and Champagne Basket with Truffles and Stemware
8) Blown Glass jewelry pendent from artist Derek Akers $25 value
9) Size 24 mo. tie dyed one piece romper and newborn tie dye set from Foursquare Fibre
10) Infant cloth shoes from Wallypop
11) Children’s Board Book Basket with Homebirth Books
12) Cloth Snack Bag and reusable Sandwich Wrap from Wallypop
13) Glass Magnet Sets from Sarah Nevins
14) 7 Kenneth Huff prints from Amanda McGuire
15) One 60 minute Massage from Zachary Hoover of The Family Tree
16) Gift certificates for one month of adult classes and one month of children’s classes from Roots Capoiera Wellness Center
17) Gift certificate for four beginner guitar, bass or drum lessons from Central Iowa Music Lab-James Biehn $75 value
18) 3 packages of Soap Nuts natural laundry soap from The Stork Wearhouse
19) One pair of earrings from MC Ginsberg
20) Reiki Session by Mia Countryman
21) One handpainted bag from Cover Art by Mia Countryman
22) One glass sunflower picture frame from Amanda McGuire
23) One Japanese Maple or plantings of equal value; including labor to install and a landscaping consultation of the property. By Earth Designs - Beth and Rob Jackson valued at $200, opening bid is $50
24) Two glass candle holders from Amanda McGuire
25) Cross Pen Set and Blank Notecards from Syracuse Cultural Workers from Amanda McGuire and Jessica Bottenfield-Biehn
26) Satchel Paige Wooden Picture Frame from Simply for Giggles
27) Painted Wooden toy Rabbit from Simply for Giggles
28) One hardcover copy of the book “Pushed” from Diane Tinker of Birth Companion Doula Services
29) 6 pewter birth jewelry pieces
30) One piece of framed Birth Art/Kanji from Sabbath Davies
31) One piece of framed Goddess Art from Sabbath Davies
32) ICAN of Central Iowa gift pack including one ICAN 2010 Calendar, and books “Giving Birth” and “Cesarean Voices”
33) Gift Basket from The Possibilities Room
34) CD from singer/songwriter Mary McAdams
35)30 minute Imagine Peace Massage gift certificate- Maggie McGinnis
36) SMASH gift certificate
37) Diaper Dudee Diaper Service gift certificate from Andrea Foley
38) One comprehensive Well Woman Exam including Pap smear from Cosette Boone, CNM $150 value
39) Wildflower Massage gift certificate
40) Gift Certificate for belly dance classes from unda Belly Dance
41) Breastfeeding Basket for New Moms from Lauren Whitehead
42) Handmade hair bows from Sarah Nevins
43) Oasis gift basket w/ 2 t-shirts and $25 gift certificate
44) Oasis gift basket w/ 2 t-shirts and $25 gift certificate
45) Prenatal Massage gift certificate from Inner Balance $80 value
46) Family photograph package from Shuva Rahim of Accent Photographics
47) HUGS Selendang baby sling
48) HUGS Selendang baby sling
49)Size S long sleeve Breastmilk t-shirt & Size 2T shortsleeve Breastmilk t-shirt from The Stork Wearhouse
50)Two 6 month infant tie dyed short sleeve shirts from Wallypop
51) Instant Fiesta Basket with margarita mix, homemade salsa and 4 margarita glasses
52) Kid’s Craft and Snack Basket with Art supplies and workbooks from Jessica Bottenfield-Biehn
53) Belly Cast kit from The Stork Wearhouse
54) Red Avocado restaurant T-shirt
55) WAHM mai tai baby carrier with pink/tan dragonflies from Jenn Bowen
56) Women’s hair cut and 2 products from Blondies Hair Salon
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Central Iowa gets some Press!

2009-09-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

The Des Moines Register did a brief piece today on natural birth options in the Central part of our state! It mentions our Potluck and Silent Auction coming up on Labor Day. Friends of Iowa Midwives Steering Committee member Sabbath Davies is quoted.

Day(s) Late and A Dollar Short....

2009-08-31T08:16:00.000-07:00

That's the FOIM blog this (last!) week -- I'm getting it to you a few days late, to suggest that one of the ways you can best help FOIM is by making a financial contribution to the cause.

Now, if you're coming to the Labor Day Picnic -- a week from today! -- ignore this plea. You'll be bringing a $5.00 per family donation that will help us fund our activities for the year. You'll also have the chance to bid on awesome silent auction items, donated from local and statewide businesses.

But, if you aren't going to make it to the picnic - consider sending a 5 - 10 dollar donation to FOIM.

That's the way, this week, I'd most like to see people helping make midwifery legal in Iowa.

Check out This Blog!

2009-08-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see a terrific blog chronicling an activist family in South Dakota, working for midwifery care??

Of course you do!

Check it out here.

Hmm.... Iowa .... what could we do that is similar? Eat chocolate-covered bacon for midwives??? The Hy-Vee Triathalon Hombirth Team??

Thing to Do, #2

2009-08-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

This is a fun one. Follow this link to a great short film on infant mortality and out-of-hospital birth. Then, send the link to your state legislators with a personal note.

Yes, I stole this thing to do from the Friends of Iowa Midwives Facebook fan page -- which leads me to Thing To Do 2.5 - if you're not already a fan of us on facebook, well, you know ....

We've got 395 fans right now -- lets make it 400 by the end of August!

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

2009-08-13T05:00:00.001-07:00

Usually, I'd wait a week before posting another way to help FOIM - but we've received a message from the MAMA campaign that is time sensitive, and Iowa specific. Please consider whether you can spend an hour in the next few days to help with this important request.

Here it is:

******************************************************************************************************************************* The MAMA Campaign now needs people who live in Iowa to write special letters to Senator Grassley. This is so critical and only Iowans can help. The Midwives and Mothers in Action (MAMA) Campaign is working all out to call for federal recognition of Certified Professional Midwives in the health care proposals being worked on in Congress this summer. Congress members are, for the most part, on August recess and many are visiting their home states. We must get a batch of letters IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS (by August 21st) to the state offices of Senator Grassley who sits on a key Congressional committee currently playing a central role in drafting health care reform legislation. So, I am asking you to write a personal letter asking Senator Grassley, who is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, to weigh in with support for our amendment with the Senate Finance Committee chairman Senator Max Baucus. These personal letters from constituents are critical and make a huge impact. Please write and mail or fax a short letter TODAY! You will find letter writing instructions and talking points for your letter below. MAMA CAMPAIGN INSTRUCTIONS AND TALKING POINTS FOR MAILED OR FAXED LETTERS TO YOUR SENATOR'S LOCAL OFFICE 1. Handwritten letters are ideal, but a typed and signed letter would be great also. 2. Please fax or mail this letter to one of Senator Grassley's local offices. One of these local offices is listed below. Other local offices can be located on the Senator's website at http://grassley.senate.gov/iowa/grassley_state_offices.cfm . Cedar Rapids 150 1st Avenue NE Suite 325 Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 (319) 363-6832 Fax: (319) 363-7179 3. Please include the following language in the first paragraph of your letter: "I am a constituent and I am writing to ask if Senator Grassley would be willing to speak with Chairman Baucus to ensure that the amendment that would secure federal Medicaid recognition of the services provided by Certified Professional Midwives is included in the health care bill that will go forward in the Senate Finance Committee." 4. To help you write your letter I have provided some talking points to help you explain why Senator Grassley should weigh in with Chairman Baucus in support of this amendment. You do not need to use them all. Please make this letter a personal letter from you. We do not want these to look like form letters. Important tip: ALWAYS say “Certified Professional Midwife”; do not use “CPM” (which is frequently misinterpreted with the more familiar “CNM”). Talking Points: • Certified Professional Midwives are highly-trained, credentialed clinicians who provide effective, evidence-based maternity care. They are the only maternity care providers specifically trained in attending births outside the hospital and, by assisting in births at home and in birthing centers, offer women an important choice in how their babies are delivered. • Adding Certified Professional Midwives to the Medicaid list would cost nothing, but would start reducing health care costs immediately; each mother on Medicaid who chooses an out-of-hospital birth with a Certified Professional Midwife would lower Medicaid costs, since Medicaid would otherwise be paying for a hospital birth at greater cost and with much greater likelihood of an expensive cesarean section. The Washington State cost/benefits study commissioned by the Department of Health, demonstrates an overall cost savings of 3.1 million dollars to the state over a two-year period with midwives doing just under 2% of the births. • Several studies, including those commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), demonstrate that midwives who attend births outside the hospital (at home or in a birth center) have much lower rates of unnecessary and potentially dangerous medical interventions such as inductions and cesarean-sections with at least as good outcomes in terms of maternal and infant mortality, at substantially lower costs. • Because Certified Professional Midwives provide thorough individualized care that promotes healthy pregnancies, the babies are healthier – more are full term and full weight, avoiding costly health problems. • Of the twenty-five states that now provide a path to licensure for Certified Professional Midwives, only eleven include CPMs in their state Medicaid programs, so low-income women on Medicaid have difficulty obtaining services. This falls short of genuine and consistent patient choice and access. Certified Professional Midwives and women who want access to them are seeking federal Medicaid reimbursement for their services as one important step to increase access to this kind of maternity care. • All women deserve to have access to quality, comprehensive maternity care, in the communities where they live, with a choice of qualified provider and services that are fully recognized and reimbursed by both private and public payers. • Maternity care is the #1 reason for hospitalization in the United States, and yet we have declining quality outcomes for women and infants; it is essential for health care reform to include safe, high quality and cost-effective choices for women and families, such as Certified Professional Midwives. 5. Share a brief personal detail if possible and relevant—example: “Two of my children were born at home attended by Certified Professional Midwives. I believe all women regardless of their income should have access to the safe, high-quality, cost-effective care provided by Certified Professional Midwives.” 6. Sign off with your name, address, and contact information. 7. For more information: If Senator Grassley’s office would like more information about our efforts to pursue this important Medicaid improvement, please contact Mary Lawlor with the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives at president@nacpm.org or on her cell phone at 917-453-6780. She and other Campaign members will be in D.C. the week of August 17th and may be available to meet with the Senator or his/her staff. 8. Please send the MAMA Campaign a copy of your letter. Email it to info@mamacampaign.org or FAX to 802-536-4142. Email Renee.cramer@drake.edu, too, so FOIM knows you're helping the national movement for midwifery's recognition!

************************************************************************************************************************** Thank you, FOIM members, for taking the time to help out the MAMA campaign - having federal recognition for Certified Professional Midwives will help Iowa achieve legal status! -Renee

Way to Help #1

2009-08-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

OK -- this one is easy. I promise.

Just get out your scheduler, day planner, blackberry, Quo Vadis, or whatever else you use to organize your life.

Turn to September 7th.

Write down:

FRIENDS OF IOWA MIDWIVES LABOR DAY PICNIC

Coneflower C Shelter at Raccoon River Park

West Des Moines, Iowa

4 - 8 pm

Then, start thinking about the yummy food you want to bring. About all the friends you'll see and meet at this statewide picnic in support of out-of-hospital birth, and about the great music and cool entertainment you'll see. I mean, really, have you ever seen a live Capoeira demonstration?

Start thinking about where you might want to camp if you're coming from out of town (Jester Park and Yellow Banks are both about a half an hour away from Raccoon River - both are great options for families traveling to Des Moines). Or, if you're from Des Moines and have a big back yard (like mine, pictured below!), maybe think about whether you're willing to host a family driving to be here.

Oh, and start saving a bit of money for the $5.00 per family donation and the awesome silent auction. We've got products from Praireland Herbs, professional photography sittings, a gift certificate to the Des Moines Social Club, and lots of slings, baby wraps, and nursing friendly products. Oh, and gift certificates to salons and yoga classes!

BONUS THING TO DO:

Do you have a talent you could share through the silent auction? Maybe you'd like to donate a craft, a skill, hard labor? Maybe you have a favorite store or farm or restaurant that you go to, and you'd like to ask the manager to donate to our auction? Or maybe you've just read the best book in the world, and want to buy a copy to put on auction in support of FOIM? We seek a diverse range of donations to interest our diverse range of families!

SECOND BONUS THING TO DO:

Wanna help flyer, paint the town red, and let everyone in Iowa know that we're having a picnic?Contact us and we'll hook you up!

Until next week -- be well,

Renee

How Can I Help Friends of Iowa Midwives??

2009-08-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

What a great question – and its one we get from potential supporters, every week. I am inaugurating here, a weekly blog posting featuring 50 great ways you can support midwifery in the state of Iowa.

Sometimes, the action will require bravery, other times it will require spunk; sometimes, a supporter will need to use a special skill that maybe you and only you have, other times it is so simple anyone can do it.

Check back weekly for a suggestion about how you – yes you! – can help make out-of-hospital birth more accessible for more Iowa families.

--Renee

Leaving Birmingham, Planning to PUSH at Home!

2009-07-14T13:55:00.001-07:00

I'm waiting to get on my flight from Birmingham to Memphis/Memphis to Des Moines (and hoping for time for one more bbq sandwich in the Memphis airport!) - thinking about all we have to do as a pro-midwifery movement, in Iowa and the US as a whole!

Its one of those days when I'm brimming with ideas, and wondering where I'll get the energy!

I've learned from so many amazing women (and Russ from North Carolina, representing well for the men in our movement!) - and been awed by their energy. I hold in my mind's eye, and in my heart, the midwife from Idaho who had to drive 10 hours (or take an airplane!) just to get to her state capitol to lobby for a pro-CPM bill; and the activist from Missouri who seems to know everyone, and has a brilliant way of connecting with each of her contacts.

Its clear what we need to do in Iowa: continue what we've started! We've got to build our grassroots, reach out to and educate legislators, support the federal push for medicaid reimbursement, raise funds, market and message ourselves to each constituency and the media, AND build a viable birth and parenting culture so that once we have a good law, midwives in the states have clients, and clients will have friends supportive of their parenting choices.

WOW. That sounds like no small task!

But it is a set of tasks made easier by the energy of Friends of Iowa Midwives members, and by alliances we've made and coalitions we can build with advocates and midwives and moms and dads in other states.

We are not reinventing the wheel here, even when it feels like it. There is so much wisdom to draw from in our region and beyond - and a chance to contribute to others' fights as well!

So, I'm bringing the Big Push home to Iowa ... looking forward to our Central FOIM Chapter Leadership meeting, our FOIM Steering Committee meeting, and a general membership Family Picnic at Raccoon River Park in Des Moines on Labor Day!

Heck, today, I'm even looking forward to the start of the legislative session.

2009-07-14T09:08:00.001-07:00

We learn about social networking, marketing, grassroots mobilizing ....

Photos of Midwives and their Advocates Hard at Work!

2009-07-13T20:18:00.001-07:00

Look at these great T-shirts!

2009-07-13T20:09:00.001-07:00

Best One Liner from Big Push, so far!

2009-07-13T14:38:00.001-07:00

"I'm a child of the 60s. I always thought I'd get busted for pot, not pit!"

States Report on their Progress

2009-07-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

So far this morning, we've heard reports from Idaho and Missouri -- two states that recently got legislation legalizing Certified Professional Midwives!! -- as well as state still struggling with the process: Iowa, South Dakota, Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, and Georgia.

Its amazing how many of our strategies are the same, as are the challenges we face! But I am learning some innovative ideas and am interested in getting home and implementing them!

2009-07-13T07:41:00.001-07:00

Here I am, getting ready to get on the airplane to Birmingham, Alabama – sitting in the Des Moines airport, wondering what I will learn in the next 2 days, and excited about the progress I have to report in our own state.

The purpose of The Big Push National Birth Summit is to help organize activists and advocates from every state where direct entry or Certified Professional Midwife attended homebirth is still illegal or unlicensed. We’ll spend all day Monday and Tuesday meeting with each other, as well as organizers from the national Big Push campaign, to talk strategy, success, and failure. We’ll gain nuts and bolts knowledge, as well as mutual support and solidarity!

We’ll learn what is going on at the grassroots in places like Florida and Ohio , and talk about the huge diversity of interests we have in making out-of-hospital birth an accessible option for families.

And, at the same time, we’ll have a lot of fun! Sunday night we are all meeting up at The Bottle Tree , a Birmingham venue, for a night of music provided by Vulture Whale , 13 ghosts ,Duquette Johnston , John Jeremiah Sullivan , and Kate Taylor in benefit of the Alabama Birthing Coalition. And, academic dork that I am, I am looking forward to the “fun” of hearing a lunchtime presentation on African American midwifery in the Deep South, by Shafia Monroe ofThe International Center for Traditional Childbearing .

I imagine a bit of fun and information sharing during informal times, too – especially with my roommate Debbie Pease, an amazing organizer for South Dakota Safe Childbirth Options .

I’ll keep everyone posted on what I learn, do, and see this week – and I can’t wait to share with members of Friends of Iowa Midwives when we have a general membership meeting and picnic this fall!

Benefit Dinner at Red Avocado

2009-05-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Please join us on Wednesday, May 27 for our 3rd annual benefit dinner at the Red Avocado in Iowa City! The Red Avocado is Iowa City's only all organic vegan restaurant, featuring local and seasonal ingredients, with an extensive wine and drinks list. Located at 521 E. Washington St. in Iowa City. 50% of the evening's proceeds go to FOIM.

Hope to see you there!

Moving Forward

2009-03-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy week for midwifery in Iowa!

Thanks to you, our active members, and your outpouring of letters and emails to key representatives, we have made some very good progress this week.

On Thursday, the State Government committee voted 20-1 in favor of setting up a Scope of Practice Review (SOPR) Committee to make recommendations on our midwife licensure bill. SOPR establishes a review board made up of interested parties -- midwives, nurses, homebirth parents, doctors, FOIM members -- to discuss the bill and make recommendations.

We did not have enough votes to pass the licensure bill itself out of committee, but setting up a Scope of Practice Review means that our bill and our issue will be kept alive through regular meetings at the state house between now and January, and that we will be in good place to pass a law licensing direct-entry midwives in the next legislative session, beginning in January 2010. We see this as a great opportunity to educate a lot of legislators before the next session.

A bit of history: In the year 2000, the Iowa Midwives Association brought a similar licensure bill to the Iowa legislature. That bill was also assigned to a Scope of Practice Review committee, and after the review process, the committee did recommend licensure. However, although the activists and midwives at work at that time were a very dedicated group, Iowa did not have the statewide grassroots support network that we have now, and the bill was not re-introduced the following session.

Ten years ago, there were only a handful of legal states. Now there are 25 states with licensure and a lot of studies backing our position, so we have confidence that the Scope of Practice Review committee will support a model of care that has been proven to be both health-promoting and cost-effective in other states.

And because of our incredible momentum and ever-growing membership base, we know that this struggle will not be over until we have reached our goal: accessible home birth with legal midwives for Iowa families!

Please stay tuned for more upcoming information on events and actions that are in the planning stages. As always, please contact us if you'd like to be more involved by starting a local chapter, meeting with your legislators, or hosting an event or fundraiser. And as always, thank you for your dedication to expanding birth options in Iowa! Your participation makes this all possible!

Last but not least, please take a moment to thank the following members of the House State Government committee for their support:

Rep. Mary Mascher, Rep. Jeff Kauffman, and Rep. Nate Willems have been unwaveringly supportive, and are truly dedicated to our cause. They have gone above and beyond, spreading the word to other representatives about why Iowa needs midwives, and encouraging us in our efforts. Please send them an email, or better yet, a thank you card to express your gratitude!

The rest of the members of the State Government Committee also deserve thank you emails for voting in favor of scope of practice review for HSB 229 (with the exception of Rep. Wendt, who was the only vote against it.) You can find links to contact info for all the members of the State Government Committee here.

Thanks again for all you do!

Lobby Day @ Capitol WED MAR 11!!

2009-03-09T15:30:00.001-07:00

Did you miss our first lobby day? Are you interested in talking to your legislators, but not sure how to do it?

In anticipation of a possible committee vote this Thursday, we are holding our second lobby day on Wed. March 11, from 9:30-2:30. Please join us in Des Moines!

We will be congregating near the state capitol cafeteria on the ground floor. Steering committee members will be present throughout the day, and will accompany you upstairs to help you find your representatives and talk with them about why Iowa needs licensed midwives!

You are welcome to come any time between 9:30-2:30. Please dress as nicely as possible. Business casual is fine, suits are great. No t-shirts or overtly political clothing, please. Babies in arms and well-behaved children are welcome.

RSVP to Sabbath Davies: SabbathD@gmail.com

Meeting with your representatives in person makes a powerful statement -- we hope to see you Wednesday!

2009-03-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

Follow FOIM on twitter!!

2009-03-04T09:47:00.000-08:00

http://twitter.com/iowamidwives

Subcommittee Update

2009-03-03T19:34:00.001-08:00

Big things are happening in Iowa!!

SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS
We had our first subcommittee meeting yesterday (Monday). Representatives Mascher (our sponsor), Willems (Mt Vernon – a supporter) and Kaufmann (Wilton – a supporter) are on the subcommittee.

The meetings work like this: everyone interested in the bill sits around the table. The bill is introduced and then everyone with interest gets to make a statement/ask questions. The room was packed! We had members from Iowa City and Des Moines there to support midwifery licensure, including a nurse, midwives, and homebirth parents. While the medical lobby emphatically stated is opposition to our cause, they didn’t have much in the way of facts or data to back up their opinions. We did! Overall, the feedback of our performance at Monday’s meeting was that it went amazingly well and that FOIM has a very professional and convincing presence. THANK YOU TO THE FOIM MEMBERS WHO REPRESENTED US ON MONDAY!

Because so many people were there, a second meeting to continue the discussion has been scheduled for TOMORROW MORNING!

MEDICAL OPPOSITION
The IMS was spooked by our amazing performance and now has doctors flooding legislators with anti-midwifery phone calls and emails. We need to continue showering our reps with advocacy and information.

Although the Iowa Nurses Association initially declared they were against our bill, they have changed their position to Undecided. This is a huge victory for us! It shows that the medical community is not united in their opposition and gives hope that other medical groups will be open to if not supporting us, remaining neutral on our bill.

“SCOPE OF PRACTICE REVIEW”
Our sponsor is beginning to get strong pressure from the medical lobby to slow down the progress of our bill. This afternoon, she gave us the option of holding a Scope of Practice Review Committee instead of proceeding with the bill.

She is thinking that although things look positive with the subcommittee, she will probably not be able to get the bill out of committee by next week, with so little time to educate people on the committee, and with so much "poisoning" as she put it by the doctors. The committee would be made up of stakeholders (a doc, a cnm, someone from public health, a member of our group, etc.) and that they would be charged with studying the issue and making a recommendation to the entire legislature at the beginning of the next session.

This is what happened a decade ago, the first time a licensure bill went to the capitol. What happened last time is that the bill never got picked up again in the following session after the SOPR committee recommended that the IA legislature license CPMs.

Her perspective is that with a SOPR, we would be able to keep the issue alive and have info and education going on continuously throughout the interim time between now and January, and that we would be on a stronger footing come January to advance our bill all the way through. She's thinking that if it were to go to committee and then die, we'd have a harder time coming back to it in January.

However, there are significant drawbacks to SOPR. First, we couldn’t assure that midwifery advocacy would have equal representation on the board. It could likely be that the board would have all medical people and one lone midwifery advocate. We could be outnumbered and end up with a recommendation AGAINST licensure. Additionally, SOPR would take the wind out of our sails in terms of momentum. Right now we are making great progress and are very strong. This is clear from the reaction we are getting from the medical community. They’re scared. This would give them time to organize and advance a campaign against us. This would remove the sense of urgency felt by legislators having to focus their attention on lots of issues. Plus, we have shown how strong our grassroots support is: we won’t have any trouble keeping the issue “alive” if it doesn’t make it out of committee this session because our supporters are so great!

Therefore, this evening the Steering Committee agreed unanimously to reject SOPR and keep the bill going. We are attending the subcommittee meeting tomorrow morning so that our bill will be PASSED by the subcom. TOMORROW! (We hope!) Once it gets to committee (a much larger group with some undecided and opposing reps), we will see where we stand in terms of support. If we can get it passed out of committee, WE WILL!! If we can’t, we can let the bill simply lie dormant and then tackle it again next January. In the meantime, we can develop our membership and get our message out!

THE NEXT WEEK IS CRUCIAL. If we go to committee, we need to match and EXCEED the medical anti-midwifery lobby in terms of emails and phone calls to legislators. WE (the steering comm.) are COUNTING ON EVERYONE to make that happen! More specific information will come after the subcommittee meeting.

RALLY DAY UPDATE
We’re getting a lot of questions about a rally day at the capitol. We hope to hold one later in the session. The reason we can’t pin down a day is that (as you can see) these meetings are scheduled at a moment’s notice. We don’t yet know if or when our bill will be heard in committee. We may not know until the day before it happens. It’s tricky to coordinate a large event with such short notice. But be assured that this is a goal and we want to show legislators in person the enthusiasm of our group!! In the meantime, take that rally energy and call your legislators with it! They’re very easy to talk to and a phone call makes a huge impression.

OVERALL
We have a ton to celebrate!! This may be the busiest week of our year in terms of legislative activity, so the list will be extra active with updates on what’s happened and what you can do. Please consider each call to action. The only reason we are where we are is because members are getting legislators interested and informed. Let’s keep it up!!

QUESTIONS, ETC
Email Lauren (laurendoula@yahoo.com) or your chapter leaders with questions, concerns, ideas, etc.

House Study Bill 229!!!

2009-02-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

Our bill officially has a number! HSB 229. Read it here.

CORRECTION:
Representative Mascher is our sponsor. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO OTHER SPONSORS. We are still working on getting a bill introduced in the senate.

We have our first subcommittee meeting scheduled at the capitol at 4:00 on Monday.

Our lobbying day at the capitol was an amazing success. Not only did we secure support from many legislators across the state, we:

- made contact with the Dept of Health, who will house our licensing board, to learn how we can work with them
- made contact with several supportive lobbyists in the areas of maternal and child health
- found out that the Iowa Hospital Association will NOT be blocking our bill (yay!)
- found out (unsurprisingly) that the Iowa Medical Associate will actively fight our bill (boo!)

As a first-timer to the capitol I was intimidated, but it was actually pretty easy. Legislators are eager to hear from constituents and want to learn more about our cause. The face-to-face time made a huge impact and gave all attendees a huge boost!

The #1 thing I learned is this: our legislators know NOTHING about midwifery. We are educating from the ground up. And even more significantly, the medical lobby has NOT YET started spreading misinformation against us. This is the ONLY TIME we will EVER have total control of our message. We MUST take advantage of this. WE NEED A FLOOD OF LETTERS TO THE CAPITOL to follow up this great event. ASK THEM TO SUPPORT HSB 229!!

Handwritten is best, snail mail is best!
Be sure to mention HSB 229.

You can always refer them to the FOIM website for more information.

We are planning another rally day in March (an all-hands, bring your kids type thing). We will get a date to you ASAP.

Questions or concerns? Email me! laurendoula@yahoo.com

Lauren

Red Envelope Parties & Consumer Report on Maternity Care

2009-02-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

It's Red Envelope Party weekend!! So far there are parties in Urbandale, Iowa City, Marion, Altoona, and Bettendorf!

Consumer Reports just released a great summary of the Millbank Report (2008) that chides hospitals for the overuse of risky interventions and promotes the use of midwives for maternity care. Also check out this informative quiz on maternity care that debunks myths about maternity health care. A great little thing to forward to doubting friends, family, or legislators!

Op-ed supporting licensure runs in Press-Citizen

2009-02-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Here's an op-ed that ran this weekend in the Iowa City Press-Citizen advocating for licensure from the perspective of a homebirth mom. An excerpt:

Unfortunately, in this rather faceless age of technology and science, the medically trained are taught that birth is inherently dangerous. Life threatening at that. On the other hand, midwives view pregnancy not as a cause for alarm and concern, but as a normal, historical, organic, physiological event. A certified professional midwife's practice includes careful screening for any evidence of high risk factors and will only accept healthy pregnant women.

Occasionally non-emergent transports are called for. However, certified professional midwives have the skill and training to stabilize a woman until additional care is obtained. Additionally, they are professionally trained, like nurses, in skills such as neonatal resuscitation, treatment of excessive bleeding, etc.

Since certified professional midwives have only one focused specialty, the licensing of these professionals will provide an additional support for the medical establishment. A 21st century, mutually supportive, collaborative relationship with medical professionals will insure a much higher quality of safe birthing experiences merging science, the letter of the law, with spirit.

What a beautifully written argument for licensure!!

"Bravery" has nothing to do with it

2009-01-31T13:41:00.000-08:00

This is a repost of a commentary Morgan McFarland wrote on her blog. It captures the reasons many women chose home birth.

When hearing the news that I had my last baby at home and am planning to have this one at home as well, the first response from most people is, "You're so brave."

This has to be one of the most irritating things that people say to homebirthers. The implication is that birth is dangerous and that we are willing to take on a tremendous risk to do it anywhere but a hospital. It negates the research and planning that we've done to come to this decision. It makes the choice about balls, not brains. After all, homebirth is "dangerous." Hospital birth is "safe." Therefore, it must be bravado alone that would lead a woman to choosing such an option. Right?

In 2003, over 20% of women had their labors induced, with a rate closer to 40% in many hospitals, while that rate should not exceed 10% (and has remained at 10% in most industrialized nations). Inductions are approximately 5 times more likely among planned hospital births than planned homebirths. An 1999 American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology "Green Journal" review of 7000 inductions found that 3 out of 4 of the inductions were not medically necessary. Inductions are performed unnecessarily for estimated size of the baby (too large or too small), going past the estimated due date, amniotic fluid levels that are low but not critically low (correctable in nearly all cases by rehydration of the mother), rupture of membranes without immediate start of labor, the mother being dilated/effaced but not in active labor, or scheduling reasons on the part of the mother or care provider. Approximately 40-50% of inductions fail (depending on the induction method used and the mother's Bishop score), and most failed inductions end in cesarean section. Inductions increase labor pain and length, and create, among other problems, an increased risk of fetal distress, uterine rupture, and cesarean section.

But homebirth is "dangerous." Hospital birth is "safe."

Over 30% of women in the US have cesarean sections, while overwhelming research has led the World Health Organization to set an ideal standard rate of cesarean sections at 10-12%, with 15% being the rate where more harm is being done instead of good. Cesareans are performed at a similar rate across all risk groups, low to high. The cesarean rate for planned births at home or in an independent birthing center is approximately 4%. Cesarean sections increase the likelihood of maternal death by as much as 4 times, and have other immediate and long-term heath risks for mothers that include, but are not limited to, infection, bowel or bladder perforation, hysterectomy, future infertility, and increased risk of uterine rupture for future pregnancies. Risks for the baby include respiratory distress, fetal injury, prematurity (if result of schedule section or failed induction), and breastfeeding difficulties. Four of the greatest causes for the increase in cesarean section are overuse of interventions during labor, concern for malpractice/liability on the part of care providers, failed labor inductions, and "failure to progress" (labor not progressing fast enough or regularly enough for care providers).

But homebirth is "dangerous" and hospital birth is "safe."

The ACOG and AMA have both come out against homebirthing, calling it a dangerous trend and referring to it as a "fashionable, trendy, [...] the latest cause célèbre," and they paint a horrible picture of complications arising in low-risk pregnancies with no warning that cannot be handled anywhere but the hospital. Despite that, the most thorough study ever done on homebirth safety, Kenneth C Johnson and Betty-Anne Daviss's Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America, BMJ 2005;330:1416 (18 June), found that the outcomes of planned homebirths for low risk mothers were the same as the outcomes of planned hospital births for low risk mothers, with a significantly lower incident of interventions in the homebirth group. The Lewis Mehl Study of home and hospital births, which matched couples in each group for age, parity, education, race, and pregnancy/birth risk factors, found the hospital group had 9 times the rate of episiotomies and tearing, 3 times the cesarean rate, 6 times the fetal distress, 2 times the use of oxytocin for induction/augmentation, 9 times the use of analgesia/anesthesia, 5 times the rate of maternal blood pressure increase, 3 times the rate of maternal hemorrhage, 4 times the rate of infection, 20 times the rate of forceps use, and 30 times teh rate of birth injuries (including skull fractures and nerve damage). Breastfeeding success rates are higher and postpartum depression rates are lower for planned homebirths.

But homebirth is "dangerous" and hospital birth is "safe."

The United States spends more per pregnancy/birth than any other country, the vast majority of women in the US give birth in hospitals, and yet the US's maternal death rate is the worst among 28 industrialized nations and the neonatal mortality rate is the second worst. The Netherlands, where 36% of babies are born at home, has lower maternal and neonatal mortality rates than the US. Denmark, where all women have access to the option for a safe and legal home birth, has one of the lowest maternal and neonatal mortality rates.

But homebirth is "dangerous," hospital birth is "safe," and Brutus is an honorable man.

I didn't choose a homebirth because I am brave. Bravery has little to do with it. If anything, I believe women who choose to give birth in US hospitals are the brave ones, because knowing what I know about our technocratic obstetrical system, I can't imagine voluntarily choosing an obstetrician and a hospital for anything but absolute medical necessity. My decision to homebirth wasn't made in a void, but based upon years of research. I wonder how much research the average woman puts into her hospital birth? Considering how many times I've heard someone say "I'm glad I was in the hospital because..." and then given as her reason a non-emergent situation (such as fetal size or nuchal cords), I'd say not that much.

Call me stubborn, because I wasn't willing to accept out of hand the culturally held belief that hospitals are safer. Call me an idealist, because I believe that birth can be a positive, safe, and empowering experience for child and mother. Call me a nonconformist, because I choose to birth at home in defiance of a powerful technocratic system. Call me outspoken, because I can't keep my mouth shut when I hear about yet another iatrogenic birth calamity. Call me a "birth nazi," because I believe it's the right and responsibility of every woman to educate herself about birth and take ownership of her birth experience.

But brave? Don't call me brave. "Brave" has nothing to do with it.

AP article on Big Push

2009-01-28T14:48:00.000-08:00

The AP just published an article about the Big Push for Midwives, of which Iowa is a part! Read it here and forward everywhere! A key excerpt:

The states are now evenly split on legal recognition of certified professional midwives (CPMs) — those who lack nursing degrees and who account for most midwife-assisted home births.

Half the states have procedures allowing CPMs to practice legally — including five which have taken such steps since 2005. The other 25 states lack such procedures and CPMs are subject to prosecution for practicing medicine without a license.

Depending on legislative decisions, the balance could shift this year. Among the battlegrounds:

_In North Carolina, a House study committee recommended in December that the legislature develop licensing standards for CPMs. The committee said the current system doesn't meet the needs of women who chose non-hospital births because of the "extremely limited supply" of obstetricians and nurse-midwives offering to handle such births.

_In Idaho, advocates who failed previously to get a voluntary licensing bill through the legislature are back with a mandatory licensing bill. State Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, says the changes helped persuade the state boards of nursing and pharmacy to drop their opposition. The Idaho Medical Association, which fought the earlier version, has expressed respect for the changes in the bill and is deliberating on whether further changes might produce a version it could accept.

_In Illinois, advocates also are back with a new version of a licensing bill that failed in 2007. Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, says it toughens qualification standards for CPMs — changes that prompted the Illinois Nurses Association to drop its opposition. The Illinois State Medical Society remains opposed.

The challenges are real but the momentum is in our favor. Let's make Iowa the tipping state!

Quad Cities Chapter!

2009-01-27T13:21:00.001-08:00

The Quad Cities chapter of FOIM is official! Please join their yahoogroup!

New Year, New News!

2009-01-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Although the blog has been quiet lately, there has been a flurry of activity within FOIM. We have an energetic and promising start to 2009!

First and most exciting, FOIM leaders and members met with Rep. Mary Mascher from Iowa City to discuss our cause. The room was filled with parents and babies and everyone eloquently argued for their stake in making out-of-hospital birth accessible to all Iowans. Mary was warm and supportive and gave us a ton of great ideas for making this a reality.

Second, it looks like a Quad Cities chapter of FOIM is in the making! If you are a Quad Cities member and want to be in on the action, please contact me and I'll put you in touch with its organizers. Hopefully we will have FOIM in all corners of the state soon.

We have a lot of amazing plans for the next few months as the legislative session opens. The bill committee is working on a draft to shop around and we are scheduling meetings with representatives.

What can you do?

First, write a letter. Please! You would be amazed at the difference these letters make. We need FOIM to be in the hearts and minds of our legislators and the only way to do that is for them to hear directly from constituents. Our website has a great section all about writing letters.

Second, schedule a meeting with your representative. As a consumer who cares about this issue, a face to face meeting -- even for a few minutes -- will make a great impact. Bring your babies/kids! Legislators are home on weekends and are happy to meet with constituents at that time. Gather a few friends from your area and go together. Bring handouts and talking points to share!

Looking forward to a GREAT YEAR!

Midwifery an antidote to the lack of OBGYNs in Iowa

2008-12-12T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Daily Iowan published a story in which Monica Brasile, a FOIM founder and steering committee member, argues that licensing homebirth midwives can provide much needed well-woman and pregnancy and childbirth care for women in rural counties lacking OBGYNs. Read the full article here.

UI women-studies graduate student Monica Brasile said that because of the lack of care in rural areas, Iowa should begin to license midwives to give women another recognized health-care option.

"A lot of women don't realize the other options for birth and prenatal care," said Brasile, who is part of the organization Friends of Iowa Midwives. "When you are in a rural area with no proximity to a hospital, midwifery is a good option to provide care for these women at home."

Letter from a Homebirth Father

2008-11-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

My husband Brian wrote this letter to our legislator this month. Feel free to use it as an example of the way a homebirth supporter who ISN'T a Mom can appeal to lawmakers!

My name is Brian Whitehead and I am writing today to discuss my experience with homebirth.

Nine moths ago my wife gave birth to our daughter Robin in our home with a midwife and two doulas. The experience was - as anyone who has had a baby knows - grueling, difficult and exhausting, but by chosing to undergo this life-changing event at home I was able to be an integral part of my wife's labor and our daughter's birth. I have talked to other fathers who had the misfortune of having traditional hospitals births with their wives and it is my opinion that homebirthing is the superior option.

Our birth was overseen by a trained, competent professional. It was safe and inexpensive. It allowed us to have this rare and special event transpire in the comfort and familiarity of our own home.

I am relatively new to Iowa, having moved here four years ago to get my MA from the University of Iowa. As someone who plans on spending my future and raising a family in this state, I cannot remain silent while this practice is still - inexplicably - not fully protected by law.

Please consider my experience when making legislative decisions in the future.

Brian Whitehead

Central Iowa Chapter Meeting

2008-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:00

The first official meeting of the Central IA chapter of FOIM is coming up! Join us this Sunday (11/23) at the Westown Pkwy Panera in West Des Moines from 4pm-6pm.

Our aim at this meeting is to get the central IA chapter off the ground, create an opportunity for central and eastern IA folks to meet each other, generate ideas for networking and events, and identify some coordinators for the chapter. Everyone is welcome!

General Mtg Reminder -- Nov 15!

2008-11-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

Don't forget our meeting this Saturday, Nov 15, at Birth, Baby & Beyond in Cedar Rapids. 3:30 pm. Be there!

NYT article on homebirth, plus statement on Choices in Childbirth

2008-11-13T19:34:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! The New York Times published a wonderful story about the recent increase in homebirth in the NYC area. Overall the article does a great job highlighting the reasons more and more women are making the choice to have their babies at home. Every woman deserves access to homebirth!

The Our Bodies, Ourselves blog recently announced the Statement on Choices in Childbirth, a statement endorsed by physicians, midwives, and women's health advocates who are "concerned about preserving safe choices in childbirth that respect the diversity of women’s needs." They specifically urge health care reformers to protect and ensure women's access to VBACs and access to hospital-based midwifery care, in addition to licensing CPMs across the country. Read the entire statement here. If you are a physician, midwife, or health care advocate interested in endorsing the statement, follow the link on the statement's main page to do so.

Despite ACOG and the AMA's attempts, it's clear that women are increasingly demanding access to midwifery and all its benefits. It's just a matter of time!

November Letter Writing Challenge: Write for CHANGE!

2008-11-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
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…

I hereby ask that non-nurse midwifery become a prominent part of your developing health plan.

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

Des Moines Women Have to Travel For VBACs

2008-11-06T18:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this article about Des Moines women having to travel to Iowa City for access to VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean, shown to be perfectly safe and beneficial for most women who've had a previous cesarean birth). These women are seeking the care of nurse midwives at the UIHC.

A quotation:
"Ericson says if V-Bac was more commonplace, the state could probably cut its rate of Cesarean surgery in half. She says at least a dozen studies point to the dangers of Cesarean surgery, which carries twice the risk of injury and death for both mother and baby."

ATTENTION CENTRAL IOWANS!

2008-11-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

You're invited to the organizational meeting of the Central Iowa chapter of Friends of Iowa Midwives!

We'll be meeting this Saturday, Nov. 8th, at Almost Home Birth Center, 2708 Grand Ave. in Des Moines at 3:30. Thanks to Carey Ann Ryan for hosting us!

RSVP to Monica (monica-brasile@uiowa.edu). Learn more.

October Action Alert Newsletter

2008-11-01T07:49:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the lapse in FOIM Friday this week. We should be back next week.

Go here to view our October Action Alert newsletter.

FOIM Friday (on a Saturday again, sorry!)

2008-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

This week, FOIM member Bel sent me a link to an article her husband, Ven Batista, wrote about being a homebirth Dad. Bel and Ven had their second daughter in a homebirth in London. The article features 7 reasons that homebirth is great for Daddies/partners. Check it out!

Video about homebirth dads

2008-10-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

On Mothering.com this week, I noticed there was an ad for a new film about the experience of homebirthing fathers. I can't wait to see this!

http://www.homebirthdads.com/

FOIM Friday 1 day late: Robin's birth

2008-10-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

Every Friday, we will feature member-submitted stories and photos about their homebirth experiences. Today, we feature images from the birth of my daughter (Lauren Whitehead, FOIM clerk) last February. Labor was 21 hours, start to finish, and I was fortunate to have two doulas, a midwife and midwife's apprentice, and of course my amazing husband, Brian, in attendance. Robin was born in water in our living room around 1 am on Feb 24th. We agree that having a homebirth was the best decision we've ever made for our family. Being in the comfort of my home, without the constraints of a clinically imposed timeline or monitoring, allowed me to completely surrender to my birth experience. Although it took me a loooong time to start dilating, once my water broke labor went very quickly. I think that in a clinical setting there may have been unnecessary concern about "failure to progress" when it was just the normal, slow lead-up to transition and pushing that many first-time mothers experience during an unhindered natural birth. We loved waking up at home with our daughter the very next morning, and eating my Mom's homemade spaghetti sauce as our post-birth first meal, neither of which could have happened in a clinical birth setting. We will definitely have our future babies at home!

And a recent photo of Robin at 8 months old!

FOIM Friday!

2008-10-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

Every Friday, we will feature member-submitted stories and photos about their homebirth experiences. This week, Janelle sent this picture of a beautiful moment following her daughter's birth and the joyous email her husband sent to friends and families.

Last night Janelle birthed our baby – Baby Ella, a genuine Georgia love angel. I’m looking at her and her mama right now. They’re gazing into one another’s eyes as Ella - Eleanor Beatrice Railey - drifts in and out of sleep. Mother and child. Ella’s swaddled, mother’s
relieved, coffee’s percolating in the next room, and our coyote, Stella, is licking her paws.
“Yesterday was a long, hard day,” Janelle just said to me, “If there were drugs (for pain) nearby, I would’ve taken them. I’m glad we were at home.” Her labor started at 3 a.m. yesterday morning and lasted 19 hours and 59 minutes. (That’s about average,
according to our midwife, Debbie, whose “performance” yesterday was masterful, motherly, improvisational, and, in a word, expert.) Time bended and flopped in on itself, though, as it is wont to do during these major life events. The clock played tricks on us, cause one
minute we’re getting up a 3 a.m., starting to stir, and phoning the midwife. Next minute I’m out in our front yard, under the stars, getting a quick breather before we head into the home stretch and Janelle’s in our bedroom, breathing deep like a soft, fierce war-woman through formidable contractions that swelled in major upsurges and reverberated throughout her
abdomen and entire body.

Janelle did fine. We both did fine. Janelle, though, was amazing. An adult life devoted largely to psycho-spiritual pursuits and yogic asana practice paid off in huge amounts yesterday. No drugs. No episiotemy. Minimal, all-natural interventions (just juice, water, food, homeopathics, one chiropractic adjustment by Dr. Randy, and the constant emotional/physical support of our two attentive doulas, Amy and Christie, who perfectly and unerringly embodied the highest ideals of that noble feminine role yesterday.). It was just the kind of birth we wanted for baby Ella – couldn’t have been better. A straight-up, non-institutional, folk-birth, a home birth - solid! Though difficult and exhausting, the
day unfolded itself just as it should have. In moments of anxiety, Janelle & I drew close. In moments of expansion and space, we laughed, told jokes, made hilarious surreal and/or inappropriate remarks, cried, felt the love, and often just rested up because a new
set of waves/contractions lay in wait. Big waves, Hawaii-style, the kind that boggle the mind when you seem them swell against the horizon. Janelle surfed these waves and we listened to Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, and Neko Case on the hi-fi. That helped. Rocking – musically or in chairs - helps. Having a midwife, doulas, and a chiropractor/brother nearby who all know
what they’re doing - and what Mama & Papa are all about – helps considerably, too…

What can I say? Before long, there was a head, a body…a baby! Ella was born at 10:16 p.m. on June 7, 2007. She’s 22 inches long, 6 lbs., 6 oz., and has Janelle’s brow, my mouth, and her own lovely blue eyes. She’s got black hair and is curious, expressive, responsive, and, by all accounts, seems to feel pretty well at home on the planet Earth, despite a long, hard
day for herself yesterday as well. (When she came out of the birth canal, her forearm was placed above her head, which made the labor slow and considerably more
difficult - hence the 19 hr. 59 min.-long labor.) She’s doing well, though. We’re all doing well.

After Ella’s birth, Janelle and I feasted on eggs, milk, cornmeal fritters, and vegetables. Ella in her mama’s arms, we spent the night fading in and out of the transom of wakefulness. It is now morning. The population of Athens, Ga. has increased by one. Soon, you’ll all be getting to know Little Ella in your own ways. Until then get on the horn and spread the word.

Thanks Janelle, Jonathan, and Ella!

FOIM in Iowa Source

2008-10-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a great article about FOIM in Iowa Source. Check it out!

Some highlights:

Clodi-Whitehead said she and her husband interviewed four midwives before choosing to work with McCormick-Deol. “I really wanted the quality of prenatal care that midwives offered,” she said, noting that her appointments generally lasted an hour versus a typical 12-minute prenatal visit with an obstetrician. “I wanted to know who was going to be there for the birth.”

McCormick-Deol is one of two or three CNMs in Iowa who attends home births. Her calendar is booked through the year with women who want to have their babies at home.

She asserts that safety is of utmost importance. “All patients get an initial baseline of blood work done to assess health,” McCormick-Deol said. “The standard tests offered in pregnancy are available to my clients as well, but they may choose to opt out of them. As long as they’re making an informed decision and they’re aware of what the consequence might be, they’re absolutely allowed to do that.”

Clodi-Whitehead gave birth to her daughter, Robin, eight months ago and was thrilled that the experience was free of complications. She didn’t have to leave the comfort of her home, was surrounded by close friends and family and didn’t undergo any interventions. “It was exactly what I wanted,” she said. “A totally natural home birth.”

FOIM at Iowa Women's Music Festival!!

2008-09-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

A birth film for fathers

2008-09-18T13:24:00.001-07:00

Here's a preview of an upcoming film that focuses on the disempowerment of fathers in modern (hospital) birth.

ALSO, come to the Iowa Women's Music Festival in City Park, Iowa City, and see the FOIM table! Cute babies will be there, too.

Come to the August meeting and picnic!

2008-08-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

We've rescheduled our summer picnic to coincide with the August general meeting of FOIM. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet new members and see old friends. Please view the evite below and rsvp using their website. Hope to see you there!!

View the FOIM August Meeting/Picnic Invitation!

Details:
Aug 16th at Creekside Park in Iowa City
1:00 General Meeting
2:00-4:00 Picnic -- bring a side dish to share, we'll provide the rest. Please let Lauren (laurendoula@yahoo.com) or Monica (monica-brasile@uiowa.edu) know if you are interested in volunteering for misc. duties.

MANA response to AMA Resolution

2008-07-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

President's Editorial
July 11, 2008

Midwives Alliance of North America
611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE # 1700
Washington , DC
20003-4303

Contact:
Geradine Simkins
president@mana.org
888-923-MANA (6262)
info@mana.org
http://www.mana.org

Doctors Ignore Evidence, AMA Seeks to Deny Women Choices in Childbirth

One wonders what process the American Medical Association (AMA) House
of Delegates used to determine that "Resolution 205 on Home
Deliveries" was a prudent and reasonable proposal to adopt. AMA
Resolution 205 attempts to outlaw a woman's choice to birth at home
or in a freestanding birth center by calling for legislation to
establish hospitals and hospital-based birth centers as the safest
place for labor, delivery and postpartum recovery. Further,
Resolution 205 seeks to establish that hospital-based midwives who
work under the control of physicians are the only safe midwifery
practitioners.

The Midwives Alliance of North America, which has represented the
profession of midwifery since 1982 and whose members are specialists
in homebirth, finds AMA's Resolution 205 to be arrogant, patronizing
and self-serving. We have three major objections to Resolution 2005.
First, Resolution 205 patently ignores the vast body of scientific
evidence that has documented homebirth to be a safe, cost-effective
and satisfying option for women who prefer this alternative to
hospital birth. Second, AMA Resolution 205 is seriously out-of-step
with the ethical concept of patient autonomy in health care
(encompassing both informed consent and informed refusal), which has
gained widespread acceptance in the medical community. And third,
Resolution 205 distracts from other critical issues in maternity care
to which healthcare professionals should be giving substantial
attention, including increasing access to care, improving perinatal
outcomes, reducing health disparities and fostering client
satisfaction. AMA Resolution 205 is anti-homebirth, anti-midwife,
anti-choice and is unsupported by scientific evidence.

Why is the American Medical Association not asking the real questions
instead of trying to debunk existing research evidence on the safety
and efficacy of homebirth and attempting to corner the market on
maternity care? For example, why are midwife-attended births far more
likely to have fewer interventions, fewer postpartum infections, more
successful breastfeeding rates, healthy infant weight gain and result
in more satisfied, empowered mothers ready to embrace their newborns
and parenting experiences? Why are so many women across the nation
left emotionally traumatized by their childbirth experiences in
hospitals and consequently why do rates of postpartum depression,
anxiety and post-traumatic stress continue to escalate?

It is ironic that the AMA should have a quarrel with a known safe
birth option such as homebirth at the same time when the epidemic
rise in coerced or elective cesarean sections puts healthy mothers
and infants at greater risk than normal vaginal birth and causes
excess strain on the limited resources of our healthcare system. The
rate of cesarean sections in the United States is unacceptable�one in
three pregnancies end in major abdominal surgery�and the decline in
availability of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is deplorable. It
is unethical to expect that women and infants should continue to bear
the brunt of increasing medical malpractice risks by over-treating
them with obstetric technologies such as c-sections while denying
them safe evidence-based options such as VBAC. It is past time that
the AMA in collusion against homebirth with the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) realizes that women and their
partners are choosing to labor and deliver at home and in
freestanding birth centers to avoid ethically unsupported obstetric
interventions.

Modern medical ethics have evolved to embrace autonomy�patient
choices and patient rights�over medical recommendations based on
paternalism or physician preference. In almost all areas of modern
medicine, except obstetrics, the locus of control rests firmly with
the client or patient and not with the medical provider. It is a
commonly held principle that it is not appropriate to force medical
treatment upon clients or patients against their will, including
medications, blood transfusions, chemotherapy or even life-saving
surgeries. Informed consent has appropriately become the gold
standard in healthcare decision-making. Why then do the AMA and ACOG
believe that they can promote legislative efforts to deny women
choices in maternity care providers and childbirth settings? In the
21st century this concept is outdated and absurd.

The AMA and its members might consider using their considerable
energy, intelligence and resources to focus on promoting the health
and well-being of mothers and babies and devote less time to limiting
women's access to midwifery services. All maternity care providers
should band together to reduce the unacceptably high rates of
maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in the United States,
increase access to maternity care for all women, reduce unnecessary
cesarean sections, encourage vaginal birth and VBACs for healthy
women, reduce health disparities of women and infants in minority
populations, and promote increased breastfeeding. These challenging
but attainable goals would improve the health of mothers and babies
far more impressively than reducing the rates of homebirth.

The Midwives Alliance joins the other individuals and organizations,
including individual AMA and ACOG members, who have grave concerns
about the AMA taking the stand articulated in Resolution 205, and
calls for the AMA to abandon this resolution. Midwives everywhere
honor and respect the numerous friendly physicians with whom we
already partner and look to the day when midwives and obstetricians
will consistently work collaboratively to support women's choices in
childbirth and provide the best possible and most appropriate range
of services for every situation.

References

1. K.C. Johnson, B.A. Daviss, Outcomes of Planned Home Births with
Certified Professional Midwives: Large Prospective Study in North
America , British Medical Journal 2005; 330: 1416 (18 June).

2. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College
of Midwives Joint Statement No. 2, April 2007. See
http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=2023

3. Wiegers TA, Keirse MJ, Van der Zee J, Berghs GA. Outcome of planned
home birth and planned hospital births in low risk pregnancies:
prospective study in midwifery practices in the Netherlands . BMJ
1996; 313:1309�13.

4. Olsen O. Meta-analysis of the safety of the home birth. Birth 1997;
24:4:13.

5. Ogden J, Shaw A, Zander L. Deciding on a home birth: help and
hindrances. Br J Midwifery 1997;5:212�15.

6. Canadian Institute for Health Research Giving Birth in Canada :
Regional Trends From 2001-2002 to 2005-2006.
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/en/downloads/Childbirth_AiB_FINAL_E.pdf

7. CMAJ Maternal mortality and severe morbidity associated
with low-risk planned Cesarean delivery versus planned vaginal
delivery at term. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/176/4/455.pdf

8. Listening to Mothers II Report (2006.) Childbirth Connections,
http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article

Benefit Dinner at The Red Avocado

2008-05-22T20:39:00.001-07:00

POTLUCK CANCELED - Two other events

2008-05-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

With the bad weather predicted for tomorrow, we have decided to cancel the Mothers and Midwives Picnic and reschedule for sometime later in the summer.

In sunnier news, The Red Avocado in Iowa City is again graciously hosting a benefit night for Friends of Iowa Midwives on Wed. May 28, starting at 5:30. The last event was such a great time - please come out and join us for good food in support of a good cause!

Also, tune in to Iowa Public Radio on Sunday: a four minute radio feature on the midwife movement in Iowa will air on WSUI AM 910 this Sunday, May 11 (Mother's Day), at 7:34 and 9:34 a.m.

Mothers and Midwives Picnic

2008-04-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day and International Midwives Day (both in May),
FOIM is hosting a Mothers and Midwives picnic on Saturday, May 10 from
1:00-4:00 in Iowa City at City Park, shelter 12.

Please bring the whole family and a dish to share! This will be a
great opportunity to gather with friends old and new, enjoy the spring
weather, and spread the word about midwifery and birth options.

Everyone is welcome!

Article on obesity and c/s rates

2008-04-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

This great article over at Our Bodies Our Blog discusses the ways that the midwifery model of care can better serve plus-sized women and help reduce their sky high rates of c-section. Check it out!

FOIM on the Radio

2008-04-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

Today, April 2, from 12:15-1:00 on KRUI, 89.7 fm in Iowa City. We will be talking about midwifery in Iowa with the host of Vox Uncommon. Tune in!

Video about homebirth and midwifery in Iowa

2008-03-21T08:01:00.001-07:00

A few UI film students made this great video about homebirth and midwifery in Iowa featuring a FOIM meeting, myself, and Monica Brasile.

I gave birth to my daughter at home on Feb 24th and it was fantastic, I'm happy to say!!

More great press from Iowa City...

2008-03-09T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here's an op-ed in the Press Citizen advocating for licensure! Awesome!

Kathy's Iowa City Clinic in the news

2008-03-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

There was a great article today in the Press-Citizen featuring Kathy Deol and the clinic she's opened in Iowa City with chiropractor Angela Ballew. More good press for birthing options!

Homebirth and childbirth ed in the news!

2008-02-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

FOIM member Kara Seaton and her husband were featured on the local news this week speaking about their Bradley childbirth classes and their choice to homebirth with their second baby. Check it out!

Segment One

Segment Two

Steering Committee Poll Results

2008-02-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

Below are the results from the 2 steering committee polls we put forth on the group listserv earlier this month. Thanks for your outstanding participation in the voting! We now have an elected Steering Committee and an established protocol for meetings.

Your new clerk, Lauren!

Question

Resolved: to establish the Steering Committee as described in in the Friends of Iowa Midwives Steering Committee Proposal and to elect the following members to the following positions: Co-chairs - Ashley Miller, Monica Brasile, Jonathan Hansen
Clerk - Lauren Whitehead
Treasurer - Jenn Bowen

Responses

Choices	Votes	%
Yes	21	100

Question

Resolved: to change the meeting structure of FOIM to reflect the policies outlined in the Steering Committee Proposal, namely to hold General Membership meetings quarterly (4 times/year) and Steering Committee meetings monthly (12 times/year). Steering Committee meetings will always be open to any FOIM member.

Responses

Choices	Votes	%
Yes	17	94
No	1	5

FOIM Family on KWWL!

2008-02-15T14:19:00.000-08:00

From FOIM member Kara, who gave birth to a beautiful little boy a few weeks ago at home with a midwife:

KWWL (news channel 7 in eastern Iowa) is airing a special on Marcus and I next Tuesday, February 19. I believe they will be running a preview on the 6:00pm news and the actual
story on the 10:00pm news.

The reporter interviewed us about natural birth, the Bradley Method classes we teach, and also about the *awesome* homebirth we had last week. They also took some footage of the current Bradley class we are teaching. I'm unsure what spin the final story will actually take since they took so much footage, but am excited to be getting some press on birth options in eastern Iowa! Check it out :-)

Steering Committee Elections!

2008-01-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Our first order of business for the new year will be to nominate and then elect a Steering Committee for our group. Please head to the files section on our yahoo group's homepage to read the proposal, nominate someone, and then vote in our election next week!

If you aren't a member of the mailing list -- JOIN UP!

New Year Meeting and Potluck!

2008-01-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

Our first meeting of 2008 will be a New Year's potluck at Melanie's house in Wilton this Sunday, Jan 13, at 2:00. Email Lauren at laurendoula@yahoo.com for directions and to add items to the agenda.

Our BOLD Letter! And farewell, Red Tent...

2007-11-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

This week, Friends of Iowa Midwives mails our BOLD Truth Initiative packages to relevant state figures as well as Oprah Winfrey to raise awareness of the need for better maternal-infant care in Iowa and the United States. Each person will receive a video featuring 30 minutes of our local Red Tent Event, a letter (see below!), and copies of the local press coverage on this topic. Hopefully this will add to the local, state, and national momentum that is building to promote homebirth and access to midwifery!

I've copied the basic text of the letters below.

We sent our letters to Tom Miller, Attorney General of Iowa (the AG's statement on the legal status of midwifery is a big obstacle to Iowa legalization) and Patty Judge, Lt. Governor of Iowa (she chaired a special committee on health in Iowa). The main BOLD folks asked everyone to mail Oprah a copy of this stuff as well, so who knows, maybe some Iowa women will be on the show someday!

All FOIM members deserve thanks for making Red Tent so special, but I especially want to thank Kristin Bergman, Tammy Bayer, Melanie Moore and her dancers, and Monica Brasile for contributing so much to the success not only of the event, but of the fulfillment of our contract with BOLD.

* * *
As someone who is concerned about healthcare, you may be aware of some of the alarming problems we currently face in our country with regard to maternity care. The cesarean rate in the U.S. is currently 30.2 percent – over twice the rate recommended by the World Health Organization. The U.S. is one of the only wealthy countries where the maternal death rate is rising. Among developed countries, 29 have better infant mortality rates than the U.S., and 41 have better maternal mortality rates.

These disturbing trends affect women in Iowa. Friends of Iowa Midwives recently hosted a Red Tent event in Iowa City as part of the nationwide Birth On Labor Day (BOLD) movement to make childbirth more mother-friendly. The Red Tent is an opportunity for mothers to share their birth stories in a positive, supportive environment. By documenting these stories, we hope to capture the range of birth experiences in our community and raise awareness about the maternity care needs of women in Iowa.

Because you have demonstrated a concern about the health of women and children in our state, we are enclosing a 30-minute excerpt of this Red Tent event for you to view.

One of the most important needs we have identified in Iowa is for increased access to the midwives model of care. This woman-centered approach recognizes pregnancy and birth as normal processes, not illnesses, and has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.

An increasing number of families are seeking care by midwives, both within and outside the hospital setting. We recognize a woman’s right to choose home birth, and are aware that midwife-attended home births have been repeatedly shown to be equally as safe as hospital births, with far fewer interventions and infections, and greater client satisfaction. Women choosing home birth should have access to the best possible care. Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are the national standard for midwives serving the home birth community, and we agree that they should be licensed in Iowa, as they are in the vast majority of other states.

We hope these stories are informative, and that they help to put a human face on the statistics outlined above. Please feel free to contact Friends of Iowa Midwives for more information about the midwives model of care and our activities.

Thank you for your commitment to the health of Iowa’s women and children.

November Meeting!

2007-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Hope to see you this afternoon!

November FOIM meeting, this Sunday, November 11 @ 4pm. Please note this is a time change from previous meetings.

More great press on legalizing CPMS in Iowa!

2007-10-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day -- an entire page in the Saturday edition of the Iowa City/Coralville Press-Citizen covering perspectives on midwifery and homebirth in Iowa. Featuring articles by our own lovely and amazing midwives, Kathy Deol and Melanie Moore, as well as an article by a home birthing Mom and a CNM who practices in an area hospital.

Go to these articles and sign up to show your support for this issue in Iowa!

Another op-ed advocating for licensure.

A guest opinion about the choice to have homebirth.

An article by our own area midwife Kathy Deol about her work.

An article by a local CNM who practices at a hospital about standards of care.

An article by our own area midwife, Melanie Moore, on her work as a DEM.

October Meeting this Sunday!

2007-10-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Time: Sunday, Oct. 14, 2 pm - 4 pm
Location: Lauren Whitehead's house, 530 Foster Rd. Iowa City IA
Ph: 354-6706

Directions:
from I-80: take exit 245 onto Dubuque St. Turn south on Dubuque, and look for the first traffic light (Foster Rd.). Turn right onto Foster and drive up the hill. Look for Louis Pl. on your right; our driveway is the second past that street. We live in a townhouse with a birdfeeder in front of the window.
from IC: drive north on Dubuque St. past Mayflower dorms. You'll come to a traffic light labeled B'Jaysville; turn left and this is now Foster Rd. Drive up the hill. Look for Louis Pl. on your right; our driveway is the second past that street. We live in a townhouse with a birdfeeder in front of the window.

Please email me with any agenda items you'd like to add. We have a LOT to discuss so I hope to see many of you here!

Great press from our legislative event!

2007-09-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend's events were inspiring and incredibly productive. They also generated some positive press from our local newspapers.

The Press-Citizen, Iowa City's local community newspaper, printed this op-ed that advocates for the legalization and licensure of direct-entry midwives in Iowa. Friend of Iowa Midwives Erin Auer-Sears was also quoted in an earlier article before the workshop.

The Daily Iowan, newspaper for the University of Iowa, features an article about the workshop as well as a webcast with a brief interview with our guest speaker, the fabulous Ida Darragh. Lots of Friends members are featured, and lots of adorable babies!

What an outstanding start for our group!

Our next meeting

2007-09-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our next Friends of Iowa Midwives meeting will be on Sunday. We have a full and exciting agenda as we prepare for events later this month. Please join us!

Date: Sunday, September 9
Time: 2:00 - 4:00
Place: BabyMatters in Cedar Rapids (address and map here)
Children welcome.

Main Agenda Items:
1. NARM legislative workshop and Red Tent event
2. Presentation and discussion: Nonprofit Status
3. Organization Building and Leadership
4. The Community Voice TV show

For more information, email info@friendsofiowamidwives.org

Upcoming Workshop and Red Tent Event

2007-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Midwifery is currently under attack in Iowa. Direct-Entry Midwives in our state face criminal investigation and prosecution for practicing medicine without a license – a felony charge that carries a sentence of up to five years in prison. Now is the time for supporters of childbirth options to come together to preserve the rights of Iowans to give birth where and with whom they choose!

Please join Friends of Iowa Midwives for a day of education and entertainment to learn how you can help ensure that Iowa's families have access to safe homebirth with legal midwives.

PREPARING FOR LEGISLATION WORKSHOP
Date: September 22, 2007
Time: 9:00-5:00
Place: Saddlebrook Clubhouse, 120 Paddock Blvd., Iowa City
Speaker: Ida Darragh, CPM and testing director for NARM
Registration fee: $15 (Scholarships available.)
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided!

To register: Call Moira at (319) 484-4086 or email: register@friendsofiowamidwives.org.
Please include your name, phone number, and mailing address.

BOLD RED TENT
After the workshop, we will be hosting a BOLD Red Tent event, along with a special performance by the Rasket El-Nehri Bellydancing Troupe.

"A BOLD Red Tent is an opportunity for every community to find out about how local mothers are giving birth by hearing directly from mothers. It is also a healing 'tent,' where mothers who have had challenging births can heal through the telling of their stories."

We will be sharing our birth stories in a safe, supportive circle and video documenting our experiences of the birthing environment in Iowa. We want to hear your story! This event is free and intended for women. Nursing babies are welcome.

For more information on both of these events, visit the Friends of Iowa Midwives website.