Birth, and especially homebirth, is definitely in the news these days.
Here's kind of a mediocre article from the Chicago Tribune about the debate over homebirth. At least people are talking; before The Business of Being Born, you definitely weren't seeing these little media blips on a regular basis. ABC does a slightly more in-depth job of profiling physicians who disagree with the recent actions by ACOG and the AMA. However, Jennifer Block (the author of Pushed) does the best job of providing a point/counterpoint-style rebuttal by comparing Britain's attitude toward midwives with ACOG's in an editorial she wrote recently for the LA Times. As always, her writing is clear, engaging, and straight to the point. Since she's never given birth herself, I'm ever thankful for whatever lucky star allowed her to decide to shoulder the cause for normal birth, because I don't think ACOG could buy themselves an equally intelligent and articulate spokesperson.
MANA, the Midwives' Alliance of North America (of which Ina May Gaskin was a founding member), has issued a response not only to Resolution 205 On Home Deliveries, but also a response to the AMA's apology this week for past practices it acknowledges were blatantly racist, including prohibiting black doctors from joining and refusing to take sides during the Civil Rights debates of the 1960's. As MANA points out, it would be nice to think that the AMA is turning over a new leaf of openmindness and genuine concern for human beings, but unfortunately I think it's more likely a PR stunt. Excuse my cynicism.
Lastly, in lighter newws, Laila Ali, Mohammed Ali's daughter, is planning a natural homebirth with a midwife. Add her to the roster of celebrity homebirthers, including Cindy Crawford, Meryl Streep, Demi Moore, Lisa Bonet, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Preston, Julianne Moore, Ani DiFranco, and of course, Ricki Lake. Love it!
Here's kind of a mediocre article from the Chicago Tribune about the debate over homebirth. At least people are talking; before The Business of Being Born, you definitely weren't seeing these little media blips on a regular basis. ABC does a slightly more in-depth job of profiling physicians who disagree with the recent actions by ACOG and the AMA. However, Jennifer Block (the author of Pushed) does the best job of providing a point/counterpoint-style rebuttal by comparing Britain's attitude toward midwives with ACOG's in an editorial she wrote recently for the LA Times. As always, her writing is clear, engaging, and straight to the point. Since she's never given birth herself, I'm ever thankful for whatever lucky star allowed her to decide to shoulder the cause for normal birth, because I don't think ACOG could buy themselves an equally intelligent and articulate spokesperson.
MANA, the Midwives' Alliance of North America (of which Ina May Gaskin was a founding member), has issued a response not only to Resolution 205 On Home Deliveries, but also a response to the AMA's apology this week for past practices it acknowledges were blatantly racist, including prohibiting black doctors from joining and refusing to take sides during the Civil Rights debates of the 1960's. As MANA points out, it would be nice to think that the AMA is turning over a new leaf of openmindness and genuine concern for human beings, but unfortunately I think it's more likely a PR stunt. Excuse my cynicism.
Lastly, in lighter newws, Laila Ali, Mohammed Ali's daughter, is planning a natural homebirth with a midwife. Add her to the roster of celebrity homebirthers, including Cindy Crawford, Meryl Streep, Demi Moore, Lisa Bonet, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Preston, Julianne Moore, Ani DiFranco, and of course, Ricki Lake. Love it!
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