The Storm is Gathering...

Coast to coast! To have homebirth-positive (and midwife-positive) full-length stories in two major newspapers within days of each other is incredibly, unbelievably exciting. I particularly like the way the SF Gate took the opportunity to point out the safety of homebirth as evidenced by major studies (on the whole, it's a stronger, more positive article than the NY Times one--but at the very least, check out the NY Times slideshow, which has some stunningly beautiful photographs). Oftentimes, the best we'll get is "Midwives claim homebirth is safe." Yes, we do, but where do we get that position? Data!

And, it's great to hear an ACOG member do what they do best: unabashedly lie to women. Here's a quote from the article, with my responses in brackets and italics:

"ACOG doesn't formally oppose home birthing but our position definitely implies that," says Dr. Erin Tracy, an ob-gyn at Massachusetts General Hospital and vice chair of ACOG Massachusetts. [Their position? "The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reiterates its long-standing opposition to home births." Uh, yeah, that's a pretty FORMAL OPPOSITION there...no "implication" about it."] "No one at ACOG is advocating for criminalizing home birthing." [Right, you're instead seeking it through the AMA: "RESOLVED, That our AMA develop model legislation in support of the concept that the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex"] "We just personally think it's much safer to give birth in a hospital or at a birthing center."

"We just personally think"?! This is the professional organization for the almighty American OB-GYN, and their basis for denying women what could be their safest and most satisfying birth experience (not to mention a cost-effective one for the nation) is based not on science, not on medicine, not on personal freedom or autonomy even, but on...."We just personally think?!"

Here's what else they think: "For women who choose a midwife to help deliver their baby, it is critical that they choose only ACNM-certified or AMCB-certified midwives that collaborate with a physician to deliver their baby in a hospital, hospital-based birthing center, or properly accredited freestanding birth center."

Hmmm...the only good midwife is midwife that delivers in the hospital, under the thumb of a doctor...even though the studies have shown that this isn't necessary for the safety of low-risk women. So... why do you think they "think" that?

I'll tell you why: because they the way they manage birth in the hospitals is all about convenience and money, and women are growing wise to that. And they're demanding better for themselves and their babies.