Why Does It Matter?

Recently, someone asked me, "Why do you care so much? You don't have to give birth at home with a traditional midwife (CPM, DEM, LM), and you shouldn't try to take that right away from other mother's who want to!  Why does this matter so much to you".

I have not, and probably never will give birth at home. I certainly will not give birth under a CPM/DEM/LM. Does that make it wrong for me to care though?  Does it take away my right to advocate for those that do not have a voice in the matter?  I believe in choice, but there are innocent babies suffering and dying because their mothers are unknowingly choosing to birth with incompetent, negligent midwives. This is not fair to these precious angels. Many of these mothers thought they were doing the best thing possible for their babies by having a home birth! They were not aware of the risk and potential issues that could arise since that side of home birth is rarely publicized. Each mother is positive that her midwife is competent due to the credentials she carries and is reassured by a long list of references who have nothing but good to say about the midwife. Sadly however, that is not enough in every case. Negligence and death is swept under the rug by these midwives. These babies, and their mothers, need a voice.  Those of us who can see the opposite side of the card must stand up.

This is why I care. 

Aquila. Died due to a placental abruption ignored/unrecognized by the attending midwife. Her story and birth video.

Josie. Died due to a placental abruption. The attending midwife attempted to transfer, but it was too late. Her story can be found here.

Mary Beth. Died due to the attending midwife not recognizing signs of oxygen deprivation and discounting it as bruising around the mouth and nose from birth. Her story is shared here.

Thomas. Died due to the attending midwife not recognizing respiratory distress syndrome and transporting the baby for proper medical care. His story is here.

Wren. Died due to pneumonia caused by a massive GBS infection. The attending midwife encouraged Wren's mom to use garlic in her vagina to prevent/cure GBS, even after a urine test early in Wren's mom's pregnancy revealed she was colonized. After being swabbed for GBS, Wren's mom was never notified that she had tested positive and did not receive antibiotics during labor. His story can be found here.

Angela. Died due to acute pneumonia - cause unknown. Her story is here.

Grant. Died due to a placental abruption that was ignored by the attending midwife. His story can be found here. 

Shahzad.  Margarita, his mother, was in labor for 8 days - but constantly reassured by the midwives she was a "birth warrior" and everything was fine.  She was alone during labor, her phone taken and hidden by the attending midwives.  Her friends were denied access to her home.  The midwives assumed they were picking up the baby's heartbeat, but it was his mother's.  Shahzad was stillborn.  The news story is here.

Sadly, I could go on and on, but I will not.  These terrible, preventable tragedies are all too common.  These beautiful mothers deal day in and day out with the reminder of what happened to them, and to their precious little ones.  The heartache is overwhelming I am sure.   But these mothers are strong and many have found purpose through the sadness.  So many of these mothers, and others, are bonding together to expose the truth.  Something must be done, and I plan to help in any way I can.

A Walk To Beautiful

“It made me have a much greater understanding of loss, of loneliness, and the level of intense tragedy that so many people have experienced in this world, I take a lot less for granted”
– Adrien Brody

I found this quote to be quite fitting of my own emotions after watching the documentary entitled, "A Walk To Beautiful".  The video documents several women from their journey through marriage at a young age, childbirth (and due to lack of medical care, each ends in a stillbirth sadly), the devastating effects of a horrific childbirth injury, and the joy they experience when they are given life-changing surgery to correct this condition.  As I watched the video, I was overcome with emotion and grief, and I realized more and more that we take so much for granted.  We  complain that the fetal monitor interferes with our freedom of movement, or that the IV antibiotics we receive for GBS infection may give us thrush or a yeast infection.  We feel belittled and defeated over a cesarean section (whether necessary or 'unnecessary'), yet a cesarean section that was inaccessible to these women would have ensured these mothers had healthy, alive babies in their arms!  The truth is, we have access to life saving interventions and preventative measures that these poor women do not have, yet we find something to complain about.   How lucky are we that we can monitor our babies during labor to ensure they are safe?  How lucky are we that we can receive antibiotics that can prevent  a deadly case of neonatal sepsis?  And how extremely lucky are we that we have a trained surgeon and team of caregivers that can perform life-saving surgery if a need arises?  I am in awe of the selfishness so many of us (and yes, I include myself) possess.  

When complaints creep into my head, I will again watch this video and be humbled by these strong, courageous women.  I will be thankful to live in a place where I have access to preventative and life-saving measures, even if they don't always fit in with my 'plan'.  I am just in awe and so humbled.  Please take time to watch the video.  It may make you also stop and think and realize that the very things we want to avoid so much during childbirth, are the exact things these women would be elated to have if it meant their babies (or they) could come through childbirth safe, alive, and without serious injury.