Asheville... the Center of Homebirths

If you live in the Asheville area you may have seen this article in our local newspaper or on the local news. This lady was practicing as a "lay midwife", which the Midwives Alliance of North America defines as "an uncertified or unlicensed midwife who was educated through informal routes such as self-study or apprenticeship rather than through a formal program." The baby passed away from meconium aspiration which is where the baby has it's first bowel movement in utero and if the proper precautions aren't taken then the baby can die.

I know I sound like I know what I'm talking about, and although I'm not a medical professional in any way, shape or form, I've researched child birth so much in the last few months I at least know that it's not good if you see meconium and you need to get help ASAP. This woman was not a "certified" midwife, but there are people making comments on these articles that this fact shouldn't hold her accountable for the death. People saying that they would use their final breath to stand up for this woman and that they, in fact, chose to use a lay midwife instead of going to a certified midwives office, which trust me, there are plenty of certified midwives in these here western North Carolina mountains.

I think maybe what bothers me most about these mamas is the fact that they find their homebirthing experience to be so much better than us "regular" women who choose to have our babies at the hospital and God forbid with an epidural or medication (or the worst of the worst, who have to have a c-section).  I think if you decide to have your baby at home, more power to you. These women obviously trust themselves more than I trust my body. Personally, I actually feel more comfortable in the hospital setting in situations like this. If something goes downhill fast, I want to be surrounded by doctors and nurses and equipment that can save my life or the baby's life.

 I'm at the age where lots and lots of my friends are having babies. Or if they've already had babies, everyone has the stories of labor and delivery to share. Even the woman who doesn't know me from the next person likes to share stories of the births of her children. I have friends who have chosen to birth their babies in all different ways, homebirths, all natural births, epidurals, c-sections, you name it. And luckily, for all them, the end result is the same: happy, healthy babies and moms. It irritates me a little bit when the women who have home births or even all natural births scoff at the fact that I would even consider having an epidural. Ummm, ok, don't see how that's any of your business, but alright.

My goal, and any other mother's goal, should be to just make sure that they and their little one make it through safe and sound. I feel that choosing to have the person responsible for bringing your baby into the world who is not certified to do so is completely unwise. I wouldn't even take my dogs to a vet who hasn't been to veterinary school, so why would I choose to have someone who doesn't have the proper certification deliver my baby?

Sorry for the long, long rant. I woke up thinking about this just fuming. If you've ever seen the movie "Away We Go", the part where they go to visit Bert's cousin who is an "artistic" professor reminds me of women's reaction here in the area.

 

 

So anyways, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go contemplate my hospital birth where I may or may not have an epidural (it really does depend on how I handle the pain, which if my reaction to a  small cut on my hand is any indication, the epidural will be happening.) Just as long as in a month I'm sitting here with a happy little boy, it doesn't matter to me.