millennium development goals, blueprint for action, government initiatives - strong start, AOC's, innovative awards. but how do midwives access these? how do CPM's access these?
there has been an increase in homebirth --> amongst white, non-hispanic women. 40% of maternity care covered by medicaid. in 26 states midwifery is legal. in 14 states medicaid covers midwives. where do we go?
do midwives want to be primary maternity care providers?
what does this mean? how does this look? what does it imply?
education: skills in health promotion, public health, collaboration....
individual responsibilities of midwives to foster these relationships at a local level. don't stop fighting just because midwifery is legal. a system that requires mother to go between midwife --> family practice doc --> specialist is inefficient.
women will be lost, particularly if we are trying to mitigate the disparity that exists.
do we as white midwives feel guilty because of the colour of our skin? most women don't seek healthcare providers. most women only see healthcare providers during their pregnancy.
what tools do we as midwives have to meet the needs of these women?
are we turning our backs on them? do we even see these women and their needs?
do we want to be primary maternity care providers or do we want to be midwives (continuing to serve the same women we have been serving)?
i thank the midwives that came before me, that fought for the white, non-hispanic women to have the options that they do. but it's time to move forward. we need to reframe the discussion around midwifery care away from homebirth and refocus it on to what is important. serving women during their pregnancies - not only white women, but all women.
sure birth can be a spiritual journey, but today is that what is important? when women and baby's are dying, what is important?
the above may not actually be a summary of all that came out of yesterday, but the above is how i've processed it. where i see the discussion.
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