The More You Learn

          Being in school, I've chosen to use my experiences when it comes to writing projects. This was probably not the best idea that I've ever had. Right now, I'm tackling a research project in regards to midwifery, their education, and birth outcomes in relation to that. I'm finding out more than I ever knew in regards to the entire CPM title/certification and sometimes it causes me to have to close my laptop and walk away. This is infuriating and I don't get how I fell for this crap nor how others are ok with it.

          MANA, did you know, they are the ones that created all these other little organizations. We see stuff about how CPM's can CHOOSE to go to an MEAC accredited school. Did you know members of MANA are the MEAC??? I sure as heck didn't know that! Everything in regards to CPM's always sounds so legit and they throw out organization names without telling anybody that they are one big conglomerate. Even NARM was created by them.It's great that they set their mind on trying to be legit, although there is already legit midwifery credentials and organizations out there. However, to have one group decide on everything is just corrupt.

          I happened to come across something called a job analysis, which is what NARM bases their exam on. How is this analysis done?? By surveying direct entry midwives about what skills and knowledge bases they deem important in midwifery. In the latest analysis the survey says they are more concerned with counseling women on alcohol consumption in pregnancy than in knowing how to treat group B strep. Lets take a good look at that. Group B Strep, untreated, will affect 1 in 200 babies and kill 1 in 20.  FAS affects .2-2 in 1,000 babies, with the mortality rates at 2.4%. Can anyone with a mathematical background please tell me which one of these is more prevalent? Why in the world are these uneducated women picking and choosing which skill sets they believe are unimportant?? Why is NARM changing the exam to cater to women that have decided they don't see the importance of various skills or knowledge bases? Am I the only one that thinks this is completely nuts??

          Something really has to change. This whole CPM credential needs abolished. We are already seeing the mortality rates rising, in not only babies, but in mothers as well. There is absolutely no excuse as to why these people should be practicing. Frankly, I think the majority are just too lazy and stupid to get a proper education. That's all it is. You want to do something with your life, well, make it happen, properly! Hell, I will need a Bachelors to work in my field. I can't just decide I want to do something and follow another clueless person around. I also won't be facing a life or death situation. For those CPM supporters, you guys need to pull your heads out of your asses and look at this situation without the rose colored glasses.

           You may be thinking to yourself, "Wow, she sounds angry". You're right, I am. I am beyond angry that this piss poor standard is promoted. I am pissed that not only did I lose my child, but I have friends that have lost their beautiful babies too. I am pissed that children are losing their mothers. I am pissed that these numbers are on the upswing. I know that it's only a matter of time before some celebrity either losses their baby, dies themselves, or worse- lose both mother and baby (happened recently). Something has to give, people have to stand up. This is getting worse.

In Defense of Mothers and Babies, A response to In Defense of Midwives

Shannon Mitchell recently created a blog post titled In Defense of Midwifery. I read this with my jaw dropped. This, it just, it needs it's own post.

I want to address a few things here:

Shannon, you bring up knowing stories of midwives who have been arrested, investigated, have a "bad outcome" that makes the state take notice or parents being upset over the outcome. You nonchalantly say "It happens, it's inevitable, all midwives face it at some point". What you call a bad outcome is an incredibly dehumanizing term. Let's call it what it is- a DEATH or DISABILITY. Most of the time, at home, these outcomes ARE avoidable. If you have all of these midwives being arrested or investigated, there's a reason. It's not persecution of poor little midwives. It's someone caring about the "bad outcomes" the community cares to not address. If the community had a choice, our babies deaths/injuries would be swept under the rug and never addressed.

Shannon, you say this goes beyond various denialist mindsets such as, "it could never happen to me", "there must be more to the story", and "what was really going on". Actually, no, this does NOT go beyond denialist mindsets. If a midwife is educated and trained and knows not to take risks, it very well may never happen to her. Most of the time, there IS more to the story. Looking at the role your midwife buddy may of played in a death or disability is necessary. It's important to question, esp in the midwifery community.

Shannon, you are worried that if Rowan Bailey is charged that a precedent may be set and other midwives could be found guilty of murder. The issue here is that Rowan screwed up. The law states that murder is the unlawful killing of a human by another human with malicious aforethought. One of the definitions of malice is "Reckless indifference to an unjustifiably high risk to human life". So, yes, she has committed murder. Let's be honest, most homebirth deaths are due to a reckless indifference to human life.  A precedent needs set to protect mothers and babies. If the community won't handle this, then the law needs to.

Shannon, you say that one day it will be a fellow midwife looking into a grieving mother's eyes helping her comprehend her loss saying you hope there isn't a DA behind her calling that midwife a murderer. As that grieving mother whose midwife attempted to manipulate her multiple times, I'm of the opinion that midwives have absolutely no business trying to help us comprehend our losses. Midwives have shown us that they are all about themselves as this blog posts blatantly expresses. If there is a DA behind the parents, then yes, that midwife messed up. The DA doesn't get involved if a death is from congenital anomalies! If this death was preventable, oh yeah, they need to be involved!

Shannon, you tell fellow midwives to get off their asses, pull their heads out of the sand, and realize ramifications of this stuff on midwives. Here is where I will agree with you. Yes, the community needs to get off it's lazy ass and start really looking at their fellow midwives actions and see how their "sisters" are harming them. You are sticking up for a murderer and encouraging others to stick up for them as well. You are completely minimizing the actions of these midwives. You are telling every single grieving mother that her baby is unimportant, that only the midwife she had matters.

Lastly, Shannon, you tell fellow midwives to imagine having to tell someone they love and respect that they are being charged with murder in the death of a baby. How about you having to call your friends and family and tell them that your baby is dead? Or how about having to tell people that your decision is why your baby is dead. I have had to look people in the eye and admit that my choice to have a homebirth with a CPM is why my daughter isn't here. I have to look at that person in the mirror every day. I would of never of made the same decisions if I knew the outcome would be this.

Lucky for Shannon, a CPM by the name of Jessica Weed ran to her rescue in the comments about how midwives need to stand in solidarity. Why?? Jessica herself managed to get herself arrested for child abuse because she chose to take on a breech delivery where the baby ended up with bleeding on the brain and behind the retinas on top of mom ending up with an infection due to retained placenta. Wood also asked parents not to disclose her involvement in the delivery.  I certainly don't question why someone like Weed would promote the solidarity ideals!