You Gotta Fight, For your Right...

To Give Birth?!?!  Yep, in the state of Utah, you have to fight (and fight hard) for the right to give birth how and where and with whom you want.

Three years ago, Direct Entry Midwives became legal and could carry numerous life saving tools (oxygen, pitocin, among other things), and could legally care for Mother's and the babies that they love.  We rejoiced.  But, we knew that the Utah Medical Association wasn't going to let us get away that easily.

Last year, they proposed a new bill basically making the midwives illegal, and it died in the House.  This year, it is doing well.  Not so great for us.

Here is what has been happening.  The UMedA was instructed to meet with the Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives (LDEM's) and reach a compromise.  Well, using their underhanded tactics, yesterday, they presented a completely different bill than the one that was being worked on and it has passed the Senate.

For those who like to read the bills and such, here it is.  The wording is so ambiguous that practically every woman who desires midwifery care, will not be able to have it.  I "risk out" because of my c-section with my first baby, regardless of my 2 homebirth's since.

Regardless of the fact that the current law is working, and that the LDEM's have done EVERYTHING required (and more), they are being threatened.  We are being threatened.  If this bill passes, I will be required to go to the hospital to have this baby in September.  Now, hospitals are not bad places, just not for me...and they are not the best places if you want to have a VBAC.  It doesn't matter that I've had 2 VBAC's, I would be required to have a c-section if I went to the hospital.

Now tell me, doesn't this sound ridiculous?  What a waste of tax payer's money!  They are trying to amend something that doesn't need amending.  The Utah Medical Association is using dirty tactics and is LYING to  get the 1% of us who have home births, to come back to the hospital.  They claim that their interest lies only in the health of Mother and Baby.  I think not.  I think it lies in the almighty dollar.

So...that is what has been going on with me.  Oh, that and I have Influenza A and am recovering and both my kids have it too.  We close on the house tomorrow and move on Monday.  Not much going on here...what about with you? ;)