Home Birth, Midwives, and The Law

Silas in our herb bath still attached to his placenta (in a bowl next to him)

When you birth at home (assuming you have a great midwife), the focus is what is in the best interest of you and the baby, no strings attached.  At a hospital, even if you have excellent care, there are often hospital protocols and impatient medical personnel that you must choose to appease or fight.  I've had a great hospital birth, but even so, my midwife had to deal with a bunch of junk in the hallway to fight for my desires instead of just focusing on me and the baby.  There were things that happened to Malakai that we did not want, but had to because the hospital said so:  eye goop, vitamin k, ridiculous hearing test, not going home when we wanted to, etc.  At the hospital, the baby belongs to the hospital.  At home, we can just be a family.  Having a homebirth is not about having a fun or amazing birth experience for the mom.  It is a choice we make because we believe that is where our baby can have the safest most gentle birth without being cumbered about with much hospital protocols.  Yes, complications can arise, but they don't happen as much at home.  Unnecessary interventions (often because of hospital protocols or impatient medical personnel) CAUSE complications that require more interventions.  The most common are inductions, and timing labor and delivery to the extent that they do.  There are so many more, but most women don't even know they are wrong because they've never been taught otherwise.

Malakai on the scale after his pretty amazing hospital birth.
It makes me sad that all his beautiful vernix is gone here.
He was covered with it when he was born!

Certified professional midwives in states such as Indiana, practice "underground".  They must if they are going to help women who are having homebirths.  They can be extensively trained and certified, but the state simply does not allow them to obtain a license.  This legal situation is wrong, and those who act against it do so because they believe they are doing what is right in spite of the law.  This is much like how many people would respond to an anti-gun law.  I can tell you without a doubt that there would be countless people who would refuse to bend to that law and would not allow the government to disarm them.  Another example would be if it became illegal to carry a Bible or meet as a church.  Christians would then have to make a choice to obey the law or continue to follow their beliefs in spite of it.

In the case of Carol Velasquez, the deputy prosecutor claims that the issue is with illegally administering prescription drugs.  Those are the charges against Carol.  If Carol was carrying the drugs she is accused of carrying, she is in good company.  It would be very hard to find a midwife who doesn't carry Pitocin (for example). These midwives are simply arming themselves for any possible complication that may arise and the natural remedies are found to be insufficient.  Homebirth midwives should have the legal safety to care for their clients the best they can, but that is not the case at this time.  So, they give their clients the very best care while putting themselves on the line.

What needs to happen is that people need to speak up on the issue of homebirth freedom.  Midwives need to have the freedom to provide optimal care without the threat of the nightmare Carol Velasquez is going through right now.

Honestly, my husband put it in much better words than I did:

"Here is the thing, it is not a simple black and white issue. Is it technically illegal for a midwife to administer drugs such as Pitocin? I would have to answer yes. However, in order for midwives to be able to give excellent care to their clients and avoid certain complications they NEED to be able to use these drugs. The real problem is that it SHOULD be legal for CPMs to be able to use these drugs. By not allowing them to use them we are forcing midwives to either choose to compromise their clients care by forcing them to wait until they get to the hospital to receive treatment which in some cases may be too late when it could have been resolved easily at home by the midwife or take the risk because they are more concerned about the welfare of the baby and mother over the governing legislative body. Most midwives will choose the latter. It really is no different than a missionary going into another country where Christianity is outlawed, and under the pretense of being an English teacher, using that as a way to get into the country to teach them about Jesus. As Christians, we know it is TECHNICALLY illegal for them to teach Jesus and carry/distribute Bibles, but yet we encourage them, support them, pray for them, and fight for them if they get caught, because we believe it is the right thing regardless of what a governing body has declared. The same principle is true in this situation. The problem lies in the legislation, and I think some serious changes need to made at that level so midwives are not forced to make the sacrifices they do for the good of their clients."

 ~Matt Reeves

The Last 4 1/2 Weeks. . .

Four and a half weeks ago, we found out that the baby we are expecting is a boy.  As you probably know, this was significant news for us since I am a carrier of severe hemophilia A.  I've been off facebook a lot ever since. This was first because of a virus that hit our family right after finding out our little one is a boy, and second because we have a lot going on right now, and I have a lot to mentally and emotionally process.  I want to take some time and talk about that.

When I first saw that second pink line appear, I knew I was having a girl.  Of course I was having a girl!  I was so emotional, and we already had 3 boys and 1 girl.  Also, planning a birth for a girl is much less stressful for us than planning a birth for a boy, and I just knew that this time, we'd get a break.  This summer, we are moving, Matt will be going back to school in the Fall to pursue a nursing degree, and work full time on top of that.  It is very exciting, but also pretty stressful.  I was thinking that at least the birth planning would be a breeze.  We are hoping to move to MI where we already have a great midwife.  A girl would mean planning a simple homebirth with a midwife I already know and love.  Even though I said, "Oh, yeah, we could be having another boy!", I didn't really believe it.  I knew I was having a girl.  Then, it was time for our ultrasound. . .

The technician was so friendly and happy with us about our expecting our 5th.  She couldn't see anything revealing for what seemed like so long!  She was busy measuring all kinds of things, and then. . .

"Well, you've seen that before!" she said.

It was NOT the cord!  We saw very clearly that we were having another boy!  Matt and I just laughed.  4 boys and 1 girl?!  Wow!!  I was already very much in love with this tiny little guy, and now I knew that he was a HE.  We even knew his name:  Silas Martin Reeves. 

Even though we were very happy, we were in shock.  A boy meant a lot more work.  Yes, he could have severe hemophilia, but that wasn't what was weighing so heavily on me.  I was counting on having a break this time with birth planning, and having a simple homebirth.  With all the things we are dealing with right now, this was not going to be one of them. . . BUT now I knew it was. 

2 days later, our family was hit by a horrible stomach virus.  Eli was first.  He had a fever, and since he has a port, that meant 48 hours in the hospital.  It hit us all, and it was bad.  It lasted 5 days for each person, and it took 2 weeks total for us all to be well.

After we were well, I started thinking about Silas's birth, and things started hitting me.  Once again, I don't know where we are going to be for this baby's birth, and now, I have to plan for a severe bleeding disorder!  I still am not convinced that there is any danger for a severe hemophiliac with a gentle vaginal delivery unless drugs or interventions are involved (with the exception of breech, placenta previa, etc).  My main concern for planning a birth for a boy has always been getting his cord blood tested.  If we didn't get his cord blood tested, we would have to take him in for a blood draw which is traumatic for a baby. 

Our 4th, Malakai, was our first hospital birth.  His birth was awesome, but there were some things we didn't like especially afterwards:  the lack of rest, all the strangers (drs and nurses) coming in to touch the baby, the fact that the hospital pretty much owns the baby until they discharge you both, the ridiculous hearing test, the required vitamin K (although they did allow us to use oral instead of a shot), having to be separated for a few minutes from the baby so they could help him start breathing at birth (ended up being meconium, and they did a great job; but at home, we would've been set up right at the pool), our children couldn't be there at all due to a flu epidemic at the time (not to mention the fact that there was a flu epidemic at the time, and we were there with our newborn!), and the heel prick.  Malakai didn't have hemophilia, and we had an amazing hospital experience to say the least.  All the issues I just listed are nothing compared to what I've heard other people complain about, but still. . . I am a homebirther at heart.

I do not think that homebirth is the right choice in every situation, and maybe it's not the right choice for Silas.  I don't know yet, but I can't plan his birth until I know where we are going to be.  Matt has applied for so many jobs in MI, but has no leads.  He has started applying here in NY as well in case there is nothing in MI.  Soon, he will probably expand his search to other states as well.  We really can't afford to be picky right now!  Our income will end in just a month or two.  I decided that right now, I will just focus on keeping myself and Silas healthy, and when I know where we will be,  I will start planning his birth.  Before then, it's just too overwhelming for me. 

Even with all the birth planning stress and the possibility of more hemophilia in our family, I am SO excited about our new little guy!  Silas is a sweetie.  I am 21 1/2 weeks along now.  I feel him moving around more and more everyday.  My heart is full of love for him!  I know that everything will all work out, and when he is safely in my arms, I will look back on these days and smile.  God has always taken care of us.  We have been in more stressful situations that this, and everything is going to be ok. 

Thank you for your patience right now, and all your love, support, and prayers.

We're having a boy!

I am now 17 weeks pregnant.  Yesterday, my husband and I went to our ultrasound appointment and found out that our baby is a boy!  So, that makes 4 boys and 1 girl now for our family.  We were shocked silly.  Yes, of course we weren't truly shocked, but we did laugh a lot!  Another boy?!!  So much for having a break with birth planning, right?!  No, we are very happy about our little guy.  He even has a name:  Silas Martin Reeves.  He is a sweetie, about 6 ounces, and quite a wiggle worm.  We absolutely love him!! 

So, now for planning Silas' bubble wrapped birth. . .

We are hoping to move to MI in a couple months.  By then, I will be about 6 months along.  I spoke to our midwife there, and she gave me the name of a CNM who works in a birthing center there.  I will speak to her today.  The big hospital connected to Children's Hospital of Michigan says they offer water birth with midwives as well.  This hospital also happens to be one of the best in the country for hemophilia.  I will definitely be looking into that! 

The problem with homebirth is getting the cord blood tested.  Our midwife can draw it, and Matt could run it to a hospital lab to be tested, but they can't accept it without a prescription.  We would have to find someone who would write a prescription for us, and a 24 hour lab that would accept it from my husband/midwife. 

What we are looking for in a birth is:

• a totally hands-off approach
• water birth
• cord blood testing
• gentle baby care afterwards (ZERO separation, no heel prick, no vit k injection, etc.)

Obviously, if we could work out the cord blood testing, homebirth would be great.  If not, we have to find the most gentle hospital/birth center situation.  Getting the cord blood tested is very important because if we don't get it done, then we have to take our newborn in for a blood draw.  That is miserable torture for a baby, as any hemo parent knows! 

It will all work out.  I will not fear.  Although, I know I will have my moments. 

~Silas, we will make the safest birth for you, sweetie.  We love you so much!~

Sorry for the L-O-N-G absence!! I'm back!

Since last May, I have started a BWB facebook page.  That seems to be the best way to contact people, but I want to get back to writing!  I really don't get too much feedback on my page, but I hope some of the topics make some people think.  I have gotten a few birth stories.  One thing that continues to dominate my thinking is the fact that bleeds are caused by interventions!!  My husband and I want to have more children.  We did have an awesome birth with Malakai at the hospital, but the newborn care protocols are not very hemophilia safe.  For example:  if he'd had hemophilia, the heel prick would've probably caused a bleed.  We were able to get oral vitamin K, though.  That was very good since they wouldn't let us refuse it.  If we could be guaranteed that our baby would not be handled roughly or be poked, I would definitely have another hospital water birth, and consider that our best choice.  Until I can have that guaranteed, I still have my doubts.  #5 is not on his/her way yet, but if we get any exiting news, you are welcome to join us in planning for another bubble wrapped birth!  ;o)