Letter from an OB that gets it

I found this while browsing blogs linked to At Your Cervix. While an out of hospital birth is not the right choice for every family, I deeply feel that it is one that should be available and legal to every family. By ACOG issuing a statement that out of hospital births are inherently dangerous and that congress should take steps to prevent/outlaw them, it brings us closer to limiting MY right to choose what I feel is best for MY body and family. I am not ok with congress making medical decisions for me. Especially when there is no basis for their decisions.

As this Dr points out, midwives are highly trained and have the best interest of their patients at heart. I know that my own midwives want what is best for me and my baby, even if that means they can't be the ones to provide it. On a much simpler level, they don't want the risk of something "happening" on their watch! If there is even the slightest indication that something may not be routine or lowest of risks, I risk out of their care and to the hospital I go with their OB back ups. This is for the love of my child as well as their own necessity to CYA. I get that and knowing it gives me that much more confidence in them. It is not a blind choice that we make when we choose a birth center or home birth.

Anyway, reading that letter from an OB who fully supports midwives and out of hospital births made me feel more confident that there are those out there willing to fight for what women have been doing since the dawn of man. Its a lengthy letter but one worth reading in my opinion.