Friday was a meeting by a subcommittee for the NE Bord of Health. Here are my thoughts on the meeting as I shared them with the NE Friends of Midwives.

I took
several notes. I felt that my jaded view of the medical
establishment was only confirmed by the actions of two specific
committee members. I don’t know how much trouble I would get the
group into by mentioning their names specifically, so I won’t. I
don’t care how much “trouble” I would get into myself.

Dr. Wills was wonderful. His introductory comments basically
contradicted the outcome of the Technical review committee and he
stated that the vote was made in “fear” rather than by analysis of
the facts. He mentioned several times that the issues brought up in
the application are already issues and they need to be address.
Closing our eyes to the acts or continuing to let DEM’s be illegal is
only causing harm and not helping.

I thought Heather’s testimony was quite calm and collected. The
committee itself did not look like it was prepared in any sense.
Because I was unable to attend any but the first of the technical
review meetings, I found her testimony quite interesting. I wish
they would have taken questions from the “audience.”

I liked Chanin’s comments as well. They were well prepared and I
liked that she addressed the fact that those who choose homebirth are
not uninformed people, but well educated and researched mothers and
fathers.

When Charles Palasin, attorney representing the Nebraska Medical
Association, spoke in opposition to the applications, one of the
doctors on the panel called him “Chuck.” I think this shows a sort
of “croony” type attitude that tells us that the people who are
making this decision already stand in the opposition category, and
therefore cannot decide this neutrally.

I feel like the panel missed the point that homebirths are already
happening and that by voting against these applications, they are
allowing an existing harm to already continue where those who are
choosing homebirth have no licensed professionals they can turn to.
We may love our midwives, but having a legal route is better.

Unfortunately, despite being told, “We are NOT introducing homebirth
to the state. It is ALREADY happening, we need to assess how to best
serve those making the homebirth choice.” The panel kept acting as
though “I don’t like homebirth” was reason enough to vote against the
applications.

I was disappointed that Chanin was the only person who mentioned our
postcard campaign and the board of health knew nothing about it. Why
did they not count how many they received? I stated this to another
NE Friends of Midwives who said that we can’t know how many were
mailed. Yes, we can. The BOH should have them and count them. If
they ignore those postcards, then they are ignoring the NE public,
and they are not serving their purpose as a board who examines
medical care for the NE public.

And, my third point on this is that the BOH needs frequent reminders
that 40 other states license DEMs and it is not any more dangerous in
the state of Nebraska. I would think comparing birth statistics for
DEM licensed states and Nebraska would show that Nebraska has higher
infant mortalities and Cesaerean births per population.

I just saw where someone asked who sat on the panel. I noted: Janet
Coleman (who was for the homebirth stuff for awhile but one comment
by Dr. Discoe dissuaded her), Daryl Wills, Ed Discoe, Linda Heiden,
Roger Reamer, Gary Westerman, Ron Briel, and Les Spry.

By the way, do they realize that most birth centers are business
propositions, either founded by midwifes or entrepreneurs with hired
midwifes? Do they realize that loans for these businesses are very
hard to come by and it may be a “middle ground” but that for those
who want a hospital birth, they will not go to a birth center, and
those who want a homebirth, a birth center is not a “happy medium.”?
I guess not.

Anyway, I am also really upset by yesterday’s meeting. Several times
I felt like standing up and saying “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” After
Chanin said, basically the stereotype of homebirthing women is wrong,
comments made by board members (specifically the ones with “Dr” in
front of their names) showed that they believe all mothers/patients
are uneducated and incapable of making these decisions without their
guidance.

Instead of resorting to the snide comments I would like to make in
regards to specific panel members, I will end this email. I will
add that after the two meetings I have attended, I do feel like our
attendance means nothing to those who are voting. I don’t want to
dissuade people from attending and making every effort to attend, and
I certainly plan on attending the July 24 meeting, but I am thinking
I will need to go out and have a stiff drink after.

By the way, we were admonished that the BOH have lots of issues to
cover in one afternoon and they will not be spending 3 1/2 hours on
this topic.