Missing Midwifery

Been eBaying and crafting up a storm.  The house is clean.  Bills are paid.  Louis and Olivia are doing well.  Life is good.

I'm keeping busy every moment of the day and going to bed around 1 am each night.  It feels like there just aren't enough hours in a day to get everything done.  I'm a domestic goddess in training.

I have been missing midwifery a bit lately, though. The national health service in the UK just announced their new recommendation that all healthy, low-risk pregnant women stay home to give birth, instead of going to the hospital.  Well, hallelujah.  It's about dang time somebody "official" said it.

I have all this pent up frustration and straight up anger about prenatal care, birth, women's autonomy and general reproductive freedom.  And don't even get me started about circumcision and vaccines.

I'm missing my tribe of hardcore birth activists.  The ones who get it.  Who feel the same anger and frustration I do.  Those women who are willing to put their lives at risk to ensure women have the right to birth where, how, and with whom they choose.  And not just with birth but with mothering in general.  Radical mothers who believe that, just maybe, there's a connection between the chemicals in our food, environment, and bodies and brain development in kids.  Crazy women like me.

God, I miss Casa.

I hate this feeling of constantly having to tip-toe around pregnant family and friends for fear of offending anybody with my opinions or lifestyle.  Or meeting the average pregnant woman who thinks she's receiving midwifery care because she sees a different nurse-midwife for every 15 minute prenatal visit at Kaiser.  The average woman who will still pay a couple grand to birth in the hospital but believes she somehow can't afford to hire a real midwife for a homebirth.

Our midwifery non-profit is gearing up for a political battle in the coming year over the ability of women to have VBACs at home, which will be fought through the regulatory process.  We have several thousand followers on our Facebook page and it really is heartening to see there are women like me who are passionate about birth.  I know the brave ones are out there.  I just miss having my tribe immediately available now that I'm not working as a primary midwife and surrounding myself with my peers.  I've been enjoying my break from being on-call and I think I will be ready to get back to work again soon in the new year.  There's so much at stake.