a_birth-scene._oil_painting_by_a_french___painter_acc8abo.jpg

A birth-scene. Oil painting by a French (?) painter, Åbo, Sweden (later Turku, Finland), 1800. Source: Wellcome Collection(Fig leaf added. Source: Pmpatricio, Wikipedia Commons.)

Home birth during a pandemic

One of our fearless, long-time leaders of The Big Push for Midwives Campaign, Deborah Fisch of Mama's Got a Plan fame, seeded the idea of a "landing page of landing pages for home birth during this pandemic." Deb shared this with us for the benefit of the whole PushNation, which is pushing to bring Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) out from underground economies and fully integrate them into the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) Continuum of Care in all US states and territories:

"There’s a PLAN for home birth and home birth midwifery during COVID-19? Well, not in the sense of a master document that tells all pregnant people in the United States what to do. But there is a lot of information popping up about pregnant people facing crowded hospitals full of sick people, wanting home births, not being able to access midwifery care, and more. As a public service, we track and capture that information on this page. These links will be of use primarily to consumers, if one can call pregnant people consumers – they seem more like producers! In addition, some information will be relevant to home birth midwives, as well as to attorneys who work to safeguard the rights of both the people giving birth and their midwives."

Where's_My_Midwife_Logo.pngTo see the recent News Reports, visit the PushHeadlines page (or just scroll to the bottom of this page). Read this News Release 'Where's My Midwife?' Map Links Midwives to Pregnant People, and see the new crowdmap here. Also, check out the new Where's My Midwife? website here and catch the new Podcast here.

Speaking of Maps, check out the latest PushMap (and PushChart) that show that in 14 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, CPMs are at risk of criminal prosecution for practicing medicine or nursing without a license, driving the practice of midwifery underground and creating barriers to access for women seeking care.

Here too are several Asks coming forward from the PushStates related to home birth and CPMs.

If you need Legal Resources, please contact these organizations and read their recent analysis.

Finally, the following are the Landing Pages and many resources from a variety of national and international organizations that are providing helpful information for home birth during this pandemic. 

If you want to add your information to this page or otherwise contact us, send us an email.

If you want to read more about the strategy priorities of the Big Push for Midwives, click here.

If you want to LOL during this crazy time, see more from the wicked smaht Deborah Fisch:


See the most recent HEADLINES from across the PushNation here: