Big Valley Midwives

"Doulas are a form of pain relief in themselves (Hofmeyr, 1991). With continuous support, laboring people are less likely to request epidurals or pain medicatio...n. It is thought that there is fewer use of medications because birthing people feel less pain when a doula is present. An additional benefit to the avoidance of epidural anesthesia is that women may avoid many medical interventions that often go along with an epidural, including Pitocin augmentation and continuous electronic fetal monitoring (Caton, Corry et al. 2002)." . Read more about the evidence for doula support at Evidence Based Birth [link in Instagram bio]. Our petition needs your signature! . by @mattietrigophotography & shared with permission (@sheila_the_doula ) See more

Lovely VBA2C at home this morning.

Just taking a moment here to brag. My former apprentice Stephanie Esparza is now Licensed Midwife 624. Keep an eye out for all her great work as Dos Latidos Birth

There is no rush during your postpartum journey Thanks @betterbeginningsmn for this great reminder! . .... . #breastfeeding #normalizebreastfeeding #breastisbest #breastmilk #postpartum #postpartumbody #newmom #newborn #postbabybody #postpartumrecovery #postpartumhealth #badassbreastfeeder #fourthtrimester #birthsongbotanicals #birthsongbotanicalsco #letyourloveandyourmilkflow #lettherebemilk #naturalmom #naturalmomma #midwife #doula #breastfed #breastfedbaby

Equitable representation matters! The future of #midwifery and access to safe, compassionate, and culturally responsive care for all childbearing people depends on it. www.nacpm.org/donate

Super proud of my apprentice Stephanie Esparza and my friend and colleague Kiki Jordan. Watch the video and please consider making a contribution if you can.

This article features Kiki Jordan, LM. Her practice in Oakland, California is Birthland.

This is a beautiful photo of what normal can look like

Born in the Caul

The CDC clearly spells out that the ideal setting for a healthy, term newborn is to room in with their mother while in the hospital. https://www.cdc.gov//2019-ncov/hcp/caring-for-newborns.html

Last chance to kill this bill. Stand up for #VBAC

I have so missed the Drive In! This is great news families!

People in the US: Imagine if everyone could access VBAC within 30 minutes of their home. How would that transform maternal morbidity and mortality from multiple... repeat cesarean sections and accreta? #vbac #vbacfacts #tolac #ruralvbac #planningavbac #hospitalvbac #obstetrics #laboranddeliverynurses #doulas #midwifery #homevbac #homebirth #birthcenter #birthcentervbac #communityvbac #accreta #hopeforaccreta

Due before 11/30? We are offering a cash discount on care at Welcome Home Community Birth Center to round out our autumn schedule. Fill out our contact form at https://www.communitybirthsac.org/ for more information :)

EDIT: THE VOTE WAS DELAYED WHICH MEANS YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO CALL YOUR ASSEMBLYPERSON - ITS LIKELY THEY WILL VOTE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AND THE VOTE HAS NOT YET HAPPENED SO YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO CALL. I just called my local Assemblyman Adam Gray to let him know I oppose SB1237 and why. If you live in this district, here is his phone number Tel: (209) 521-2111 If you need to locate your California Assemblyperson use this link http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/... The vote is this afternoon.

SB 1237 supporters keep saying that this bill won't affect Licensed Midwives (LMs). That's just untrue. Physicians are currently a significant barrier to VBAC i...n every state. SB 1237 would require any CNM who wants to attend VBACs to have practice guidelines signed by a physician giving them permission to do so. If SB 1237 passes, the California Medical Association (CMA) and ACOG - the organizations behind these restrictions - will want to apply these same restrictions to LMs. Making physicians the gatekeepers to VBAC with LMs. Making physicians the gatekeepers to all VBACs throughout the state. CNMs would also need practice guidelines signed by a physician if they want to care for anyone not low-risk which BIPOC are more likely to be. How many physicians do you know would do that? And should the profession of midwifery be held hostage to the few wonderful physicians in the state who would sign such guidelines? What happens when they retire or pass away? What then? Signed practice guidelines are the functional equivalent of physician supervision which is already problematic for many reasons. What does SB 1237 mean for Black people who want a VBAC? The cesarean rate among Black birthing people in California is 42%. FORTY-TWO PERCENT SB 1237 will make CNM VBAC contingent on a physician signature, making it very difficult, if not impossible, for Black people to VBAC with a CNM, pushing them back into physician-led care which is where most got their cesarean in the first place. With only ~12% of people having a VBAC in California, where most births are attended by physicians, where does that leave Black people? While this bill has been named the Justice and Equity in Maternity Care Act, it's really important to listen to the voices of Black people who don't believe this bill would increase access. As an analysis written by three Black-led organizations asserts: This section [that restricts VBAC access] is self-serving, the ethos is not rooted in science, and is a platform to perpetuate violence on the bodies of birthing people... These concessions have been made, for no other reason, than professional bullying and oppression." (Read the analysis here: https://drive.google.com//1xF0PWN7N2s4q6SKdvHtx1y0Nte/edit) Imagine a world where any VBAC attended by a midwife required physician permission. This will effectively eliminate VBAC outside the hospital which is exactly what CMA and ACOG want. SB 1237 will take us one step closer to that stark and paternalistic future. When a bill is presented that removes physician supervision without compromising patient autonomy, we will use all of our power and influence to pass it. We stand with midwives and birthing people. We don't stand with legislation that has been effectively co-opted by CMA and ACOG to the detriment of birthing people and CNMs. With most births attended by physicians, the VBAC rate in California is ~12%. Now we are going to put CNM VBAC behind a physician's signature? We cannot chip away at VBAC. It is already so hard for parents to access. The next step for this bill is a floor vote in the Assembly which will likely take place the week of August 24th. Please, call your Assembly representative NOW to vote NO on SB 1237: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ To support our fight to oppose legislation that would restrict access to midwifery, including VBAC with a midwife, make a donation to advancingmidwifery.org. #CFAM #CNMA #CNM #YearOfTheNurseandMidwife #midwives #SenBillDodd #CALeg #DecolonizeBirth #VBAC #VBACUnderAttack #ObstetricViolence #SB1237 #stopsb1237 #stoplegislatingpregnantbodies

*Update 9/1/20*: SB 1237 passed the legislature and is on the Governor’s desk. Call NOW to ask him to veto this billl before it becomes law. (916) 445-2841. CA...LL OR EMAIL YOUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER TODAY! SB 1237 passed Appropriations and is on to a FINAL VOTE in the Assembly on Monday in 3 days! Next it goes to the governor to become a law. This bill erodes patient and midwife autonomy. It’s time for mass mobilization and to end the gaslighting and vote NO on a bill that makes physicians gatekeepers for VBAC and other arbitrary birth restrictions. It puts physicians in charge of midwifery care and enshrines broad stroke denials of service in state law. We need to let our legislators hear loud and clear that this is unacceptable to consumers and providers in CA. Please join the following advocacy, consumer, midwifery, and birth worker organizations and practices in saying No to SB 1237: Coalition for Ethical Maternity Care International Cesarean Awareness Network Midwives Alliance of North America California Association of Licensed Midwives Californians for Advancement of Midwifery California College of Midwives California Families for Access to Midwives Birth Rights Solutions VBAC Facts ICOM (East Bay Midwives of Color) The Oakland Better Birth Foundation Better Birth Association of Harlem, NY LGBTQ Perinatal Wellness Center Nia Healing Center for Birth and Family Life Roots of Labor Birth Collective Long Beach Birth Workers of Color Collective Full Moon Family Wellness & Birth Center Welcome Home Community Birth Center Golden State Midwifery and Birth Services Bakersfield Birth Center Birthstream Midwifery Service Big Valley Midwives See Midwives Birthwaves Midwifery Cornerstone Doula Trainings Birthing Without Fear Little Acorn Doula Services Hero Birth Services Not sure who your Assembly member is? Look it up here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ #CAFamilies4Midwives #CFAM #CNMA #CNM #YearOfTheNurseandMidwife #midwives #SenBillDodd #CALeg #DecolonizeBirth #VBAC #VBACUnderAttack #ObstetricViolence #SB1237

Evacuation Order and Warning | Immediate Release | San Joaquin County | #SCULightningComplex 08.20.20

*EVACUATION UPDATE* 8/20/20 Current evacuation areas in Stanislaus County