Why Are Lawyers, OBGYNs, and Special Interest Groups demanding that home birthers in Nevada sign a completely useless, possibly self-incriminating piece of paper and hand it to her midwife for “safekeeping” for five years, then…throw it away?
Answer: they’re not.
After the astonishingly terrible 2021 Midwifery Licensure Bill failed to pass in the last session, the same authors have brushed it off, changed a few things, and re-submitted it to lawmakers again.
Nevada is one of the last states in the union that does not regulate midwifery, and remains a destination for women from surrounding, regulated states. Sometimes they drive hours to have the births they want. Women are free to choose where, when, with whom they give birth, and midwives are free to practice according to the dictates of their conscience. This bill (which does not have a number yet) seeks to change all that.
Many will recall that the bill did not pass because the vast majority of Nevada’s home birthers and midwives hated it and fought to see it die. It didn’t die, unfortunately, but lies gasping for breath in the halls of the legislature.
I have a sinking feeling that someone is going to give this little gremlin some water, transforming it from a harmless creature to a toothy monster.
What happens next? The Legislative Counsel Bureau (a group of people consisting of ZERO midwives and maybe completely unaware that planned home birth still happens) will officially translate it into the complicated legal jargon we all enjoy reading in our spare time.
Since the team doesn’t know a thing about home birth, they’ll likely get a few things wrong, missing the “intent” of the bill, or worse, get it all right, fully understanding the intent of the bill, which is to control how women give birth in their own homes.
So, about that useless paper.
It seems that “several stakeholder groups” feel that a “community birth disclosure” form is very important. This form, which will be written by the Powers That Be, must be signed by every woman seeking to hire a midwife, assuring The Powers That Be that she understands the differences between the types of midwives.
(Tune in later for some thoughts on what a “stakeholder” is. Also tune in later for some thoughts on their use of the phrase “community birth.” And, because the fun just never ends around here, let’s also discuss the use of the phrase “traditional midwife.”)
For now, let’s just ponder the word “disclose,” implying, of course, that some midwives are hiding something about themselves, their training, education, and experience. This is laughable and ironic, considering that the average first visit with a midwife–the interview, if you will–is two hours long.
Most women who choose home birth do so after extensive research, and continue to educate themselves throughout their pregnancies. By the time they have arrived for that first appointment, most already have a very good understanding of the differences in birth settings, types of midwives, and what they want for their birth. Those who get through a pregnancy without this knowledge do not get there for lack of opportunities to learn.
I will go so far as to say that women have a right to remain uneducated if they so choose. This is certainly true of thousands and thousands of women who use the mainstream medical system, choosing to trust the professionals and the state that licenses them, and assuming this will protect them against poor outcomes.
There are other implications to this form, of course. Another implication is that women must answer to someone about their choices. Handed a “disclosure” form, a woman gets a pang of self-doubt. For some, who have chosen to exit the mainstream medical system due to harassment from CPS, it sets off alarm bells: who is going to see this form? If something goes wrong, will I be viewed as negligent?
In an attempt to placate those who protest against such an intrusion into the client-midwife relationship, we’re told that midwives won’t turn the form into anybody.
Then what is the point? What happens if the midwife refuses to provide the form, or a client refuses to sign? The most reasonable assumption is that if there is ever a question–say there is a poor outcome, or a client refuses to pay the midwife’s fee for some reason, is that the Board will intervene.
Which board? Why, the one that will dictate– excuse me, “regulate”–the practices of licensed midwives and the women who choose them. Such a board does not exist in Nevada, and its formation will be one of the trickiest and most contentious parts of this entire messy process.
The chances of a non-licensed midwife being on this board are next to zero, providing no representation.
You can see where this is going: the state expects to oversee all home births, even those of women and midwives who fervently desire to be left alone. The introduction to this intrusive relationship begins in the form of a seemingly harmless piece of paper, but it ends in Nevada’s women losing a precious legacy of freedom and autonomy in birth.
How can you help? Write Assemblywoman Monroe-Moreno, especially if you are in her district. Call or email. Let her know that you oppose the new midwifery licensure bill and you want to see it dropped before the session opens.
Then, share your birth story. Why did you choose home birth? How did you learn what you wanted to know about your midwife and her training?
If we come together as we did last time, and do not become complacent, I’m confident we can shoot down this attempt to infringe on our rights once again.
Let’s fight, Nevada.