The health of our societies begins with the birth of our babies.
In British Columbia, all over the country and world, families are being stripped of their right to choose in birth. We believe families have the fundamental right to make those decisions, and not putting the choice in the hands of a maternal health system.
We believe you should have the choice to invite who you want to attend your birth
The time is now.
It is time we take a stand to protect the rights of birthers and babies. Families have the right to choose whether they wish to birth in hospital, at home with a registered midwife, at home with attendants outside of the maternal health system, or even with a baby deer in the woods.
“If women lose the right to say when and how they birth their children, then they will have lost something that’s as dear to life as breathing.”
- Ami Mckay, The Birth House
Peaceful Birth Rally:
Preserving Our Right to Choose
When: Friday April 12, 2024
time: 12pm-3pm
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
Coercion is
not
consent
Send a letter to BCCNM in support of the right to choose:
email to: Cynthia Johansen ceo@bccnm.ca
mail to: 900 – 200 Granville St., Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4
telephone: 604.742.6200
copy
&
paste
Dear Cynthia Johansen CEO and BC College of Nurses and Midwives,
I understand that the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) exists to ensure unshakeable confidence in nursing and midwifery care. I also know that stated in the scope of practice Midwives respect the client’s right to choose both their caregiver and place of birth.
I am so grateful that you are a regulated body that is here to support my medical choices and location of birth within the medical maternal system if I choose or am able to access your services. I am also aware that the term “Midwife” is a regulated term only to be used by those who are registrants with the BCCNM.
As a member of the public I am aware that the term Doula, Birthkeeper and Traditional Birth Attendant do not meet your regulatory requirements, are not advertising themselves as BCCNM Members and are outside of your medical model of care. I also understand that members of our society do not align, or wish to have a Registered Midwife (RM) manage their care.
A variety of reasons for this could include, but are not limited to,
- They do not believe pregnancy or birth is a medical event and do not seek care under any medical model
- They have trauma induced by their past including sexual assault, obstetrical violence, authority figures, Hospitals or medical providers
- They feel confident to birth without a medical attendant
- Their RM does not support or provide homebirth
- They have been released from their Registered Midwife’s care
- They have had the experience of being supported by their RM then in the final weeks have been told that they cannot have a homebirth.
- Their rural community does not have access to a RM
The truth is that British Columbians’ right to choose where, when and with whom they birth are at risk. A birthkeeper’s ability to support families where the medical system leaves a gap is needed in our communities. While I may or may not make the choice to give birth at home, I believe the rights of my friends, family, neighbours and children are important enough to send this letter. Their choice to invite a RM, a friend, Doula or a Birthkeeper without fear of getting reprimanded or their attendants getting interrogated is important to me.
And as the late Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau said “There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation.”
I do have grave concerns about your recent actions of releasing notices and public advisories and naming members publicly who are not members of your institution and raiding their homes. This is a gross overstepping of authority and I urge the BCCNM to stop all actions against BC birthworkers immediately. Your actions are creating further distrust in the system and confusion for birthworkers in BC. People will always birth unattended and your attempt to control that goes against your own statement of Midwifery is holistic by nature, combining an understanding of the social, emotional, cultural, spiritual, psychological and physical ramifications of the reproductive health experience.
Sincerely,
Name:
Location:
Join the social media campaign:
I am a birthkeeper
share an instagram story or post highlighting birth belongs to families- not a system. Be sure to tag @birthcarealliance and hashtag #IAmABirthkeeper
I am a birthing person, a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, an auntie, an uncle, a grandma,
a grandpa, a friend, a neighbour.
I was born.
I care about birth, those giving birth, and those being born.
I give birth.
As a birthing person/woman, I choose where, when, and with whom I give birth.
I am one who holds the wisdom of birth.
I am a keeper of birth.
I am a birth keeper.
Name:
Who you are: (mom, dad, sister ect)
What did you do as a birthkeeper?
#IAmABirthkeeper
