Category Archives: Birth Centers

More Business of Being Born

By The Midwife | Published: August 24, 2011

Back in 2007, I was lucky enough to attend an advance screening of The Business of Being Born in New York City, and I wrote this review of it at the time.  Since then, it’s become widely popular and widely viewed, loudly praised and criticized by opposing sides of the birth debate, and has served as […]

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Recession relief: midwifery saves money

By The Midwife | Published: December 30, 2008

Let’s face it: the economy sucks right now.  We haven’t yet hit rock bottom, and it’s going to be awhile (probably a long while) before things begin to recover.  In the midst of this harsh financial reality, companies and industries are scrambling to find ways to save money.  Birth activists have been trying for decades […]

Also posted in Issues, Labor and Birth, Midwifery, Politics, Women's Health | 2 Comments

ACOG’s Statement on Homebirths

By The Midwife | Published: February 11, 2008

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently issued a Statement on Homebirth which condemns homebirth and all those who are willing to attend homebirth (aka midwives), concluding that only “…the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex, that […]

Also posted in Choice, Homebirth, Hospitals, Labor and Birth, Politics | 2 Comments

Grassroots Birth Survey

By The Midwife | Published: December 5, 2007

The other day I discovered a postcard at my local yoga center urging women to participate in a birth survey, which instantly piqued my interest; apparently this survey has already been going on for some time, although I have only now heard about it. A little research has revealed that the Coalition for Improving Maternity […]

Also posted in Choice, Homebirth, Hospitals, Midwifery, Politics, Pregnancy, Research | 1 Comment

The Business of Being Born

By The Midwife | Published: May 8, 2007

Last Friday I was a very lucky duck: I was able to attend a screening of The Business of Being Born at the Tribeca Film Festival, hosted by Friends of the Birth Center, along with a post-show talkbalk with the Abby Epstein, the director of the movie, and Ricki Lake, the producer, followed by a […]

Also posted in Birth Education, Homebirth, Hospitals, Labor and Birth, Midwifery, News, Politics, Reviews | 6 Comments

Open letter to the AABC

By The Midwife | Published: February 9, 2007

Dear American Association of Birth Centers: I have a lot of respect for you. I feel that you’re a very informed and informative organization, providing countless resources for both families seeking a birth center experience, and for midwives, doctors, nurses and other care providers and community advocates who are interested in opening up birth centers […]

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Selected Bibliography on Birth Centers

By The Midwife | Published: December 8, 2006

This is in follow-up to last week’s post about ACOG’s recent new policy on out-of-hospital birth. The American Association of Birth Centers wrote a detailed and very well researched response, and included a 2 page selected bibliography on the safety and efficacy of birth centers at the end of the letter. I thought I’d just […]

Also posted in Labor and Birth, Midwifery, Research | Leave a comment

The Out-of-hospital birth debate continues

By The Midwife | Published: December 3, 2006

A few weeks ago, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released the following policy on out-of-hospital birth: Out of Hospital Births in the United States Labor and delivery is a physiologic process that most women experience without complications. Ongoing surveillance of the mother and fetus is essential because serious intrapartum complications may arise with […]

Also posted in Homebirth, Hospitals, Issues, Midwifery, Politics | 5 Comments

National Midwifery Week

By The Midwife | Published: October 6, 2006

Funny how IP will just knock the wind out of you. You wake up on a Friday morning and realize that it’s been National Midwifery Week ALL week, and you haven’t said or done a thing about it. However, it’s not too late to celebrate! This year, like last year, our local NYC ACNM chapter, […]

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Around Town

By The Midwife | Published: June 16, 2006

If anyone is in New York in the next two weeks, be sure to check out Until the Violence Stops: NYC, a two week festival organized by playwright Eve Ensler to help educate and promote awareness about violence against women, with events and venues all over the 5 boroughs. Like V-Day, which uses creative events […]

Also posted in Midwifery, Violence Against Women | Leave a comment