Also see Aspiring Appalachian Midwife After the birth of my first child, I knew without a doubt that I had missed my calling. I had searched for a midwife to care for me during a homebirth but the restrictive laws in my state meant there was a homebirth midwife shortage and I could not find one who served my area. So, I had driven over an hour to birth under the care of nurse midwives in a hospital setting. That experience and the compassionate care I received was something I wanted all women to be able to experience. After the birth of my second child, I became a birth and postpartum doula through Birth Arts International. I was looking for something to utilize this desire in me to care for and guide women during this momentous time in their lives. Doula work fulfilled a lot of that for me but, there was always this regret that I was unable to offer the service my area needed most, another birthing option outside of the established hospital system. My state is not birthing center friendly and at the time was not CPM friendly, either. After one year as a doula, I became active with the Kentucky Birth Coalition, a grass roots consumer group lobbying to license Certified Professional Midwives in our state. Meeting with my legislators and helping fundraise was a new experience for me. My passion for midwifery awoke a passion for politics and public issues that I didn’t know I had. At the time, I simply knew my community needed midwives and recognition at the state level seemed the best way to attract new midwives. Becoming a midwife myself was a dream, but the priority at that moment was making it an accessible dream for myself and those with similar desires. More importantly, making midwives accessible to birthing people and their families. I’m glad to say that in 2019 we succeeded in bringing the midwives of Kentucky out of the shadows and fear of legal repercussions and passed a bill to officially license them. Fast forward to the birth of my third child, a homebirth under the care of a Certified Professional Midwife. I immediately knew I needed to become a midwife. The birth of each of my children has always fueled a change in myself that I can’t fully describe. Pregnancy, birth, and motherhood can be a transformative experience and therefore the care you receive during this special time matters. This was certainly the case for me as each pregnancy, birth and new day as mother has shaped me as a woman. I can pinpoint these moments of transformation and largely credit the care I received from my midwives as instrumental in building my confidence during these delicate points in my life. But the impressive quality of my home birth midwife’s care, from spending an hour talking to her each prenatal visit, the knowledgeable labor support, and her skilled hands in assisting my baby’s shoulder dystocia changed me greatly. As I settled into the quiet atmosphere of my own home after birthing my baby, I knew I would never do it another way. I knew more women need this option for their own families. I knew it was a calling worth pursuing. I quickly became her birth assistant so I could learn and grow. I also continued to grow my doula business and support clients who choose to birth outside the hospital setting. Beyond my personal experiences, my experiences as a doula have opened my eyes to the desperate need for more and better maternity care in my community. While I continue to be a resource in my own right for those in my community seeking high quality, alternative care, there are unique circumstances that keep Southeastern Kentucky from having access to healthcare in general. From geography to the economy, this area has historically faced challenges. According to the 2018 report from March of Dimes, so many of the counties in my region are “maternity care deserts” without hospitals or providers to care for pregnant women. The most recent Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) shows that the Kentucky region of Appalachia still falls behind economically even compared to other parts of Appalachia. These past six years have opened my eyes to the lack of options and resources for families. From my personal experience of driving over an hour and half one way to birth my children and receive the care, respect and support I desired, to supporting clients who choose to do the same. Then experiencing and witnessing the possibilities of home birth and the difference it can make firsthand. These things have shaped me and my compassion for birthing women. I have a passion for helping “my people” of Southeastern Kentucky and a passion for respectful and quality maternity care. My goal is to combine these passions and fulfill my dream of becoming a midwife. While my goals have evolved and grown with me, my ultimate goal of being a positive influence in my community has not. Families seeking the care of a CPM are often the same ones seeking a greater sense of connection. They are rejecting the long waiting room times, hurried providers, and discontinuity of care accepted by most. By providing an exceptional care model for them, they are empowered to model that throughout their sphere of influence, and so midwifery really can “bring peace on earth.” So once again I’ll say, the experience of pregnancy, birth, expanding a family are transformative events. It’s a single event that is never forgotten by the person experiencing it. How they feel and are supported during this time matters in the long term and will filter out in a variety of ways into a society. It is the ultimate reason I want to become a midwife. I believe by serving women and families with compassion and respect, you can make a positive impact on individuals which filters out into their communities and will last beyond a lifetime. Midwifery will give me the tools to serve my community with compassionate, quality care that respects their human rights, basic needs, and unique cultural attributes. This is a need I have both personally experienced and continue to witness as I work with pregnant women and their families. Ultimately, I want to be an agent of change by gently and authentically helping individual families as they go through the transitions of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. by: Laura Browning
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LauraI'm the owner of Sage Roots. Woman, wife, mother, doula, writer, bookworm, hiker, gamer, and Christian. Categories
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