Month: May 2010

Radical Doula Profiles: Lauren Guy McAlpin

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This is a series highlighting folks who identify as Radical Doulas. Are you interested in being part of the series? Email me.

Lauren Guy-McAlpin is a DONA-trained birth doula pursuing certification. Originally from Atlanta, Lauren moved to Greensboro, North Carolina at 18 to study dance at UNC-Greensboro, where she also earned a degree in Women’s and Gender Studies in 2008. In addition to doula’ing, Lauren is a longtime reproductive justice advocate, writer, and blogger for ChoiceUSA. She is the co-founder and project coordinator of CPC Watch, a web-based pregnancy options resource that focuses primarily on “crisis pregnancy centers” that give women false and misleading information about abortion, contraception, and sexuality. Lauren is also in the process of developing a full-spectrum doula collective to serve NC Triad women undergoing abortion, miscarriage, and birthing for adoption. You can contact her at spectrumdoulas@gmail.com.

What inspired you to become a doula?

Unlike many doulas, the decision to become a doula came to me before I ever experienced pregnancy and childbirth myself. About a year ago, when soul-searching for a career path, I realized doula work was my calling. It happened quite organically; I’ve identified as a feminist since middle school and have been a committed reproductive rights activist since early college. For me, doula’ing is merely turning those activities inward, to take my passion from the public sphere of politics and social justice to the private sector of the birthing room.

Why do you identify with the term radical doula?

I just love the word radical! Sociopolitical implications aside, radical means “at the roots.” Giving birth is, in essence, one of the most radical things the female body is capable of. Meaning of course, if women are not free to make informed decisions regarding if, when, where, how, and with whom they give birth, they are not and cannot ever be completely liberated from the shackles of patriarchal restriction.

Politically speaking, I suppose I fall squarely in the “radical” category. While this term has become loaded with negative connotations over the years, I see nothing wrong with advocating for radical change where radical change is needed. Consider, for example, how the Roe v. Wade decision did anything but allow women to take charge of our reproductive lives: the legal framework for abortion was indeed secured, but we continue to see financial, legislative, and cultural barriers to abortion (and contraception, birthing options, etc), especially when it comes to women of color and working class women. We see this trend in all matters reproductive, from abortion rights to the right to have children, from access to contraception to the right to birth where and how we please.

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Help me get to Netroots Nation

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We take a quick break from our regularly scheduled blogging to make a polite request!

I’m trying to get to Netroots Nation this year, a yearly gathering of the online progressive community, associated with the blog Yearly Kos. I’ve never been and I’d like to make it there this year.

You can help me with just a few clicks of your mouse! Democracy for America is hosting a scholarship contest and the winners are partly chosen by online voting. Thanks to my awesome community I’m currently in 6th place. Can you help me make it to the top three?

You can vote for me here.

The research is clear: Vaginal birth after c-section is safer and better

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Highlighting something that we all already knew, the research is finally starting to come down in our favor on this issue of vaginal births after c-section (VBAC). Despite the frightening number of hospitals entirely banning VBACs, and an alarming number of providers refusing to do them, the research is showing that VBACs are the safer, better option for most moms and babies.

From the LA Times:

The first paper summarizes the findings of a government consensus conference that took place in March at the National Institutes of Health. Researchers concluded that vaginal birth after cesarean is “a reasonable choice for the majority of women.” The paper is based on a large database of births and finds that although both elective repeat cesarean section and VBAC are highly safe, maternal death was higher for elective repeat Cesarean sections (0.013% versus 0.004% for a trial of labor). The rates of hysterectomy, hemorrhage and transfusions did not differ between the two groups. Uterine rupture — the complication that is usually given for discouraging VBACs — was rare but higher in the trial of labor group (0.47% compared with 0.03% in the repeat C-section group). Infant death was higher in the trial of labor group (0.13% compared with 0.05% in the repeat C-section group).

How long do we think it will take medical practice to catch up to the research?

Where’s my midwife?

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Sylvia from a new organization, Where’s my midwife? sent me this video. It chronicles the response to a Wilmington, NC ob-gyn practice that one day decided to fire all their midwives. The physicians told them that they didn’t want to “wait around for the midwifery patients to give birth.” This is unfortunately not a new or unique story. It’s happening all around the country. Midwives need autonomy from doctors who can control their ability to practice.

I got chills multiple times while watching.

It’s a success story, as their grassroots organizing resulted in a reversal of the antiquated hospital policy that required an OB to be present when a woman was giving birth with a midwife. Doesn’t look like the midwives got rehired though.

This movement is growing, that’s for sure. In just the three years I’ve been writing this blog, the activism and activity around this issue has exploded. There are so many more doulas, midwives, parent advocates. Things are getting worse in the world of birth, and it’s getting people activated.

Where’s My Midwife is continuing their activism beyond this one instance, and working to open a Birth and Wellness Center in Wilmington NC in May 2015.

The Doula Project (NYC) is recruiting!

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I can not say enough good things about this doula organization (and that’s not just because I was one of the founders). Lauren, Mary and all the amazing folks involved with this group have taken an amazing idea–providing support to pregnant folks across the spectrum of pregnancy–and created a vibrant and radical organization.

They’re recruiting for their next training this summer. They’re looking for trained birth doulas as well as folks who want to train as abortion doulas.

All the details are here.

Vote for the Prison Birth Project as OBOS Women’s Health Heroes

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Our Bodies, Ourselves, the Women’s Health organization (and well known book!) has a yearly Women’s Health Heroes contest.

This year, two awesome radical doulas, who run the Prison Birth Project in Western Massachussets, are nominees.

Go vote for them! They definitely deserve it. Voting ends tomorrow.

More about Marianne and Lisa after the jump.

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On Radio Bilingue this afternoon, 3:30 pm EST, talking about maternal health

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I’ll be a guest on Radio Bilingue this afternoon, talking about maternal health and the situation for childbirth in the United States.

You can listen to the program here. It will be in Spanish! I’ll post the link to the interview after the show.

Update: You can listen to the recording from the program here.

International Midwives Day

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Today is International Midwives Day (and Cinco de Mayo).

Choices in Childbirth thinks that a good way to support International Midwives Day is to take action to help the homebirth midwives in NYC who are unable to practice since St. Vincent’s shut down.

What better way to celebrate than helping us support the Midwifery Modernization Act?!

PLEASE – Take a moment to review this action alert, and set aside 15 minutes of your day to call your local legislators to ask for their support of this crucial piece of legislation.

We will be organizing in-person visits to the local (NYC) offices of our state representatives in the coming weeks. Please contact Terry if you are interested in showing up and talking directly to legislators! Terry@choicesinchildbirth.org

**We particularly need more supporters from Queens!**

** If you haven’t yet, please sign the petition in support of the Midwifery Modernization Act

** For more information about the MMA, view the:
– NYSALM fact sheet
– and Free Our Midwives Website

** And for more information and more ways to celebrate the International Day of the Midwife, visit www.InternationalMidwives.org!

Go to it!

Video and update about NYC midwives

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Rachel, a doula from New Jersey, sent me this video she made about what she fears the birth future will be like.

So the situation with the NYC homebirth midwives has not been resolved, despite amazing advocacy and action on all your parts. The Department of Health told Choices in Childbirth they got more calls about this issue than any other, ever.

I’ll keep folks posted if I hear anything else about the situation in NYC.

UPDATE: Lauren at Birth and Bloom has an account of the press conference that happened on Friday.