“We need to get beyond doctor- or midwife-bashing and look at some of the structural failings that prevent us from clearly understanding why too many mothers and babies are dying in our country around the time of birth.”—Ina May Gaskin, in response to the Today Show’s negative and biased segment on home birth that aired on 9/11/09.
By popular demand the deadline for a chance to have dinner with Ina May Gaskin has been extended. If you make a donation of $25 or more by noon Friday, you will have the opportunity to host Ina May Gaskin in your home for dinner, all travel expenses included!
Just submit a word or phrase describing what having access to out-of-hospital maternity care and Certified Professional Midwives means to you, along with your contribution. If you prefer to contribute through Paypal, go to The Big Push for Midwives and scroll down on the home page to the PayPal button and click to donate.
The extended deadline is noon on Friday, September 18.
Please share this with midwives, homebirth families, doulas, childbirth educators, nurses, doctors, lactation consultants, nurses—anyone who knows and respects Ina May’s work and
would enjoy meeting her personally and talking about all issues birth-related with her!
The winning phrase will be chosen from the state with the highest number of donations. So the more people from your state who participate, the higher the chance that even if you don’t personally win dinner with Ina May, you will be able to meet her and hear her speak at a public event in your state!
As many of you are aware, in recent years Ina May has turned her focus towards raising awareness of the hidden problem of maternal mortality in the US. In true fashion, she is leading the way in exposing one of our maternity care system’s most shameful secrets. To read more about her recent work around maternal mortality, check out the September Harper’s Bazaar article that quotes her.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Beck Borden, Grassroots Organizer, at beckborden@gmail.com or 513-546-1015.