It's really the by-product of St.Vincent's Hospital closing after 160 years of service in Manhattan. This seems so shocking! It is so sad that a long standing member of the community has to shut down. And as for the midwives, I can't imagine being told you can't deliver the babies you've been waiting to bring into the world. And the poor moms and dads! Imagine being prepared to have a home birth, then being told at the last minute that it is illegal for you to go forward with your plan. Actually, my last home birth was almost derailed by a two week post-date baby, so I feel like I can imagine it. However, I was fortunate enough to have the birth I wanted to have, which is something every woman should have the right to do. I hope the city figures it out soon, so that the babies in waiting can be born at home!
Outfit:
After several days of layering mania, I decided to go for simple and thematic. This is a nod to Sunday!
Shirt: Old Navy. Graphic tees are always in style and you should definitely hang on to the ones you love! Giving a shout out to the woman who brought me into the world. And the other mamas to!
Pants: Target. Isaac Mizrahi.
Shoes: Fit Flops. Still nursing my hurt heel. 
Those brown eyes kill me!
Posts
Now that I have a few friends with blogs that I "follow", I feel like I live in a smaller town. Oh, the simpler times...I feel the stress of the big city sprawl leaving me.
ReplyDeleteOh, and nice shirt!
I love all of their big brown eyes also. Tell Leo he can be Grandma's delicate boy and tell Charlie that he and Leo are my favorite grandsons. He will get a little kick from that statement. Was it Robert Locke that you saw at the tea? I will talk to you later.
ReplyDeleteSweet sweet boy. It's amazing how delicate he is and how tough too. You've got some great kids. What a lucky mom. And be glad you weren't in NY at this time. That's awful. I would just go to New Jersey or something. How can they force you to have your baby in the hospital? Sometimes I hate government.
ReplyDeleteOh and btw, I love those pants.
ReplyDeleteLove this blog...a mix of so many things - strong opinions, educational information, humor, wisdom and sweet, sweet pictures of you and your children. Love, Aunt Janine
ReplyDeleteLayna: Just a clarification for all of you placenta pool party participants and the New York situation. The law does not make it illegal to funkify your living room by giving birth at home, and it is not a new law. No one's civil rights are being violated; all the law requires is hospital affiliation and admitting privileges for any midwives that participate in the home birthing process. This is for everyone's protection, especially the baby's, in case, God forbid, anything goes wrong. As you alluded to, the problem lies in the closing of St. Vincent's, the only hospital in the city granting the midwives privileges. It is up to the midwives to secure privileges at additional hospital(s) before they continue to practice. The midwives are the only ones that are legally exposed under this law. So, the women of New York can continue to have their screamfests at home without worrying about getting busted and spilling their afterbirth all over a jail cell floor.
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, California along with the majority of other states has the same law on their books.
Love,
Aunt D
Thanks for clarifying Aunt D. I guess I could have pursued this knowledge myself thanks to the trusty internet.
ReplyDeleteYes, Aunt D, what you say is a fact. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for midwives to secure such affiliation thanks to liability insurance premiums and a growing number of doctors and hospitals who will NOT back up Midwives for home birth. Some hospitals have midwives at their facilities, but will not allow them to deliver at home. So in practice, it is becoming more difficult for women to have home births. UCLA refused to see me for the prenatal x-rays and tests I needed once they knew I was having a home birth. So, in a way, although it is not technically illegal in New York, it is by default. Also, I assure you that my living room was NOT funky! You can ask Pollyanna or any of the other visitors for confirmation!
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective on this whole blog thing, Laura. It has made me feel connected to people in a new way!!!
ReplyDeleteI will confirm that Shelayna's living room was not funkified during the home birth of my first grandchild "Charles Dallas Espy". Signed by a non-biased loving grandmother named Justine.
ReplyDeleteThanks mom! I appreciate the back-up!
ReplyDeleteSweet Layna: Believe me I am fully aware of the economic pressures at play in the midwife saga. Don't forget what industry I am in. New York is going to have to do two things to bring equity back to this situation; they are going to have to mandate that all of the hospitals participate in the risk pool (no pun intended), and they are going to have to put a cap on the dollar size of recoveries in malpractice suits. One of the reasons California won't be facing a situation like this anytime soon is, there is a $250,000 cap in this state on malpractice recoveries. I admire St. Vincent for having supported the home birthing process by affiliating with the midwives, but their kindness drove them out of business. Now what? Hopefully some other "not for profit" facility will step up and do the right thing until they too go broke.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Aunt D
Aunt D, you are wise. Thanks for letting us in on all of this. I don't think I thought terribly clearly about it.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope there's something in the health care bill about it!
ReplyDelete