The bottom line is we all deserve a right to make our own choices. If I want to see a chiropractor for back pain as opposed to having back surgery that is my right! If I choose to see a nutritionist about diabetes that is my choice. If I choose to decline the RhoGam shot during pregnancy it is my choice!

The insurance companies and the law makers are getting way too involved in these choices and today they are fighting to make sure women CANNOT choose a certified professional midwife as her care provider when she delivers. It is outraging and I am just furious!

The House is in session today and they are hearing a whole slew of bills including HB86 (the one I am ranting about). They are now going in reverse order so the bill will be heard last which means you still have time (until 5pm) to call (317) 232-9600 or
(800) 382-9842 to voice your support for the bill and your outrage about them using abortion language to get the bill killed.

You can also see the Live Stream at http://www.in. gov/legislative/session/video.html just click on “Watch Video from The House” and it will open up in windows media player I believe.

All this just makes me so mad! Allowing midwives to be licensed and legal in this state only protects women and their babies, sure it may infringe on the doctor’s monopoly but isn’t the most important thing the patient? Why can’t they be free to choose the best option for themselves?

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Update: 7pm, 4/14/2009

The bill is dead, certified professional midwives are still illegal and women are still limited in their childbirth options. The bill was scheduled to be heard first this morning at the start of the hearing (10am). We watched the live stream of the session online. During roll call the Republicans were absent so things were recessed until 11:30 am since the Republicans were in a meeting.

When things resumed the order for business was reversed which meant that our bill, that was to be first would now would be heard last. Additionally Rep. Wolarksi  (317-232-9648) felt the need to add some “abortion language” that “concerned the ability of the fetus to feel pain in utero”.

The abortion language effectively killed the bill since the speaker previously said he would not hear our bill with that language attached. We didn’t have enough time to get it taken off.

Tonight the meeting was adjourned halfway though the 2nds to last bill and ours (the last one) was never heard. This means that everyone who worked so hard on this will just have to pick up, dust off and go at it again next year. Such a shame!

If you are a homebirth supporter in Indiana you should join the related yahoo group (this is the one I am on) so you stay in the loop about this legislation and are able to speak up and be heard when time comes to start taking action again.

Now is the time to talk this issue up, help more people understand the need for this licensure and make them aware of the legal situation here. The more buzz we generate the harder time big medicine will have shutting us down next year.

The post My body = my decision: A rant about big medicine appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.