From: eek@engin.umich.edu (Ericka Eve Kammerer)
Subject: Re: How to go about finding a doula (midwife) in Buffalo?
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 18:51:27 EST
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Summary: Informed Homebirth/Informed Birth & Parenting
Followup-To: eek@csmil.umich.edu

> oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>>
>>How would I find a midwife in Buffalo?  Is there an organization 
>>I can contact?  I looked under midwife in the phone book and only 
>>one was listed (nurse-midwife) and she works only with another 
>>doctor's office.

I recently happened on an organization that might be of assistance
to you and others in your situation.  They're called Informed
Homebirth/Informed Birth & Parenting.  Their address is:

     P.O. Box 3675
     Ann Arbor, MI  48106
     (313)662-6857

I'll type in their mission statement in a second, but the short form
is that they teach classes for childbirth educators and labor assistants
as well as providing referrals and advocating around the world for 
informed alternatives in birth and parenting.  They have a newsletter
called Special Delivery that appears to be published quarterly
($15/year in North America, $20US/year elsewhere, same address as
above).

I can't vouch for them in any way, but here's the information for
what it's worth.  (I'm actually in contact with them for some
research in how non-profit organizations use technology, so I haven't
used their services and don't know very much about their reputation
or anything.  Their newsletter seems well put together and they've
been very nice to deal with so far.) 

Here's the mission statement from their newsletter:

Informed Homebirth/Informed Birth & Parenting has as its mission to
provide parents with information about alternatives in birth,
parenting and early childhood.

Answering the need for information about birth at home was the
original purpose behind the founding of Informed Homebirth in 1977.
While this goal continues, the organization has broadened its outreach
(through the name Informed Birth & Parenting) to include taking the
knowledge gained when homebirth is considered as the standard of care
and making that information available to those who choose to birth in 
a hospital or birthing center.  While IH/IBP supports parents in whatever
informed choices they make for themselves and their families, the
health of mothers and babies demands that we as an organization strongly
support:

     --good nutrition
     --skillful midwifery
     --natural childbirth
     --birth at home
     --breastfeeding

Our work is based on the following principles:
     --Pregnancy an birth are not an illness, but a uniquely important 
       time in the lives not only of the mother and baby, but the
       father and family life as well.
     --Parents have the right to be informed about options, and they are
       responsible for making the decisions that are best for their family.
     --All women have the right to good food, good prenatal care, knowledge
       of alternatives and breastfeeding support.
     --Childbirth education, midwifery care and birth assistants (doulas/
       monitrices) should be readily available to all pregnant women.
     --Every pregnant woman has the right to choose her place of birth,
       her care provider and those who will support her.
     --She further has the right to be respected and treated as a
       competent human being while laboring and giving birth--eating,
       walking, assuming various positions and maintaining her body's
       integrity (no unnecessary vaginal exams, episiotomies or
       cesareans).
     --Parents' responsibility extends beyond the issues of birth to
       all decisions regarding their children's healthcare, schooling
       and so forth.

IH/IBP seeks to accomplish its goals by:
     --providing parents with referrals and information via newsletters,
       books, videos and the maintenance of a respected organization well-
       known throughout North America.
     --Training childbirth educators who teach hospital, birth center
       and homebirth couples.  Classes emphasize mind/body integration,
       transformation through birth and freedom of choice through
       knowledge of alternatives.  Developed by midwife Rahima Baldwin,
       the training is one of five nationally-certifying programs and
       has trained more than 2200 childbirth educators since 1977.
     --Training professional birth assistants who provide labor assistance
       for women or couples at home or in the hospital.  IH/IBP has been
       a leader nationally in the growth and recognition or birth assistants
       as professionals in their own right.  Developed by midwife Karen
       Parker, the program has been training women since 1983.
     --Promoting midwifery through its quarterly newsletter Special Delivery
       and through workshops for midwives.
     --Providing parenting information through books, newsletters and
       annual Magical Years Conference on the young child, which draws
       especially from the insights of Waldorf (Steiner) education.


(Any typos are mine)  I hope this helps you out some.  I believe that
they can refer you to any labor assistant they've trained and that they
also can get you in contact with organizations in your state.

Ericka
eek@csmil.umich.edu

Newsgroups: misc.kids