2009 PushSummit Day One: This is What Midwifery Looks Like!

Thanks to Steff Hedenkamp of The Big Push for Midwives, we received this great report-back from the first day's goings-on at the 2009 PushSummit, in Birmingham, Alabama this year.

Steff writes:

"Day One of PushSummit 2009 was excellent. Our state activists made the tough decisions to leave their own frontlines and travel enormous distances to come together to share their collective wisdom on how best to educate policymakers, work with the media, and advance their respective efforts to enact legislation to license and regulate Certified Professional Midwives.

In our opening session, Pushers heard "State of the Push" Reports from 14 states across the PushNation. We heard from states ranging from those with long histories of having licensed and regulated Certified Professional Midwives to those states who are "in the first trimester" of their grassroots mobilization efforts.

One of the highlights of Day One was a special screening of Bringin' in Da Spirit, a documentary film about midwives narrated by Phylicia Rashad and directed by Rhonda L. Haynes. This was followed by the keynote presentation by Nadiyah Seraaj of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) in Portland, Oregon, which was created to support black women who wish to become midwives. Seraaj urged all participants to join ICTC at www.blackmidwives.org.

From fundraising to bill language, to growing organizational capacity and effective networking, Day One was a blockbuster event detailing the various roles that grassroots advocates can play in the body politic. Stay tuned for more from Birmingham, Alabama ..."

But it's not all Steff, all the time, of course! Here is some feedback from other attendees:

Lisa from Alabama said: "Awesome first day!  It's just good to hear from states like Idaho for example, where Certified Professional Midwives are now regulated and licensed ... as well as to hear from states that are looking at laws they already have that could be stronger to better support increased access to out-of-hospital maternity care ... it feels like things are really coming together nationwide for moms and babies."

Rachel from Missouri said: "This is the first conference that I have ever attended that I didn't want to leave the room at some point. I just wanted to hear what everyone had to say."

Karen from Alabama said: "I wasn't at the first PushSummit in Chicago, but I have been really uplifted at this year's. It was interesting to hear the different reports from the states and to hear what everyone is facing."

Russ Fawcett (from North Carolina) said: "What we heard today was a chorus of resolve, many new brilliant ideas, and inspiring stories of success from our state grassroots activists. These are real people with families who have had life-changing experiences that have brought them to their advocacy efforts, and we are so fortunate they choose to tirelessly give of their time, talent and treasure to increase access to out-of-hospital birth.

Missouri delegation to the 2009 PushSummit: Rachel Williston, Dr. Elizabeth Allemann, Steff Hedenkamp, Mary Ueland