Thanks to Hathor the Cow Goddess for this one. CPS in Spokane, Washington, removed a baby from his parents after an unassisted homebirth (a sucessful footling breech, if the facts are correct). This hasn't hit the mainstream media (yet), so I hesitate to publish facts that are unconfirmed, but here you go:
Midwifery Today Forums
Baby Davies
The baby was returned to the parents after a hearing. Apparently, mom is on some anti-depressants considered incompatable with breastfeeding, so she has agreed to wait until the drugs have cleared her system before resuming breastfeeding. The medical facts may be incorrect (there are very, very few drugs which can't be taken by a breastfeeding mother), but not an entirely unreasonable stipulation.
I hear this question a lot: Is homebirth legal? And I can't emphasize this enough - There is no state in which homebirth (attended or otherwise) is illegal. I heard someone say recently (thanks, Steve!) that "homebirth" is a noun, and nouns cannot be illegal, only verbs can be illegal; that is to say, only acts are illegal. There are many States in which a person (such as a midwife) performing certain acts at a birth (such as catching a baby, checking dilation, or administering pitocin for postpartum hemorage) are performing acts which are illegal (i.e. they constitute the unlicened practice of medicine or nurse-midwifery); therefore we say that "midwifery is illegal" in this State or that State.
When CPS investigates a family for homebirth or UC, what is really of legal concern is medical neglect. If the baby is not sick or injured, or is under the care of a doctor or other professional (such as a midwife in States where the scope of their license includes newborn care), there's not really any issue. Really.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Hi,
I am Melinda Bocook and this is what is going on with a woman in spokane washington. CPS isn't good but anyway I need you to read the story and then I need you to know there is going to be a nation wide protest against CPS and any other issues we have to so we aren't going to take this any more. Go to www.govabuse.org. We are going to protest in front of the cps office on 8/12/2011.
Here is a story you can blog about and please let any one you know that were are protesting . Here is the story
My name is Jina Clark. I have recently been introduced to the CPS system.
My daughter had her 21month old twins taken by them. CPS really had no reason for this in my opinion. I went to the shelter hearing with my daughter to attempt to get my granddaughters, the prosecuter twisted everything that was said and straight lied about dates and times that were spoke of. If I was to write all of it, I would take up alot of your time. I have been praying and searching for help as one of my grand daughters has some medical issues that foster people will not be able to take care of, as well as Dr. appts that Camilla must go to in Seattle at childrens hospital. I may be grasping here but if you can help me PLEASE call me. I have not been able to sleep, all I do is cry, I can't seem to function as I am spinning out of control. I have contacted attorneys here in Spokane and they all say the
same thing they need a 5000.00 retainer which my husband is a disabled vet and is impossible for me to come up with. Trust me I have thought about doing some extremly out of character things to get the money, I just can't morally do it. CPS took Isabella from my house while I was watching her for my daughter so that she was able to be at the hospital with the twin Camilla. This happened on Friday the 25th of March at approximatley 4pm. They would not show me any paper work, they would not tell me anything. Two social workers and four police officers walked into my house and basically said we are here to take the baby and if you cause problems you will go to jail. They woke her up from her nap and took her. Like I said I have tried to put my car up for collateral ect. I hope you can help me. I will do whatever this cause needs CPS needs to stop doing this to people they remind me nazis, they the public defenders, judges and prosecutors all need to be stopped!!
So please know CPS is a a commuist and we pay for them.
Post a Comment