Navelgazing Midwife, Barbara Herrera, continues her evolution as a clinician. She has gone from someone who had a UC (and nearly lost her child in the process), to a CPM, to a student CNM. During that time, her philosophy has evolved as well. Consider her current feelings toward those who reject the use of a midwife at homebirth (The UC Oxymoron):
I’m sure that part of it has to do with many UCer’s arrogance about their knowledge and abilities to avert complications or use wishful thinking to eliminate anything negative from happening at all. The puffed out chests, bragging that they don’t need anybody sours my desire to offer assistance – because I am “anybody.” So, if they don’t need anybody, don’t need anybody!
What’s striking to me is that Herrera recognizes that her changing views reflect her increased knowledge, but fails to understand that obstetricians’ view reflect the fact that they know more than midwives, indeed far more than CPMs who are undereducated and undertrained.
Homebirth advocates complain that obstetricians will not work with CPMs. It is ironic that they fail to see that obstetricians view CPMs in the same way that she views those who choose UC. Paraphrasing Herrera:
I’m sure that part of it has to do with many CPMs arrogance about their knowledge and abilities to avert complications or use wishful thinking to eliminate anything negative from happening at all. The puffed out chests, bragging that they don’t need an obstetrician sours an obstetricians’ desire to offer assistance.
This is not the first time that Herrera has expressed resentment of those who don’t think they need a midwife. Over 2 years ago, she wrote:
When I am hired to be someone’s midwife, I am being hired as a consultant. I am being asked to share my experience and knowledge, to utilize my skills – the ones that can save a life. As a consultant, one that differs from an interior designing consultant, I am being asked to take the lives of two people in my hands and to accept the consequences of the outcome whether that is a spritz of champagne or a cell in a prison. I’ve had a long time to adjust my considerations with my practice – and they might change again (I’d be shocked if they didn’t!). I see women as individuals, listen to their needs and concerns and if we both feel we could work together, I’m game to give it a go. If I find a woman lied to me about her medical or obstetric history, if she hides behaviors she doesn’t want me to know about or if she continually jabs at me questioning my concerns with her pregnancy (and all of these have happened in the last 2 years), I’m going to send her on her way. She is a liability I don’t need to take on… a risk to my profession and life.
She failed to see the irony that time, too.
