Anonymous person posted a comment a couple days ago. In the comment (you can read it in the comment column on the left), this person said,
"Also, saying false things like, "I'm glad that she has managed a FEW births well and that SOME have had good outomes", doesn't do much for cause since it's simply not true. Rather, it would be way more honest to say that" she (Paula) has managed HUNDREDS of births well and has had HUNDREDS of good outcomes". "
Ok so I have to break this one down just a little bit. If we say "hundreds", I will assume that means what it says. When you say, "managed" hundreds of births, I need to go a little deeper. In what capacity did she "manage" these births?
To me, "manage" in a birth situation means that the person is present and is currently the responsible party over the health and well-being of the birthing family, namely the mother and child. If you are present at a friend's birth and witness their birth, that does not mean you get to say you "managed" it. If you are present at a birth as a doula (who is being paid for her work), that still does not mean you "managed" that birth. If you are present at a birth to take photos for the family and happen to witness a difficult labor or resuscitation, that does not mean that you have the skills yourself to turn around and do it or say you "managed" it. Right? We are on the same page?
I would like to know, for one thing, what her definition of "managed" is. If there are all these births she did as the primary midwife (when she wasn't working with another midwife) where is the proof of that?
I would also like to know, if anyone out there DOES know, where Paula got her education? What high school did she graduate from? Did she get her GED? What midwifery school/study program did she go through (a minimum 3 years)? Who did she apprentice with? Who can vouch for her and say they have SEEN her perform "hundreds" of births with good outcomes that she was the primary midwife and responsible provider? Not the doula, not the friend, not the assistant or student midwife. Where is the proof of her midwifery background and education? Has anyone actually asked her?
If there is a midwife out there who apprenticed with Paula and taught her for an extended amount of time in order to complete the requirements of licensing in the state of California, let her come forth. Let her come and say that she feel comfortable in the skills that she taught. She would have to have worked with someone for *at least* six months to a year in a high volume setting in order to attend enough births and practice enough skills to be signed off on her skills assesment. Where is this person? Who signed for her skills? Will they vouch for her? Will Paula give you their contact information?
7 comments:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought most midwives worked as a team? Paula was at the birth of my youngest and had another midwife there, but I would consider her my primary midwife. I would say she "managed" my birth.
They way you ask the questions about her education makes it sound like you know something? I would be highly interested in the answers, if you do have them.
-LBM
You are correct. Some midwives do work as a team with other midwives. Some work with students as assistants and some work with various people, I assume.
And I don't have the answers to the questions about her education. I wish that I did. But for me, the dots are not connecting and I think its fair enough to ask for clarification on her background and educational experience. Any client looking to hire her as a midwife could ask for this information.
Okay, thanks for clarifing. So, how would you define "manage" and "primary", if there are other midwives present?
-LMB
Paula herself did not say she managed hundreds of births, a client said that on this blog. Paula has not been primary midwife for hundreds of births, and I'm pretty sure she herself would tell you that.
First commenter - Midwives generally have an assistant - a qualified assistant who is either a midwife, an apprentice midwife, or a trained and experienced assistant. In most circumstances, there is a primary midwife who oversees the client prenatally, during the birth and postpartum.
The primary midwife is the one "running the show", so to speak. She is usually (and IMO hopefully) an experienced midwife. Most newer midwives spend time assisting a senior midwife to gain experience.
As you might imagine, complications are less frequent in home births because of the screening process. The mother/baby must be healthy and within normal parameters to qualify for a home birth. Though complications can still arise...it just takes longer to get that experience!
Some midwives spend a month at a very intensive birth center, such as Casa de Nacimiento in Texas. This is a border birth center which means the majority of the women birthing there have had little or no prenatal care. They cross the border from Mexico to birth their babies in the U.S. Complications are much more frequent. A midwife can get lots of practical, hands-on experience with complications in a shorter amount of time this way.
Hope that helps clear things up a little.
You are right- they can get a lot of experience in a short amount of time. Did Paula do an intensive like this? What does she say?
I just want to know- before she got her license, where did she get her clinical hands-on experience? Was it with a local midwife who signed off on her? Was it for an intensive birth center like what was mentioned in the previous comment? What was it? Can we contact this person/ place and verify the information? Can they tell us for how long she worked with them, how many births she attended?
Those are all questions a prospective client should ask HER. And I guess anyone could ask her those questions, for that matter.
Those are questions that can only be answered by Paula. Good questions for a prospective family to ask a midwife. And you should be able to contact any senior midwives she studied under for confirmation.
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