The Midwife From Hell

How many woman's babies died at home from a planned home birth and the mother did not file a Grievance? I know that there are many but woman are scared about speaking out about their decision to home birth after it has went bad. At first it was hard for me to speak out because I was mourning. I was in another world when my twin daughter died. Apart of me died and my family wanted answers. The hospital question came up so much. " Why didn't you go to the hospital."   I eventually just stopped telling people that I lost my twin but there were those people who knew I was pregnant with twins and only see one (this is when the question would come up). I had to except the fact that my daughter died and it was because I chose to home birth. When I started this blog I never said that I didn't hold myself partly responsible for my daughters death. This blog is a Memoir of Aminah and her fight and struggle. It is my dedication to my daughter. I hope she is pleased in th

Women Meet Shannon Anton. She is a midwife with NARM. (North American Registry of Midwives). She is the person (midwife) in charge of accountability. Meaning if you place a complaint this midwife will be overseeing the Grievance process. All of the recommendations come to Shannon from the state midwife association. I have spoken with Shannon on many occasions about the grievance process as well as the complaint. I started my grievance process when my daughter died in June of 2014. The grievance is still in process and it has actually been in limbo because I went to Jefferson City in support of HB 2189. This is the last email I received it was on March 19, 2014. Shannon Anton To  Me Mar 19 Dear Andrea, I am contacting you from the NARM board, we spoke on the phone in early January. I chair the Accountability committee. As you know, NARM is the agency that administers the midwifery credential Certified Professional Midwife, CPM. Your complaint was initially sent t

Because my home birth was unassisted my children were greatly effected by home birth. especially my oldest because believe it or not she is old enough to remember what happened that night. When my husband and I made the decision to home birth I really did picture my two children and my husband standing along side of the birthing pool with the midwife but unfortunately my home birth did not happen anything like I envisioned. It actually happened the exact opposite of perfect. Even to this day my oldest daughter talks about that night. She asks questions about what was happening and she asks questions about what happened in the hospital when Aminah was there. I had to find kind words for my daughter. I had to describe in a child friendly way what happened that night. Still to this day if one of my children gets sick and needs to go to the hospital they show concern in the face because their memories of  that day have embarked a place in their memories that will last forever. Making a

Never have I been to the Capitol building in my 28 years here on earth. The building architecture is beautiful. The lawn well manicured and the trees swayed beautifully in the spring wind as my husband, twin daughter and I rushed to appear at the 12 o clock hearing on HB 2189 on Wednesday April 16, 2014. I was asked by a few house members to appear to tell my story about my home birth disaster. As I entered the Capitol Building I was mesmerised  by the history hanging all over the walls. Pictures of all the people responsible over the years for laws in Missouri. Indeed my husband and I did feel out of place because we were one of few African American in the building. Sad to see that there were not any African Americans on the wall kind of made me feel uncomfortable. To know that African Americans existence here is well know but know where did I see a face as the same color of my own on in the house. There were children there on field trips, universities visiting; touring. I was so lo

This Chapter of the blog is important because it actually talks about hospital births vs home births something that midwives and doctors debate about all the time. Which is safer? Is a hospital birth safe? Is a home birth safer because of less interventions? My motto is better safer than sorry. I know that women are free to decide on which way to birth and the hospitals can be a little demanding on the way they process women. I believe that in all reality that doctors want to take the safest approach to birth. Do the same for all women = same results. I truly believe that even in a home birth you need a team of people. I a good midwife is connected with good doctors and hospitals, even paramedics, cab drivers, police chiefs, and fire department. These team of people should have relationships with midwives. You need these people on your call list as a midwife in case you may need them one night and very quickly. Hospitals and doctors are protected by insurance "just in case&quo

If your pregnant and your thinking about home birth let me first say that, "I was once in your shoes." I would dream of how the home birth was going to be. I daydreamed about having my babies at home natural .  I believed in my body. I exercised everyday. I made all natural smoothies, meditated, listened to beautiful music. My husband and I talked to the babies and I felt both of them move everyday of my pregnancy. My pregnancy was beautiful and my belly stretched to the max. 40 weeks is along time to be pregnant 40 weeks is along time but everything was changed in minutes. All my time pregnant changed in minutes. I counted on a midwife that made bad judgment calls with me and the sad part about is that she wont even admit that she mislead me as a client. I feel like race played a major part in my treatment. I mean me being a black women birthing at home maybe she felt uncomfortable and never told me. Maybe she didn't want too take me as a client and just didn't kno