The Naked Midwife

Imagine a woman knocks at your door, as she enters she is completely encased in a sheet of paper. As you can see, only her arms and legs stick out. She shakes your hand and introduces herself as your midwife...funny picture, huh. Well, this is what is occurring when a midwife who chooses to serve her license enters your home. Her license stands between you and her. She must either answer to her license or answer to what is good and true pertaining to your birth.

This is why. She must follow the protocols of her license in order to protect and keep it. No longer will she weigh in her mind what is evidential, safe, and reasonable. She must now weigh loosing her license or listening to her conscience and serving the true desires of the birthing family. What will she choose...

Maryn at Indie Birth chose to turn in her license, rather than compromise the truth of birth. She believed her license and all it's entanglements made her into a "MEDwife". A Medwife is a medicalized midwife, mainly focused on obstetrical guidelines rather than the evidence, truth, and beauty about birth. It is a woman's choice what kind of caregivers she wants at her birth, medical or no.

For example: If a woman is laboring longer than "hospital" guidelines may permit, that midwife may have to leave her birth. Of course...after she first notifies the hospital of that woman's situation. Midwives have to make hard and fast decisions regarding safe care and ethics all the time. The difference with licensure is now that decision is muddied with one's desire to keep her license.

Midwives come with a naked conscience. In the instance of birth, they are ready to be truly "with women", Don't let a license keep you mentally and ethically 6 feet distant from the birthing family. Those that come naked will be clothed with honor. The honor of knowing they served what was good and true. Be honorable and your rewards will always come.

Faith Bosket
Midwife
Nye County, Nevada