MOMS for America's Babies

Moms for America's Babies was written with idea of creating a national state network to look at all aspects of the debate and issue of safety of birth, safety of the baby. MOMS is not just about and for women. MOMS stands for Moms are Organizing Maternity Safety for America's Baby's.

MOMS
for America’s
B A B I E S

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MOMS for America’s Babies
is a partnership of concerned citizens organized to promote the safe, evidence-based treatment and care of pregnant and birthing women and their babies
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Moms are Organizing Maternity Safety for America’s Babies

Creating partnerships for change at all levels:
The healthy, safe birth of every baby in Missouri depends upon consumers of maternity care, maternal health care providers, policy makers, legislators, and concerned citizens coming together.

Supporting prenatal development through infancy:
Healthy, functional, non-violent, drug-free American children and citizenry depends upon healthy, gentle conception, gestation, labor, birth, and infancy.

Moms Babies Partners:
Moms Owning Maternal Safety
Men Ordering Maternal Safety
Medicine Offering Maternal Safety
Midwives Optimizing Maternal Safety

Moms Owning Maternal Safety
Women claim their right, their choice, and their responsibility for their body and their baby’s birth from pre-conception through infancy.

Men Ordering Maternal Safety
Men are the rightful protectors of their partner and child, and they demand to be supporter and protector of their baby, their partner and her decisions in birthing their baby.

Medicine Offering Maternal Safety
Doctors no longer control women’s choice over her body, and so, nor are they disproportionately held responsible for the outcomes of birth. Free of litigation fear and they are able to focus on providing maternity care that is evidenced-based. They attend high-risk pregnancies and births.

Midwifes Optimizing Maternal Safety
Midwives are the bridge between natural, physiological ways and new technology, between women and medicine; and they are the protector of women’s bodies and the physiological process of natural birth. They attend and protect birth of healthy women and babies.

c May, 2004, Janel Martin-Miranda, MA

A Framework for Aware, Safe, and Gentle Birth

A Framework for Aware, Safe, and Gentle Birth
Based on the perspectives of Pre and Perinatal Psychology and
the physiological, science-based Midwifery Model of Maternity Care
By Janel Martin-Miranda , MA , LPC © 2005

A Framework for Healthy Birth:

• Honors birth as the human's spiritual (soul) and biological (body and brain) process in relationship with his or her mother and father (even if absent) from conception throughout life;
• Supports a woman and her partner to be responsible for their baby and birth choices from conception, prenatally during labor and birth, in order to be responsible throughout their child’s life.
• Provides evidence for a social agenda of allocating financial, emotional, and physical resources to ensure gestating mother is safe, nourished, and supported during pregnancy (in contrast to wasting money throughout all stages of human development to address the problems from abuse, neglect, and poor nutrition during pregnancy).
• Acknowledges that the majority of healthy women are capable of natural birth just as the majority of women and men were able to conceive and gestate their baby naturally;
• Acknowledges the growing scientific research showing that medical management interferes with the baby's biological process for birth (an event and expression of the continuum of brain development), and that this trauma is imprinted in the brain (and contributes to life-long physical, emotional, and psychological dysfunctions); and,
• Recognizes that the obstetric malpractice crisis is a symptom of a larger social and political issue of holding physicians responsible for birth which has removed the responsibility for the continuum of development (preconception, conception, gestation, labor, birth, and post-natal) from men and women;
• Recognizes that the obstetric malpractice crisis is an issue of control over maternal choice and that this is, in part, a result of the hundred years of medical intervention and drugs, and now involves insurance, drug company, and litigation attorneys’ influences over doctor’s and true scientific knowledge;
• Recognizes that this is a social and political system problem that equally, yet differently affects the ability of obstetricians to provide quality care for women and decreases the ability of a woman and man to take responsibility for their baby's labor and birth; and,
• Sees the need to control litigation has led to the increasing use of the drugs and technology (yet to be shown to be safe but withdrawn only after extended periods of maternal and infant trauma and loss), that harms women and babies, prevents parental responsibility; thus, maintains the obstetric malpractice crisis; and,
• Calls for a national reform of maternity practices as the evidence-based research and mortality statistics show in the US that a healthy woman and baby are endangered and not safe or best cared for in hospital settings (BECAUSE woman have little if any control over choice and doctors are wrongly and disproportionately responsible for birth);
• Demands that hospitals, doctors, lawyers, and politicians engage with midwives, consumers, and concerned citizens to create new laws based on the evidence-based science that honors woman's body, supports her birthing choices, and allows her to make decisions and to take responsibility for her choices from pre-conception throughout life; and importantly,
• Acknowledges that birth is more than just about the woman's needs and experience, and birth is more than about the doctor's schedule and malpractice woes.
• Acknowledges that Birth is the BABY'S birth! And, that baby will be affected for life by his or her conception, gestation, and birth experience.

Written for http://www.infantparenthealing.com/ and MOMS for America's Babies - Missouri

Domestic Harmony in Hawaii

Domestic Harmony project in Hawaii is under the leadership of Star Newland who is also the leader of the Safe Baby Resolution.

From the Hawaii Tribune Herald at http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles/2006/11/05/features/features01.txt

Mainstreet board names Pahoa 'Home of Domestic Harmony'

Sunday, November 5, 2006 10:35 AM HST

Angel Festivals, Bay Clinic outreach efforts more than 6 years ago proved to be the catalyst for ever-growing, expanding awareness, say residents.

The board of Mainstreet Pahoa voted unanimously recently to designate Pahoa as "The Home of Domestic Harmony."Mainstreet Vice President Star Newland noted in support of the proposal that Pahoa was "the birthplace of domestic harmony awareness six-plus years ago when the first events were held with Angel Festivals and Bay Clinic.

"Since this was initiated here we have seen our outreach grow and grow beyond Pahoa throughout East Hawaii, islandwide, to other islands, other states and now other countries," said Newland. "We started with just a few people involved, or even interested, then to now when we are touching many thousands."

The governor, mayor and County Council have offered support via proclamations over the years."Looking at the recent articles in our local papers reveals an underlying trend towards more violence starting with our children. Research shows a distinct linkage between domestic violence and drug and alcohol issues."

It just makes sense morally, socially and economically that whatever we can do to bring more harmony to our lives and communities will reduce these related problems associated with domestic violence," said Newland."

For those reasons this is the year of the Domestic Harmony Awareness Initiative 2006 which includes local music events, literacy activities, skits for intermediate and high school students about changing language to change outcomes, art for youth."

Promotional giveaways will include the "Wearin' o' the green" neon green ribbons, and "Just say Yes to Domestic Harmony" bumper stickers, harmony T-shirt art projects and prizes for the entries in the T-shirt and poster Harmony Art Event at the Domestic Harmony Awareness Day concert at Keaau Village Market on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 10:30 a.m. to around 4 p.m.

Proposed safe-baby legislation is being introduced at State Legislatures in at least four states, including Hawaii, and four countries, said Newland.Goal is to address some of the root causes of domestic violence -- "the violent gestations and births that many of our babies continue to be subject to.""Gentle births more often lead to more gentle babies," said Newland.

The kickoff event for Domestic Harmony Awareness Month will be at Shaka's Nightclub in Pahoa Village on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 4 to 7 p.m.The program will open with a pule (prayer) by Ernie Cruz, dedicating Pahoa to domestic harmony.

Entertainment will feature Puna Keliihoomalu and Friends, Lola, Andrew and Ray, Max and Friends of the Red Road and other performers. Members of the public are invited to join in for an "open mic night."People interested in more details are invited to call Newland at 896-8658, or send her an e-mail: planetpuna@yahoo.com.

And log on to the Web site: http://www.planetpuna.com/dharmony throughout the month to keep up-to-date on proclamations, upcoming events and how you can be involved.

Munchausen Obstetrics

Munchausen Obstetrics

By Rich Winkel

I've been horrified to discover a pattern of wholesale institutionalized medical malpractice and quackery surrounding the business of birth and child health. I can't account for how this could have come to pass, but the science is difficult to ignore.

First let me mention the epidemiology: a steadily rising rate of symptoms of trauma and brain damage, including ADHD, autism, mental illness and addiction among US-born people, a trend dating back to the post-WWII period when certain obstetrical practices became commonplace.

These practices are now thoroughly entrenched and seem to be immune from appeals to science, human rights or common sense. It appears that medicine views the bodies of women and children as some kind of empty wilderness waiting to be conquered and colonized.

I assume you're familiar with some of the huge body of research relating to the enduring effects of early imprinting and abuse of children. Everything from post traumatic stress to sadism, suicide and specific suicide methods have been strongly connected to early experiences in infancy. The implication is that this is the most pivotal time to ensure that the rights and well-being of children are respected and protected, not just for their sake, but for the sake of the people who's lives they impact as adults.

Briefly, this crucial imperative is simply a non-factor in American birthing practices. The huge dinosaur of american obstetrics is creating generation after generation of unconsciously traumatized and often subtly brain-damaged people, people whose lives are often subsequently burdened with criminal behavior, learning difficulties, ADHD, addiction, depression and other mental illnesses and symptoms of brain damage. These iatrogenic outcomes are entirely preventable, in fact in most cases can be avoided at less cost than the procedures which cause them. The question of whose interests are served by making birth needlessly difficult I'll leave to your imagination.

The american way of birth (unfortunately spreading world wide) has now been linked to large increases in rates of mental ailments including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and dependencies by at least 2 large well controlled studies, which both studiously avoided the most obvious conclusion.

http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc98/9_19_98/fob1.htm

http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/MGM/birthUSA2.txt

Post traumatic stress reactions have been noted in american infants returning to hospitals, again while neglecting the obvious possibility that they were remembering birth trauma.

http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/MGM/oldrefs/www.drkoop.com/newsdetail/93/512690.html

In fact these researchers actually call for more medical intervention to treat "mentally ill infants." The level of denial going on in medicine surely deserves a DSM category all its own.

Furthermore, most of the medical "heroics" which lead to these iatrogenic outcomes are a product of legal pressures and medical culture and incentives rather than responses to actual medical crises. For instance:

1) "The majority of hospitals and obstetricians in this country (still) insist on a birthing position that quite literally makes the baby, following the curve of the birth canal, be born heading upwards.

States Williams: "The most widely used and often the most satisfactory (position for delivery) is the dorsal lithotomy position on a delivery table with leg supports" (Cunningham et al. 1989:315). No reasons why this position is "the most satisfactory" are given, but a strong clue is provided in an earlier text:

The lithotomy position is the best. Here the patient lies with her legs in stirrups and her buttocks close to the lower edge of the table. The patient is in the ideal position for the attendant to deal with any complications which may arise (Oxorn and Foote 1975:110)

“This position, in other words, is the easiest for performing obstetric interventions, including maintaining sterility, monitoring fetal heart rate, administering anesthetics, and performing and repairing episiotomies (McKay and Mahan 1984:111).

"Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia, past president of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, states unequivocally, "Except for being hanged by the feet, the supine position is the worst conceivable position for labor and delivery""

Lithotomy Position

http://www.birthingnaturally.net/barp/lithotomy.html

This dysfunctional medicalized birthing position is the cause of most difficulties and medical interventions in birth, interventions which are often traumatic and dangerous to both the baby and the mother.

2) "Immediate clamping of the umbilical cord at birth has become a standard procedure during the past two decades. This merits investigation as the cause of increased incidence of autism. Clamping of the umbilical cord before the lungs function induces a period of total asphyxia and produces severe hypovolemia by preventing placental transfusion - a 30% to 50% loss of blood volume – resulting in a hypoxic, ischemic neonate at risk for brain damage.

As in circulatory arrest and other factors that disrupt aerobic metabolism, damage of brainstem nuclei and the cerebellum can result.

Visible damage seen in some cases of autism also involves brainstem nuclei and the cerebellum. The brainstem auditory pathway is especially vulnerable to brief total asphyxia. Impairment of the auditory system can be linked to verbal auditory agnosia, which underlies the language disorder in some children with autism.

Due to blood loss into the placenta, the immediately clamped neonate is very prone to develop infant anemia that has been widely correlated with mental deficiency and learning / behavior disorders that become evident in grade school.

We propose that increased incidence of autism, infant anemia, childhood mental disorders and hypoxic ischemic brain damage, all originate at birth from one cause - immediate umbilical cord clamping.

This deserves to be investigated as extensively as genetics or exposure to toxic substances as an etiological factor for autism. Normal cord closure, with placental oxygenation and transfusion, prevents asphyxia and ischemia.

Allowing physiological cord closure at every delivery could at least reduce the incidence of birth brain injuries."

"Immediate clamping of the umbilical cord before the child has breathed (ICC) has been condemned in obstetrical literature for over 200 years. [1] [2] In the 1970s, primate research [A][3][4] using ICC to produce neonatal asphyxia resulted in brain lesions similar to those of human neonatal asphyxia."

http://www.cordclamp.com/

The trauma of being asphyxiated at birth after losing half your blood to the placenta can only be imagined.

3) "In 1975, the College Entrance Examination Board commissioned an advisory panel to examine the possible reasons for an alarming continuing decline in the scores of high school students on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests or, "SAT's," a decline which had started with the 18-year-olds born in 1945 and thereafter.

From 1963 to 1977, the score average on the verbal part of the SAT's fell 49 points. The mathematical scores declined 31 points. (1) (...) "The SAT is designed to be an unchanging measurement. Considerable effort has been made to keep the test a sufficiently constant measure so that any particular score received on a current test indicates the same level of ability to do college work that the same score did 36 or 20 or 5 or 2 years ago. The SAT measures individual students' capacities not only in comparison with their peers in the particular group but also in comparison with those who took the test in earlier years .... The SAT score decline does not result from changes in the test or in the methods of scoring it." (2) (...)

"What happened around 1945 that might have contributed to declining academic performance in the United States in the years that followed? Consider this brief history: According to figures from the National Center for Health Statistics, hospitals were the setting for only 36.9% of American births in 1936. By 1945 that figure had more than doubled to 78.8%. In 1950, 88% of Americans were born in hospitals. In 1960 the figure was 96.6% and in 1970, 99.4%. (...)

"A reading of the obstetric literature indicates that there had always been philosophic differences among doctors regarding normal childbirth. There were those who felt it was best to allow nature to take its course and there were those who felt that intervention was better. In the years following the 40s and under the stresses of the population explosion, there was a tremendous acceleration of intervention in obstetric care. Instead of adapting to the time-consuming demands of normal childbirth, the obstetric community (with very few exceptions) changed normal childbirth to conform to the comfort of the mothers and the convenience of the doctors, hospital staffs and hospital routines -- all at the expense of the fetus and newborn."

http://www.aimsusa.org/academic.htm

4) "The practice of routinely cutting the perineum during hospital deliveries in the United States, episiotomy, has been shown to be the principal risk factor for severe tearing during delivery, which is the injury that it is supposed to prevent.

Nonetheless American obstetricians continue to overuse this procedure ten times more often than is called for. Episiotomy is also a major risk factor for infection, loss of sexual pleasure, and incontinence. Women who have been subjected to episiotomies take longer to heal from delivery, even compared to women who have equivalent tears." Episiotomy: Ritual Genital Mutilation in Western
Obstetrics

http://www.changesurfer.com/Hlth/episiotomy.html

5) Male circumcision has been linked to severe child psychological trauma,

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/cansever/

adult male violence, addiction and violence against women,

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/rhinehart1/

and brain damage.

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/immerman2/

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/brain_damage/

Other research implies that the neurological impact of circumcision is likely to lead to adult violence, sadomasochism and addiction.

http://www.birthpsychology.com/violence/prescott.html

http://www.cirp.org/library/psych/prescott2/

Circumcision human rights primer:

http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/MGM/primer.html

6) "ABSTRACT: Twenty years of clinical and behavioral observation indicate that cesarean births cause considerable trauma to babies. The physical and psychological effects are subtle and powerful, occurring at the unconscious level of the infant psyche. Negative impacts include excessive crying, feeding difficulties, sleeping difficulties, colic, and tactile defensiveness. There also may be long-term psychological effects such as rescue complexes, inferiority complexes, poor self-esteem, and other dysfunctional behaviors and feelings."

http://www.eheart.com/cesarean/emerson.html

"Prima Non Nocere: Iatrogenic Cesareans

"When used inappropriately, medical interventions interfere with the normal process of birth and increase the risk of complications and cesarean deliveries.28, 29 A US national survey of birth practices revealed that 93 percent of women had electronic fetal monitoring, 86 percent had intravenous fluids administered through a blood vessel in their arm (an IV), 55 percent had their amniotic sac membranes artificially ruptured, 53 percent had oxytocin to strengthen contractions, and 63 percent had epidurals for pain relief. More than a third of labors were artificially induced. Almost three quarters of the women were restricted to bed, and three out of four were on their backs while pushing their babies out.30

"(...) Our physicians actively resist the implementation of evidence-based practice and dont believe a cesarean rate in the low twenties is a problem.31

"Personal accounts from women who have had a cesarean, as well as emerging research, suggest that despite a healthy baby and a timely physical recovery, some women experience cesarean birth as a traumatic event. An unanticipated cesarean is more likely to increase the risk for postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As in other traumatic human experiences, the symptoms of birth-related PTSD may emerge weeks, months, or years after the event.9,11 Women re-experience the birth and the emotions associated with it in dreams or thought intrusions. They avoid places or people that remind them of the event. Some mothers have difficulty relating to their infants, and some will avoid sexual contact that may result in pregnancy. They will also exhibit symptoms of hyperarousal, such as difficulty sleeping or concentrating, irritability, and an excessive startle response. Untreated post-traumatic stress often leads to clinical depression.12"

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/cesarean_vbac/sorry-state.html

7) "Flat earth obstetrics is a 21st century version of a medical Dark Ages, in which contemporary medicine has forgotten or ignored the traditional knowledge base and physiological principles necessary for normal labor and safe, spontaneous birth. Flat Earth Obstetrics is the belief that medical and surgical interventions are necessary in every normal childbirth, despite evidence that such a policy is harmful. The term is derived from the insistence by religious and political leaders during the Dark Ages that the earth was flat despite evidence to the contrary.

"The problem with the current form of obstetrical care in the United States is the uncritical acceptance of an unscientific method -- the routine use of interventionist obstetrics for healthy women with normal pregnancies.

"Medicalizing normal childbearing in healthy women makes childbirth unnecessarily and artificially dangerous."

"Obstetrics has been rated as the least scientifically-based specialty in medicine" [Dr. Ian Chalmers 1987].

http://www.sciencebasedbirth.com/

8) The medical community's "guidance" on breastfeeding is a scandal in itself.
Even without the now abundant evidence of the immunological, nutritional and psychological benefits of breastfeeding for the baby, and its psychological, hormonal and physiological benefits for post-partum mothers, common sense and human empathy would strongly argue against intervening in this intimate time of mother-child bonding. Yet generations of american children have been denied this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for normal health, growth and emotional well being on the basis of little more than uninformed medical hubris working in concert with a well-financed corporate marketing campaign.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBbenefits.html

http://www.babymilkaction.org/

OB's are routinely pulling babies out with forceps and suction machines, pulling and twisting their necks and spines to compensate for the dysfunctional birth position. Babies often come out with huge bruises, dents and bulges on their heads where various devices were attached. Presumably the brain is easily injured in such situations.

The real kicker in all this is how easy it would be to avoid:

The Truth About Birth

http://unassistedbirth.com/uc/truth.html

Leaving Well Alone: A Natural Approach to the Third Stage of Labour

http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/birth/thirdstage/index.php

"I always thought there was no other way for me to give birth- that I was a birthing failure; incapable of birthing without an induction jumpstart or a surgical incision. For five childbirths I always "needed" my doctors to create my birth experiences for me, and to save me from my own birthing inefficiency and hopelessness. (I was actually addicted to their "helping" me, and was always effusive in my gratitude for their efforts.) But then with my sixth, I just couldn't do it again- I couldn't go back to another hospital to give birth... I was just too hurt and broken inside.

"I found a lay midwife, and had the beautiful, easy birth that I am intended to have. I finally gave birth as a full, luscious woman-all my own hormones, in my own safe place- with no fingers in me, or straps on my belly. (Or knives in my belly.) I simply pushed my baby out and went to bed."

A letter from Leilah McCracken

http://www.birthlove.com/

Early organized medicine saw midwifery was successfully competing with them in terms of safety and affordability while undermining their claims to scientific authority, so they mounted a campaign to force them out of the birthing business in the early 20th century

http://www.collegeofmidwives.org/safety_issues01/rosenbl1.htm

The next thing our altruistic medical profession did, after eliminating one of the
few professional opportunities available to women at the time, was to discard their accumulated wisdom and pathologize and try to control the whole process, rather than let nature take its course. The results have been disasterous.

It seems medicine's appreciation of its own ignorance and compulsion to intervene is governed by the same principles which guide the EPA's approach to chemicals in the environment: innocent until proven guilty. But while the economically conflicted medical research establishment is busy catching up with monkeys and dogs in its understanding of birth and child care, children are being hurt, with often life-long consequences.

I urge you to investigate this issue. Once you crack open this pandora's box, I guarantee your life will never be the same. But you will have many allies, and as public awareness is raised, this country will experience a time of self-reflection that will profoundly change it for the better.

Thank you.

Rich Winkel

Meet the founding partners

HAWAII
Star Newland
Dolphin Researcher
Puna, Hawaii
808 896 8658

http://www.planetpuna.com/
Promoting Domestic Harmony in Hawaii

Organizing
Networking
Global Outreach
Sculpting/Document Preparation

TEXAS
Rajkumar Bhatt
Legislative Aide
Austin, TX
469 222 1024

Legislative
Fund Raising
Excel

MISSOURI
Janel Martin-Miranda
Prenatal and Birth Therapist
Professional Birth Support
Community Organizer
Columbia, MO
573 424 0997

www.InfantParentHealing.com
www.hospitalbirthdebate.blogspot.com
www.ItstheBabysBirth.com
www.BirthKeeper.blogspot.com

Networking
Research
Document Preparation
Grassroots Organizing
Program Development

Read the original Safe Baby Resolution

This is draft was co-written and co-sculpted by Janel Martin-Miranda of Missouri and Star Newland of Hawaii and presented to the proposers of the resolution. It holds the bigger picture of what the Safe Baby Resolution proposes to create. It has been submitted to the offices of Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland and Representative Josh Green, MD. The resolution introduced in the 2007 will likely be a negotiated and modified version.

THE SAFE BABY RESOLUTION
WORKING DRAFT – 10-06

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH BRANCH, TO STUDY THE ROLES OF GESTATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS, GENTLE BIRTHING PRACTICES, WELLNESS EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DOMESTIC HARMONY AWARENESS, APPROPRIATE AND SUFFICIENT TOUCH, AND THE SCIENCE OF HEALING BIRTH TRAUMA, AND THEIR CONNECTION TO PUBLIC POLICY CONCERNS THAT INCLUDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, ALCOHOLISM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OBESITY.

WHEREAS, in memory of Puna, Hawaii resident, Sarah Marie Faye, whose life, beauty, intelligence and passion were cut short as a victim of domestic violence, and whose yet to be born child was saved through heroic medical intervention, and for whom the Legislature shares in the public outcry for the need to educate, collaborate, and develop strategies for addressing the issue of domestic violence, especially against our expectant mothers, and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that deliberation of societal issues such as abuse of controlled substances, alcoholism and domestic violence and obesity are of serious public concern; and

WHEREAS, it is relatively well-known that wellness education improves responses to stress, which leads to the more healthy development and harmonious co-existence of family members; and

WHEREAS, it has been well-known and accepted that the health and well-being of a pregnant woman is linked to the health and well-being of her yet to be born child; and

WHEREAS, recently scientific findings in a variety of disciplines have converged into an emerging new understanding of the primal, developmental needs of the human being from conception through early infancy;

WHEREAS, it has been asserted that domestic harmony and caring during the prenatal period, birth, and in a newborn baby's domestic environment may lead to a propensity for that child to perpetuate domestic harmony in the future; and;

WHEREAS, it has been suggested that the environment and practices employed in the birth experience imprints the basic personality of the newborn child; and

WHEREAS, it has been suggested that appropriate and sufficient touch and human contact between an infant child and its caregivers is integral to that child's development; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes that women have the right to choose to continue a pregnancy, the Legislature now recognizes that women have a right to their body during the birth, including to be responsible for how they gestate their baby, and where and with whom they birth;

WHEREAS, the Legislature further recognizes the differences in the practice of obstetric medical care noting a rising incidence of surgical birth is correlated with increasing pre-term births and other long-term health conditions; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the positive impact of the trained birth coaching professional, and in particular, the profession of "Doula", defined as a person trained and experienced in childbirth assistance, providing continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and soon after childbirth; and

WHEREAS, current scientific findings in brain research, cellular and neurobiology, physics, pre- and peri-natal psychology, and more, provide a foundation for theory, practice, and research of new technologies and techniques that exist to treat the impact of traumatic and violent physical and emotional issues during conception, gestation, and birth which are now known to contribute to drug addiction, violence, physical and emotional dysfunctions, including obesity; and now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health, Maternal and Child Health Branch, is requested to study the roles of gestational environments, gentle birthing practices, wellness training and education, domestic harmony awareness, and appropriate and sufficient touch, and their connection to reduction of the abuse of controlled substances, alcoholism and domestic violence, and health issues such as obesity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health, Maternal and Child Health Branch, is requested to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature prior to twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor.