Sunday, June 14, 2009
Water Birth...10 pounds 6 ounces~
On Thursday evening, June 11th, I received a telephone call from S in the Fort Worth area around 5pm. S had begun labor and was letting her team know. A mere 15 minutes later, it was time to drive in. I made it to her home right before the midwives and slipped into place. S and N were working hard during contractions and barely an hour later, their son was gently born in the water. This is their fourth child and first boy. S was a fabulous mom to work with and I am blessed to have been a part of their birth.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Pregnant women's access to health care threatened
Hot off the press....
American Association of Birth Centers
America's Birth Center Resource
3123 Gottschall Road ~ Perkiomenville, PA 18074 ~ Tel: 215-234-8068 ~ Fax: 215-234-8829 ~ aabc@birthcenters.org ~ www.birthcenters.org
Pregnant Women’s Access to Care Threatened
H.R. 2358 Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act
U.S. Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Rob Wittman (R-FL) introduced the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act to ensure Medicaid birth center facility fee payments to states. Over the past few years, CMS has begun disallowing federal matching funds for state Medicaid payments for freestanding birth center services. Birth centers have been recognized by CMS (and earlier, by HCFA) as a Medicaid provider type in State Medicaid Plans since 1987. Recently, however, CMS has disallowed such payment by several state Medicaid Agencies, including Alaska, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington State, claiming that it lacks clear statutory authority and direction to allow these payments.
CMS has directed its regional offices to stop federal payments to any state for birth center services. Texas recently lost an appeal that would have directed CMS to continue paying for birth center facility fees in the state - as it had for over 20 years. This bill will direct CMS to make payment to the states for birth center services.
This action by CMS puts pregnant women at risk of losing access to safe, high quality maternity care. Birth centers in other states are now at risk of losing this reimbursement. Here are the facts about birth centers:
Birth centers are part of a vital safety net for Medicaid mothers across the U.S.
Birth centers fill the void left in many areas when hospitals – rural, urban, or suburban -- close their obstetrical services
Many rural and urban birth centers serve a disproportionately high percentage of Medicaid recipients. Texas provides two examples – at least 95% of patients in an inner city Houston birth center, over 85% for a center in Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley
Birth centers have a proven history of reducing low birth weight and preterm birth, the main causes of neonatal death in the U.S.
Birth centers provide innovative approaches to maternity care that reduce disparities for low income and minority women, lower cesarean section rates, and reduce health care costs
The U.S. needs a network of birth centers to provide alternatives to busy hospitals for mothers and babies during an epidemic, natural calamity, or other disaster
Congress must act now!
American Association of Birth Centers
America's Birth Center Resource
3123 Gottschall Road ~ Perkiomenville, PA 18074 ~ Tel: 215-234-8068 ~ Fax: 215-234-8829 ~ aabc@birthcenters.org ~ www.birthcenters.org
Pregnant Women’s Access to Care Threatened
H.R. 2358 Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act
U.S. Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Lois Capps (D-CA), and Rob Wittman (R-FL) introduced the Medicaid Birth Center Reimbursement Act to ensure Medicaid birth center facility fee payments to states. Over the past few years, CMS has begun disallowing federal matching funds for state Medicaid payments for freestanding birth center services. Birth centers have been recognized by CMS (and earlier, by HCFA) as a Medicaid provider type in State Medicaid Plans since 1987. Recently, however, CMS has disallowed such payment by several state Medicaid Agencies, including Alaska, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington State, claiming that it lacks clear statutory authority and direction to allow these payments.
CMS has directed its regional offices to stop federal payments to any state for birth center services. Texas recently lost an appeal that would have directed CMS to continue paying for birth center facility fees in the state - as it had for over 20 years. This bill will direct CMS to make payment to the states for birth center services.
This action by CMS puts pregnant women at risk of losing access to safe, high quality maternity care. Birth centers in other states are now at risk of losing this reimbursement. Here are the facts about birth centers:
Birth centers are part of a vital safety net for Medicaid mothers across the U.S.
Birth centers fill the void left in many areas when hospitals – rural, urban, or suburban -- close their obstetrical services
Many rural and urban birth centers serve a disproportionately high percentage of Medicaid recipients. Texas provides two examples – at least 95% of patients in an inner city Houston birth center, over 85% for a center in Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley
Birth centers have a proven history of reducing low birth weight and preterm birth, the main causes of neonatal death in the U.S.
Birth centers provide innovative approaches to maternity care that reduce disparities for low income and minority women, lower cesarean section rates, and reduce health care costs
The U.S. needs a network of birth centers to provide alternatives to busy hospitals for mothers and babies during an epidemic, natural calamity, or other disaster
Congress must act now!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Just waiting on my mommas!
I have been lucky enough to be hired as a birth photographer for two families. One Momma was due in May and the other early next week. I am now just waiting for the telephone to ring so I can photograph such a wonderful time in their lives.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
A gorgeous red headed newborn~
I was called in to photograph a doula friend's 18 day old beautiful baby girl. Baby C was so cooperative for the shoot and barely fussed at all. I can't get over how beautiful this baby is with all that red hair. These are a few of my favorites...
Friday, February 13, 2009
It's a BOY!!!
I attended a beautiful birth on the 9th & 10th of February. S was one strong woman who pushed herself every step of the way during labor. After being 1 cm for days, with being induced two separate times, she finally broke past and made it to 10 in less than 6 hours. Complications arose during pushing & she was allowed to rest and labor down. After an hour and pushing resumed, the complications didn't go away. S had a cesarean birth at 1:04 am, Baby G is 6 pounds 14 ounces & 21 1/2" long...and a really gorgeous baby boy!! Congratulations S & P!!
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