Homebirth in Illiniois --- we need your help!

While politics are NOT my forte, there is a current issue which needs your attention and help (especially if you reside in Illiniois). As many of you know, we had a homebirth with our daughter Kellyn last May. Since I was attempting a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), I knew my chances of achieving one in a hospital setting were slim to none. After experiencing all the garbage we did during Cavan's labor and birth, I knew I wanted a MUCH different experience with our second child. Hence, my journey led me to a Home Birth After Cesarean (HBAC). While I am not going to try to convince you that everyone should have a homebirth (that would be for another post:)), I will say that everyone who chooses to birth their babies at home should have the options to do so safely.

Illinois currently does not have any legislation that licenses Direct-Entry Midwives. There are Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), but they receive their training in a hospital. They are not trained for homebirths and in reality, only 1% of all CNMs even attend homebirths. This leaves the vast majority of homebirthing families in a real pickle. Given that there are approximately 1,000 families in Illinois who choose to have a homebirth EACH year, this is not just a small problem. We do not have any way of knowing how "qualified" our midwives are because there is no licensure regulating them. Hopefully, this is about to change.

Currently, there is a Senate Bill (S.B. 385) that just passed out of committee yesterday. Hooray!!! This is the first time it has even passed out of committee in 20+ years of trying to get licensure for midwives passed! This alone is a HUGE step. However, we need to keep our momentum going!!! In the next week or so, the Illinois senate will be voting on Senate Bill 385 so it is MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER that we contact our Illinois senators to let them know we want their support! Even if you would never have a homebirth yourself, you know (and hopefully *love*) us. Let your senator know that a close friend/sister/daughter/cousin/niece had a homebirth last May in Illinois. Tell them you want my family to have options in trusting a safe careprovider for our homebirths of our future children. Make it known that as a constituent in their respective district, this issue is important and personal to you (even if it is only "personal" through our experience of homebirth). Ask for their support of Senate Bill 385. That is it. Pretty easy, right? Letters do not have to be long; they only have to ask for their support in licensing midwives as Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). Send these off to their Springfield addresses, which can be found by visiting www.ilga.gov and clicking on "Legislator Lookup", which is listed under the heading of "Additional Resources".

Giving them a call at their Springfield office would also be beneficial. Their secretary will answer and you simply say you want your senator's support for Senate Bill 385. The secretary will then ask for your name, number and either address or city where you live. I have yet to be contacted back from my senator/representative, so don't be nervous about addressing the issue with them personally. *If* you are contacted by some miracle, direct them to the website www.homebirthishealthy.org which has the senate bill, more info on homebirth in general, why we need CPMs in addition to CNMs, etc. In fact, I encourage all of you to visit that website for yourself and read up on the issue!

I understand and *know* what a pain it can be to sit down and write even a short letter, but I assure you, all of your contacts will make a HUGE difference for the homebirth movement in Illinois! Even if you could care less about the issue, I am pleading with you as a friend to do this for me. It is so very important and as I do not plan on birthing any future children in hospitals (barring unforeseen emergencies/complications), your letters/phone calls will make a huge impact on our family's future births as well. Please do this in the next couple of days as the Illinois Senate will be voting very soon on the issue. And trust me, I am not above the act of begging....pretty, pretty, pretty please with lots 'o cherries, nuts and whipped cream on top!!!

For those of you who reside in Southern Illinois, this issue is slightly more important as John O. Jones was the ONLY "no" vote on the 9-member committee that passed the bill. I am not sure of his exact district, but if he happens to be your senator, a short letter may do even more good than for other senators.

Okay, that is it for today's "changing the world" rant....hope you all are well and looking forward to spring as much as I am!

Shannon

March Madness!

Well, the wait is almost over, just twelve hours to go. Of course I'm speaking of the most anticipated event of the year (right after Christmas, though they're tied in my book): the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament!!!

Any who knows me even superficially knows that I'm a big college basketball fan. I watch games a few times a week on TV, I read blogs about college basketball and I practically live at espn.com. And so, the wait between the Selection Sunday show at 5 PM on Sunday and the first tip-off on Thursday morning is almost too much for me to bear. It's like time stands still for me during this week every year. Exactly the way you felt when you were young and your birthday was a week away . . .

And so tomorrow morning, I'll head to work early, get a few things done, and then race back home hopefully in time for the first tip-off a little after 11 AM. Twelve hours later, I'll retreat into my bedroom, weary from the mental exhilaration and exhaustion that the first day brings. And then up the next morning to do the same thing!

The best part of the whole event is the March Madness pools that spring up everywhere. I'm in three this year: my usual one with Shannon, my brothers, my dad, and my uncle Keith, one at work (that I initiated) and another one at Newman sponsored by the Knights of Columbus where most of the proceedings go to charity. My wife, who is mostly indifferent to sports, really enjoys filling out a bracket as well. She doesn't watch many games, but she enjoys the competition (though I whoop her butt every year :). Can't wait until my kids get into it as well!

For those sports fans out there, enjoy the next three weeks, the greatest sporting event of the year!

The "Dark" Side of Shannon

After my last post (which was WAAAAYYY too long ago, my apologies), Heath commented that I really showed my "dark" side. It kind of took me back for a second. I wasn't expecting that response, to be honest. Now granted, anyone reading my post from February 7th can see what a trying day/week/month I was having with the kiddos, but I didn't really consider exposing my weaknesses and imperfections a "darkness". True, it is the darker side of my personality that most of you probably (and thankfully) do not have the unfortunate opportunity to witness. (Leave it to children to bring out the very best and worst of you, right?) However, when we wade through all the surface junk and dive deep into all of our own broken-ness, when we leave ourselves open and vulnerable, when we are exposed and unable to hide behind our masks...I think *that* is where healing happens. That is where we will grow from, if we allow ourselves to dig that deep. Is it dark? Yes. Is it scary? Absolutely! But it is also human. Change and growth does not happen from the ground up. It happens in the seeds beneath the surface.

So, yes, I gave you all a glimpse into my dark side. I hope you weren't too frightened. :) One of my personal goals this Lent is to change that dark side, beginning at the core of myself. In fact (and here again, you will get a view into my daily struggles), one of my explicit sacrifices this Lent is to not yell at my children. As Heath mentioned in an earlier post, I am using it as a stepping stone for permanent changes in my parenting behavior.

Now, not yelling may sound simple enough for some, and for others (who would never even dream of yelling at your children), it may sound horrible that this is an area I have to actively work on. I feel ashamed admitting this, but it is. That is not to say that I am yelling multiple times all hours of the day. But after the fourth or fifth tantrum from Cavan, after Kellyn has only slept for a total of twenty minutes in three daytime "naps", when my house is yet again a war-zone of toys, half-folded laundry and miscellaneous papers everywhere...my patience level is pretty tapped. And sometimes, I will yell because I do not have any other response left to give at that point. I always feel guilty afterwards and I always apologize to my children (especially Cavan) because I think it is important for parents to admit when they are wrong.

In order to change my knee-jerk response of yelling, I am shooting up many little "arrow" prayers during the day and walking away from situations when I feel my temperature rising. I am trying to step back and realize Cavan is a child and I am the adult. Surely, I can handle a better response than pure emotional yelling, right? I think this will be a very good thing for me as a parent and I think it will be a wonderful thing to model for my children as well. How are they ever supposed to learn how to deal with and handle overwhelming emotions if all they have witnessed their mother do is yell?

I do ask for your prayers and thoughts during this season of Lent as it has already been trying on many a day. I have had both triumphs and mini-defeats already, but I am proud to report that in the 2.5 weeks of Lent thus far, I have yelled less than a handful of times!!! In fact, the very first "incident" didn't even occur until I had survived a whole week of peaceful, composed parenting responses to my child. :) The fact that I have slipped up a few times is evidence of how easily we humans are seduced by temptation to stay in our ugly behaviors and how quickly we revert back to the old, sinful ways. I invite all of you to fully take advantage of this season of Lent by instituting positive changes in your own lives. Grab your shovels and trowels! Let's get back to the hopeful seedlings that God is calling us to be. Let's get beneath the surface and usurp all the dark, dirty parts that need light. Let's start digging as we look forward to a springtime filled with sunshine and growth!