OUR STORY
The idea for the Walk for Midwives was born out of frustration for the lack of options available to birthing families in South Dakota - namely a severe shortage of midwives due to our outdated laws. When I received an email about a different kind of walk on July 16th, it got me thinking.
Four days later I was asking the SD Safe Childbirth Options board of directors for their help in planning a 4 mile walk in 11 communities in 7 days ending on my 44th birthday on August 27th. This walk would be used as a catalyst to energize midwife supporters, educate the public and raise money to continue our work in the state legislature.
Certified Professional Midwives, the specialists in out-of-hospital birth, have been delivering amazing outcomes across the country for almost 2 decades. Sadly, legal restrictions prevent them from practicing in South Dakota and severely limit the practice of Certified Nurse Midwives. The map below shows the limited access to midwives that South Dakota families face.
Our state has a long way to go to improve our maternity care services and this Walk seemed like a step in the right direction. We didn’t have much time to pull it together, but we all went to work with a purpose. The energy started building immediately as we started receiving confirmations of businesses around the state willing to sponsor T-shirts for the Walk.
We found a coordinator and a location for the Walk in each of the 11 communities and began working on publicity. We set up a Facebook page and this website. We began hearing from friends from around the country who wanted to walk in solidarity with us in their own states.
The outpouring of energy has been amazing and my prayer is that policy makers in South Dakota and throughout the country will take notice, recognize the many benefits midwives have to offer and change our laws to give families greater access to Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Nurse Midwives.
Peace,
Debbie Pease
Out-going Co-Chair
SD Safe Childbirth Options, Inc.