Give the gift of a good start to life- donate to the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition during Give for Good Louisville!

The birth of a baby is a pivotal moment in life for all of those involved, especially the mother and the baby. The KHBC is working to make sure those who choose to give birth in a home setting have access to safe and high quality maternity care. A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is the ONLY health care provider who is specifically trained to attend birth in a home setting.

What is the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition?

The Kentucky Home Birth Coalition is a consumer led grass-roots organization working to license Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) in Kentucky. We are regular, everyday individuals who take time to write, email, call, and visit with our legislators to express the need for CPMs in Kentucky. We also volunteer our time to organize fundraisers and educate the public on home birth and midwifery.

Our Goals:

  • ensure the health and well-being of Kentucky families that choose out-of-hospital birth
  • expand access to the evidence-based, high quality maternity care provided by CPMs
  • protect the rights of Kentucky women to choose their place of birth and birth attendants
  • support all midwives as autonomous care providers in all settings

Why Licensing Certified Professional Midwives Matters:

Currently, over 600+ families in Kentucky choose to give birth at home each year. The majority of those births are attended by CPMs. As the law stands, it is unlawful for a CPM to attend births in Kentucky without a license. Since 1975, Kentucky has had no legal path in place for CPMs to obtain a license. What a catch-22!

Home births have been proven to have equal or better outcomes for low risk mothers, compared to births that take place in a hospital. Midwifery clients, across the board, have higher breastfeeding rates, lower rates of unnecessary interventions, and lower c-section rates, all of which have significant economic and health impacts. The key to all of these fantastic benefits is having a highly skilled and qualified birth attendant, which is the CPM.

Why We Need Your Help:

Our lobbyists, which we lovingly refer to as our “legislative doulas” cost our organization at least $2,000 every month. They guide us through the legislative process, secure meetings with legislators, and help us identify key players to our cause. They are in Frankfort for us when we cannot take time out of our everyday lives. Our lobbyists have been essential tools to our successful strides the past couple of years (2016, 2017), and we really hope to see our efforts change the law in Kentucky in the near future. We believe a woman has the right to choose where she will give birth, and who should be in attendance. No legislation or facility should have the power to determine these decisions for her. You do not have to have ever had or want a home birth to support this cause. Our support comes from anyone who believes that families have the right to choose where and with whom they give birth.  Join us today to improve and expand birth options in Kentucky!

For more information on the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition, please visit www.kentuckyhomebirthcoalition.com

To view our Give for Good Louisville profile and/or donate, visit https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organizations/kentucky-home-birth-coalition

 

Supporters of the KHBC at the capital for a legislative hearing.