Will I Be Next?

Recently, a family in Illinois has been torn apart because the parents made decisions outside the mainstream and against the advice of their doctor.

M was pregnant, and baby R was presenting breech. As is common among today's obstetricians, M's doctor recommended scheduling a C-section.

M did her research. She knew that, statistically speaking, a vaginal breech birth is only marginally more risky than a vertex (head down) birth. She knew there was a slightly higher risk of birth injury and of cord prolapse if she chose to deliver vaginally. She also knew that a c-section carries its own risk of birth injury as well as additional risks to her baby of difficulty breathing and jaundice. She knew her baby would be more likely to end up in the NICU from a c-section than from a vaginal breech birth. She also knew having a c-section would make it harder for her to care for her newborn, would delay breastfeeding, and would interfere with initial bonding.

After weighing the pros and cons of her options, M made the decision to refuse the c-section and deliver vaginally because she believed it was best for her child. Her doctor had never been trained in a vaginal breech delivery and refused to assist. That meant her only option was to birth at home with a trained midwife.

During the birth, there was a slight complication, one that is common in hospitals everywhere and not specific to either home birth or breech birth. It was easily dealt with, and baby R was successfully delivered vaginally. Because of this temporary complication, M and her husband decided the best thing for their daughter was to have her checked out as soon as possible. They took her to the ER, where it was determined the baby had slight nerve damage in her arms that would resolve itself without treatment.

BUT! Someone in the ER decided to report this family to the Department of Children and Family Services. The reasoning was that they put their daughter in danger by choosing to birth at home, even though the baby was fine and the complication was just as likely to happen in a hospital. They were "medically negligent" because they did not follow their doctor's advice. Because they did what they believed was best, they lost custody of their daughter. The irony is that they would still have custody if they had chosen not to seek care for their daughter and never been discovered to have birthed at home.

This disturbs me for a number of reasons, not the least of which is wondering, will I be next? I choose to selectively vaccinate on a delayed schedule. Am I medically negligent for not protecting my children from chicken pox? I choose to homeschool. Am I educationally negligent for not providing my child with a public school experience? What about extended breast feeding, or co-sleeping, or baby wearing, or using homeopathy, or avoiding antibiotics? Who decides what is and is not an acceptable choice for loving parents who want to do the best for their children?

(On the advice of their lawyers, the parents have not gone to the press at this time. You can find more information on the Facebook page Bring Ruth Home.)