A Call to Action: Midwifery is Threatened in Tennessee!!!

Here in Tennessee, Certified Professional Midwives practice legally and with an impressive amount of autonomy.  

That will change if we do not fight.  

Our midwifery council is governed by the board of osteopaths, and it appears that they may be seeking greater regulations concerning practice guidelines, so prosecution of midwives is more clear cut.  As it stands, CPM's must have a "collaborative" relationship with a doctor, but the doctor has no liability, or say in who can see a midwife.  These new regulations, among other things, will demand that midwives have ob/gyn backup, which will not happen as long as ACOG speaks out against homebirth.  Without backup, a CPM will be practicing illegally.  If that wasn't enough to suppress homebirth, it is also left up to doctors to decide who is considered a low-risk candidate for midwifery care.  As you can imagine, that is never going to happen.

To fight this, we are forming the Tennessee Birth Coalition, a non-profit lobbying group for birthing rights.  We need volunteers, exposure, and donations.  We are in the organizing phase, so it is a bit hectic and there are a few women/families, doing A LOT of work.  We need help.

First of all, join the Tennessee Birth Coalition Yahoo Group.  This is a good way to keep up and get involved.

Second, if you know someone on any level of government that may lend us support, contact me with their information and I will get it to the appropriate people.

Share this on Facebook and forward it to anyone and everyone on your email list.

If you are outside of Chattanooga, help us get a group started in your area.  If you have received or are receiving midwifery care outside of Chattanooga, make sure your midwife is aware and involved.  Let her know you are concerned. 

I am the head of the fund-raising committee.  If you have any ideas for fundraisers, would like to offer something at your business, etc., or would like to make a donation (however small, we need it all!), PLEASE contact me.

Or if you would just like to make me a batch of oatstraw infusion, lol!  I know the nutritive herbs are going to be my greatest allies right now.

My contact info:  atinyseed@gmail.com

If you are a homebirther or a friend of midwifery, THIS IS THE TIME FOR ACTION!  We can not let politics force midwifery underground! 

Mothers and babies have a RIGHT to safe birth!

These are pictures of my most recent homebirth (tipi-birth, actually), August 2008

Thankful am I, for the loving care of midwives!

Beef Heart: It's what's for dinner

That's what I said, beef heart.

Yes, I am fearless when it comes to animal foods.  I take my relationship with them seriously, not only the value of their nutrition, but what I percieve as their spiritual value as well.  There are a few rules...

Rule #1  If you are going to eat meat, you should be able to kill an animal.  Reconnect with the food chain.

Rule #2  Though shalt not discard the bones!  I think we have covered that before.

Rule #3  Though shalt not discard/refuse the organ meats...and here we are.

Why did we let dietary recommendation steer us away from organ meats?  Prized in every culture but that of modern N. America, we find them disgusting, repulsive, exotic at best.  These are the organs of an animal, what gave it life.  So, after liver, I was drawn to heart.

I have been brought to tears just discussing the importance of eating the heart of an animal.  There was hesitation before slicing into the raw heart.  Not repulsion, but a feeling of unworthiness.  Yep, lot's of issues come up from consciously eating an animal.  Did I deserve this heart?  What had I done to earn it?  I paid for it with money, a tainted and perverse institution of trade.  Did I earn that money in an honorable way?  I did not kill THIS animal.  We never even met.  These are the complications with omnivery in an industrial society.  At least for me.

All of these feelings took only a moment to process.  I shed the feelings of shame, took a moment for thanks, and sliced right in.  I am a human animal.  I need nourishment.  Besides raising the cow myself, I took every step I could to insure that it led a healthy and natural life before it's death.  I know that it's death was humane. I am worthy of a heart.  It was difficult to process all of symbolism and cultural connections to the heart, but then...

 My children and I had one of the most delicious and nourishing meals of our lives.  I am still shedding a tear or two of thankfulness as I write this post.  I feel stronger and more grounded.  Consider the energy, the character, of a cow.  I can not think of a more grounded animal.  I need that desperately.  My heart holds grief, clings to pain, and I too often refer to it's "cracking open".  Can it not just sustain me, physiologically and energetically, by beating steadily ?  I need a little more cow energy :)

I feel I have shown the animal the greatest respect by cherishing and consuming it's heart, and it has given me it's most precious gift. 

  "I value you."   "I thank you."   "I deserve you."  "You are delicious."

And my liver-shunning kiddos gobbled it right up.  The texture is more firm, and the flavor less intense.  After a few bites they asked what kind of meat it was and where on the animal it came from (there is a lot of animal death talk over the dinner table these days...those kiddos are curious).  I saw a glimmer of surprise, of contemplation, when I told them it was heart.  And then they chewed their way through a heap of it.  I sliced it thin, dipped it in brown rice flour, and fried it in lard with plenty of garlic.  And it was SO good.

SALE!!! Serious overstock on tinctures!

Once upon a time, I thought my role as an herbalist was to be making and selling herbal medicines to the public.  The path has taken a turn, so now I have largish quantities of some herbs, all packaged up in 1 oz bottles and cute little labels.  I am offering them at what I think is a great price, as I sure can't find anything this affordable on the store shelves.  Some of them I have in large quantities, and others may have a bit of label damage, but the medicines are FINE.  I have used them all personally or with family/friends/clients.  

I am offering these extracts at $5 per 1 oz bottle plus shipping.  I estimate that to be around $2, but will charge exactly the cost, no more.

A lot of these are not "popular" herbs on store shelves, etc., but commonly used by grassroots herbalists for a variety of reasons.  I will give extremely brief descriptions of uses, and recommend you research their uses elsewhere if you are interested in one.  Matthew Wood's The Book of Herbal Wisdom, seems to me to be the most complete and useful profiles on these plants.  Susun Weed may also be another great resource. 

Dandelion Leaf-cooling, diuretic, urinary/kidney remedy

Cleavers-cooling, lymphatic

Woodland Nettle Leaf (laportea canandensis)- allergies, urinary, men's health

Violet-cooling, lungs, cysts, lymphatic

Red Clover-alterative, antineoplast, phytosterols, great for balancing hormones (both sexes),general good   health (I love red clover!  She will be making an appearance on the blog as soon as she is blooming!)

Wild Lettuce-  insomnia, pain (I love it for back pain), severe anxiety

Plantain - astringent, great for clearing wet lungs

If you are interested, contact me through FB or my email:  atinyseed@gmail.com

When they are gone, they're gone!