Recognize Doulas As Essential: Globally

Recognize Doulas As Essential: Globally

Started
July 14, 2020
Petition to
President of the United States Donald J. Trump and 3 others
Signatures: 2,245Next Goal: 2,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Abbey Barnosky

The truth is that a hundred years ago we gave the medical community all of the power. We said we trusted them with our very lives. And for the most part they have been champions of that trust! Making medical advancements and bringing healing to countless people. And that gift of their hard work and sacrifices is a beautiful and amazing gift! And I want to especially call out those who went above and beyond their oath to do no harm and additionally donate time and resources beyond what they are asked to do. They are heroes and we need them!

But…

Sadly there are many care providers in the midst of the sea of amazing care providers who have come to believe their position of power puts their will above the will of their patients. And because of people like that families are being mistreated, abused, and even assaulted in medical settings.

I surveyed laboring families and birth workers and got nearly 200 stories of emotional, verbal, mental, and physical abuse inflicted on laboring families during pregnancy, labor, and birth.

<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1grAoRTM6r7Bukww3fKA7eJyRT9oRj5crALm0nJSNMUs/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1grAoRTM6r7Bukww3fKA7eJyRT9oRj5crALm0nJSNMUs/edit?usp=sharing</a>

Birth Plans are proof of this. Because if every care provider was asking permission before performing each procedure, we wouldn’t need birth plans. But we do, even many if not most care providers encourage a birth plan, because they know that informed consent is not the norm.

Doulas are one of the many resources in the front line fight for informed consent. We hold care providers and hospital staff accountable! We also inform our clients on how to advocate for themselves. Doulas are essential because families are essential! Because human beings are essential!

Doulas need to be Globally recognized as essential community care persons so that hospitals cannot and hopefully will not bar their entry every again. And that all the hospitals that have blocked their entry will quickly reverse those decision.

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Signatures: 2,245Next Goal: 2,500
Support now
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