The Truth about Childbirth: Mothers Matter

OTTAWA, Ontario - May 12, 2013 - PRLog -- May 12, 2013  Ottawa, Ontario – Mothers of Change-National Capital Region is officially putting health decision makers all over the province on notice; mothers’ experiences in childbirth matter.  The organization believes not enough attention is being given to the fact that childbirth has life lasting effects on an individual, not only a new mother but also as a woman, partner, and member of society.

Dr. Nancy Salgueiro, spokesperson for the Mothers Matter campaign says, “It is time that we start paying more attention to maternity care in this province and this country.  The old adage ‘at least you have a healthy baby’ is not good enough anymore.  We also need healthy moms!”

Mothers of Change- National Capital Region has identified several truths that are the essential foundation to improving maternity care:

·        Mothers need to become a bigger priority in birth so they can come through childbirth healthy; not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and socially.  

·        It has been shown that the way a woman is treated through the process of childbirth has a bigger impact on her satisfaction with becoming a mother than the physical experience of birthing her baby.  

·        There is no reason why mothers cannot be treated well, i.e. with respect and kindness in birth, and still have any necessary care to experience a healthy outcome for both mother and baby.

These are the starting points to creating an entire maternity care solution that respects all women in childbirth.  

How to participate in the Mothers Matter campaign is clearly outlined on the website http://informedchoice.ca/mothers-matter.

“What we are asking women to do is tell their stories.  We want women to tell their politicians, hospital administrators, care providers, the college of Midwives of Ontario, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologist of Canada, and everyone involved in the administration of maternity care that Mothers Matter.  Tell them how the process of giving birth has impacted your life.  Tell them how the care that was provided in childbirth led to you feeling empowered or how you were traumatized and how that has carried forward into your life, as a mother, woman, partner, and member of society.”  

Dr. Salgueiro says this campaign is open to everyone, regardless of the type of care you received, how you felt during childbirth, or how long ago you experienced it.  It is even open for fathers to share their stories.  

“The goal is to make maternity care a priority in this province and for administrators of that care to see the great impact it has on humanity.”

Go to http://informedchoice.ca/mothers-matter, to submit your story.

For media inquiries, to arrange for an interview or an expert quote, please contact Dr. Nancy Salgueiro at 613-800-9494.

Mothers of Change is a non-profit, Canadian consumer advocacy group for maternity care.  Founded in May 2010, Mothers of Change includes mothers and health care practitioners from across Canada who want to see improvement in maternity care.  The vision of Mothers of Change is to improve care for mothers and babies in Canada, so that every mother/baby dyad is provided the best environment and best support for physiological birth and optimum postpartum care, whether at home or in hospital; attended by a midwife, physician, or obstetrician; and whether low or high risk.