Transphobia in the Midwifery Communityhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/trevor-macdonald/transphobia-in-the-midwif_b_8131520.html?utm_hp_ref=transgenderThe Huffington Post/By Trevor MacDonald 09/15/2015
"Five years ago, as a transgender expectant parent, I eagerly read midwife Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth. I credit her work as having had a tremendous effect on my ability to birth at home in our western culture of medicalized birth.
Deciding on midwifery care for myself was easy. I knew that working with a limited number of care providers who would have the time to understand my unique situation and needs would be vastly preferable to five-minute appointments with a OB/GYN and subsequently labouring with hospital staff I'd never met before. The midwifery approach to care, in general, emphasizes informed decision-making and establishing a relationship of trust and respect with the patient. Midwives prioritize continuity of care, meaning that the client sees the same two or three care providers throughout pregnancy, labour and post partum. Longer appointments ensure the opportunity to develop a positive provider/client relationship."
