Midwife Autonomy Endangered by MANA President Sarita Bennett

Kristen Klein: I support removing Dr Bennett from MANA

Kira Káña: Unacceptable.

Kim Pekin CPM: It is unacceptable for someone in the position of representing midwives would support removing or limiting autonomy for midwives. Midwifery autonomy is a cause that every major midwifery organization supports, and groups of midwives have advocated for efforts to remove restrictions to their autonomy, like collaborative agreement requirements. We have made so much progress, and to see this from the MANA President is truly apTo actively work to undermine midwives is reprehensible and should not be tolerated by the MANA membership. MANA's president should be supporting midwives, upholding MANA's mission and vision, and be a uniting force in the midwifery community.

Kim Lane: I support the effort to unseat Sarita Bennet.

Kendra Duby: Every mother should have the right to give birth at home and every resource should be available to her. Restricting midwifery practices does not support home birth. MANA should not support the restriction of midwifery in any form.

Kelsey Fisher: I am a homebirth midwife in Oregon, and participate in several boards and advocacy groups for direct entry midwives. Midwife autonomy is a bottom line for me. Other issues have previously raised concerns about MANA's leadership, but this level of betrayal is intolerable. I will continue to support and fight for autonomous practice, which MANA's own research shows is safe and effective, not to mention a critical, yet underutilized component of our maternity care system. We need more support for midwives. Sarita Bennit does not speak for me.

Kelsey Dean: This is truly disappointing. Dr Bennett is clearly not the appropriate choice to lead MANA, but is also showing her lack of understanding of the Midwives Model of Care by making these remarks. Midwives care for normal, healthy pregnancies with compassionate care that should not require the impunity of supervision from someone who has never met or spoken with a client. I support the resignation of Dr Sarita Bennett from her MANA office.

Kelly Santana Majoch: As a professional and a client I advocate for full autonomy of CPMs

Kelly Frohnauer: I call for Dr. Sarita Bennett to resign her position as President of MANA. She is violating MANA's mission and vision statement!

Kelly Baumgartner: She has got to go.

Kayley Mayhew: As a doula agency owner, and a long-time midwifery advocate in the state of Virginia, I am absolutely horrified to see Sarita abuse her position of power to make midwifery more difficult for her fellow midwives. She should resign her position immediately as President of MANA.

Katie phillips: I am an autonomous practice CNM and I can’t believe MANA is allowing this type of harm to the midwifery profession as a whole.

Kathleen Belzer: We feel strongly that the current President of MANA needs to be removed immediately and MANA needs to work to repair the damage she has imparted on the independent practice of midwifery.

Katarra Shaw: I support the autonomous practice for out hospital birth. We have fought for our autonomy and we will not hand it over to overseeing physicians who are not trained in our model of care.

Karen reed: I support autonomy in OOH births

Karen Baker: We need to protect the mission of MANA and remove the current president.

June Lamphier: I am a licensed midwife in the state of Texas. I have been license for over 21 years and I’m also a nurse. I strongly feel we need a president of MANA WHO advocates for the autonomy of midwifery. If we are regulated and have oversight of the medical community this will be the demise of midwifery as we know it. The traditional OB model of care does not understand the personalized care midwives give. This will be the demise of midwifery if we are overseen by the medical community.

Joanna Ranelli: Protect the midwifery model of care and midwife autonomy! birthing people deserve freedom to make choices regarding their births!

Jessica Shipley: Student midwife here, looking forward to a secure future in serving women

Jessica Rutledge: These suggestions will further advance disparities of women and children. Policies like those suggested make it harder for midwives to practice legally & therefore the number of practicing midwives will dwindle forcing families into difficult situations. This is not a fair position for MANA to have. MANA should be in support of communities and of midwives. MANA is the Midwives Alliance of North America, but these recommendations and their current stance & nonchalant attitude concerning this matter does not align with midwifery. It literally does the opposite.