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The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. International Midwives' Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has been observed in over 50 nations around the world.
We've put together this packet of information to aide you in planning your events. Included are step-by-step guidelines for obtaining a proclamation from your state and/or local governments, samples of proclamations and request letters, a sample press release, excerpts from the International Confederation of Midwives newsletter, and a list of other ideas for celebrating.
Please share the information in this packet with other midwives in your state or province. The more positive publicity midwifery receives, the more birth choices women will have!
Have fun celebrating this special day! And please let us know what was accomplished in your area in the way of proclamations and events to further promote midwifery care for childbearing women.
Index to International Midwives Day Information
Ideas for Celebrating International Midwives' Day
How to have a Proclamation Issued in your State or by your Governor
Sample Request Letters for Proclamation
Sample Proclamations from Various States
Press Release Guidelines
Sample Press Release
About Public Service Announcements
Excerpts from ICM Newsletters
- Obtain a proclamation recognizing this day from your governor or local officials. Make arrangements to pick up local proclamations yourself or send a representative of your organization or a group of midwifery supporters. Try to get press coverage.
- Plan a picnic in the park, a potluck dinner, or a rally for the families you have served. Consider opening it to the public and press ("come talk with some home birth families" or "come learn why these families used a midwife").
- Have an Open House at your office. Invite the governor, mayor, or your legislator to your event. Invite local doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, and health officials. Have a presentation ready explaining the benefits of midwifery care.
- Participate in a radio or TV talk-show or interview.
- Arrange a church service or plant a tree in a local park to commemorate the day.
- Make up and distribute flyers about midwifery and International Midwives' Day. Send out to the public, legislators, policy makers, insurance companies, etc. Send legislators a "new constituent birth announcement". Office supply stores now have stationary items like postcards and greeting cards that feed through your printer.
- Have a gathering of midwives. Send all the midwives in your state a copy of your proclamation, if you can copy it onto special paper. Frame it and take your local midwife out to lunch and present the proclamation to her as an award. Call some clients to join you and invite the press to an (inexpensive, easy to organize) Award Ceremony in honor of this day.
- Wear lapel ribbons signifying the day (in Michigan, they wear blue and pink ribbons). Let people at other meetings you attend know that International Midwives Day is coming up. Take some ribbons along, distribute them and ask people to wear them on May 5.
- Send out Public Service Announcements to local radio and TV.
- Arrange to have a display or a booth in a shopping mall or health, women's or children's fairs.
- Give special presents to babies born on International Midwives' Day. Send their pictures into the paper with birth announcements.
- Above all, get as much media coverage of events as possible. Send out press releases before and after International Midwives' Day. Take pictures at your event and send copies into the paper after your event. Make your celebration of this event as public as possible. Celebrate the wonders of midwifery with your community and reach out to those who are not yet aware of these wonders in order to educate them!
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If you've never done it before, you may not realize how easy it is to obtain a proclamation recognizing International Midwives' Day. It is so simple that proclamations have even been obtained in states where practicing midwifery was still considered an illegal act!
A word about timing. If you're requesting a state proclamation, consider requesting it in February or March so that you have time to incorporate the proclamation into your other plans. If you are receiving this information closer to May than that, you can still accomplish a lot.
First, gather together your information about International Midwives' Day, midwifery in your area, maternity care in your community, and support organizations (such as State Midwifery Association, Friends of Midwives, etc.). If possible include written descriptions of its history and services. If necessary, contact the MANA Public Education Committee for MANA information. To develop your proposed proclamation use the sample text included in this packet. Feel free to make your proclamation speak to local issues. Officials may relate better to local citizen concerns.
Call your governor's office (or local official's office) to find out their procedure for issuing proclamations. Mention to them that you have a sample proclamation prepared that you would be happy to send to them along with your written request and information about your local midwife organization and/or MANA.
Ask if the official will have time to deliver the proclamation in person. Try to arrange press coverage of proclamation acceptance. Otherwise, provide name, address, and phone number of a contact person to receive the proclamation.
In some locations, issuance of a proclamation requires approval of a governing body such as city council or state legislature. You may need to have someone within that governing body sponsor your proclamation or a resolution and lobby for passage of it. This is actually a great way to educate officials without the pressure of passing a bill.
Be sure to thank the officials who issue proclamations and show appreciation of them by including them in any planned events to celebrate the day.
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[Your Name] [Address] [City, State, Zip Code] [Phone Number]
[Date]
The Honorable [Governor's Name] Governor of the State of [Your State Name] [Address] [City, State, Zip Code]
Dear Governor [Governor's Name],
The World Health Organization has proclaimed May 5th as International Midwives' Day. To help celebrate this momentous event we are requesting you to join with the Governors of Oregon, Florida and many other states in setting aside a special day of recognition for [Your State Name] midwives.
Midwives are valuable to your community because they:
- Help women and their families understand the importance of prenatal care; thereby reducing cost and improving birth outcomes.
- Promote understanding of the normalcy of the birth process, thereby reducing the need for drugs and unnecessary costly interventions.
- Provide support for enhancing communication skills, thereby helping women build self-esteem and better family relationships.
- Promote breastfeeding, thereby reducing infant illness and increasing parental confidence. Offer safe, low cost care to the women of your community.
I have included sample proclamation text, information about our organization, and some facts about midwives for your review. If you have further questions concerning my request, please contact me at the address above.
We appreciate your help in honoring the midwives that have meant so much to our families by proclaiming May 5th [Your State Name] Midwives' Day.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Title]
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From New Hampshire
State of New Hampshire
By Her Excellency
Jeanne Shaheen, Governor
A Proclamation
International Midwives' Day
May 5, 2000
WHEREAS, midwives have been a part of the culture and tradition of New Hampshire since colonial days and are still important in this state's health care; and
WHEREAS, midwives provide a family-centered childbirth option that has grown in response to the choice of thousands of New Hampshire's parents; and
WHEREAS, midwives are dedicated to the care of pregnancy and birth and treat each woman's pregnancy according to the mother's unique and personal needs; and
WHEREAS, midwives provide the necessary supervision, care and advice to women during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period, conducts deliveries on her own responsibility and cares for the newborn and the infant, and offers childbirth education and counseling to women on health needs, family relations and postpartum concerns; and
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization, the International Confederation of Midwives and the Midwives Alliance of North America have noted the impact midwifery care has on improving the infant mortality rate worldwide; and
WHEREAS, the goals of the NH Midwives Association, the NH Midwifery Council and the NH Chapter of the American College of Nurse-Midwives include improving birth outcomes in the State of New Hampshire.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jeanne Shaheen, Governor of the State of New Hampshire, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2000 as
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES' DAY
in New Hampshire, and urge all citizens to join in this observance.
From San Francisco
Proclamation
Whereas the City and County of San Francisco is extremely proud to honor and recognize Midwifery as the standard of safe maternity care worldwide, as endorsed by the World Health Organization; and
Whereas we celebrate the changes occurring across the country as Midwifery expands the health-care options of birthing families in this City, and all over the United States; and
Whereas childbirth is a wonderful experience where the couple should be surrounded by friends and family; and
Whereas Midwifery has a positive impact on infant mortality, and is well equipped to address the health-care crisis among poor women in this State; now
Therefore Be It Resolved That I, Frank Jordan, Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco, in recognition of their outstanding and continuing contributions to the people of this City, State and Nation, do hereby proclaim October 1993 as
Midwife Month in San Francisco.
From Florida
Proclamation State of Florida Executive Department Tallahassee
WHEREAS, midwives helped mothers and children prior to written history and are still important in health care; and
WHEREAS, midwives provide a family-centered childbirth option that has grown in response to the choice of thousands of parents; and
WHEREAS, midwives are dedicated to the care of pregnancy and birth and treat each woman's pregnancy according to her unique physical and personal needs; and
WHEREAS, midwives offer pregnancy screening, prenatal care, childbirth education and counseling to pregnant women on health needs, pregnancy-related transitions, family relations and postpartum concerns; and
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization and the Midwives Alliance of North America have noted the impact midwifery care has on improving the infant mortality rate; and
WHEREAS, the goals of the Florida Friends of Midwives, the Midwives Association of Florida and the Florida Chapter of the American College of Nurse Midwives include improving birth outcomes in the State of Florida;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Lawton Chiles, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby proclaim May 5, 1992, as
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES' DAY
in Florida and encourage all residents to join in this observance.
From Hawaii
Office of the Mayor County of Kauai Proclamation
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES' DAY
WHEREAS, May 5th, 1995 will mark the fifth annual observance of International Midwives' Day in over 50 nations worldwide, as proclaimed by the International Confederation of Midwives and the Midwives Alliance of North America, with the stated theme: "Safe Motherhood Secures the Future of a Nation"; and
WHEREAS, midwives have throughout time and in all nations provided healthcare to mothers, babies and their communities; and
WHEREAS, here on Kauai, today as in times past, midwives are caring for women and babies in a variety of settings; and
WHEREAS, midwives provide care for many aspects of women's and infant's health including: maternity care, infant care, breastfeeding issues, family planning information, menopause concerns and counseling; and
WHEREAS, midwives make a strong contribution to the health and well being of mothers and babies on our Island and other parts of Hawaii; now, therefore,
I, MARYANNE W. KUSAKA, Mayor of the County of Kauai, State of Hawaii, do hereby proclaim May 5, 1995, as
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES' DAY
and encourage the people of Kauai to become better acquainted with the services offered by the midwives of our community and the contributions they make to the families of Kauai.
From Oregon
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR PROCLAMATION
STATE OF OREGON
WHEREAS: Midwives helped mothers and children prior to written history and are still important in health care; and
WHEREAS: The Oregon Midwifery Council, founded in 1977, is a statewide professional organization of midwives and their supporters; and
WHEREAS: Midwives provide a family-centered childbirth alternative that has grown in response to the choice of thousands of parents; and
WHEREAS: The Oregon Midwifery Council is dedicated to safeguarding the right of every parent to choose where and with whom to give birth, as well as to assuring a safe experience for those who choose a homebirth; and
WHEREAS: The Oregon Midwifery Council strives to increase communication between midwives and other health care professionals; and
WHEREAS: The Oregon Midwifery Council has established standards of care, risk assessment criteria and a voluntary process for certifying qualified midwives,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Neil Goldschmidt, Governor of the State of Oregon, hereby proclaim May 5, 1990, as
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES DAY
In Oregon and encourage all citizens to join in this observance.
From Louisiana
Office of the Mayor Lake Charles, Louisiana Proclamation
WHEREAS, several years ago, midwives in Sierra Leone, Africa and England indicated what a fine and worthwhile gesture it would be to have a day designated which would bring a well-deserved honor and recognition to the tradition, skill, and services provided by midwives; and
WHEREAS, time has witnessed a miracle of growth of the original concept, and today, the Midwives Alliance of North America, MANA, is an international organization and, in our own area, there are a number of MANA members, all of whom are Licensed Midwife Practitioners; and
WHEREAS, use of midwifery services is not for every woman, but constitutes an option that should be afforded greater recognition and greater acceptance in our state and community. Particularly, this is true in this area because at this time Moss Regional Hospital has no Obstetrics Department and many low-income patients are forced to use the University Medical Center in Lafayette. This, of course, involves travel expense, day care, and inconvenience;
NOW, THEREFORE, I JAMES E. SUDDUTH, Mayor of the City of Lake Charles, recognizing the valuable services rendered by Licensed Midwife Practitioners and in deep appreciation of their dedicated services whenever or wherever they are needed, DO DECLARE the day of May 5, 1992 as
MIDWIFE APPRECIATION DAY"
and I earnestly request the citizens of our community to give sincere recognition to the continuing efforts of the MANA to improve conditions in prenatal care and child birth.
From Texas
OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM STATE OF TEXAS OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Midwives have helped Texas women and children throughout Texas history. They provide a childbirth option which continues to be the choice of thousands of Texas women. Midwives are dedicated to the care of pregnant women, and treat each woman's pregnancy according to her unique physical and personal needs. Texas Department of Health data show that midwifery is a safe health care alternative for women with normal pregnancies and that midwives have the lowest incidence of low birthweight babies of all types of obstetric attendants. Texas midwives meet mandatory education requirements, pay fees, and practice according to detailed standards and protocols. The World Health Organization has noted the impact that midwifery care has on decreasing the rate of infant mortality. The Association of Texas Midwives is dedicated to promoting high standards of midwifery practice and improving birth outcomes in our state.
Therefore, I, George W. Bush, Governor of the State of Texas, do hereby proclaim May 5, 1995, as:
MIDWIVES' DAY
in Texas and urge the appropriate recognition thereof.
Sample request letter for a local proclamation
Florida used this letter very successfully to get counties and cities to issue proclamations after the Governor had issued one. The Midwives Association of Florida arranged for people to pick up the proclamations.
August 30, 1993
Dear Official,
Governor Chiles has proclaimed October 1-7, 1993 as Licensed Midwives Week in Florida. The Midwives Association of Florida invites you to join in this celebration recognizing the midwives who serve in your community.
The implementation of the 1993 legislative changes are providing an opportunity to increase the number of midwives to serve your community in the coming years.
Midwives are valuable to your community because they:
Help women and their families understand the importance of prenatal care; thereby reducing cost and improving birth outcomes.
Promote understanding of the normalcy of the birth process, thereby reducing the need for drugs and unnecessary costly interventions.
Provide support for enhancing communication skills, thereby helping women build self-esteem and better family relationships.
Promote breastfeeding, thereby reducing infant illness and increasing parental confidence. Offer safe, low cost care to the women of your community.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. For additional information and to arrange for our representative to accept your proclamation please call (put phone # here).
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXRegional Representative
XXXXX
Public Education Committee Chair
XXXXXXXX
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If at all possible, get to know a personal press contact where you will be sending your press release. If you do not personally know someone at the newspaper or station, obtain the name of the editor or reporter assigned to the department you want your information to go to.
The lead paragraph should answer the 5 W's and H (who, what, when, where, why, and how) and be attention-getting. The body of the release can supply details that support the lead. Be brief and to the point. Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
Within your release, let the reader know what impact the event has on local people. Include any information on events planned. Try to have the name and phone number of a contact person included in the body of the article.
Press releases should always be typed and double-spaced on 8 1/2" X 11" paper, with 1-inch margins, preferably on letterhead. The top of page one should state in one corner when the release may be used. "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" or "FOR RELEASE DURING THE WEEK OF MAY 1". The opposite corner should state the name and phone number of someone the reporter may contact for more information.
Limit the length of the news release to one or two pages, preferably one. If you exceed one page, do not break a paragraph at the end of the first page, and do indicate continuation. Begin the second page with "page 2" and a brief title.
Proofread the release thoroughly before sending it. Check spelling and grammar. Make sure the facts and contact numbers included are accurate.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local Contact Person May 4, 1992
Contact Person's Phone Number
May 5th is the International Day of the Midwife, a day set aside in 1991 by the International Confederation of Midwives. This day honors midwives, who deliver 80% of the babies born worldwide.
This year Governor Lawton Chiles has joined in this celebration by adding Florida to the growing list of states and countries that observe this day. In his proclamation declaring May 5th International Midwives' Day in Florida, Governor Chiles recognizes the accomplishments and valuable contributions Florida's midwives have made to our state.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted the impact midwifery care has on improving infant mortality and reducing cesarean birth rates. WHO also recommends the training of more professional midwives, as they are the appropriate care providers for normal pregnancy and birth.
Although midwives currently deliver 4% of the babies born in the United States, that number is expected to grow quickly. More and more states are looking at midwives as providers for vital maternity care services.
Last year midwives delivered about 8.5% of Florida's babies. This amount will undoubtedly grow as the number of midwives practicing in Florida increases. Governor Chiles signed legislation that will allow the number of Florida Licensed Midwives to expand and efforts to increase the number of Nurse Midwives practicing in Florida are under way.
For more information please contact:
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
[Be sure to include any info on local events.]
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Public Service Announcements, or PSAs, on radio stations are a great way to contact the public and let them know you are there. The purpose of PSAs is to inform and educate the public, not to advertise.
Call your local radio stations to find out their requirements and guidelines regarding PSAs. Most stations will have written guidelines for message producers. Follow their guidelines carefully.
Type your PSAs on letterhead, in all capitals, and double space. Specify the length of the announcement on the sheet. Time it yourself, making sure the length you state is correct. Your PSA is more likely to be rejected if it runs too long for their spot.
Write a letter to the station's public service director and introduce your organization. Explain your planned PSA campaign. Follow up your call with an appointment to discuss your campaign.
If you cannot make an appointment, send detailed information about the problem your campaign addresses, how your community is affected, objectives of your campaign, and the planned timing of the campaign. Include a fact sheet about your organization, including its goals, board of directors, address, and phone number. Follow up your letter with a phone call.
If you are successful in scheduling an appointment, bring your fact sheet about the campaign and your organization. Emphasize to the public service director the importance of the campaign to the station's audience. Ask for suggestions on how best to work with the station and get the director involved in your planning. Follow up your visit with a letter of thanks and let the director know when the PSA campaign will be delivered or mailed.
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Vol. 4 #3 September 1991 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE
The Jamaica Midwives' Association reports that the International Day of the Midwife was for them a memorable one. It was celebrated with a Church Service held at the Emmanuel Apostolic Church in Kingston: the church was packed to capacity, with a good cross section of the Islands' midwives there to welcome the historic even, as well as officials from the Ministry of Health and other Ministries. Already the Association are making big plans for 1992. They hope that by then their new Headquarters may be ready, and that the grand opening may take place on The Day.
The Ethiopian Midwives held their first ever International Professional Midwives' Day, at the Red Cross Training Centre in Addis Ababa. The programme included an opening address given by the Vice-Minister of Health, and a variety of study sessions on Safe Birth, traditional practices, the role of the community in safe birth, the role of the midwife in training, in family planning and in ante-natal care, and the improvement of delivery services. Sister Kiros Kebede in her Welcome Address outlined the progress that is being made in Ethiopia. Out of some 290 midwives in Ethiopia, 81 have to date had the opportunity to attend refresher courses organized at the school of midwifery by the Ministry of Health. A committee of midwives has been elected to help the profession to develop and the service to improve. Two midwives represented Ethiopia for the first time at the International ICM Congress in Kobe in 1990, and there is now an Ethiopian Midwives' Newsletter, issued twice a year. The events of the day were covered in the national press.
In Finland on the 5th of May Finnish midwives gave interviews on local radio programmes and in the newspapers explaining the nature of the midwife's profession and her daily work, in Finland and in other countries. There were more than 50 articles in the newspapers devoted to the issue, some of them taking up the international theme of Safe Motherhood. In some cities the local associations organized events in the market-places, and celebrations were attended by families that were expecting or had just had a baby.
Vol. 4 #4 December 1991 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE
New Zealand has for four years now observed a National Midwives' Day, and so in celebrating the International Day of the Midwife was following established patterns. These included Open Days at Maternity Units, radio talk-backs, magazine articles, free gifts to women giving birth on the day, stands in shopping malls and libraries. The International Day of the Midwife was marked however by one major event, the opening of New Zealand's first Midwifery Resource Centre in Christchurch. This is proving very successful, and operates as a drop-in centre for women and midwives, a meeting place, an education centre, a library and research base and clinic for independent midwives and their clients.
Vol. 4 #2, July 1992 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE
Reports have been coming in to Headquarters on our member association's celebrations for the International Day of the Midwife, observed for the first time this year.
From Nigeria came some wonderful photographs of the one-day Reproductive Health Outreach for pregnant women which was held in ante-natal clinics and in the markets of Ibadan on May 2nd. The market programme was opened by the President of the Professional Association of Midwives' of Nigeria. The day's events included a keynote address, health talks embracing the importance of ante-natal care, immunization, family planning, nutrition and screening. Many talks were accompanied by demonstrations, and at the end of the day educational materials were presented to the Ministry of Health for use in maternity clinics. From the pictures it is clear that this was a most enjoyable occasion generating much enthusiasm.
In Greece, the International Day of the Midwife celebrations were attended by Health Ministry officials and also by the Archbishop. The Midwives' Association put out press releases and various interviews were published in the newspapers, designed to familiarize the man and woman in the street with the role of the midwife. In Greece today 99% of women give birth in hospital or a private clinic, and pregnancy and childbirth have been medicalized to the extent that only 6% of women give birth without the use of drugs to accelerate or induce labour. The Greek Midwives stressed how the role of the midwife has evolved from that of the traditional midwife, who simply assisted at the birth, to that of today's midwife, with four years' scientific training. The roles of midwife and gynaecologist-obstetrician were not to be confused, and it was important, if midwives were to fulfill their function of giving maternity support, that the States incorporate them in maternity support programmes. Breastfeeding, which is such a basic form of health protection, has declined in Greece in recent years, and there is a high incidence of perinatal sickness. It is therefore essential that the State provide the kind of preventive health information service in which midwives have long taken an active part: wherever importance is attached to the role of the midwife, sickness and perinatal mortality have declined.
In Switzerland on the 5th of May the Swiss Midwives gave interviews on local radio programmes and in the newspapers explaining the nature of the midwife's profession and her daily work. The Swiss French TV network is making a programme that will go out in October, showing what it means to be a midwife, how she is trained, what her work is in hospital and outside hospital.
A seminar was held on May 1st in Ireland at which information was distributed about the International Day of the Midwife that could be used to promote the day itself. At their next meeting, the Midwives' Section of the Irish Nurses' Organization look forward to hearing how individual hospitals and units celebrated the day as well as to making preliminary plans for next years.
The Uganda Private Midwives' Association held their celebrations to mark the International Day of the Midwife at the City Hall in Kampala. In a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. F.A.O. Ebanyat congratulated midwives in Uganda and the world over on the occasion of the IDM, and said that new measures had been decided upon in recognition of the role played by midwives and nurses in the provision of health care to mothers and children. The Ministry intends to train more midwives and to provide them with refresher courses. Professor Mmiro, Head of Gynaecology & Obstetrics at Mulago Hospital, addressed the midwives at City Hall on the theme of reproductive health, covering family planning, the prevention of maternal mortality, the promotion of child survival and development, and the control of sexually transmitted diseases. One of the functions of the celebration of the IDM is to point out to the general public the difference between midwife and nurse, and the Uganda midwives hope next year to start their preparations earlier and to build on this year's achievements. A video tape has been made of the day's activities, a landmark for the midwives of Uganda.
Activities were staged in every State of Australia to mark the International Day of the Midwife. South Australia held a special service of worship at the Pilgrim Church in Adelaide, and received prime-time TV coverage. Other States put up information stalls in major shopping centres, put on picnics for midwives and their families, or distributed mementos to babies born on this Day. There was a very positive response from midwives and mothers visiting the stalls, and the event attracted comment too in the Australian Nurses Journal.
In Sierra Leone, the International Day of the Midwife coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the Sierra Leone Midwives' Association. A Thanksgiving Service was held at Christ Church Pademba Road, and a one-day seminar at the Midwifery School, P.C.M. Hospital, Fourah Bay Road. During the keynote address at the seminar, Dr. Mike Kamara emphasized the need for midwifery education and the need for midwives in Safe Motherhood programmes. Other talks reviewed traditional practices that affect the lives of women and children, the prevention of maternal mortality and morbidity, and there was also a showing of films.
In many towns in Germany, and especially in those that have midwifery schools, the students and midwives were busy on May 5th at information stands, explaining the work of the midwife and trying to make the public aware of the problems of our profession, i.e. the scarcity of midwives and bad working conditions. As the theme of the activities was 'Safe Birth for All', the midwives also explained the difficulties in midwifery & obstetrics in the developing countries. The information stands were crowded throughout the day and the public expressed solidarity with the goals of the midwives. In Tubingen, students put together an informational leaflet and distributed it throughout the city. In Gutersloh an activity table was set up at which children could play while the midwives spent time with their mothers without interruption. In Magdeburg in the eastern part of Germany, the East-German midwives took advantage of this day to air their problems: until now it has been difficult to distribute information publicly and create public awareness of the difficulties encountered by midwives. Many East-German midwives are out of work because public clinics have been closed down, and it is difficult to start up as an independent midwife because the fixed charges are set extremely low.
Sarawak observed the Day of the Midwife by organizing a forum for its members & women from various organizations, at which speakers addressed the topics of pregnancy, labour, puerperium and family planning, as well as public participation in enhancing safe motherhood. A mini exhibition was held highlighting dangerous traditional procedures. In conjunction with the IDM, the Sarawak Midwives were presented with 2 delivery kits from ICM, the gift of UNICEF. The first has gone to the Midwifery School in Kuching, and the second to the Community Nurse Training School in Serian, where it is felt they should prove useful for trainees during their attachment whilst doing domiciliary midwifery.
Tremendous enthusiasm was shown by midwives throughout the United Kingdom in making the International Day of the Midwife a very special day. There was a service in Westminster Abbey attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and services were held in Cathedrals and churches countrywide to mark the occasion. Other events ranged from stalls in market areas and shopping malls through tree planting ceremonies, tea-parties, celebratory meals, concerts, seminars and study days, to receptions and meetings with members of Parliament. Widespread media coverage of both local and national events helped to promote the role and responsibilities of the midwife. Each baby born on the day was presented with a special certificate signed by the Presidents of both the International Confederation of Midwives and the Royal College of Midwives. Monies raised are being used to purchase a landrover for the village of Magbil in Sierra Leone and to send teaching aids to midwives in the Kayakstan region of the USSR.
Midwives in Malta concentrated on creating an awareness about the role of the midwife extending far beyond that of simply delivering the baby. Clients who had discovered how beneficial the role of the midwife can be were able to speak out on behalf of the midwives. A further aspect was to emphasize to the local government the need to train Maltese midwives for an understanding of the local communities needs.
Vol. 5 #2 June 1992 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE
The Midwives' Association of British Columbia celebrated this year with a rally held in the grounds of the Grace Hospital, attended by midwives and friends of midwives, and also by the media. The Provincial Minister of Health, Elizabeth Cull, sent a message, read out by the Association President, Linda Knox, assuring midwives that midwifery is recognized by the Government of British Columbia as an important health care issue, and she states her own commitment to improved access to a broad range of women's health services, by saying: 'As a less institutional, more holistic approach to the most natural of acts, midwifery offers women choice - leaving it to you to decide for yourselves the care you want during pregnancy and childbirth.' The Midwives' Association was encouraged to apply to the Health Professions council as a necessary first step in the process of making midwifery a legitimate part of the health care system.
The Association Marocaine des Sages-Femmes put out posters and a press release for May 5th, and its celebrations received coverage in the press. Midwives were encouraged to work towards the theme of Safe Birth for All by 2000. The Jamaica Midwives' Association was formed 32 years ago at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital which on May 10, 1992 celebrated its Centenary. the midwives of Jamaica's celebration this year of the International Day of the Midwife was threefold: in honour of Victoria Jubilee's 100 years; as integral members of the hospital's history; and joining in the international celebration of their profession.
On the second International Day of the Midwife, the midwives of Mexico held an Encuentro de Parteras, an all-day meeting, from 9 in the morning until 6 in the evening, in the Ethno-Botanical Garden of Acapantzingo at Cuernavaca in the state of Morelos. Eighty midwives took part, exchanging experiences during a variety of workshops: 'Positions to facilitate Birth', 'Homeopathic Remedies for the Newborn', 'Herbs used in Labour', and 'the Role of the Midwife'. The warmth, openness and spirit of collaboration among organizers and participants made this a special day, the first reunion organized by midwives for midwives, and by a non-government organization. Ideas were explored for working up financial support so that more rural midwives are able to come to future reunions. The 1993 meeting is planned for San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guananjuato. The Mexican midwives have recently set up a support and resource centre for midwifery, called TICIME - which means, in Nahuatl, 'midwives' - and they have started putting out a quarterly Newsletter, Conversando entre Parteras, available from: TICIME Cda Flor de Agua No. 11 Col. Florida Mexico D.F. C.P. 01030
Vol. 5 #3 November 1992 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE MIDWIFE
In Uganda on the second International Day of the Midwife midwives from all over the country were invited to participate in activities. Celebrations started with a procession around Kampala City main roads by midwives accompanied by the Prisons Band and the Daughters of Charity Traditional Dancers. The newspapers carried articles, and there were radio programmes discussing the role of the midwife and her relationship with mothers, as well as the relationship between midwives and the Ministry of Health and emphasizing the importance of providing proper training for midwives so that they feel confident to stand on their own while in the field. At the celebrations on City Square, organized by the Uganda Private Midwives' Association, (UPMA) the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Barts Katurebe, commended the midwives and traditional birth attendants for the crucial role they play in various parts of the country, and particularly in rural areas, while cautioning the Association to follow up and supervise its members to ensure that high standards of hygiene and professionalism are maintained. Mrs. Margaret Sentamu, deputizing for Mrs. Christine Achurobwe, outlined UPMA's achievements since its formation in 1948 and looked at some of the problems it faces today, such as the lack of a vehicle for monitoring clinics in outlying villages, and the taxes imposed on the association.
In the United Kingdom the members of the Royal College of Midwives were active in their communities. Many of the 230 branches of the RCM took to the streets to distribute 'Safe Birth for All' lapel stickers and leaflets. Midwives set up stalls in High Street stores and shopping precincts. Civic leaders and Members of Parliament took part in 'balloon races', cake cutting ceremonies and baby-kissing photo-calls. The 'Sponsor a Midwife' project captured the attention and the chequebooks of UK midwives attending the Annual Conference of the RCM in July. President Margaret Brain took on the role of international fundraiser, and in the space of 72 hours persuaded 400 delegates to donate L5620 for the sponsorship appeal. When this is added to branch donations, a total of L12,000 is seen to have been raised in just 12 weeks.
In Germany the midwives concentrated on telling the public about the work and role of the midwife, and also about the questions which concern her. In many cities there were information stands organized by midwives, and lively exchanges of opinion with interested visitors. Pamphlets on midwifery were produced, and balloons and stickers were distributed to passers-by. Media coverage was nationwide, with radio and TV interviews at local level. The midwives took the opportunity to campaign for their demands: increased numbers of midwives working in hospitals, and higher pay for independent midwives. German midwives are committed to realizing their claims, and look for the support of women and their families.
The midwives of Ethiopia observed May 5th with a whole day's programme on the theme of Safe Birth by the Year 2000 and the reduction of maternal mortality. An address was given by Dr. Miriam K. Were, representative of the World Health Organization. She spoke of the importance in midwifery of retaining and handing on the tradition of caring; it cannot be put into place by legislation or by order, it is learned from seeing senior professionals showing care to their patients. She went on to address the problem of distances in the countries of Africa, where a majority of the population are unlikely to live less than 10 km from their nearest health centre, and the difficulties of obtaining appropriate equipment at delivery centres, or indeed of knowing precisely what basic supplies should be ordered, given a limited purchasing power. Noting the Minister of Health, H.E. Dr. Adanetch Kidanemariam's own professional background in nurse midwifery, Dr. Were concluded by encouraging the Nurse Midwives of Africa, by their practice and by advocacy and agitation to influence the affairs of their countries so that healthy women deliver healthy babies.
In Australia the different states each celebrated the International Day of the Midwife in different ways. In New South Wales the midwives' association presented the first baby delivered by a midwife that day with a silver mug and a certificate. Midwives and their families and friends attended an ecumenical service at St Mary's Cathedral, and media coverage included radio and television interviews and talk back sessions. In the Northern Territory activities likewise included a church service and media coverage. In Tasmania, statewide prayers were requested for midwives and mothers. Radio stations in all regions made some mention of the International Day of the Midwife, and at midwifery units around the state, nightdresses were presented to the first baby born on May 5th with the printed motto 'A Midwife Helped Me Out'. In Victoria, various hospitals held exhibitions on the role of the midwife, and stalls were set up in a number of towns where the midwives gave out leaflets and discussed midwifery with passers by; it was interesting to see how many people stopped to watch birthing and parenting films. In Western Australia the maternity hospitals organized displays both in the hospitals and in busy shopping centres, and the midwives put out newspaper and radio interviews. A working party was set up to look at ways of supporting women and midwives in developing countries.
Finally, on the occasion of the International Day of the Midwife, a letter was received from the College of Midwives of Chile, extending their congratulations and those of the Inter-American Federation of Obstetrical Nurses, to all members of the International Confederation of Midwives.
MANA Newsletter - Vol. XI No. 1 Jan.1993 INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES DAY by Becky Martin
May 5, 1993 will mark the third annual observance of International Midwives Day. In 1987 at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) conference in Holland, the representative from Sierra Leone suggested there be a special time to recognize and honor the work midwives do throughout the world. Midwives saw this as a way to increase understanding of who they were and the work they did as well as a way of promoting midwifery care as the most appropriate care for childbearing women. On May 5, 1991, the first official International Midwives Day was celebrated. It has been observed in over 50 of ICM's member associations around the world, and ICM is working to have it recognized by the United Nations. "Safe Motherhood--Secures the Future of a Nation" is this year's theme...
EXTRACTS FROM INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE ON THE IDM THEME 1998
Since 1991, the International Confederation of Midwives has declared May 5 as the International Day of the Midwife (IDM).
Importantly the Day will provide an opportunity for member associations to focus on the profession, and know that across the world their colleagues are similarly engaged in bringing midwifery in all its dimensions to the notice of their communities. The strategy of designating a special day for midwives is to enable them to use it as an aid to the growth and development of their profession, the maternity services of their countries, and to achieve better outcomes for women and their babies. Margaret Peters (Director, Board of Management, International Confederation of Midwives), "Midwives' day", Midwifery, 1991, 7(1), 1.
In both developed and developing countries women are discriminated against in many or all aspects of life simply because they are women. The poor socio-economic status of women ... continues to provide the underlying cause for the unacceptable high rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity.
Do we then as midwives have an impossible task ahead in trying to improve the status of women and their health care? I do not believe so.
The woman and her midwife are an acknowledged part of the work already in progress, an ancient couple, the relationship between this pair is still as real and powerful and capable of great things as it has been for centuries. Judi Brown (ICM Asia Pacific Regional Representative), "Greeting", Program & Abstracts, ICM 4th Asia Pacific Regional Conference, 1995, 15.
Midwives of the world know all too well the statistic and tragedy of over 500,000* women dying each year from childbearing-related causes. Midwives of the world understand that in order to keep women off the 'road to maternal death', women must be educated, they must be free to choose when and whether to become pregnant, and they must have access to quality care during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Above all, midwives understand that attention to the health of women must begin with the girl child. Joyce E. Thompson (ICM), "Women of the World, from a Midwife's Perspective, Report of the NGO Women's Forum, Beijing 1995", Midwifery, 1995, 11(4) 217. (*this figure adjusted to 600,000 in 1997)
Our basic problem all over the world is that we are women and we must look at ways and means of emancipating women in every profession. Why do we think that women should be satisfied with little because that is our place in society? That is your challenge. A midwife needs knowledge in her or his profession and our roles as educated people should be linked with every role in the country. The success or failure of our work as midwives depends on the culture, the tradition of our people. Women own only 4% of the land but we provide 85% of agricultural labour. Without the security of personal wealth where will women get a start? But now in this region we have many women entering the political arena. This is the start of the journey! Her Excellency Dr. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, The Vice-President of Uganda, Opening Address to the ICM Symposium, "Vision with Action - Midwives and Safe Motherhood", Entebbe, Uganda, January 1995.
Many women can and want to make choices about their reproductive and productive roles. The decision to breastfeed is one of those choices and it must be incorporated into the discussion of women's reproductive rights... we conclude that women must be fully informed about breastfeeding; about its positive effects on the health of their children, its positive effects on their own reproductive and life time health, and about breastfeeding as a source of empowerment ... Breastfeeding allows women to control their own fertility and can be an effective postpartum method of family planning. Joint statement from the Institute for Reproductive Health, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, Wellstart, the International Baby Food Action Network and 45 other organisations to the 4th World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995.
In Bolivia, the maternal and perinatal mortality rates are among the highest in Latin America and the government has introduced a Life Plan for reducing this mortality, which includes training in the health care of mothers and infants. It is a practical course placing emphasis on skills in the health care of individuals and also preparing midwives to help women who want to plan their families.
Once the midwife has taken an important place in the health team and performed a leadership function in health care for women, she has acquired a say in the management and development of programmes. Midwives today play a major role in teaching and also do research aimed at strengthening midwifery. Ivelise Segovia Lopprestti, Women's health programme, Chile, "A Life Plan for Bolivia", World health, March-April 1997, 9.
In a situation of instability such as that which has characterized Palestine over the past decades, promotion of breastfeeding is being used as a strategy not only to decrease infant mortality and morbidity but to reinforce the culture and identity of a people and to promote independence, self-reliance and empowerment of women. The programme sought to help mothers acquire the breastfeeding management skills needed for exclusive breastfeeding during a four-to-six-month period and to maintain breastfeeding for one or, ideally, two years. Instead of spending the family salary on infant formula, the mother could depend on her own natural resources. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding contributes to spacing births.
Training for the programme helped midwives to be more aware of the gender inequalities in this society and to be sensitive to promoting bonding through early breastfeeding when mothers seemed disappointed with the sex of their child. Laura Wick, "Empowerment of women under occupation: the role of breastfeeding promotion in Palestine", Proceedings of the ICM 24th Triennial Congress, Oslo, 1996.
A midwife cannot work in isolation, therefore teaching skills must be developed. The people whom she will have the opportunity to train and supervise are the traditional birth attendants and other community health workers. These are the individuals recognized as helpers, but equally important are the families and communities in whose midst the midwife works...
By virtue of her training, the midwife develops the competence to provide reproductive care as an independent and interdependent practitioner in the maternity care team. Joan Walker, ICM Secretary General, "Report from the 2nd ICM/WHO/UNICEF Pre-Congress Workshop on Midwifery Education - Action for Safe Motherhood", Int J Gynecol Obstet, 1992, 38(Suppl):S7.
The midwifery of the future will have certain hallmarks, and changes will be required in its organization and context of practice. In renewing midwifery we must combine clinical expertise based on scientific knowledge with the tradition of working 'with women'.
The expert midwife is an experienced clinician who works within her relationship with the woman, caring effectively by being aware of the benefits her actions and advice are likely to have for the individual woman and baby concerned.
The relationship between mother and midwife provides a context for the use and development of high-level clinical skills ... the ability to make clinical judgments, to comfort and alleviate pain and distress, to counsel, advise and teach, and to provide hands-on care. Professor Lesley Page, "Redefining the Midwife's Role: changes needed in practice", British Journal of Midwifery, 1993, 1(1), 21.
The Safe Motherhood Initiative remains high on the list of ICM priorities. Women are still dying, despite the best efforts of many agencies. The growing number of deaths from AIDS only makes the problems more serious. Safe motherhood remains a major challenge for midwives ... but the ICM will address the proper strengthening of midwifery services vigorously by ensuring that articulate, well-informed midwives are placed in positions that give them the power to make decisions and plan strategy.
This means a continuing battle for improved standards of education, together with proper recognition of the unique service that midwifery offers to mothers, babies and families ...
Midwives can use the growing evidence of what women want and what midwives can supply, to encourage governments, health care planners and economists to provide more appropriate maternity and child health care. Anne Thompson/Joan Walker (ICM), "International Confederation of Midwives: promoting midwifery worldwide", British Journal of Midwifery, 1993, 1(1), 47.
The [WHO Safe Motherhood] Mother-Baby Package is based on a number of underlying principles which are intrinsic elements of primary health care . Services should be provided at the lowest level of the health care system capable of performing them adequately. Resources, both human and material, must not be concentrated at the apex of the health care system but must be redistributed to the periphery and to the communities where people live. There should be appropriate use of technologies, avoiding high-technology interventions when equally effective alternatives are available
....the interventions needed to save the lives and preserve the health of mothers and babies ... must form part of a broad strategy to improve reproductive health through primary health care. This implies that safe motherhood interventions should be applied holistically within a general health context that promotes equity in access to and quality of care. ...The person best equipped to provide community-based, appropriate technology, safe and cost-effective care to women during their reproductive lives is the person with midwifery skills who lives in the community alongside the women she serves. She can ensure the health system serves women equitably and effectively and that the health services available respond to the needs of clients. ...The person with midwifery skills should be the key health provider for implementing interventions. WHO Maternal Health & Safe Motherhood Programme, "Mother-Baby Package: Implementing safe motherhood in countries", WHO, Geneva, 1994.
The International Confederation of Midwives believes there should be appropriate legislation relating to the practice of midwifery in each country ... A series of workshops has, over the past two years, clearly identified that the world's midwives believe legislation which seeks to govern the practice of midwives should:
- cause the women and families they serve to feel secure in the quality of the care available in the maternity services of their nations
- support the midwife who exercises life-saving knowledge and skills in a variety of settings ensure the profession is governed by midwives
- support the acquisition of ongoing education
- encourage review and analysis of maternal, perinatal and newborn outcomes ... ICM Statement to the 3rd International Standing Conference on the Regulation of Nursing & Midwifery, Vancouver, Canada, June 1997.
If we accept the proposition that the most cost-effective way to provide essential health care is through a combination of public health strategies and a package of essential primary care services, most of which can be provided by nurses and midwives, then ... the following recommendations can assist:
- Given the potential relationship between a strong nursing and midwifery workforce, cost-effective delivery of services and improved Health-For-All outcomes, high priority should be given to developing nursing and midwifery services.
- Further explorations should be made of the social, cultural, economic and political barriers that prevent nurses and midwives, who are primarily females, from maximizing their contributions in providing cost-effective public health care and primary health care to populations round the world. WHO, "Strengthening nursing and midwifery: A Global Study", WHO, Geneva, 1997.
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