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MotherWoman in the News,
Press Releases, and Upcoming Events April 16, 2007 Craig Melin, President and CEO Cooley Dickinson Hospital 30 Locust Street Northampton MA 01060. Dear Mr. Melin, It is with great concern and disappointment that we learned that midwives will no longer be attending births at Cooley Dickinson Hospital as of mid-June, 2007. We understand that the decision to discontinue midwifery care was a decision made by Hampshire OB/GYN. As you know, this situation is urgent for the hospital, and for women and families in the community. Midwifery care is an essential component to a well-balanced, quality maternity care system. Choices in childbirth are so important for mothers, and many mothers in this area rely on midwives for their obstetrical and gynecological care. MotherWoman is particularly concerned about this issue because we are the organizational leaders in the Pioneer Valley in the area of postpartum emotional difficulties. We believe that midwives are well-positioned to screen for, support, and refer mothers experiencing prenatal and postpartum stress, depression and anxiety. Midwives are skilled at tending to mothers? emotional needs in pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum. They develop the close, trusting client-provider relationships necessary to break through the wall of stigma that surrounds prenatal and postpartum emotional difficulties and fosters isolation and fear. We strongly urge you to work with your colleagues and the community to find a creative solution to this community crisis so that the tradition of choices in childbirth can continue at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Sincerely, Melanie DeSilva Executive Director |
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