Michigan is...

My response to someone from Washington State asking about Michigan crunchiness.


*********************************************************************************
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nurseoutmichigan/join

If you want a sugar coated answer, don't read this one.

Blue Cross dropped my Direct Entry Midwife in the last month of my pregnancy. I am waiting for the answer to my appeal. My employer took three weeks maternity pay away, because I didn't have a doctor to sign. I told them this before the birth, but they didn't get it, until 8 weeks after. Still trying to change HR policy.

www.thebirthplace.com see the tub. I would recommend Bridget, and she does get paid by some insurance. She can let you know whether your company pays.

I am repeatdly asked to do things like the bottle moms. Held up to the gold standard of formula. I left the church I was raised in because the priest sat behind his desk, and laughed as he said no nursing in church, the cafeteria, or the parking lot. That he wanted to protect me from other women who would be harsh. Hospital and pediatricians are formula driven. They measure my baby with a tape with Enfamil ads. They lecture me about vacs, and importance of cow milk. This ped, may even have been retracting my sons foreskin. (I am going to a more friendly practice.)

I left my new church when they said Breastmilk is a hazardous bodily fluid, and offered free formula to refill my bottle of EBM.

I just started a Yahoo group, Nurse Out Michigan, link above. We just get together with our kids. Nursing is not seem much here.

A member of our group was kicked out of her daycare after being told not to nurse in front of the children, because it is like spreading your legs.

I wore my sling to the mall, with my other mommy group, and it was a novelty. Most babies are kept in those plastic buckets.

You can find alternative health care, but you have to look.

I was in an organic farm this summer. It is CSA, Maplecreek farms. $525 for 18 weeks.


Feel free to join my yahoo group, and get a peek at what goes on here. The flip response from a representative saying 15 months may be told old for protecting rights to BF, tells it all.

Washington is very crunchy. In Michigan, I usually have to explain what crunchy means.