The elections are over. The legislators, including many new ones, will soon be heading to Pierre to cast their vote on the Home Birth Safety Act. What have you done to educate your legislators? Here are some suggestions to help you make sure your legislators know why they should vote for our bill.

1. If you don’t have internet, go to the library or have a friend print out the Lobbying Lessons put together by Dr. Heather Margaret. Look under the “Resource” heading at sdSafeBirth.org. These will give you a wealth of information and great pointers on how to talk to legislators. (New ones are being posted every week until January.)
While you are there print out the 2008 Handouts.
2. Network – share this information with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Ask them to send a note to their legislators if they agree that home birth families should be able to hire a skilled midwife. Write it for them if that helps.
3. Send your legislators a short, handwritten note congratulating them on winning their election. Let them know you are counting on their support for home birth families.
4. Invite them to one of the area Movie Nights which are being held around the state and come yourself.
5. Send them a Christmas card, reminding them how special birth is and asking them to help improve the safety for South Dakota’s home birth families by passing the Home Birth Safety Act.
6. Print off a copy of the Milbank Memorial Report (see page 8) and give it to one of your legislators (coordinate this with your District Contact).
7. Make plans to come to Pierre during the legislative session (January 13 – March 13).
a. Call Alaina (534-9821) and let her know when you are coming and whether you will be utilizing the gas fund or the rental house. She will make sure someone on the leadership team is there to help you connect with your legislators.
b. Several days before your visit, send a note to or email your legislators and let them know you are coming to visit with them about the Home Birth Safety Act.
c. Prepare notes to leave for your legislators in case you aren’t able to connect with them. It’s also nice to bring them a homemade treat. We gave our legislators homemade muffins one year – they loved it!
8. If you can’t come to Pierre (or even if you can), make plans to attend a legislative forum (cracker barrel) in your district and bring up the issue of home birth and the need for more midwives around the state.

When you talk to your legislators or if you get a written response, let your District Contact know and they will pass on the information to the leadership team.

We are struggling against a formidable opponent with lots of financial resources and respect from the legislators, but we have truth on our side and a huge force of dedicated families who are not going away. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The only way they can defeat us, is if we give up and do not do our part. Please do whatever you can to spread the word. And shower our legislators with short, sweet, handwritten notes singing the praises of midwives and the need for the Home Birth Safety Act.