Can I choose to remain anonymous?

Yes. You can choose to remain anonymous or to use your name or a nickname.

Please do not share any private details in your submission that you are not comfortable sharing very publicly.

For some people, this might include:

• Your name or the names of your healthcare providers
• Specific details or personal identifying information

Please only write as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing.

If you wish to have the oportunity to add a photograph, edit or change your submission in the future, please use Submission Form 1 and include your email address.

Your email address will always remain private and confidential.

If you wish to submit without disclosing your email address, scroll down to Submission Form 2.

I am a healthcare professional or birth worker. Can I share stories on the blog?

Yes, please!

Many doulas and birth professionals have indicated an interest in sharing, but hesitate to make a submission.

It is possible to submit a compelling story without disclosing private identifying health information of your clients/patients or revealing your workplace or identity. Scroll down to submission Form 2, created for you.

Experiences from your own work, training, placements (and more!) are all important and worth sharing. If sharing anonymized client care situations, please do so without disclosing confidential health data in line with pricacy legislation and professional practice standards.

The more we speak up about Obstetric Violence, the more likely we are to make meaningful change!

What types of stories are welcome?

Stories from patients and professionals are welcome but should be related somehow to perinatal and reproductive healthcare in Canada.

You are encouraged to share both negative and positive parts of your experiences, or to compare different experiences.

It can be short, long, or anywhere in between.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES:

• care experiences during preconception, fertility care, pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period
• Obstetric Violence (mistreatment and disrespectful care)
• pregnancy loss, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, involuntary sterilization
• early parenting, care during the newborn phase
• perinatal mental health (postpartum anxiety, depression, PTSD, psychosis)
• infant feeding choices and access to support (bottle feeding, breast/bodyfeeding, lactation support, etc.)
• bias, discrimination, racism, stigma
• birth alerts, child welfare threats and involvement during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period
• abortion care and access
• queer family building, and gender affirming reproductive care
• gynaecological care, chronic reproductive health conditions (PCOS, endometriosis, etc.)
• pregnancy care in Canadian jails, prisons, and detention centres
• positive care experiences, and stories of good work happening in your community
• stories including a range of care providers (midwives, nurses, family doctors, obstetrician-gynaecologists, anaesthetists, ultrasound techs, healthcare students and residents, social workers, and other professionals)
• stories featuring a range of care settings (home, hospital, NICU, birth centre, clinic, freebirth, etc.)
• sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE EXAMPLES:

• highlights or challenges from your work, training or student placements
• what are you and your colleagues doing to mitigate Obstetric Violence in your practice?
• what are some Obstetric Violence scenarios that seem to come up repeatedly in your work?
• how can we advocate for ourselves or our clients/patients in the healthcare system?
• how do you care for yourself as a witness to (or participant in) Obstetric Violence?
• what were the impacts of pandemic policies and restrictions in your community?
• what does Obstetric Justice mean to you?

These are just suggestions. Please share whatever feels right for you!

Do I have to answer all the questions?

No. Just share as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing publicly.

• There are prompts included below some questions in Submission Form 1 to help with your writing process
• Only your answers will be shared, not the questions themselves, so consider paraphrasing the questions in your answers
• Submissions may be lightly proofread or posted as-is

Do you offer support to make sharing a story more accessible?

If submitting a written story is not possible for you, we may be able to transcribe it from an audio or video recording.

If submitting a story written or recorded in a language other than English, we may be able to have it translated with community support.

Please reach out by email to obstetricjustice@gmail.com

Who will see my story once it has been published on The Community Story Blog?

• The blog has readers from around the world including parents, activists, healthcare professionals, birthworkers, hospital administrators, lawyers, researchers, and journalists
• Once it has been published, your submission will be widely shared on the internet and across social media platforms
• Your words have the power to reach and influence many