Imagine if you had to prove to the government that the child you gave birth to is in fact your child. It may sound crazy, but it’s exactly what a D.C. couple is currently facing.
Teresa and Jeff Williams’ baby Jeff Niklaus Williams, who the couple calls J.J., was born in their Southwest D.C. home about two years ago without a doctor, doula or any help. They both had what they called bad experiences when they were born in hospitals, which drove their decision.
Teresa said when she was born, the hospital underestimated how long her mother would be in labor and no one was in the room when her mother felt like she needed to push.
“My dad’s running frantic and screaming, trying to tell people like, ‘Hey the baby’s coming, the baby’s coming!’ By the time he made it back to her, I was already coming out,” she said.
When he was born, Jeff said his left leg was curved inward and he was left bow legged.
“I spent most of my life having to have multiple surgeries, learning how to re-walk all over again,” he said.
The Williamses said because of those experiences, and financial reasons, they chose to have a home birth for both of their children. They used a midwife during the home birth of their first daughter and said they had planned to do the same thing during J.J.’s birth.
“We couldn’t afford it the second time around, but because of all the knowledge and everything that they trained us to do the first time, we said ‘we think we can do this ourselves,'” she said.
J.J. was born with no complications except, because the Williamses were the only ones present when he was born, there’s no official paperwork from a midwife, emergency medical technician, doctor or hospital documenting his birth.
When they applied for a birth certificate, they were denied.
The Williamses said they have provided extensive proof of the baby’s birth and existence, including a copy of Teresa and Jeff’s driver’s licenses, their certificate of marriage, Teresa’s pregnancy test results, an ultrasound report and a copy of a medical report from a routine well-baby visit by Johns Hopkins Medicine 13 days after J.J. was born.
A letter to the Williamses from the D.C. Health Vital Records Division states the request for a birth certificate was denied because of “insufficient documentation to support proof of live birth” and “insufficient documentation to support a claim of being in the District of Columbia at or within 24 hours of the time of birth.”
Teresa said their biggest concern now is the possibility of losing J.J.
“Worst case scenario, if he had fell and hurt himself and we had to take him to the ER, we have nothing on paper to say ‘this is Jeff, this is his mom, this is his dad,'” said Teresa.
The Williamses are more than happy to submit DNA, but they said that’s not one of the acceptable pieces of proof the city will accept. To try and resolve the situation, the Williamses have filed a petition with D.C. Superior Court, asking a judge to clear the way for a birth certificate to be issued. That hearing is set for mid-March.
Jeff said this is an issue that is bigger than just what he and his wife are facing.
“There are other parents who came after us, that said that same office has done the same thing,” he said. “This is bigger than us now. There are people currently who are having babies outside the hospital that are fighting to have their child’s birth certificate.”
He said despite all the problems they are facing, they still encourage anyone who wants to have a home birth to move forward.
“We really hope this actually creates change for women who decide to have home birth,” he said.
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