Today, several members of our community came out to brave the cold for a heartfelt cause—keeping birth care LOCAL, which widely cited public health research indicates is often safer for the majority of mothers and babies when compared to increased travel distances in rural settings.

Even those who couldn’t stay long made sure their support was felt. People stopped by to share words of encouragement, waved as they passed, honked in support, and sent smiles our way reminding us that we are truly united as ONE community in this effort.

We were also grateful to have LEX 18 on scene, waiting for us when we first arrived, and to see Abigail with Lincoln County Daily News stop by to check in and say hello. Local journalism matters, and so does the opportunity for community voices to be heard.

📊 Petition Update:
Our petition has now reached 4,076 electronic signatures and rising!

 This does not include the additional paper petitions circulating within Amish and Mennonite communities, meaning support extends well beyond what is reflected online. Truly amazing!

If you haven’t shared the petition with a friend yet, we encourage you to do so today:

https://www.change.org/SaveTheFLHBirthingUnit_CommunityPlea

🩺 Clarifying Community Questions About Level II NICU Care:

Members of the community have begun asking thoughtful and reasonable questions regarding the emphasis placed on access to a Level II NICU in discussions about maternity care options.

It is commonly understood within obstetric and neonatal care standards that infants born very preterm (including those at or before 32 weeks gestation) often require transfer to a higher-level NICU to maintain appropriate specialized care, regardless of the hospital where delivery occurs. This transfer process is part of established regional perinatal care systems and applies broadly across facilities, including those serving rural communities.

For many families, this raises an important consideration: while higher-level NICU access is valuable, it does not eliminate the need for transfer in certain high-acuity cases, nor does it necessarily reduce risk for the majority of routine pregnancies. Public health research has repeatedly shown that increased travel time, delayed access, and loss of local services can introduce additional risks, particularly in rural areas.

📌 Research Reminder (Public Health Context):

As a reminder, research published in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has associated the loss of local obstetric services with several concerning trends, including:

1. Increased rates of home births
2. More births occurring in hospitals without obstetric services
3. Higher rates of premature delivery
4. Increased infant mortality 

These are serious considerations that deserve thoughtful review and careful weighing when evaluating changes to maternity care access in rural communities (especially when cinsidering safety.)

Additionally, patient experience surveys often show that many women prefer smaller, community-based hospitals for maternity care because of the continuity of seeing familiar providers, a calmer and less overwhelming environment, and the sense of trust built through long-standing relationships. Lower patient volumes can allow for more individualized attention, clearer communication, and a family-centered approach that supports bonding, cultural preferences, and shared decision-making. Women also frequently cite faster response times, reduced stress from avoiding travel during labor, and the comfort of delivering close to home as meaningful factors in their experience—especially in rural communities where distance, weather, and timing can play a critical role.

📣 Our final scheduled support rally will be:

🗓 Tuesday, February 10th
⏰ 12:00–4:00 PM
📍 Curbside at Bates, Miller, and Sims

Wear pink or blue, bring a poster, and come see us...even if only for a few minutes. Your presence, your honk, your wave, and your voice all matter.

This community is shaken, but we remain strong.

And we continue to stand together for mothers, for babies, and for access to local care. 💕