Owner: Childbirth Educator URL:http://birtheducators.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:15:11 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: ICEA Certified Childbirth Educator, Doula and approved trainer shares personal discoveries and truths about the work she loves. Site statistics:Click here
Teaching Strategies 2007-10-26 23:25:00 It is so important to keep your teaching fresh. You should be inspired by yourself, then of course you know families will be. I hope you still have that inner glow and spark. You should have a faith in what you do, knowing that so many families are in need of the information and confidence that you provide. "Teaching Normal Birth Interactively" by Barbara Hotelling offers such wonderful tips to change up your class and reinforce the things you teach. Download this very useful article.Stay inspired!
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Protect the Birth Space 2007-10-23 19:32:00 My children are small so I rarely offer my doula services, yet this couple had that pleading look in their eyes. It was going to be her second birth, and I felt the right energy from them. I told them if she happened to go into labor on the weekend when my children were not around I would do it. Of course she went into labor on the weekend. Long story short it was not a wonderful birth.I had never been part of a birth like this. No epidural or pitocin, and we labored in all positions and walked and showered. I arrived at the hospital at 11 pm and her water had been broken since 9 pm. It was now 2:45 pm the next day. I knew something was wrong. She had been 7 cm since 5:30 am. I thought the baby must not be in a good position. I mentioned this to the midwife who was checking her, I do not know what happened exactly, but I think she turned the baby during her check. The midwife suggested pitocin to help. She left the room. The woman in labor stood up and went to the bathroom.In Read more:Protect
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Best Teaching Guide 2007-10-16 19:15:00 I hope that you are enjoying life and the beauty that surrounds us in simple ways. I want to thank Janelle Durham, a fellow ICCE, for this excellent teaching guide and resource that she has provided free of charge and with a very liberal copyright license for educators everywhere.When I first began teaching years ago I stumbled upon these materials and they were a big help to me in developing my class formats, especially an all day Saturday session. She has listed ice breakers, games, handouts, artwork, medication articles, statistics, and so much more. This sketch is courtesy of Janelle's site.You just feel Janelle's warmth and passion for childbirth education emanating from this website she has created. She has a generous spirit and is a mentor to many childbirth educators she may never meet through this website she has made available to us all.I encourage you to make use of this invaluable resource. May we all incorporate generosity into our teaching and the way we live. Read more:Guide
Childbirth Connection Rules 2007-10-10 14:59:00 I vote Childbirth
Connection as the leader in providing accessibility to research based and evidence based materials for families and professionals. This booklet on "Comfort in Labor" by Penny Simkin is so wonderful and it can be downloaded at no charge. Just refer your families to their website. They also have "What Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know About Cesarean Section". This booklet is so well done. The resources provided by this organization will teach for you. I feel that my job is done when I refer my families to this amazing site. Information and knowledge is power. If we can provide all the data and possibilities to families we will make birth better for women everywhere! Check it out!
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Handouts for Class 2007-10-08 17:51:00 The internet has available resources for free class handouts and downloadable pdf booklets. Here are a few links to the ones I have used before. Yes, it is free advertisement for the companies that provide them. Yet, if you are just beginning to teach or don't have the time to write a new handout then these are wonderful options and most have accurate and great information written by some by leaders and peers in the childbirth education field.Pampers Professional WebsiteGrowing FamiliesLamaze Care PracticesChildbirth ConnectionAmerican Baby MagazineUse these resources to keep your teaching fresh.Happy Teaching!
Dream Come True 2007-10-05 23:33:00 I am on the path of my dreams. When I was a girl I was fascinated by babies. I would ask mothers to please let me hold their babies. They did. Who knew that from my girlhood I was already on the path to becoming a childbirth educator.I began in this field innocently enough as a fill in for a friend's husband who was out of the country during her pregnancy and labor. I had no clue that going to childbirth classes and meeting her at the hospital when she was in labor would bring me to this point. I did not know that I was a "doula", and that was a job or that even teaching the classes was a job.As the path continues you always get to the right place. I had been working at Kaiser in membership service for 3 years when I got a transfer to health education. In health education I scheduled patients to attend childbirth classes. After a few months, my manager mentioned that she thought I would make a great educator, and guess what, she was right.She has been a mentor to me.Now I get Read more:Dream
Become a Childbirth Educator 2007-10-31 22:47:00 You have a yearning to become a childbirth educator. What a beautiful and rewarding field to “labor” in, if you will. I have been teaching for close to 10 years and never does it get old. The energy is so pure. You will be surrounded by people at one of the happiest milestones in their lives. I celebrate you! I offer these steps to get you started on your journey as a fellow childbirth educator. FirstYou should observe a childbirth class. Remember to take a journal with you and take notes. Later on reflect on what you took away. Can you envision yourself leading your own class?Second You should research the field of childbirth education. Search the Internet for job opportunities, certifying organizations, childbirth educator groups, associations, collectives, and classes. It is important to find out the role childbirth educators have in your community. Ask yourself what your intention is in becoming a childbirth educator. The answer will allow you to connect with o Read more:Become
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Inspiration and Resources 2007-11-09 12:32:00 Elisabeth Bing is a founding mother of "Lamaze" classes. At the age of 91, in 2006, she was still actively teaching. I hope to live as long and keep on teaching families. Her story is inspiring. Check out the words of wisdom she offers to educators, women and families. A video interview of her is also posted.The Journal of Perinatal Education has been archived from 2000 to 2006 and you can read and print out articles. It is an excellent resource for teaching strategies and research data. Also, it contains many heartfelt experiences of other childbirth educators.This week I was busy planning for 2008. I have been dreaming of how to teach and write and balance my life. I really want to connect with the families who come to me. I have begun to use a closing circle where each person states in a word or two what they got from the class. It is a beautiful way to end my all day Saturday classes. I feel better connected with the class and I get to really see and hear the change in Read more:Inspiration
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A Commercial for Midwives 2007-12-04 21:26:00 I really wish all women could have access to a midwife. In the United States there are still states were midwives are not able to practice legally. Women who want to become midwives are not able to get the training that they need. I know that midwives are not promoted enough! Everyone knows about the epidural, but not enough women know that if they have a midwife then they can give birth successfully. The research is in that shows that for low risk pregnancies the care of a midwife is best.What troubles me is that my own midwife informed me that midwives just do not use enough interventions and so their births cost less. They do not earn the hospital or insurance companies enough money. I just have to believe that the word will get out that midwives are so empowering. My midwife let me know that the birth was mine, and she was only present to support me in every possible way. I wish all women could have a woman like that standing by her side when she gave birth. The midwife w Read more:Commercial
Pregnant in America 2007-12-14 11:59:00 The trailer for this film will get you contemplating about birth practices and what can be done to make birth better. The cesarean rate is at an all time high of 31.1 %. Many women feel that they have no say in their care during labor and birth. A woman will always remember giving birth. It is important that the experience be empowering. Please watch "Pregnant In America
". Peace
Powerful and Inspiring Workshop 2008-03-03 20:59:00 The Sacramento Childbirth Educator Workshop
was fun and inspiring. The women who attended had an incredible energy. There was so much exchange and dialogue. It was refreshing to witness the vision and passion this particular group of women emitted to provide support and empowerment to women and their families in their specific geographic areas. Lively discussions where held asking questions about how we can build teams with other health care professionals and continue to enable women to have freedom of choice during their birth experiences. What was most moving about the workshop was the "closing circle" in which each women shared what "I believe birth is..." and what "I believe all women deserve..." Read the affirming statements from the workshop and be revived to know that so many
Almost certified... 2008-02-17 23:17:00 Just got done observing six week series for this wonderful educator! She is well on her way to completing her certification. After you get through the first few classes, you just find your teaching groove. I enjoyed the stories that she incorporated from her RN experience. The families were so supportive of her. Come on and jump into teaching!
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Soul Stirred 2008-02-17 22:42:00 Alden Davis GreiderOriginally uploaded by Scott GreiderCan a picture make you cry? Moved! I simply felt this new soul captured in the image. If you have not checked out the birth pictures at flickr.com you must. The personal birth stories of these families revealed in the pictures they generously share are beyond words. I love this technology! Peace
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Challenge the Cesarean Birth Rate 2008-03-24 08:29:00 Addie being born3Originally uploaded by lperreca76 One fully informed mother-to-be shares her experience of becoming knowledgeable about birth options and interventions. She then exercises her right to choose the birth experience she understands is best for her health and child. Read this story of how one woman challenged the cesarean rate of the doctor who cared for her. Peace
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Keepin It Too Real Childbirth DVD 2008-05-02 00:43:00 The Gift of Motherhood is a booklet that works well as complementary information for couples who take classes presented in hospitals. A DVD is available along with the book. This clip will give you the greatest laugh.Also, we have been busy facilitating childbirth educator workshops throughout the Western United States. Hope to see you at a workshop soon! Stay posted for contact hours and continuing education classes you can take online.Peace
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Midwifery Program 2008-05-23 16:21:00 Imagine all the possibilities if we had more midwives! Midwives are low cost. They use few interventions, yet provide high quality and empowering maternity care, helping women transition into motherhood.I wish all women could know how wonderful the care of a midwife is. Midwife-to-Be offers a wonderful opportunity to become a midwife through an online course and gain experience through trips to Read more:Program
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