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Category Archives: Conferences
Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS)
I’m in sunny Florida! It’s actually a miracle that I made it here, but I’m enjoying the warm weather and its snowing in home. Thursday was our first full day and we had a full day workshop on various topics. I was a part of the Grassroots Activist Committee (GAC) workshop on doing GACSTATS (collecting facility level data from all 50 states) and The Birth Survey (a type of “consumer report” for birth care).
It was very thrilling! We were given instructions on how to make this happen in our states, where to get the information and how the information is gathered and used. Nasima, Elan and I worked on showing how people could market the Birth Survey.
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I’m home!
I know you missed me. 
I went to the ICEA conference after I left Phoenix. It was really nice to see even more women dedicated to helping families. I heard some really great speakers on really great topics and truly enjoyed rooming with Teri from Passion for Birth and CBE Blog. I also managed to score some new bloggers! Look for more exciting posts to come…
And a shout out to the The Lactivist for her support of Lamaze International!
And, if you’re in NYC, Mama Knows Breast is doing a book signing, her site has the details.
Gather in the Spirit of Birth
Greeting from the Lamaze International Conference in Phoenix, AZ. I am having a blast, despite being insanely exhausted. But that’s what happens when you spend your days attending information packed classes with some of the brightest minds and souls in birth and your evenings playing with the same.
Here is a bit of what I’ve seen and heard so far:
- Maureen Cory from Childbirth Connection on the Listening to Mothers Survey
- Penny Simkin on When Pain Becomes Suffering in Labor
- Dr. Michael Klein on Maternal Request Cesareans: Whose request?
- Karen Gromada talked about multiple birth and how one size doesn’t fit all
- Birth networks group – starting and maintaining a birth network
- A Native American Dance group
I am about ready to head to a class on using sign language in labor and then breastfeeding the near term infant. You also have to love the activist hearts around here, some of the moms with nursing babies are going to go to a local Applebee’s for a Nurse-in. And a shout out to The Lactivist. I was pleased to find her blog advertised in the bags they handed out at registration!
I am so excited because today I’m going to be talking about how celebrity babies influence women’s ideas about birth. I did speak about using the internet yesterday. Then we’ll talk about The Birth Survey and transparency in maternity care.
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Blogging from the DONA International Conference
While Sandra and otehr birth activists are busy in NYC at the Healthy Birth Fair promoting the Transparency project, I’m sitting in sunny St. Louis at the 13th annual DONA International conference.
I’ve taken sessions on cesareans on demand, research updates, hormones in labor, Canadian Doulas, reclaiming the feminine, pain and suffering in labor and so much more! Even more importantly for me is the chance to be with like minded individuals. I don’t have to explain myself constantly and I can relax and know that I’m in good ocmpany.
When I see the men and women who work so hard to spread the word of how birth should be, that it’s really a normal, physiologic process – well, it’s just amazing. If you don’t believ me, try coming to one of these conferences. You’ll walk away a convert, or if you’re part of the choir – refreshed!
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On Being Mother Friendly
If you’re interested in changing the birth and parenting scene, maybe you’d like to hang out with some like minded individuals? I’d like to recommend The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) event in Boston this February. I’ve attended these in the past and they are amazing! It was so nice to be with people who understood where I was coming from and who were working for change locally and internationally. Wouldn’t you like to be in that type of group?
This year the keynote speaker will be Dr. Christiane Northrup. Then there will be lots of disucssions and activisim planning events through out the weekend long conference. I hope to see you there!