Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
April 11, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Black Maternal Health Week is observed annually every April 11 through 17th since 2018. This week of awareness and activism was founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) to bring attention to the increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates that impact Black birthing people and their babies at significantly higher rates than non-Black families.
The theme of this year’s Black Maternal Health Week is “Building for Liberation: Centering Black Mamas, Black Families and Black Systems of Care.” Black families deserve to have access to Black care teams, and that includes childbirth educators. We know that outcomes are better when a Black parent can receive perinatal care from a Black midwife or doctor. As a childbirth educator, there are several things that you can do to center Black birthing families and help Black. You can use this checklist to see where you can implement or change how you practice. This is an opportunity to increase your efforts if you already have some of the suggestions below in place.
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April 05, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
April is Global Volunteer Month. Lamaze International is a non-profit that has been built on the dedication and contribution of many volunteers from all around the world since its inception in 1960. Even though our organization’s headquarters are located in Washington DC, USA, the organization is indeed international with members from many parts of the world. Over the years, people from many nations have stepped up to give back to Lamaze International. Did you know that Tanya Cawthorne, our current Board President is from Melbourne, Australia?
March 28, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Discussions about the role of birth and postpartum doulas happen early on in my childbirth classes, when we talk about what makes for a satisfying birth experience. There is often confusion about what a doula does compared to a midwife. People also worry about the role of the partner or other family member when a doula is present. Some parents who are planning to have an epidural or even a planned cesarean question the need for professional doula support. This CBE activity helps clarify the unique role of the doula.
March 23, 2022 | by: Crystal Gurney
Helpers and healers of all kinds - physicians, midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, therapists, lactation consultants, support group leaders, and more - have had the huge task of supporting others through anunfolding, constantly changing pandemic. Other world events, including the war in Ukraine, and racist actions causing harm and violence targeted at people of color, have deeply affected us all. We are working with people who are looking to us for care and information through their complicated emotions and collective trauma while we are simultaneously experiencing that same trauma and processing our own complicated emotions. If you are someone who supports others, how are you supporting yourself? If you hold space for others, where are you being held?
March 16, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza
There are many benefits to being a member of Lamaze International. You do not have to be a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. You may join Lamaze and receive the same benefits as people who hold the LCCE credentials. You can read all about the member benefits and join Lamaze International from here.
While I appreciate and utilize so many of the valuable benefits that are provided with my Lamaze membership, I really celebrate access to The Cochrane Library, a collection of databases containing independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
March 08, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza
Connecting the Dots wanted to share about a very special woman who was just recognized by Time as one of 12 women of the year, 2022. Midwife Jennie Joseph has been named a "Women of the Year 2022."
March 02, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza
The 2020 maternal mortality rates were just released by the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics. The new information indicates that the United States continues to move in the wrong direction, and has had an increase in both the number and rate of people dying in the childbearing year. Black and brown families have rates that are significantly higher than their white peers.
December 28, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
As we close out 2021, a year filled with many challenges, I thought our last Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators post of 2021 can be about meaningful closings as well. Making sure that you end your time together with a group of families with some thoughtful closing rituals is an important piece of a satisfying and effective childbirth class. Here are five ways that you might consider sending the families on their way with confidence and excitement. You can find all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators (almost 80 of them in the series!) for free at this link.
December 22, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Today is another post in the occasional series "Building Your Birth Business." If you are anything like me, you are the kind of childbirth educator who uses the time between teaching the last childbirth class of the year in December and the first class of the new year in January to review and refresh your offerings. Here are ten things you can do to make sure you are on top of your game. Follow this link to find all the posts in the Building Your Birth Business series.
December 16, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza
In late October, Tanya Cawthorne was named President of Lamaze International. Once again, Lamaze is being led by a person from outside the United States. Tanya Cawthorne is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Doula and Lamaze Program Director based in Melbourne, Australia. In 2018, she co-founded Lamaze Australia, the first international affiliate of Lamaze International. Meet Tanya in this Q&A with Sharon Muza, Connecting the Dots Community Manager.
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