Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
March 25, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
The National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control just released a National Vital Statistics Report on Final Birth Data, 2019. Here are nine facts from this current report about births in the United States and the people who are giving birth. You can read the entire report and accompanying tables from the CDC website by clicking here.
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March 23, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
The world just passed the one year anniversary of the declaration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, and vaccinations are being rolled out in many countries with varying degrees of access and participation. In the meantime, birthing parents continue to welcome their babies, and many families have done so with a doula by the side. This week is also World Doula Week. Birth doulas support the family with emotional, physical and informational support during labor and birth, with prenatal and postpartum visits on either side. There are also postpartum doulas who support families after the baby is born.
I wanted to share my experiences as a birth doula throughout this pandemic, and how this pandemic has impacted birth doula support. I want to acknowledge that I live in Seattle, WA, USA and this part of the country is very “doula friendly” and we have many, many doulas here. Doulas practicing elsewhere in the world, may have different experiences than mine.
March 12, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
This week the World Health Organization released a report on violence directed against women. The sad fact, simply stated, is that one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, or experience an act of sexual violence by someone who is not their partner. 769 million women will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. This statistic has remained virtually unchanged for the past ten years.
During pregnancy or the postpartum period, incidences of domestic violence go up. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one in six women who experience abuse will experience it for the first time during pregnancy.
March 08, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
“International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. " - Internaional Women's Day organizers.
March 03, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Today is IBCLC Day and the perfect time to recognize all that International Board Certified Lactation Consultants do to support parents in feeding their children. As childbirth educators and perinatal professionals, we let parents know about the IBCLC professional and how they can help a family after the baby arrives, We may even provide specific contacts for IBCLCs in our area. But there are at least 9 reasons that a family may want to consider consulting with an IBCLC before their baby is born, in order to help them start off right with their desire to give their baby human milk.
February 27, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
As we are staring the one year anniversary of the COVID-pandemic in the face, this month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators post once again focuses on ideas and tools that the virtual childbirth educator can use in their online classroom. Today I will share some benefits of using a “virtual background” in your online teaching platform and provide you will some templates that you are free to use and modify to suit your purposes. To browse all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators, click here.
February 23, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Lamaze International is offering an affordable webinar “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Six Healthy Birth Practices” on March 9, 2021, at 1:00 PM ET.
Debby Amis, RN, BSN, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, a perennial favorite at Lamaze Conferences every year will get us up to speed and facilitate a panel of experts in sharing information on this topic.
February 11, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
If you are a perinatal professional who wants to learn more about how to be an anti-racist and an ally to Black people, and you want to understand the impact that racism and systemic oppression have on Black families during the childbearing year, I have collated a few no-cost trainings and activities that you can participate in during Black History Month 2021. Please take a look and join me in learning how important this work is to Black parents and babies and to all of us.
February 05, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Black History Month not only celebrates the remarkable achievements of Black people in current time, but also recognizes the centuries-long work by Black individuals upon whose shoulders today's leaders stand. The women we highlight today have worked to support and serve Black families and communities as they welcome a new baby. There is much work still to do, but today we remember some of the Black midwives of the past, with gratitude and honor.
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