Lamaze will host LamazeLIVE! 2024 on a virtual event platform that will allow attendees to interact with one another throughout the event and in the months after the conference. All attendees will receive an email with log-in instructions in the days leading up to the event. We will utilize embedded Zoom webinars and meetings for live sessions.
Birth Centers in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Global Movement for Peace
Cristina Alonso, DrPH, MPH, CPM
Despite significant reductions in global maternal mortality rates, obstetric violence, mistreatment and poor quality care are insidious in hospitals around the world. In response, commuity based midwives are opening and operating midwifery centers, that provide gynecological, prenatal, birth, postpartum and many other services in response to their community’s needs. In this presentation Cristina will explore her experience opening, operating and supporting the expansion of community led care models that serve the needs of birthing families all over the world.
Black Women’s Childbirth Experiences With Medical Providers When Accompanied by Perinatal Support Doulas (PSD)
Heather Rice- PhD, CPNP-PC, PMHS
Cyleste Collins-Ph.D, MSW, MA
This presentation will describe the nature and characteristics of Black women's interactions with medical providers during childbirth when accompanied by a Perinatal Support Doula (PSD). The study design was qualitative, and a phenomenological approach was employed to examine the meaning of 25 Black women's experiences. Clients broadly categorized experiences as both positive and negative. When medical providers respected them, their birth plans and/or collaborated with PSDs, women reported more positive experiences. They associated negative experiences with providers having their own timelines and agendas, and women perceiving their needs were unheard and/or disrespected.
Bridging the Gap: Integrating Doulas in the Hospital Through Childbirth Education
Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH, BDT/AdvCD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLC;
Kathryn M. L. Konrad, PhD, RNC-OB, LCCE, FACCE
This talk introduces the concept of synergizing efforts of doulas, nurses, and childbirth educators to elevate maternal care in hospitals. It outlines the unique benefits of doulas and provides a roadmap to overcome common challenges to their integration. It also discusses ways to create effective communication channels and foster a collaborative environment for all. It further examines barriers to integration and provides successful examples of doula incorporation in hospital systems focusing on childbirth educators.
Building the Circle of Support: Access, Collaboration and Integration Within Maternity Care
Karen Laing, IBCLC, AMT
In this presentation, we’ll explore the colliding worlds of health systems, payors, and doulas, perinatal educators and other providers that are adjacent to those systems and what we understand to be the opportunities and challenges in designing better care. With the advent of legislation such as H.R. 959 Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, and innovations in Medicaid and Medicare Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative, care created by communities, within our communities, is gaining recognition. But does having insurance coverage or reducing cost barriers for doula care or lactation services, for example, solve for access? What is possible when we build Circles of Support for all? Who is included? How do we build it? In this session, we’ll explore the providers and services that together comprise a Circle of Support, and we’ll expand what ‘access’ at the level of service delivery means, turning a lens on our actual practices in use as we serve our communities, and emerging with actionable steps to become better access builders and collaborators.
CPR of Lactation: Consistent, Proactive, Reproducible Lactation Guidelines for Crisis Management (Pre-conference Session)
Ann-Marie J. Christian, MOM, IBCLC, RYT-200, ICCE, ICBD, IAT, Retired LLLL
One of the major complaints from new lactating parents is that they get a range of advice from different practitioners. Decisions to intervene like supplementation or treatment and sometimes separation of parent/newborn can be imminent and often shape the long-term trajectory of the optimal feeding plan for the baby and mother/parent. Ann-Marie’s presentation will highlight the key teaching points necessary to create improved self-efficacy for new dyads in the first few days/weeks of life. The standardized concepts presented will help reveal how important consistency in education and messaging is to the early success of the breast/chestfeeding dyad.
Embracing the Journey Within: Nurturing Mental Health in Pregnancy through Mindfulness and Meditation
Tracy Donegan, RM (B.Sc) Midwifery, M.Sc Mindfulness Studies
Pregnancy is a transformative period marked by both joy and challenges, and mental well-being plays a vital role in this journey. This presentation explores the crucial connection between maternal mental health and the peripartum period, focusing on the empowering evidence based practice of mindful meditation. By cultivating awareness and acceptance of the present moment, mindfulness offers expectant parents invaluable tools to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy. Drawing upon scientific research and practical techniques this presentation aims to empower birth professionals with knowledge and tools to support their clients to navigate their pregnancy journey with enhanced emotional resilience, emotion regulation and inner harmony.
Keynote: Giving Patients a Voice
Stephanie Arnold
“You gave us a good scare!”, “Do you know how lucky you are?” “It’s a miracle you survived!” These are harmless, loving, compassionate words most clinicians say to a woman who has survived a catastrophic childbirth. But are they really? Stephanie Arnold will take you through the ups and the downs of a patient trying to have her voice being heard, only to have it ignored time and again. And how through her survival, shares how best to support your patient when they feel their world is crashing in on them.
Introducing Black-Centered Care to the Community
Dàna M. Langford, M.S., APRN-CNM
Cleveland, Ohio was found to be one the worst cities for livability for Black women. This included healthcare. The Black infant and maternal mortality rates continued to show an astounding disparity with no real solutions. The co-founders of The Village of Healing Center recognized these struggles for Black women and provided a solution. Culturally sensitive healthcare that looks like the community it serves from the aesthetics of the clinic to the faces providing care.
Lessons Learned from 25 Joyful Black Birthing Stories
Kimberly Seals Allers
Naima Beckles, MA, LCCE, CLC
In this interactive and multimedia workshop, participants will learn key themes derived from that qualitative analysis. Attendees will reflect on the experiences of Black birthing families and will be able to:
- Identify 7 practices that help to facilitate Black birth givers experiencing joy while pregnant, during birth, and within the first few weeks postpartum.
- Articulate how bias negatively impacts birth experiences for Black birth givers.
- Discover applicable practice behaviors that positively impact how Black birth givers feel while birthing in hospital settings.
- Identify ways to better engage with doulas, fathers and other supportive individuals.
- Apply new skills and awareness to current practices and relevant ACOG guidelines
Los Básicos de Lactancia Materna: Para Doulas, Educadores Perinatales, Parteras, Proveedores de Salud. "Cómo Reconocer, Prevenir, y Solucionar los Problemas más Comunes de la Lactancia Materna" (Pre-conference Spanish Session)
Erika García, IBCLC, LCCE, Doula
En esta sesión compartiré mi experiencia acerca del apoyo a familias lactantes. Es un taller nivel 1 para principiantes en el mundo del apoyo a la lactancia. Obtendrá las bases para guiar a las familias adecuadamente a que logren sus metas. Mediante demostraciones prácticas, participará y será capaz de reconocer, solucionar y prevenir los problemas más comunes de la lactancia.
Obstetrical Biomechanics of a Squat
Emily Wannenburg, DNDM, CLC, AdvCD (DONA), HBCE, 4TFM
You might have heard that squatting is great for labor! Did you know that when and how you squat makes a difference? Let's take a deeper dive at what actually happens during a squat, why body mechanics matter, and how to squat to effectively open the pelvic diameters in unmedicated and medicated labor and birth.
Risk, Myths & What If’s: Caring for Fat Birthers
Christina Hughes, M.Ed, Doula
Emily Bernet, M.Ed, Doula
Not sure how to work with pregnant folks living in larger bodies? Unfamiliar with the research on risks for fat birthers? Curious about challenging your internal anti-fat bias? Join Big Fat Pregnancy to break down the data behind the three most common plus-size pregnancy myths, learn what fat folks need during their prenatal care, and how you can become a more fat-positive provider for clients.
Seizing Opportunities: Maximizing Communication to Support Lactation (Pre-conference Session)
Allison Walsh, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE
Lactation is the culmination of the physiologic process of pregnancy and birth, but time in Lamaze classes is short to delve in deeply. This session will help childbirth educators to re-examine their important role in educating and supporting families. The many opportunities to engage with families before and after birth to access accurate information and resources for support will be highlighted. Strategies for class discussion, validating concerns, respectfully balancing cultural traditions with evidence-based practice, and using inclusive language will be offered.
The Power of Prenatal Yoga - Weaving Childbirth Education and Embodiment
Roxy Robbins, CD(DONA) PCD(DONA), Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor (RY T200, RPYT), LMBT, LCCE
Sue Ann Fisher, MPH, Doula, Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor (E-RYT 500, RPYT)
Birth is an embodied experience! In this session, we will help you understand the power that prenatal yoga has to help get pregnant people connected and attuned with their bodies. Learn how to use movement as a tool to teach the functions of birth. We will explore how to teach childbirth education through movement by exploring the levels of the pelvis, movements for stages of labor and embodied relaxation techniques.