I'm excited to see this forum.  We've started a birth network in our community of Lewiston, Id/Clarkston Wa because of frustration and as a way to simply DO SOMETHING!  I work at a small community hospital that does about 60-70 births a month.  We have seen a rise in all interventions; 25-30 % cs, 50% induction rate, 80% epidurals, and all the problems that go with it.  One of the best nurses I know was threatening to quit....leave nursing.... give up and I felt like I had to so something.  We began our little network from this frustration... but it has helped so much!  WE have a voice now... a community.  This nurse has now begun to create a policy for skin-to-skin care at birth.  This of course has not been easy, but the effort of digging up research, drafting a policy, defending the policy to her co-workers has given her a direction for her frustration.  THank you Lamaze.  I can't wait to participate in the larger community.  Check out our google group:  welcoming-birth-network@googlegroups.com.  Linda Rosetti

I have started a chapter of Dar a Luz here in the Chicagoland area. I am so excited to get the word out. If you are in the area come to are first meeting Oct.16th from 7:30 till 8:30 for more info go to Daraluznetwork.com

Hi All,

We also have a birth network here in SE Ohio, The Birth Circle.   More info at www.athensbirthcircle.org.  They are updating their web site but you can get the basics.  Been around 6 years, begun by 2 great moms as a support group.  Have monthly meetings of about 50 parents, both moms and some dads.  Open to expectant moms from all perspectives re: birth (home, hospital, no pain meds, epidurals, etc.) and both breast milk and formula feeding.  Molly Wales (our executive director) and Cathy Wright (our president) can share more if you want to contact them through the Web site.  But we have been pretty successful at meeting the informational, social, and support needs of a variety of expectant parents in our area, so ask Molly and Cathy how. 

I used to be on the board, and through my involvement with them and having my own children, I chose to become an independent LCCE, and have been doing it for a year.  I LOVE it, and highly recommend it to other moms who are looking for a part time job and working with other expectant moms.  My classes average 8 - 14 moms (and any partners), and in my first year I worked with more than 50 growing families!  I also have a lower fee for moms who get WIC, and about 1/4 of the moms who take my classes get WIC. 

I'd love to hear from other birth network participants and/or independent LCCE's -- what works for you and your class participants?  What is your community like?  Anything else you want to share? 

And thanks to all of you getting birth networks going -- they are so important both to the women and families who participate and those in our larger communities! 

Lucy Juedes (Yee'-dis)

lucyj@intelliwave.com

www.BirthPrepBasics.com

 

 

Hi all...

My name is Laura Dana and I am in the Greater Orlando area in FL.  I, like many of you, also was a founding member of my local birth network, Central Florida Birth Network.  (www.centralfloridabirthnetwork.com)  We are a 501(c)3 and have been around for 6+ years.  We have had some growing pains in the last few years with a tremendous dropout rate from our membership, but are swinging back into gear in the last few months.  New leadership, some new membership... new ideas.

Definitely planning on being at the conference this year since it's in my hometown.  I need a boost of CBE mentality! 

Laura

Glad to see your post!  And happy you'll be at the fall Lamaze conference.  The local Birth Network in Louisville last year had a great booth at Educators market on Sunday morning - where they sold great teaching tools and resources and I think made a small amount to fund their work during the year.  You could contact Robin Weiss as she was the local conference committee chair in KY and a member of the local Birth Network and is the Birth Network representative to the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth. She can give you lots of ideas!

The market is great - the tables are a minimal cost and gives Birth Networks and educators a way to share/sell resources and teaching tools - which everyone is eager to have. 

I will see you in October!

Teri

This is a very good development for women in general.Keep it up! :)

 

Michelle

United we stand, divided we fall. 

Hi, This is my first conference, and I'm really looking forward to it.  I was wondering, does anyone know if there will be a specific time and place to meet with other people who came from their local birth networks? 

Maybe everyone at the conference has come through their local network, hence their involvement in childbirth and Lamaze!  But it would be nice to get together with others who specifically got their start as educators because of their work with local birth networks. 

See you all soon!  :-)

Lucy Juedes, LCCE

Athens, OH