Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
July 28, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
It is summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and I thought it would be fun to share some “Summertime Sorting” ideas. If you are like me, you are always looking for new activities to try in your childbirth classes in order to keep it fresh for the families and for the educator as well. July’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators offers some suggestions for using a variety of sorting activities to help families prepare to birth and parent with confidence. They can also have fun at the same time. To review all of the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators posts, follow this link.
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March 22, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Many perinatal professionals work as birth and/or postpartum doulas as well as teach classes either independently or as part of a hospital or community program. Each role is professionally fulfilling in different ways and also helps generate several income streams.
While being both a doula and a childbirth educator can peacefully “co-exist,” there are definitely challenges to make it work well. The on-call life of a birth doula often creates a major conflict with the planned and scheduled-in-advance responsibilities of a childbirth educator.
Here are some suggestions for successfully managing both roles.
August 31, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators’ idea is something that childbirth educators can do outside of class time, but offers benefits for families and requires little investment or effort on the part of the educator. I think I first learned of having a “Movie Night” from Kim James, an LCCE in the Seattle area of Washington state who would do this activity with her Lamaze classes. You can find all the B Read More
July 27, 2022 | by: Crystal Sada, LCCE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea comes from Cystal Sada, LCCE, a childbirth educator and doula trainer in New Jersey, USA. Using humor and a familiar but creative teaching aid, Crystal helps the families in her virtual classes practice labor positions and comfort techniques. You can find all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators ideas for free at this link. - Sharon Muza, Connecting the Dots Community Manager.
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 14, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This time of year is full of gift giving opportunities. If you have a childbirth educator in your life, and want to gift them something that feeds their professional passion, here are five ideas for you to consider that will delight them and serve them well as they teach!
February 08, 2021 | by: Molly Giammarco, MPP
Lamaze International is proud to endorse the Momnibus, a historic legislative package that the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced on February 8, 2021. The Momnibus is a series of 12 bills that seek to improve U.S. maternal and childbirth outcomes and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates that disproportionately affect Black pregnant and birthing people.
Lamaze is especially pleased that many of the Momnibus bills would provide specific pathways to increase access to evidence-based childbirth education and to childbirth educators. The Lamaze advocacy team is also happy to announce that, for the first time, the package’s perinatal health worker definition includes childbirth educators.
October 08, 2020 | by: Katie McGee, PT, DPT
Childbirth educators serve a unique role in helping pregnant people understand their bodies and the physical challenges of growing a baby. Unfortunately, one common challenge is joint pain. In particular, pelvic joint pain affects 16 to 25% of pregnancies, with onset anywhere from the first to third trimester (Kanakaris, 2011). This article will give you answers to the seven most common questions childbirth educators get about pain in the pubic symphysis—the joint at the very front of the pelvis that expands as pregnancy progresses.
August 13, 2020 | by: Molly Giammarco, MPP
In partnership with the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus (BMHC), Lamaze hosted a webinar, Evidence-Based Childbirth Education: A Critical Strategy in Improving Birth Outcomes & Reducing Maternal Health Disparities, in July to discuss the growing role childbirth educators have in reducing maternal-health disparities. The webinar featured U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (North Carolina) and Lauren Underwood (Illinois), BMHC Co-Chairs; Tara Owens Schuler, M.Ed., LCCE, FACCE, Lamaze Diversity + Outreach Committee Chair; and Melissa Harley, AdvCD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, CLC, FACCE, DONA International President.
July 28, 2020 | by: Stacie Bingham, LCCE, CD(DONA), CBS(LER)
With so many perinatal classes being moved online due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, I have found one rousing tool that makes classes especially engaging: Using video clips from movies to enhance the tedium that can sometimes be associated with distance/online learning. Hollywood movies during class are unusual, and we know learners pay attention to things that are different. Movies can make us laugh or cry, and endorphins show up when we have expressions of emotion. Movies can be nostalgic – and guess what? We know feelings of nostalgia actually help build our mental toughness by providing a boost when we face difficult situations.
Since the goal of our classes is to share information that families will be applying days, weeks, or even months in the future, making things memorable should be one of your top priorities. Here is a handful of some of my favorites – adjust them as needed to make them work for you!
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