Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
October 26, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators’ teaching idea offers a fun opportunity for expectant families to consider and discuss what labor might be like for them. In addition to providing insight into their own expectations, it is an opportunity for a rich class discussion as well. Long time educator and author, Janelle Durham, originally shared this “Labor Words” idea on her website Transition to Parenthood. To find all of the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educator teaching ideas, follow this link.
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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.
July 24, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
It is no longer enough that childbirth educators know all the information about the childbearing year, and continually stay up to date on new information relevant to the topics they teach. It is also critical that educators understand adult learning and deliver the information in engaging and memorable formats targeted for their adult learners. The Lamaze 2023 Virtual Education Symposium, scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 10 AM to 4:15 PM EDT has got you covered! This event provides educators with the opportunity to learn leading adult education models, polish up their skills and improve their classes, both virtual and in-person.
May 31, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators focuses on the year after a person has given birth, a time period that is not often recognized as a potentially dangerous time for new parents, especially those who are most vulnerable. This activity offers childbirth educators a simple but effective method to highlight risks and share when parents should seek out support from their health care provider after giving birth. You can find all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators’ ideas here at this link.
February 08, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza
The role of the childbirth educator is not only to share evidence based information, but to do so in a format that enhances learning and promotes recall in the future, when the families will be needing the information. Providing frequent opportunities for families to move, stretch and increase oxygen to their brain during your classes can help them to have a more positive experience along with increased learning retention.
January 25, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea focuses on the theme of “red and green” as a way for class participants to say “yes or no” or “agree or disagree” and test their knowledge on a variety of topics. It is a great activity that is easy to run, requires no special supplies, works equally well in person or virtually, and is enjoyed by all. To find all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators ideas for free, check out this link.
June 29, 2022 | by: M. Priya, M.E. LCCE
Independent quick activities that are simple to run and fun to complete are great options when you are waiting to start class or want to give some outside class work that reinforces learning. Today, M. Priya, ME, LCCE, shares a great Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea for customized Word Searches that work equally well in person or in a virtual classroom. You can find all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators ideas here for free. - Sharon Muza, Connecting the Dots Community Manager.
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.
November 30, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Talking about difficult subjects in a childbirth class requires both sensitivity and thoughtfulness. Various unexpected outcomes, including experiencing an unplanned cesarean, may cause anxiety and fear for both the pregnant person and their support or partner. Using visual aids that accurately and effectively demonstrate the surgical component of a cesarean can diffuse anxiety and make way for understanding. Using this video of a cesarean surgery, that is recreated using play-doh, is an effective way to present this topic without increasing (and quite likely decreasing) the anxiety that class members might feel around this topic.
October 28, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea suggests an effective and fun way to help pregnant families learn about the baby’s position in utero, and consider ways that their actions and movements can influence those positions. It incorporates an ingenious tool created by Andrea Lythgoe, longtime Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator and easily can be applied to both virtual and in-person classes. For free access to all the Brilliant Activities for Birth educator posts, please follow this link.
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