Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
March 15, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Lamaze International just announced that applications for both trainees and mentors are being accepted for the 2023 Lamaze Expand Equity Scholarship program. This is the second year of this exciting opportunity, funded by the Prolacta Bioscience Foundation. Administrators of the Lamaze Expand Equity Scholarship program explain that it is a “workforce development program that aims to recruit, train and mentor individuals from under-resourced or historically marginalized communities to become Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators (LCCEs). The intent of this program is to promote a diverse childbirth educator workforce and to increase access to high quality evidence-based childbirth education for families who are often not afforded reasonable access to maternity care.”
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March 01, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Perinatal educators often maintain a list of expert lactation consultants to share with families attending their classes, if there is a need to consult on feeding concerns after babies arrive. But did you know there are several reasons why a pregnant person, who is hoping to feed their baby human milk, should consider meeting with a lactation consultant prior to birth? Here are some reasons that a pregnant person might want to connect with a lactation consultant prior to birth.
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.
January 11, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Both pregnant and non-pregnant people should be aware of their risk factors for this type of cancer and be sure to following the screening guidelines recommended by their health care provider. As childbirth educators, we talk a lot about the role of the cervix in labor, when informing families about the labor and birth process. Here are ten facts about the cervix that you should be aware of.
January 04, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
It is the first week of 2023 and childbirth educators everywhere are starting out with the entire year about to unfold. Many of us are starting new classes and series already, and should be applying a fresh eye towards updated information and activities. Before things pick up too much speed and your teaching schedule takes over, carve out a few minutes to complete these tasks that ensure that your families are getting all the best, current information they need to have a positive birth experience in 2023.
December 28, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators is all about the “grab bag.” December is a gift giving time of year for many cultures around the world, this post will take a fresh look at different childbirth education ideas that involve students picking an item out of a bag and providing discussion opportunities around a variety of themes. For free access to all the Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators ideas, follow this link.
December 14, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
December is a gift-giving season in many cultures and places around the world. Today’s seasonal blog post is about gifts that any childbirth educator might like to receive themselves, and some suggestions on where to make end of year gift donations to nonprofit organizations that support families in important ways.
November 09, 2022 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Inviting guest subject matter experts into your childbirth classes is a winning proposition for everyone involved - the childbirth educator, the families in their classes and the specialists who share their expertise. Having guests join you for specific sections helps liven up classes and makes them more interesting for attendees. If you are a childbirth educator, consider where you can enhance the information your families receive by inviting guest speakers to your classes and help families make connections with people who can be a resource for them during pregnancy and also after the birth.
October 26, 2022 | by: Mindy Cockeram, LCCE, CLEC, Author
Contractions during labor and the let-down that happens when bodyfeeding a baby are both influenced by the hormone oxytocin (‘the Big O’). This activity is used to discuss the impact of oxytocin (versus adrenaline) in labor and how the labor team can make the birth environment ‘oxytocin-friendly.’ Because support people often feel unprepared for labor, this activity assures them that they have more skills than they realize. They just don’t know what they know! In the reviews I receive from class, the “Room of Romance” is often cited as one of the activities ‘I/we enjoyed most.’
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