Midwifery & Doula News from SMS
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January 2009
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Volume 7 No 1
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Greetings!
Happy New Year from Seattle Midwifery School!
This is an exciting time for our community, as the momentum for health care reform accelerates rapidly.
Advocates for maternity care reform are working hard to make sure the new administration and Congress get the message: Midwives are an important part of the solution! Read on about Suzy Myers' and Penny Simkin's work with Childbirth Connection.
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SMS Faculty Penny Simkin and Suzy Myers Invited to Participate in National Symposium
Childbirth Connection (www.childbirthconnection.org), whose mission is "improving the quality of maternity care through research, education, advocacy and policy", is taking a leading role in transforming maternity care. In October 2008 together with the Milbank Memorial Foundation and Reforming States Groups, they produced an important report, Evidence-based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve. Building on this work and commemorating their 90th anniversary, Childbirth Connection will host a national symposium on April 3 in Washington, D.C., Transforming Maternity Care: A High Value Proposition, bringing together leaders in key healthcare sectors to craft a blueprint for improving maternity care.
SMS faculty Penny Simkin and Suzy Myers have been invited to participate in this landmark event. Penny is among the authors of 2020 Vision for a High Quality, High Value Maternity Care System that provided background for the stake holder groups. She has been honored by an invitation to speak at the symposium as well. Suzy is a member of the Clinicians and Educators group, one of 5 stakeholder work groups that have collaboratively produced action-oriented recommendations to be presented at the symposium.
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| Contact Us |
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info@seattlemidwifery.org
4000 NE 41st Street
Building D, Suite 3
Seattle, Washington 98105
206.322.8834 / 800.747.9433
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 Become a Midwife
The January 31, 2009 application deadline for fall 2009 is rapidly approaching. Download the 2009 catalog from the "How to Apply" page
of our web site, or contact our admissions specialist.
The next SMS Open House is Tuesday, February 3rd from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.
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"Doula" Now a Household Word?
Simkin School received lots of phone calls after the piece about birth doulas on the Today Show last month!
We do have some spots still available in upcoming Labor Support Courses if you, or someone you know, is interested in this internationally approved 4-day essential training. Read more>
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Understanding Infant Adoption - Free Training For Healthcare ProvidersA few spaces still available, so register now to reserve your spotThis workshop covers WA adoption law and practices; birthfather's rights and responsibilities; open, semi-open or closed adoption choices; non-directive counseling; cultural and social awareness. Shoreline Conference Center, co-sponsored by SMS. January 26, 2009. CEU's available for nurses and social workers. Please register online by clicking here.
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Great 20/20 Segment
on Orgasmic Birth
 ABC's 20/20 aired an excellent segment on labor orgasms and pleasurable childbirth featuring Debra Pascali-Bonaro's acclaimed documentary, Orgasmic Birth. Click here to visit the 20/20 web site and watch a video. Congratulations, Debra!
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A Chance to Attend Barbara Harper's Waterbirth Credentialing Workshop
The Kitsap Birth Collective, a not-for-profit organization offering outreach and workshops in the Kitsap area, is hosting Barbara Harper's Waterbirth Credentialing Workshop on March 18, 2009. Space is limited and CEUs are available so don't delay! For more information, click here for brochure ( pdf) or click here to register online. |
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"New Research Shows Why Every Week of Pregnancy Counts"
A Wall Street Journal article highlights research that supports what midwives
have always known about keeping babies inside until they're ready.
Visit the SMS Web Site News Page for Maternal/Child and Midwifery-related news. Got a great news link we've missed? Send an email to the webmaven!
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Warren Report Podcast from Pregnant in America Panel Discussion This podcast features an audio recording of the post-show panel discussion Warren Etheredge moderated between the audience, the Pregnant in America filmmaker (Steve Bonaugurio) and producer (Betsy Chasse), and SMS' Suzy Myers during last month's screening. Download via iTunes or via Libsyn. |
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"Midwives deliver - America needs better birth care, and midwives can deliver it"
Click here to read the great December 24th Op-Ed piece in the LA Times by Jennifer Block, author of the book Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care. Hear Jennifer speak at this year's REACHE Conference (see announcement below).
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The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) Brings this Year's Forum to the West Coast2009 Mother-Friendly Childbirth Forum: One Voice for Mother-Friendly Care, CIMS annual forum will be held March 5-7 at the Handley Hotel & Resort in San Diego, CA. CIMS offers excellent opportunities for education and networking. Click here for more information and to register.
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Legislative Alert: Speak Up When You're Down Campaign Cut from the Governor's Budget
 Urgent request from the Washington State Postpartum
Depression (PPD) Awareness Campaign (links for their web site and fact sheet here) - Please call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 or send an email which includes the message below:
Please call or email by January 16
Message to the Governor and Legislators:
"Please restore funding to the 'Speak Up When You're Down' Post Partum Depression Awareness Campaign and to the administering agency, Council for Children and Families."
Please ask the Legislative Hotline Operators to send your message to the Governor and your 3 legislators. Making a call to the Legislative Hotline usually takes 2-3 minutes.
Please feel free to pass this message on to anyone you know (who lives in Washington) who believes that early detection of postpartum depression can save lives.
If you prefer to email your legislators in your district directly (legislators often read their own emails!) here is the link: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rosters/MembersByDistrict.aspx
Make sure that you include your home address in your email so that the legislators know that you live in their district! |
Save the Date
Please put Tuesday, February 17th on your calendar NOW, and plan to come to Olympia that day for the Midwives Association of Washington State (MAWS) Lobby Day! Details and this year's legislative agenda will be coming soon to the MAWS web site.
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New Documents from NACPM and MANA
The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives and the Midwives Alliance of North America have each created new documents to be submitted to the Obama-Biden Transition Team with recommendations for improving maternal and child health outcomes through evidence-based practice and utilization of midwifery care. You can access the pdfs here: NACPMMANA
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More Upcoming Conferences
REACHE Conference 2009: Why Are We All So Afraid?
Perspectives on How Fear and Risk Impact Birth
Friday, April 17, 2009 - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
A conference examining the relative and absolute
risks of childbirth through the statistical, medical provider, and
consumer lenses. Read more and register>
Midwifery Today Conference
Nurturing a Better Future through Birth
March 11-12, 2009 Pre-Conference; March 13-15, 2009 Conference
Visit the Midwifery Today Conference web page for more information and registration
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Pregnant in Seattle? - Panelists and Models Needed
Always had a hankering to be a model? Or, maybe you just want to promote midwifery by helping to train new midwives. Seattle Midwifery School needs models to help assess the prenatal clinical skills of our students. All skills will be non-invasive, external and very kindly done! (Belly measuring, fetal heart tones, questions and answers, etc...) Models should be between 30-36 weeks pregnant at the time of the exam. We need models for March 16, 2009, from 9am-5pm. Models will be paid $10/hour plus lunch and snacks. Please phone or email Sarah at (206) 322-8834 x108
The Simkin School is seeking pregnant women in their third trimester to be
panelists for our popular Birth Doula Labor Support Course.
It's a lot of fun and a great chance to help aspiring doulas learn
about the emotions of pregnancy. We need panelists for Saturday, January 24 and Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Honorarium offered. Contact us by email or call Annie Kennedy at 206.322.8834 x115 for more information.
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Power of Social Media is Evident in Mass Action Against Facebook Breastfeeding Photo Ban
The Facebook group (and petition) called "Hey Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!" conducted a "Nurse-In" at Facebook headquarters. In addition, more than 80,000 Facebook members signed the petition and 10,000 members posted comments, many posting their own breastfeeding images en masse during a December 27th action. Read the story and watch a video on MSNBC.
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We've truly appreciated the feedback you've given us on the SMS eNews. Please keep it coming. We welcome your input and, certainly, any news that affects women, babies and families in the childbearing year. You can write to us by simply replying to this email. And please share this with your friends by using the "forward email" link, which will give them the benefit of the graphics and photos. They will not be automatically subscribed to the list, but they can sign up if they like!
Sincerely,
Seattle Midwifery School
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