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Greetings!
This is our first Spring at Bastyr. Trees and flowers are blooming, and herbs and vegetables in the Bastyr garden are sprouting. Aspiring midwives are visiting for Department of Midwifery (DoM) admissions interviews, and we welcome aspiring birth and postpartum doulas and lactation educators to Simkin Center Spring courses!
Next month, DoM and Simkin Center will be at Town Hall on Mother's Day for a big community event: "Birth Works: Why Don't We Know It?" with world-famous midwife, Ina May Gaskin. We'll be part of the birth fair with many other Puget Sound birth-related businesses and organizations. Come join us!
There's a lot going on around here, and we hope you'll enjoy catching up with the latest news in our community.
Suzy Myers
Chair
Department of Midwifery
Annie Kennedy
Director
Simkin Center
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June Birth Doula Skills Workshop With Penny Simkin!
June 21-24, 2011
Did you know that the Simkin School Doula Trainers have inspired nearly 4000 birth doulas since 1988 and are leaders in shaping the doula movement and women's care in birth?
Join us and see why students say the Birth Doula Skills Workshop is a life-changing experience. Four full days June 23-26, 2010. Register now, or for more information,
click here.
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| Contact Us | | midwifery@bastyr.edu
simkincenter@bastyr.edu
14500 Juanita Drive NE
Kenmore, WA 98028
telephone: 425.602.3000
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Admissions Advising for 2012 We had a great round of applicants for the entering Fall 2011 class and are no longer accepting applications for Fall 2011. However, it is never too early to plan for 2012 or beyond. Contact our midwifery admissions advisor to learn more about the Bachelor/ Master of Science in Midwifery program and make sure you are on track with prerequisites. E-mail at mwadvise@bastyr.edu or by phone at 425-602-3332.
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Welcome to new 2011 Dept. of Midwifery Instructor, Kristina Chamberlain
Breastfeeding & Lactation Education, Gynecology
 Kristina Chamberlain, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC has been working with women and their families for over 15 years as a doula, nurse, midwife, and lactation consultant. Currently, she practices with the Midwives at Valley Hospital and Planned Parenthood. She also has a private lactation practice where she works with moms and babies all over the Seattle area.
Before becoming a midwife, Kristina lived her life on stage and behind the scenes at the Second City in Chicago. After witnessing her first birth, she decided to move west and attended the University of Washington, graduating with a master's in midwifery. She recently published her first book, I Can Breastfeed, which illustrates how visualization and affirmations can foster a successful breastfeeding relationship.
Kristina lives with her wonderful husband and is the proud mom of two very charming girls, who now breastfeed their dolls!
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 | | Penny Simkin receiving the CIMS 2011 Sharron S. Humenick award |
Penny Simkin Recognized at CIMS
Simkin Center's own Penny Simkin PT, was recognized for outstanding national leadership in the advancement of Mother-Friendly Care.
Congratulations Penny!
Simkin Center Instructors Approved as Trainers Angie Dobbins Frisbie and Melinda Ferguson received their approval as a DONA International Postpartum Doula Trainers. Jenna Noelke received her approval as a DONA International Birth Doula Trainer. |
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Great Short Documentary, Community Stories: Catching Our Babies
Featuring Midwifery Program Graduate, Michelle Sarju and Visioning Team Member, Sheila Capestany on Seattle Channel  Congratulations to Michelle, Sheila and Open Arms Perinatal Services on this great story!
Click here to watch.
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CPM Bill Introduced: A Milestone for Mothers and Midwives! The MAMA Campaign recently announced that Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) has introduced HR 1054, the "Access to Certified Professional Midwives Act of 2011" in the U.S. House of Representatives. "I believe it's important that women are able to have the birth experience they want, regardless of where they live and how much money they make. That is why it's important that women with Medicaid coverage have the same access to high quality, safe, and cost-effective services," Congresswoman Pingree said. Read more about the legislation from the MAMA Campaign.
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First National Centering Research Symposium The Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) will host its 1st National Centering Research Symposium, "Evidence for Centering Group Care: Linking Research and Practice" in Chicago, IL on April 28-29, 2011. The meeting will include presentations of Centering studies by researchers from across the country and a keynote address, "Innovation, Integration, Inspiration: using Groups to Transform Prenatal Care."
CHI's mission is to change the paradigm of health services to a group care model in order to improve the overall health outcomes of mothers, babies, new families and all individuals across the life cycle. Centering is an evidence-based redesign of health care delivery that helps to promote safety, efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness, culturally appropriate patient-centered care, and more equitable care.
For additional information or to register for the meeting, click here.
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SMS History Preserved for Posterity
After over a year spent on organizing and processing, the Seattle Midwifery School's (SMS) historical papers are almost ready for a big move! Their permanent home will be the University of Washington's Special Collections Archive, which contains documents from significant Northwest organizations like SMS. This means that the history of SMS will be well preserved and accessible for all to research.
Our collection will include items like founding documents, WA state midwifery legislation records, curriculum files, meeting and committee minutes, photos, development projects, correspondence, publications, and articles.
If you have questions about the SMS archives, please contact Jennifer Beardsley, Bastyr librarian (and former SMS Librarian) at jbeardsley@bastyr.edu.
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Kim Radtke to Receive Spirit of Service Award!
 Congratulations to Kim Radtke, graduate of the SMS Midwifery Education Program and former SMS board member!
Kim has been selected as the 2011 recipient of the Nancy Danoff, MD, Spirit of Service Award. She will be here to receive her award at the awards presentation (see news item at right).
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The Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington Awards Presentation April 20th
 Find out who this year's recipients are by visiting the Coalition's web site. The public is invited to attend the ceremony from 5 to 8 pm at the Lynnwood Convention Center. Click here for more information>
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Gain Skills and Enjoy Summertime at Kenmore Campus!
 | | Pre and Perinatal Massage Therapy Certification Course |
 | | Infant Massage Instructor Training with JoAnn Lewis |
 | | Dancing for Birth Instructor Training |
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Featured Legislation: Maternal Health Accountability Act
New legislation introduced in the US House of Representatives would provide grant funding for states to establish Maternal Mortality Review Committees to examine pregnancy-related deaths and to identify ways to reduce maternal mortality. HR 894, the Maternal Health Accountability Act of 2011, would also help to eliminate disparities in health care, risks and outcomes. States receiving grants as a result of the legislation will be asked to:
1) require health professionals and facilities to report all pregnancy-related deaths;
2) investigate and develop case findings and summaries for maternal deaths;
3) establish review committees with ob-gyns, midwives, nurses, social workers, health care facility representatives, members of affected communities, and other relevant stakeholders to recommend prevention strategies; and
4) disseminate findings and recommendations.
For more information about the bill, click here.
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Anti-Racism Update! The Department of Midwifery is proud to announce a new class. Developed by faculty member Wendy Gordon, this 1 credit course is built into the first quarter of the program as part of the Professional Issues series. "Undoing Racism" will provide a foundation for students to understand racism, the way in which it adversely impacts individuals, and society and its specific effects on health and health care. Areas of exploration will include power, privilege, social identity, prejudice as well as structural theories of racism. Class members will reflect on their own biases and experiences, and gain tools to become more effective as allies against racism and more effective health care providers.
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Work Study Students at Simkin Center
 | | Megan Sirr |
Megan Sirr - new work study student! Megan is working on connecting with recipients of the Simkin Center Leadership Fund, collecting their photos and stories to share. Welcome Megan!
Seol Ryu Hwang- International work study student. She's helping hold everything together at the Center.
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Erin Curtiss, Department of Midwifery Faculty, Leaves For Volunteer Trip to Hinche, Haiti April 8th
 | | Erin Curtiss, LM |
Simkin Center donates to Midwives for Haiti in her name
Erin is volunteering with Midwives for Haiti from April 8th-April 18th. She will be working in a hospital in the mountains of Central Haiti in a town called Hinche delivering babies and training traditional birth attendants. Travel is by jeep out into some extremely rural areas to provide prenatal care some days, but Erin will be in the classroom and in the hospital most of the time.
Many people from the community donated money and supplies, so Erin will be taking medications and birth supplies with her, all of which are desperately needed. There is no running water in the hospital. The power is run by generator and often goes out, and there are very limited resources.
Click here to learn more about Midwives for Haiti.
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Bastyr University is a Community Partner for Ina May Gaskin at Town Hall
Part of a Series of Events in May With World-Famous Midwife, Ina May Gaskin, Organized by the Midwives' Association of Washington State (MAWS)
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Ina May signing books at Town Hall in 2003. This 25th anniversary event for Seattle Midwifery School drew a crowd of more than 400.
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On Sunday May 8th, MAWS, with major funding from Seattle's new Center for Birth, will present Ina May at Town Hall. Her lecture is entitled "Birth Works: Why Don't We Know It?" This large public event includes a birth fair representing a wide array of birth-related businesses and organizations, including Simkin Center and the Bastyr Department of Midwifery. Bastyr University is a Community Partner for this event, and Department of Midwifery preceptors at Puget Sound Midwives and Birth Center are an Event Sponsor. The Bastyr Bookstore will be on hand with all of Ina May's books for signing after the lecture.
Additional events with Ina May Gaskin:
In solidarity with the International Confederation of Midwives, MAWS is organizing a 5K walk, the Road to Durban, 7pm to 9pm, Thursday May 5th (International Day of the Midwife) to raise awareness of maternal mortality locally and globally.
Friday May 6th, Ina May will join Penny Simkin, Karen Hays and Sandy Szalay for the MAWS Spring Conference. The program is of interest to all who work with birthing women. Click here to register>
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Cochrane Review of Continuous Support During Childbirth In February, a new Cochrane Review of continuous support during childbirth was published. I was pleased when I saw that doulas are effective people in improving obstetric outcomes. Here are links to various reports on the new Cochrane review, which now includes 21 randomized controlled trials with 15,060 women (including 4 newly added trials that compared trained support people from the woman's own social network (partner, family friends) with doulas and hospital staff. This review still finds improved outcomes with continuous support, especially the support of a doula:
- Less intrapartum analgesia
- Fewer operative deliveries
- Less dissatisfaction with childbirth
- The benefits of support were greater if. . .
- Epidurals were not routinely available
- Providers were not on hospital staff
- A new finding with this review is that doulas are also more effective in improving outcomes than people in the woman's social network (partners, family, friends)
Childbirth Connection has provided the full review and a summary of it on their website in the health professional area. Click here to read. They have updated the in-depth section for women, which you can read by clicking here.
They have prepared a handout with Quick Facts About Continuous Labor Support, which is available here. You can read the Childbirth Connection press release on the review here. |
 | | Doulas and program manager from SeaMar Community Health Care Centers with Simkin Center director, Annie Kennedy (second from left) |
Welcome Reception March 3rd Bastyr University hosted a welcome reception for the Department of Midwifery and the Simkin Center on March 3rd. It was a lovely evening of reconnecting with friends and looking towards the future.
We also celebrated Simkin Center Leadership Award recipients: the Americorps Doulas at SeaMar Community Health Care Centers. SeaMar specializes in service to Latinas in Western Washington. The Simkin Center is proud to partner with you!
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Childbirth Professions Information Sessions
Our next Childbirth Professions Information Session will be held in June. Please check the Bastyr events calendar for the dates and times and to RSVP. We'll spend the first hour learning more about the classes offered through the Simkin Center, including birth doula skills workshops, postpartum doula training, childbirth educator training and breastfeeding education, and the Master of Midwifery program at Bastyr University. During the second hour, you'll hear from currently practicing childbirth professionals, students and faculty. Click here to get directions to the event and RSVP.
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Upcoming Conferences & Workshops
ICAN International Conference
April 8-10, 2011 - St. Louis MO. More information>
Midwives' Association of Washington State Spring Conference featuring Ina May Gaskin & Penny Simkin
Friday, May 6, 2011 - Seattle. More Information>
Turning the Tide: Balancing Birth Experience & Interventions for Best Outcomes
May 11-13, 2011 - Vancouver, BC. More information>
2011 Northwest Doula Conference
Thursday, May 19, 2011 - Seattle area. More information>
ACNM Annual Meeting & Exposition
May 24-28, 2011 - San Antonio, TX. More information>
17th Annual DONA International Conference
July 21-24 2011 - Boston, MA. More information>
Lamaze International Conference
September 15-18, 2011 Ft. Worth TX. More information> |
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We truly appreciate the feedback you continue to give us on the 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, Department of Midwifery and Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations, Bastyr University
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Are you a Simkin Center Alumna? Did you like your workshop at Simkin Center? 