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PS From Penny Simkin
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July 14, 2010
Volume 2, Number 2
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Greetings!
 It's been a while since I've sent a message to you. This
year has been amazing. I've never worked harder, even though I'm at an age when
most women are done or easing out of their work life and enjoying retirement.
I had the honor of
addressing the Belgian Midwives Association at their annual conference on May
5, International Midwives' Day. 300 midwives in one room!
In addition to Belgium,
I've been all over the US this past spring - 20 speaking engagements from February through June. Also, I've been busy  revising and creating new materials. The new,
completely redesigned edition of Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn will be
out this month, after years of work revising it. We're joining the 21st
Century with this edition, and it will be connected to a website, PCNGuide, where
people can go for more in-depth discussions, downloadable materials, and other
tools. I'm excited as are my four co-authors. You can pre-order the book for a great price, as of this writing, on Amazon.
I hope this finds you well and appreciated for all you
do for some of our most vulnerable yet powerful citizens - childbearing
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Midwifery in Belgium
During my visit, what was most interesting to me was that in Belgium, there
are hardly any home births (about the same percentage as in the US), whereas 100
kilometers away in the Netherlands, they have a 35% home birth rate! Also, in
Belgium, the midwives manage the labors but not the births. The doctor comes in
at the end to catch the baby.
I was asked to speak on psychophysiologic
management of the first stage, but not second stage, because most of the
midwives have a backseat role during second stage.
Also surprisingly, Belgium's cesarean rates,
prematurity rates, and other indices of quality of care, are just about on a
par with the Netherlands. Go figure.
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Response to the Wax Article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
(From the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives)
You may be aware of a recent article claiming to have found a 3-fold increase in neonatal mortality among home born infants when compared to hospital born babies. This meta-analysis by Wax et al has been widely publicized by ACOG with a timing that appears to be designed to have maximum political impact.
The press, including the New York Times, has reached out to NACPM, as well as to MANA, ACNM and other organizations, seeking comment. NACPM connected with home birth researchers (including Michael Klein from the University of British Columbia) and prepared the following comments for release to the press. Click here for the NACPM Press Release.
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Penny on Seattle NPR Station
I participated in a local NPR program on home birth recently
(a whole hour was devoted to the topic!). Listen here. The various links for listening are to the right of the story under the heading "Listen to Weekday." I think they did an excellent job. Check it out!
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Great News from New York State!
Until now, NY State has required midwives to have a "written practice agreement" with an obstetrician as a precondition to practice. This law has effectively hindered the practice of many midwives when they have been unable to find a willing physician or have lost their practice agreements (sometimes due to a physician's liability insurance provider's requirement).
This year, the New York State Association of Licensed Midwives (NYSALM) began to advocate for the removal of the requirement to have a practice agreement by introducing the Midwifery Modernization Act, legislation that would remove the requirement. You can read more about their efforts by clicking here.
Through the efforts of activist midwives and midwifery supporters throughout the state, this legislation recently passed the House with overwhelming support and unanimously passed the Senate! Only Gov. Patterson's signature is needed to keep out of
hospital birth alive in New York.
The motto for midwives should be "Eternal Vigilance." The
profession is under almost constant fire from powerful opponents.It isn't enough to be a safe,
compassionate and super-competent midwife. You have to be a savvy politician, charismatic leader and
crystal ball gazer in order to survive. And YOU ARE surviving, even thriving! I
just wish it didn't have to be so stressful just to remain in practice. More
power to you.
Thank you!
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To My Washington State Friends:
Save the Date! Miles for Midwives Fun Run/Walk, October 9, 2010 in Seattle!
I was excited to be asked to be the official starter for this year's Miles for Midwives, organized by the Washington Chapter of the ACNM and the Midwives' Association of Washington State. Registration will open soon--watch for an announcement on my Facebook page.
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Upcoming Workshops with Penny
Websites are provided where we have that information
DONA International Conference
2010
08.5-11.2010, Albuquerque, NM
Conference Details
Birth Doula Training & Trainer
Course
08.26-31.2010, Taiwan
Birth Doula Training
09.22-25.2010, Kenmore, WA
SimkinCenter@bastyr.edu
800-747-9433
Training Details
Birth Doula Trainer Course (Open to approved applicants)
09.22-26.2010, Kenmore, WA
SimkinCenter@bastyr.edu
800-747-9433
Training Details
2010 ICEA/Lamaze
Mega-Conference - Uniting for the Future of Birth
09.30-10.03.2010,
Milwaukee, WI
Conference Details
National Midwifery Week, UCSD
Midwives
10.07.2010, San Diego, CA
BCAPOP Annual Conference
10.15.2010, Richmond, BC
La Leche League of Washington
Area Conference
10.17.2010, Redmond, WA
Conference Details
AWHONN Fall Conference
10.17.2010, Redmond, WA
Conference Details
The Doulas of Greater Kansas
City - Training
10.22-23.2010, Kansas City, KS
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Popular Products from Penny
 The Birth Partner, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions
"My
husband's gift to me at the end of each pregnancy is to read "The Birth
Partner." Every woman I come across that is having a baby gets an
earful from me about how ESSENTIAL this book is for them to read." - Shalome Wilson, mother of 4, Seattle, WA
Details and ordering information>
Relaxation, Rhythm and Ritual: The 3Rs of Childbirth (DVD)Details and ordering information> |
Comfort Measures
 We appreciate all the great feedback from those of you who have purchased our new Comfort Measures for Childbirth DVD.
Click here to watch the trailer with scenes from the DVD and comments from an expectant mom and a doula.
Click here to watch a brief video about why Penny made "Comfort Measures" including a discussion of pain and "when pain becomes suffering."
A Special Note to Those With Institutional Affiliation or Lending Libraries:
If you are an educator, a nurse, a doula or midwife interested in
quantity discounts for your institution or lending library, call us at
206.325.1419 or send us an email for information. We are interested in making this excellent resource available to more childbearing families.
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The Labor Progress Handbook
"This little text, which will fit nicely in a back pocket* or 'lab coat', provides practical diagrams of normal and abnormal fetal positions that can be identified well before labor, and more importantly, corrected, so as to lessen the malpositions of labor that unleash the 'cascade' of interventions that characterize the experience of so many women having their first babies. It will take much to turn society back from thinking of childbirth as an accident waiting to happen and to help women realize their power and competence, but the authors have given us a tool to help in that process, to help us keep normal birth normal. I am grateful that this book is available and entering its second edition."~Michael Klein, MD, University of British Columbia
*"It fits perfectly into any home birth midwife's birth bag, too!" - Lynn, newsletter editor & midwife
Buy one now for yourself and one for your favorite nurse, doula, midwife or OB!
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For my new readers and those who joined my list from the start, I invite you to visit my website. Many of my presentations and handouts are posted there for you to download, and my presentation schedule is also posted there. If I come to your area to speak, please come and see me, and let me know you're on my newsletter list. I hope to keep in touch with you informally on maternity care topics that mean the most to me.
I'd love your feedback.
All the best,
Penny
PS Click here to visit us on Facebook
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