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The MAWS eNews
January 15th, 2015
In this issue
:: Lobby Day Information
:: MEAC Needs Your Feedback
:: Continuing Education
:: Lobby Day Informational Webinar
:: FDA Drug Safety Communication on Pain Medicine
:: New Master's Degree for CPMs
Please join us in Olympia on Thursday, February 12th for the annual MAWS Lobby Day!

We'll meet at 8:00 am for a briefing with our lobbyist, Amber Ulvenes, and then walk over to the Capitol Campus in teams for our scheduled meetings with legislators.  

In addition to educating lawmakers about the health benefits of midwifery care for mothers and babies as well as the significant cost-savings to the health care system, we'll be seeking support for a birth assistant bill to establish certification for these folks whose help is so important to our profession. We're already in very good shape with regard to our budget proviso which keeps the midwifery licensing fee capped at $525 because we've secured the support of the Chair of Ways and Means in both the House and the Senate and the budget proviso has made it into the Governor's proposed budget. But meeting with legislators, especially newly elected lawmakers, is critical for maintaining the foundation of legislative support that licensed midwives have historically enjoyed in Washington State. Plus, it's FUN!

If you're planning to come to Lobby Day, please notify Sasha Henry maws.legislative.liaison@gmail.com, and let her know what district you're in (http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/) so she can schedule an appointment with your representatives.  Also, if you'd like to stay for dinner at the home of MAWS Legislative and Policy Chair, Audrey Levine, please email her at: nelsaud@comcast.net so we can plan to have enough food and drink for everyone. 

It's always great to have families come to Lobby Day, so please invite your clients and post information about MAWS Lobby Day on your FaceBook Page!

Details about our legislative agenda will be posted closer to Lobby Day as well as logistical details, including parking.

See you on February 12th in Olympia!

Request for stakeholder feedback from MEAC

 

MEAC recently requested your feedback regarding their proposed moratorium (temporary ban) on out-of-country clinical placements for students attending MEAC-accredited programs and institutions.

 

They announced this proposed moratorium in the MEAC Dear Member Schools Letter #12 and the previous memo to stakeholders (both published on November 10, 2014 and available on MEAC's website at http://meacschools.org/education- faq/out-of-country-clinical-training/).

 

MEAC invites all interested parties to submit comments on the proposed changes by 11:45 PM Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, February 1, 2015. Please use the following link to provide your comments: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MEAC_OOC_moratorium

 

MEAC will consider any comments on the proposed changes submitted timely before finalizing any changes to its standards. After consideration of comments, the MEAC board anticipates making a final decision about the proposed change in the spring of 2015, with an expected implementation date of July 1, 2015.

 

The full request can be viewed here.

 

If you have any questions about the survey or the stakeholder feedback process, please contact Karin Borgerson, Associate Director, at karin@meacschools.org

Continuing Education and Conferences 

 

Breech Birth Online Workshop 
19 Jan - 8 Feb 2015 

http://www.birthspirit.co.nz/breech-birth-online-workshop/  

Water Birth Workshop (Online) 

13-20 February 2015

http://www.birthspirit.co.nz/water-birth-workshop-online/  

Postdates Pregnancy Workshop 

27 Feb- 06 March 

http://www.birthspirit.co.nz/postdates-pregnancy-workshop-online/ 

The Spirit of Birth: Nature, Nurture and the Evidence 

13-20 March

http://www.birthspirit.co.nz/the-spirit-of-birth-nature-nurture-and-the-evidence-workshop-online/  

 

Midwifery Update 2015

A conference for healthcare professionals. 

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015 at the Shoreline Conference Center in Shoreline, WA. 

This conference provides an annual update on clinical issues in midwifery care. Join us for a day of lectures, discussions and case study analysis. Register here.

 

The White Privilege Conference

March 11-14, 2015. Louisville, KY. WPC is a conference that examines challenging concepts of privilege and oppression and offers solutions and team building strategies to work toward a more equitable world. Registration opens on January 1st, 2015. Registration information can be found here.


Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (ADT)

Join us as we identify risk factors, symptoms and statistics regarding those affected followed by an in depth discussion on:

- De-stigmatizing postpartum depression

- Discussing treatment options

- Finding community resources

- Implementing the Edinburgh Screening Tool

- Honikman's Steps to Wellness

- Reflective Listening: Mom's in Crisis

- Starting the conversation: How to have the dialogue

PALS presents this Advanced DoulaTraining, taught by Heidi Koss

2100 24th Ave S, Seattle WA 98144, Community Room A

Saturday, February 28th, 2015 8:30am-12:30pm

Heidi Koss, MA, LMHC is a psychotherapist specializing in pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders birth trauma, sexual abuse and parent adjustment issues. She is also the WA state coordinator with Postpartum Support International (PSI) of WA.

 

Foundations for Best Practice in Lactation Care at Bastyr University. Earn a Lactation Educator Certificate in 5 days, instructed by expert faculty of Evergreen Perinatal Education. Monday-Friday, February 2-6, 2015 8am-5pm 

 

Earn 3 CE contact hours by completing the online education, Resolving Shoulder Dystocia for the Active, Mobile Woman. Gaily Tully teaches this hands-on class for midwives, their active apprentices, and L & D nurses. Physicians and residents are also very welcome. For more information contact Gail email gail@spinningbabies.com visit the website http://www.spinningbabies.com

  

Essential Oils for the Birth Kit

In this workshop we will explore the safe, clinical use of therapeutic-quality essential oils during pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum, and infant care. Participants will come away with a greater understanding of how essential oils work as well as their various applications, individual properties, dosages, and contraindications during each phase of pregnancy.  

 

This is a hands-on workshop with keynote lectures: we will smell, experience, and learn the specific indications for 15 different essential oils.  Students will formulate three different types of essential oil blends, which can be taken home and used in maternal care. Course materials include empirical evidence and clinical experience as substantiated by current, peer-reviewed and published research to provide a both a historical context and scientific framework for this beautiful and powerful natural health modality. Presented by Stephanie Pearson, Certified Clinical Herbalist and Functional Nutritionist. 

stephbrooklyn@gmail.com, 971.678.4280

http://www.dailynectaressentials.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Lobby Day 101 Webinar to Prep for Feb. 12th

Have you thought about coming to the MAWS Lobby Day, but don't know what to expect?  Have you attended but felt under-prepared?


This year MAWS is hosting a webinar a few weeks before Lobby Day to help you get ready for this exciting day of advocacy in Olympia.  Join us to learn about educating your elected officials about midwifery and get a preview of the MAWS Legislative Agenda for the year.

 

Even if you can't make it to Lobby Day this year, join us to learn about how you can reach out to your representatives on your own time.  Come learn about the issues that shape your practice experience and your bottom line, all from the comfort of your home!

WHAT: Lobby Day 101 Webinar
WHERE: on your computer
WHY: Because your advocacy helps shape the future of midwifery.

For more information, visit: 

 

New Drug Safety Communication on Pain Medicine Use during Pregnancy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware of and understands the concerns arising from recent reports questioning the safety of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines when used during pregnancy.  As a result, research studies were evaluated from published medical literature and determined they are too limited to make any recommendations based on these studies at this time.  Because of this uncertainty, the use of pain medicines during pregnancy should be carefully considered.  We urge pregnant women to always discuss all medicines with their health care professionals before using them. 

Severe and persistent pain that is not effectively treated during pregnancy can result in depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure in the mother. Medicines including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and acetaminophen can help treat severe and persistent pain. However, it is important to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of using prescription and OTC pain medicines during pregnancy.

 

The published studies we reviewed reported on the potential risks associated with the following three types of pain medicines used during pregnancy (see Data Summary section for more information about these studies)

 

1. Prescription NSAIDs and the risk of miscarriage in the first half of pregnancy. Examples of prescription NSAIDs include ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, and celecoxib.

 

2. Opioids, which are available only by prescription, and the risk of birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord in babies born to women who took these products during the first trimester of pregnancy. Examples of opioids include oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine, and codeine.

 

3. Acetaminophen in both OTC and prescription products and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children born to women who took this medicine at any time during pregnancy. Acetaminophen is a common pain reducer and fever reducer found in hundreds of medicines including those used for colds, flu, allergies, and sleep.

 

All of the studies reviewed were found to have potential limitations in their designs; sometimes the accumulated studies on a topic contained conflicting results that prevented us from drawing reliable conclusions.  As a result, recommendations on how pain medicines are used during pregnancy will remain the same at this time.

 

Pregnant women should always consult with their health care professional before taking any prescription or OTC medicine.  Women taking pain medicines who are considering becoming pregnant should also consult with their health care professionals to discuss the risks and benefits of pain medicine use.  Health care professionals should continue to follow the recommendations in the drug labels when prescribing pain medicines to pregnant patients.

 

The FDA will continue to monitor and evaluate the use of pain medicines during pregnancy and will update the public as new safety information becomes available.

 

Full information on this FDA communication can be found by clicking here

New Accredited Master's Degree for CPMs

Our profession faces exciting opportunities in a new era of health care reform in the U.S.  But we need to "scale up" - increase our capacity at every level.  We are going to need more midwives to provide quality care in all settings and we will need experienced midwives with new skills in education, research and policy.

The Department of Midwifery at Bastyr University is excited to announce a new Master of Arts in Maternal-Child Health degree designed specifically for midwives and other maternal-infant health professionals.

 

This one-year accredited program, delivered primarily online, will provide skills for those who want to be part of maternity care systems change --in educational, organizational and clinical effectiveness; research and translation of evidence; and policy-making, implementation, and evaluation.

 

The maternal-child health program will begin in fall 2015 and applications are now being accepted. Learn more about this new opportunity.
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This is your newsletter.  Please send any feedback or suggestions to Amanda Anderson.  We welcome suggestions for future topics, popular articles or research to include.