Science & Sensibility

Lamaze International is an organization that is led by a volunteer Board of Directors.  Tara Owens Shuler is our Board President.  Many women and men donate immeasurable hours, knowledge and skills by filling council and committee positions and stepping up to volunteer in so many facets of our organization.  All of these volunteers contribute to making Lamaze International the premier childbirth education  and advocacy organization for evidence based maternity care for mothers and babies here in North America and worldwide.

Lamaze is recognized as a leader in the childbirth community and we want to continue to offer families, educators and other birth professionals the top-notch workshops, trainings, classes, webinars, publications, resources and conferences that people expect from an organization of our caliber.  This can only be accomplished by your help!

Lamaze International is actively seeking men and women to fill  Board of Director positions beginning in the fall of 2013 as current directors’ terms are ending.  Do you have the skills, energy and ideas that we need?  Do you enjoy collaborating and thinking globally with others who are equally passionate about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting?  Are you ready to take on a leadership role in the Lamaze organization and contribute your expertise and skill set to making our organization even bigger and better and helping to improve maternity care?  If the idea of serving Lamaze in this way is of interest to you, then I encourage you to read more about the upcoming elections and considering submitting an application to be considered for the slate.

Board members serve for 4 years and participate in two in-person meetings a year, the first weekend in March and at the annual conference in the fall.  To learn more about the roles and responsibilities of board members, please read the Board job descriptions.  You may download a board candidate questionnaire and submit it before the application deadline of April 15th, 2013

The Board of Directors may be a big step and you may be hesitant.  Why not consider easing in to volunteer service with Lamaze by serving in another capacity, such as on one of the Lamaze International committees.  The following openings are available:

• Education Council 
• Accreditation Council
• Social Media Networkers
• Translators
• Inside Childbirth Education contributors
• Certification Exam Item Writing
• Guest bloggers for Science & Sensibility and Giving Birth With Confidence

More information about these volunteer opportunities can be found on our Volunteer Opportunities page.  Lamaze International depends and relies on the wisdom, passion, skills and contributions of our members who step up and go the extra mile by volunteering for this dynamic organization.  What a wonderful way to be involved, learn about all the new and exciting things that Lamaze is doing, collaborate with other passionate members and make a real difference.  If you are new to the birth professional community, volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to learn and expand your network of colleagues.

I would love to hear what you are interested in?  Where do you see yourself getting involved?  How you can help Lamaze International grow and develop?  Share your thoughts in our comments section, check out the board and committee openings at the above links and get involved now!

 

Sharon Muza Childbirth Education, Evidence Based Medicine, Giving Birth with Confidence, Guest Posts, Lamaze International, Lamaze News, Maternal Quality Improvement, Push for Your Baby, Science & Sensibility Giving Birth With Confidence, Inside Childbirth Education, Lamaze Board of Directors, Lamaze International, Science & Sensibility, Sharon Muza, Volunteer

Holidays are a time when many of us gather with with family and friends, when hearts are open, tables are full, spirits light and oxytocin flows just from being with those we care about and sharing meals and good times. For some families, babies arrive on the holiday to make the day even more special and significant then other years. For health care providers, doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, birth photographers, lactation consultants and those that work with birthing families, holidays are often times spent away from their own friends and families so they can help women become mothers and see the birth of a family.

I have a clear recollection of being pregnant with my second daughter through the holidays of 2000. Grumpy, crabby, “done” with being pregnant, and very mad that everyone else seemed to be so festive and happy. Hard to make plans for holiday gatherings and meals, unwilling to have people over and not wanting to go elsewhere, I complained my way through each day, surprised like any other fully pregnant 40 weeker, that I would wake up each morning in my bed, “still pregnant.” I agreed to join friends for our traditional sushi rolling party that we did every New Year’s Eve, and pregnant or not, I was going to be rolling and eating sushi. Alas, baby felt like joining the party, and I went into labor New Year’s Eve. A slow labor ramp up seems to be the way my babies come, and I mildly contracted through the night, all New Year’s Day and into that night. As was the case, I seem to go from early labor to transition rather quickly and soon was pushing a baby out into the world in the pre-dawn hours on January 2nd. 01/02/01. Missing 01/01/01 by just a few hours. Missing the tax break and a New Year’s Eve baby by a day. Regardless, a memorable New Year nonetheless for myself and my family.

I sit now waiting for the call to join a client as her birth doula, as other women, clients of mine, tick the hours past the holiday celebrations, very pregnant and wondering if they too, will have a holiday baby.

As a doula for over 10 years, I have attended births on every holiday, my birthday, and my children’s birthdays, as those babies come when they want to, regardless of the plans of those of us on the outside!

I thought I would check in with those women who have given birth on a holiday like July 4th, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, New Year’s, Halloween and others to find out what their experience was like. And also ask those who themselves were born on a holiday, how has it been forever having their birthday associated with a holiday well known by many here in the US.

“I birthed on a holiday!”

Most of the women I spoke to who gave birth on a holiday had gone into labor spontaneously. Several of them had a long labor, for several days, with the baby making their appearance on the holiday. I wondered if they felt that their birth team minded not being with their family on the holiday. Everyone reported that, regardless of home birth or hospital birth, the birth team seemed very present, happy to be there and upbeat about welcoming the new baby. A few hospital birth mothers remarked at how empty and quiet the hospitals were during their births. Discharge seemed to take a bit longer and it was sometimes harder to be seen by a lactation consultant or other specialist. Some babies born on Christmas were given a green and white striped hat instead of the “normal” newborn baby hat after birth.

Many women talk about celebrating their child’s birthday on the original holiday date when the child is young, but as they get older, they have moved the celebration to a day that is not the holiday, so that friends and family are more available to join in the celebration. They shared that others seem “dismayed” that they gave birth on a holiday, expressed regrets for the child’s birth date, as if it was a bad thing.

I recall being at a birth on July 4th, and the baby was born about 30 minutes before the fireworks over the city were to happen.  The midwife and nurses turned off all the lights and we swung the mother’s bed completely toward the wall of windows, and the new family, and staff and I all watched the big fireworks show in silence, baby snuggled at mother’s breast.  I whispered in the baby’s ear later on, “Remember, these fireworks will always be to celebrate *your* special day!”

All the women I spoke to, who birthed on a holiday, made sure to comment and share that they felt it was important to have the baby pick its birth date, and be born when it is ready, even if that is a holiday. They all recognized what Lamaze speaks to when we share information in our Healthy Birth Practice, Let Labor Begin On Its Own.

The women all stated that they wanted to be sure that their child, born on a holiday, would always feel special and have celebrated, and not have their child’s birthday get lost in the shuffle of holiday celebrations.

“I was born on a holiday!”

I spoke with women who themselves were born on a holiday and they shared what it was like to have to share their birthday with a holiday that everyone was celebrating.  The folks who were born on Christmas or New Year’s shared that they frequently felt like their birthday got “overlooked” or “short shrift” in the celebrations of the season.  As a child, they often had to express their frustrations and share that they  needed their families to make their birthdays special, “If I was born in August, would you wrap my birthday gifts in Christmas wrapping?” said one woman.  Gifts often said “Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday.” One woman, born on New Year’s Day remarked; “At least I wasn’t born on Christmas!”

Many women who are born on other holidays, like Halloween or 4th of July, share that it was great fun growing up with that birthday date, and continues to be fun into adulthood.  One woman shared that being born on April Fool’s Day was not fun, and she got pranked a lot with empty boxes wrapped as presents and other jokes.  Not something she has enjoyed, and she shared; “I felt like my birthday was always a joke!”

“I worked with birthing women on a holiday!”

I also spoke with health care providers, who shared that they enjoyed working on holidays, that facilities were often quiet, and low key, and the birthing families that they work with seemed extra appreciative of their support on the holiday.  They often wear a little something special to make things more festive, a Santa hat, or Halloween headband or an American flag on July 4th.  Sometimes, hospitals put something special on the meal tray, a flower or decorated cookie.  They are glad to be helping in any way they can.

Conclusion

I think that family and friends, and even the public makes a lot of comments to pregnant women who may find themselves likely birthing on a holiday, adding an extra layer of stress for these women, to what can already be a time period raw with emotion at the end of pregnancy. I am glad that these women are treated well by care providers.  None of the women who responded to my small, unscientific survey said that they felt pressure to induce to avoid a holiday birth date.

I think that as educators, we can stress that babies come when they come, and recognize the additional pressures that women may feel to birth or avoid birthing on a holiday date. We can provide tips on coping with holiday celebrations and plans when “very pregnant” and honor the emotions that some of the women may be experiencing.  Reassuring women that their babies know when to be born and helping them to prepare for however things unfold is a gift we can give to our students and clients.

Have you birthed on a holiday?  Were you born on a holiday?  Do you support birthing women and frequently work on a holiday.  Please share your experiences with all the readers in the comments and let us know what your experience was.  Is anyone waiting on a baby now? Do you expect to get called to a birth? Are you working in a hospital?  On call? Finally, a huge thank you to all the professionals who give up their holidays to support the new babies coming into the world.

 

Sharon Muza Babies, Childbirth Education, Healthy Birth Practices, Newborns, Science & Sensibility Childbirth Education, doulas, Healthy Birth Practices, Holidays, L&D Nurses, lactation consultants, midwives, newborns, obstetricians, Sharon Muza

Lamaze International’s “Six Healthy Conference Practices” will help you to have the best conference experience possible when you attend the 2012 Lamaze International Innovative Learning Forum, thereby insuring a rewarding, satisfying and fun learning opportunity.

This year, Lamaze International is offering childbirth educators and birth professionals, including lactation consultants, doulas, midwives, physicians, perinatal fitness instructors, perinatal education managers, L&D nurses and more, a unique opportunity to enjoy a rich and participatory learning experience in the beautiful city of Nashville, Tennessee on October 26-28, 2012 at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel.

The theme of the the Innovative Learning Forum is “Safe & Healthy Birth: The Music of Our Head, Heart & Hands” and is a wonderful recognition of the varied and extensive contribution Nashville has made to American music.  Nashville is known as “Music City” for good reason.  The Nashville Tourism website sums it up beautifully:

There’s a place where music lives. A place where music hangs its hat and puts its feet up on the furniture. A place where people don’t just talk about songs and CDs and lyrics, but live them night and day. That place is Nashville. Music City.

But, while music is the lifeblood of Nashville, visitors will also find a city of culture and history, of haute cuisine, of pro sports, outstanding academics, natural beauty and pure Southern charm. Nashville is a place where the past and the future peacefully coexist and build, one on the other, to create a destination that appeals to the interests of every visitor. This city is alive. You can feel its pulse when you walk down its sidewalks. And, fortunately, you can also hear it almost anywhere you go.

While exploring the city and all it has to offer during breaks in the Learning Forum will surely be enjoyable, the real music (and magic) will be happening in the conference location, where men and women from around the world will be gathering to share, learn, discuss, collaborate, plan and dream about supporting pregnancies, labors, births and parenting experiences that are grounded in science, and offer safety and respect to all families on the road to parenthood.

The Six Healthy Conference Practices include:

1. Taking advantage of pre-conference workshops that maximize your learning and minimize your travel expenses.

Participate in a pre-conference workshop for nurses by attending the Lamaze Evidence-Based Nursing Care: Labor Support Skills Workshop with Judith Lothian, PhD, RN, LCCE, FACCE on Thursday, October 25, or the Lamaze Childbirth Educator Seminar presented by the Lamaze Accredited Childbirth Educator Program at Duke AHEC, Wed., October 24-Friday, October 26.

Join your choice of interactive learning sessions, with a list of presenters who are guaranteed to be engaging, dynamic and memorable. Attend film showings, review the poster presentations and participate in morning exercise sessions throughout the weekend.  You will leave energized and exposed to new research and trends and teaching ideas sure to enrich your own classes.  The learning opportunities will be bountiful during your entire time at the conference as Lamaze provides you with an interactive breakdown of the preceding keynote sessions into three different perspectives: Head, Heart and Hands.

4. Getting a taste of Nashville and southern hospitality by joining in on Friday and Saturday night organized social events.

The best restaurants in Nashville have Lamaze International at the top of their reservation list, with tables reserved just for conference attendees on Friday night all around town.  Saturday night finds you kicking up your heels and tapping your toes to the best line-up of singers, songwriters and musicians the city has to offer at the “Music City Celebration.”

5. Networking, meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones can be a top priority.

The opportunity to meet and mingle, share tasty refreshments and explore the exhibit hall and its many shopping opportunities with other birth professionals will be another highlight of this year’s conference.  People come from all over the world to attend (and exhibit at) the Lamaze International Conference every year, and this year will not be any different.  Meet the board members and staff of Lamaze International, attend the annual Lamaze membership meeting and applaud this year’s FACCE inductees.  There will be plenty of time to circulate, meet your colleagues from across the globe and discuss all the conference going-ons.

6. A 2012 Virtual Learning Forum experience is available for those who can not attend in person this year.

Lamaze International recognizes that not everyone who would like to attend the annual conference is able to join in person every year.  This year, if you find that traveling to the conference is not possible, please consider attending virtually from your home or workplace.  Better yet, join in with other professionals in your community and share that experience.  You will be able to register and participate virtually in the four keynote presentations, so you do not have to miss these exciting learning opportunities.

Register now! Early Bird Ends 9/24.

If you have not yet registered for the 2012 Lamaze International Innovative Learning Forum, please do not hesitate to register now!  Early registration allows you to take advantage of early bird conference pricing,which will save you significantly on conference fees,  guarantees you the special conference rate on housing at the hotel and will help you to have plenty of time to prepare travel plans and arrangements for what is sure to be a fun and exciting time in Nashville. Be sure to follow the Six Healthy Conference Practices to enjoy what will be the best conference ever!

Are you planning to go?  Do you need a roommate? What is getting you excited about the upcoming Innovative Learning Forum?  Will this be your first conference?  What have you enjoyed about previous conferences you have attended?  Share your plans,  thoughts and hopes for this conference in our comments and let us know that we can expect to see you! 

Sharon Muza Childbirth Education, Conference Schedule, Continuing Education, Healthy Birth Practices, Healthy Care Practices, Lamaze 2012 Annual Conference, Lamaze News, Science & Sensibility, Uncategorized annual conference, Childbirth Education, conferences, Continuing Education, Healthy Birth Practices, Lamaze 2012 Annual Conference, Lamaze annual conference, Lamaze International, nashville, nursing continuing education, Sharon Muza

This is part two of a two part series on the support needs of women who experience postpartum psychosis and their partners and is written by regular contributor Walker Karraa.  Part one can be found here. – SM

In part two of a review of the recent JOGNN study, Support Needs of Mothers Who Experience Postpartum Psychosis and Their Partners (Doucet, Letourneau, & Blackmore, 2012), partner perception of support needs is highlighted.  In the multisite, exploratory, qualitative design, eight partners (Canada, n = 7, United States, n= 1) of women who had experienced postpartum psychosis were interviewed using one-on-one, in-depth, semi-structured, interviews lasting 45-120 minutes. Partners were interviewed separately from the mothers, and verbatim transcriptions were produced from audio recordings. Using inductive thematic analysis (Braune & Clarke, 2006) thematic content regarding support for partners emerged in the categories of (a) support needs; (b) support preferences; (c) accessibility to support; and (d) barriers to support.

Partner Support Needs

Instrumental, Informational, and Emotional

Identical to the mothers interviewed for the study, all partners expressed wanting instrumental or physical support, at home—help with caring for the baby, their partner, and the basic running of the house. One father reported:

I found for a long time it was at least a two-person job to manage things. Because one person had to take care of the baby, and usually I had to take care of my wife. (Doucet, Letourneau, & Blackmore, 2012, p. 241).

Informational support for partners was indicated as imperative, as none of the partners had “any prior knowledge of postpartum psychosis” (p. 241). Partners reported needing information on partner’s health status, treatment plans, long term prognosis, and how to manage partners’ illness at home:

I needed advice on how to handle the illness and what to say. Also, information on the early signs of relapse to watch for and if it was to the point that I needed to get help “(p. 241).

Many of the partners reported needing emotional support in the form of “a listening ear” or “an emotional outlet” (p. 241). Hospitalization of their partner proved emotionally taxing. One father reported:

I needed emotional support. I felt I was becoming depressed. It was everything, the long days at the hospital. I saw things that I never saw before and that affected me. I kept thinking, when is she going to snap out of it? Why is this happening? I thought having a baby was going to be the best thing to happen. (p. 241)

Another partner shared:

I was an emotional wreck but felt I had to gather myself together for my wife. And I didn’t want my parents to see me going downhill emotionally. I felt I couldn’t have any issues, someone had to be strong (p. 241)

Similar to their counterparts, partners reported tremendous isolation, and needing “reassurance from someone who had gone through a similar experience or who was actually going through it” (Doucet, et al., 2012, p. 241).

Partner Support Preferences

Partners overwhelmingly reported wanting instrumental support from informal networks, and informational support from trained professionals. The preference was for a combination of one-to-one support from trained professional and group support in the form of the partners of women who experienced postpartum psychosis.

Partner Accessibility to Support

Regarding partners finding access to support, the themes of both limited professional support and limited community support emerged. The majority of partners had no access to professional help, reporting they were too proud to ask. Partners had universal difficulty in gaining access to information on community support for themselves and their partners. One father reported:

I called five psychiatrists in the community before we found one. It was hard finding the appropriate support. We could have been given contact information when leaving the hospital. And even then, have them set it up. Take some pressure off us. Just walk out, and walk into community support. (p. 243)

Partner Barriers to Support

Interestingly, partner barrier to support emerged in themes of health care provider barriers and personal barriers. Partners reported health care providers as universally uncaring, and not flexible in treatment plans—for example not giving them access to their partners in the hospital, and not allowing them to bring their babies to see their mothers.  One partner described:

Being put in isolation rooms and separated from babies. That’s pretty inhumane. I’m not really in a position to describe exactly what a better system might look like, but it would be a lot gentler on the mothers. (Doucet, et al., 2012, p. 243)

Partners felt dismissed by care providers, and that providers had predetermined treatment plan based solely on the diagnosis, rather than individual need of the mothers:

Health care providers are very hesitant to take those affected into account. They are more interested on where they peg you on the spectrum and what that diagnosis implies and that’s how they treat you. (Doucet, et al., 2012, p. 243)

Finally, partners reported they found it difficult to seek help from family, friends, community, or professionals due to fear of stigma and pride. One father reported regret for this dynamic in this way:

I wish I was able to send an SOS out to bring us casseroles or to help around the house. I couldn’t do that because I have difficulty asking for support. It’s a guy thing. (Doucet, et al., 2012, p. 243)

Discussion

The loss and suffering for partners of mothers with PP could not be more poignant than the work of Aaron Polson, who lost his wife Aimee Zeigler to PP at age 40. His story of raising his sons following her death is brings this topic home, and I hope you all get to read it.

This first study on the needs of mothers who experienced PP and their partners speaks to many areas of consideration for the childbirth professional. Here, we hear not only about the “symptoms” and “pathology”, but perhaps more importantly, the voices of mothers and partners speaking to specific needs. The opportunity is presented to reflect and review how this information resonates with our own practice, perceptions, and potentials for growth. This conversation, I believe, is one of the keys to preventing perinatal psychiatric illness from the social stigma and silence that contribute to such suffering.

Doucet et al., (2012) concluded that their findings may serve as a guide for future research and interventions. Hopefully we, too, can begin a dialogue of how we might apply this information to our future. How do you see this informing your practice, your continuing educational needs, or support networks within your practice? I look forward to hearing your words of wisdom.

________________________________________

About Walker Karraa

Regular contributor Walker Karraa is currently the President of PATTCh, an organization dedicated to the Prevention and Treatment of Traumatic Childbirth. Walker is a doctoral student at Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, a certified birth doula, freelance writer, and maternal mental health advocate.  She holds an MA degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Seattle, and a BA and MFA degree in dance from UCLA.  Walker is a contributor to the Lamaze sites, www.givingbirthwithconfidence.org and www.scienceandsensibility.com.  She lives in Sherman Oaks, California with her husband, and two children.

 

 

References

Doucet, S., Letourneau, N., & Blackmore, E. R. (2012). Support needs of mothers who experience postpartum psychosis and their partners. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing, 41(2), 236-245.

 

Walker Karraa Depression, Maternal Mental Health, New Research, Patient Advocacy, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Depression, Research, Science & Sensibility, Transforming Maternity Care care provider attitude, fathers, fathers emotional support, honoring fathers, how to help partners of mothers with mental illness, maternal psychiatric illness, partners of mothers with mental illness, postpartum support, psychosis, treatment for postpartum psyc, Walker Karraa

Here is a useful nugget of information to help celebrate World Breastfeeding Week that you may want to share with your students and clients in childbirth classes.  Did you know that Nordstrom will convert any bra into a nursing bra for a small alteration fee of $10?  A mother does not even have to have purchased the bra from Nordstrom.

Nordstrom has long been a favorite of mine for their expert bra fitters, but this service now allows women to have their favorite bras converted into a nursing bra with very little expense and quick turn around. Many families are faced with significant expenses when having a baby, and this simple service can help new mothers transition to the breastfeeding relationship in comfort and style, wearing their favorite bras.  Part of a successful nursing relationship is feeling comfortable feeding a baby in many locations, and having clothes, including nursing bras, that fit, feel good and make nursing easier and more comfortable is a key factor.  Do confirm with your local store before sharing with classes, but I called several locations around the country and received 100 percent confirmation that this is indeed a service they offer.  Thanks Nordstrom!

Sharon Muza Breastfeeding, Childbirth Education, Healthy Birth Practices, Healthy Care Practices, Infant Attachment, Newborns, Push for Your Baby, Science & Sensibility, Uncategorized breastfeeding, breastfeeding support, breastfeeding support continuing education, Healthy Birth Practices, lamaze, Sharon Muza, world breastfeeding week