Science & Sensibility

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Are you a lactation consultant, teach breastfeeding classes or work with new mother-baby dyads during the breastfeeding period?  The International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) is offering *free* live continuing education webinars.  These webinars are taught by experts on the various topics and offered in English, Spanish and French.  Continuing education credits are available for a fee for those who need the ILCA hours, but others may attend the webinars at no cost.

The next webinar is scheduled for November 20th at 10:00 AM EST and the topic is “New Perspectives on Breastfeeding and Alcohol” presented by Ted Greiner, PhD.  For more information, to register, and learn about what other topics might be available in the future, click over to the ILCA webinar website, and check there frequently to see new free webinar offerings.

Questions about how to register, problems, concerns, handouts, contact hours, etc for the ILCA Webinars should be directed to the ILCA staff.  More info here.

Sharon Muza Babies, Breastfeeding, Childbirth Education, Continuing Education, Evidence Based Medicine, informed Consent, Parenting an Infant, Uncategorized, Webinars breastfeeding, breastfeeding support continuing education, Continuing Education, ILCA, Webinars

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.

Creative Commons Photo: Children’s Bureau Centennial. WPA Project 1938

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

With the New Year well under way, it’s a good time to cast a giant spotlight on the conference schedule for the year…and boy, is there a lot to choose from!  Below you will find conferences listed according to discipline and (mostly) by date.  I commend each and every reader to attend at least one conference from the following list.  There is SO MUCH happening in terms of research and development of evidence-based care practices in the realms of perinatal, lactation and maternal mental health care…keeping up to date on-line is wonderful, but being a part of the action in person, as it is unfolding, is another experience entirely!

~ Childbirth Education ~
Lamaze’s Annual Conference:  “Steering Change for Safe and Healthy Birth” in Fort Worth, TX Sept 15-18

Regional Association of Childbirth Educators of Puget Sound (REACHE) in Tacoma, WA March 4 featuring guests speakers Michele Deck, Pamela England and Sheri Deveney.

Health Connect One’s Fifth Annual Conference:  “Birth, Breastfeeding and Beyond: Sustaining Community-Based Practices” Washington DC March 21-23 which will further the organization’s efforts to sustain community-based maternal and child health practices in underserved communities.

International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) Regional Conferences in Washington DC (March 26), Pensacola, FL (May 4-6), Sacramento, CA (May 13-15), Minneapolis, MS (June 23-24), Knoxville, TN (Sept 28-Oct 1), Burbank, CA (Oct 22-24), Anchorage, AK (Oct).  **Featured speakers at individual regional conferences include Penny Simkin, Henci Goer, Marilyn Hildreth, Jeanette Swartz, Ina May Gaskin, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett and others…

Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association (CAPPA) Annual Conference in Valencia, CA June 23-26 (with pre- and post-conference special workshops  June 21-23; 27-28)

~ Midwifery ~
Midwifery Today’s Conference: “Gentle Birth is a Human Rights Issue” featuring a keynote address by Dr. Michele Odent in Eugene, OR March 3 – April 3

Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) Regional Conferences in the Chesapeake Bay area, MD (May 1) and Cary, NC (Aug 6-7). Their joint conference with the Canadian Association of Midwives will be in Niagara Falls, Ontario Nov 9-11.

American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) 56^th Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX  May 24-28

International Center for Traditional Childbearing’s Midwifery Conference in Biloxi, MS Oct 15-17

*For additional midwifery-related conferences, go here: http://www.midwife.org/master_calendar.cfm

~ Doulas ~
Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Associations (CAPPA) Annual Conference in Valencia, CA June 23-26 (with pre- and post-conference special workshops June 21-23; 27-28)

Doulas of North America (DONA) 17^th Annual Conference in Boston, MA July 21-24

~ Perinatal Mental Health ~
Postpartum Support International (PSI) 25^th Annual Conference: “Whole Care for the Whole Family” in Seattle, WA Sept 16-17 (with pre-conference workshops and activities Sept 14-15)

~ Improving Maternity Care Research & Advocacy Groups ~
Coalition for Improving Maternity Services:  “Reframing Birth and Breastfeeding:  Moving Forwrad” in Chapel Hill, NC March 11-12 with pre-conference workshops Mar 10.

International Cesarean Awareness Network’s Annual Conference;  “Your Gateway to a Better Birth” in St Louis, MO April 8-10

Partners in Perinatal Health 22^nd Annual Conference in Norwood, MA May 17

Perinatal Advisory Council:  Leadership, Advocacy & Consultation’s 15^th Annual Conference: “Quality of Life for Families XIV: Improving the Outcomes of Pregnancy” in Los Angeles, CA May 25-26

~ Nursing ~
March of Dimes’ 36^th Annual Perinatal Nursing Conference in Oak Lawn, IL  March 3-4.
Various topic tracks will be featured at this conference, including: Public Health, High Risk Newborn, Lactation, L&D/Mother Baby.

Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses’ (AWHONN) Annual Convention in Denver, CO June 25-29.

~ Medical Conferences ~
American College of Gynecologists (ACOG) – 59^th Annual Clinical Meeting in Washington DC April 30 – May 4.

For American Academy of Family Physicians conferences related to maternity care and women’s health issues, go here for future listings: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/cme/aafpcourses/conferences/aafpevents/byevent.html#Parsys64996

~ Public Health ~
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs’ (AMCHP) Annual Conference in Washington DC Feb. 12-15

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Birth Summit will take place in northern Virginia on April 9. The summit will call together physicians, researchers, midwives, childbirth professionals, and advocacy groups to examine the rising maternal mortality rate in the US.

~ Lactation Support ~
International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA): “Raising the Bar: Enhancing Practices and Improving Health Outcomes” in San Diego, CA July 13-17

Nursing Mothers’ Council Breastfeeding Conference in Boxborough, MA on April 1

To see an entire years’ worth of breastfeeding support-related conferences, go here:  http://www.breastfeedingconferences.com/ (U.S. and international conferences listed)

~ Others ~
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s “Evidence Based Solutions for Improving Pelvic Floor Health and Function – Women’s Health Rehabilitation Symposium & Post-conference Workshop” in Chicago, IL May 13-14

~ International ~
The Lancet journal launches a new series on the issue of stillbirth with simultaneous press conference events in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England on March 8.  For more information, visit the Lancet’s website (following the launch) and International Stillbirth Alliance’s website.

Association of Radical Midwives National Meeting in Wigan, UK March 19.

3^rd International Nursing and Midwifery Conference (hosted by hosted by the School of Nursing & Midwifery, National University of Ireland) in Galway April 4-5

International Confederation of Midwives 29^th Triennial Conference in Durban, South Africa June 19-23.

New Zealand Lactation Consultants Association (NZLCA) Conference:  Breastfeeding:  Passport to Life in Christchurch, NZ Aug 26-28.

Australian College of Midwives 17^th Annual Conference:  “A Midwifery Odyssey” in Eveleigh, Sydney Oct 18-21.

If you are aware of a conference worthy of being on this list, please add the relevant information via the Comments box below…

Kimmelin Hull Conference Schedule, Evidence Based Medicine, Research for Advocacy AAFP annual conferences, ACNM, ACOG, AWHONN, breastfeeding support continuing education, CAPPA, chidbirth education conferences, childbirth conferences, Coalition for Improving Maternity Care, DONA, doula conferences, Henci Goer speaking schedule, ICAN, ICEA, Ina May Gaskin speaking schedule, lactation consultant conferences, Lamaze International, MANA conference, March of Dimes, maternity care conferences, maternity care continuing education, Michel Odent speaking schedule, midwifery conferences, Midwifery Today's conference, Penny Simkin speaking schedule, perinatal nursing conferences