|
Childbirth Educators: Demonstrating Our Impact
by Marcella A. Hart
The North American health care delivery system has been shifting its focus from treatment of disease to health promotion and illness prevention and emphasizing cost effectiveness. Childbirth educators have been involved in health promotion and illness prevention for years. This paper focuses on the need for publication to demonstrate how, as a group, childbirth educators have made an impact on health care related to pregnancy, labor, birth, and parenting.
The Bradley Method
by Karen E. Wallace
The article gives the history of the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth which includes Dr. Robert A. Bradley's background and beliefs about laboring women. It discusses his book, Husband Coached Childbirth, and the founding of the American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth. The special features of the Bradley Method such as the emphasis on relaxation, natural breathing, natural childbirth, breastfeeding, and consumerism are listed. Resources on the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth are also included.
Childbirth Educators and the Internet: Making Our Jobs Easier?
by Christine Collins
This article tries to answer the question, "Do computers make our jobs easier?" Issues concerning the Internet are addressed including how to evaluate the material available on the World Wide Web. Sample web sites of interest to birthing families are included.
Spirituality in Birth: Creating Sacred Space Within the Medical Model
by Jennifer N. Ayers-Gould
Technology has infiltrated our society, creating a need for human interaction. Birth has also been "technologized" and we must get back to recognizing what it is: the greatest act of humanity. We can celebrate the humanity of birth by acknowledging birth from a holistic point of view, with equal emphasis and attention give to the mind, body, and spirit. As educators, we must prepare women for the spiritual experience of birth and encourage ways to nurture each woman's inherent spirituality. The medical model must embrace the holistic view and treat each person as a whole being. The hospital birth must be treated as a transforming, natural event rather than a medical procedure. Change begins with education, the purpose of education being to honor the sacred mystery of birth.
Breast Self-Examination During Pregnancy and Lactation
by Susan B. Leight
While breast cancer occurring during pregnancy is fairly uncommon (one in 3000 pregnancies or about 3% of all breast cancer cases), pregnancy and lactation represent times in a woman's life during which breast health care practices should be recommended and taught. This article describes the normal changes of the female breast in response to pregnancy and lactation and suggests ways for childbirth educators to design a curriculum for breast self-examination (BSE) instruction uniquely tailored to the needs of women during their childbearing years.
How Baby-Friendly is the Hospital in Your Community?
by Kathleen G. Auerbach
The author details what makes a hospital or birth center "baby-friendly" and lists the institutions in the United States and Canada that have achieved this designation. She provides information that pregnant families may use to determine how close their place of birth is to being "baby-friendly." The role of childbirth educators and their clients in providing the impetus to an institution to move toward formal recognition as "baby-friendly" is discussed.
Breastfeeding: Increasing Primary Adjustment Milk Supply
by Louise Trimble Gomez
This article discusses a client postnatal/reunion class handout called Increasing Breastmilk Supply: The 4th Trimester Primary Family Adjustments, Breastfeeding. According to the author, successful employed breastfeeding women seem to follow three family breastfeeding adjustment phases which she details. The article also lists many recommendations for promoting rest after the mother returns to work.
Infant Massage: Building Relationships Through Touch
by Mindy Zlotnick
Parents learn to welcome their new babies to the world with love, caring, and respect through the mindful practice of infant massage. This article presents research reported by the Touch Research Institute of the University of Miami Medical Center which clinically shows benefits of infant massage. Resources for further training to teach infant massage to parents with healthy babies and vulnerable babies are provided.
To download and view this article (in pdf format), click here.
Statistics
by Dale King
Medical Services
Information Update
by Ann Behnke
Thyroid deficiency in pregnancy and cesarean births: reducing incidence while improving outcomes
Political Issues
by Naomi Bromberg Bar-Yam
Calling the Shots: A Brief Look at the Vaccination Controversy
Audio Visual Review
by Margery Simchak
The Stages of Labor: A Visual Guide |
Home
Application 
