ICEA Guide to Pregnancy and Birth Available Now!

In this new guide, the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) presents the best available evidence-based research on pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care. Its goal is to help expectant parents understand their options in maternity care, and to guide them as they make informed decisions that are best for them and their families. Written and organized for easy reference, this is a great resource for any childbirth class. 

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Birth Choices Expo

Birth Choices Expo’s aim is to make information about pregnancy, birth & parenting more accessible so that you can make the right choices for you & your baby and experience the joy of a positive more normal birth experience and a great start to parenting, just as you always dreamed. The last Birth Choices Expo at Annandale Community Centre in October 2009 was a great success, triggering a move to a larger venue to accommodate exhibitors and visitors for March 5, to mark International Women’s Day.

Good childbirth education has been proven to help women have more success with natural birth. Your natural birth begins long, long before you feel the first hints of labour. Birth Choices Expo at Leichhardt Town Hall on March 5th 2010 is the one stop place to start to gather this information. 6pm – 9pm FREE ENTRY!

Rising caesarean rates are proving to be a concern internationally; the World Health Organisation places the average acceptable rate at 14%, Australia is fast outpacing the USA, with caesarean Section rate of 40%. Pregnancy can be overwhelming physically and mentally with lots of decisions and choices to be made; Birth Choices Expo is a unique opportunity for women & families to meet a range of highly experienced birth professionals and obtain information on how to have a great birth, all in one evening in a supportive and fun community event.

Call for Support for Appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding in Haiti

In response to the emergency situation in Haiti- UNICEF, The World Health Organization and The World Food Programme have called for the support of “appropriate infant and young child feeding.”  UNICEF, WHO, and WFP have also advised attention be paid to the “unnecessary and potentially harmful donations and use of breast-milk substitutes.” Without the attention of such organizations the dangers specific to mothers and their babies could easily and unintentionally be overlooked. 

Urgent Call for Human Milk Donations for Haiti Infants

Washington, DC -- The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), International Lactation Consultant Association/United States Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA/USLCA), and La Leche League International (LLLI) are jointly issuing an urgent call for human milk donations for premature infants in Haiti, as well as sick and premature infants in the United States.

Lamaze And ICEA Bring Together The Birthing Community

WASHINGTON, DC, December 03, 2009; 24-7 PressRelease

Lamaze International and the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) are joining together in Milwaukee, Wis., September 30 - October 3, 2010, to celebrate their 50-year anniversaries. The 50th Anniversary Mega Conference, Celebrating Our Pasts, Uniting for the Future of Birth, will unify the birthing community in an unprecedented event that combines education, research, networking and social activities.

ICEA and Impact Media

Early in 2008, Impact Media Communications contacted ICEA and stated they would no longer be able to produce special issues of the New Parent Magazine for ICEA members that did not include formula advertising.

Since ICEA is in support of the WHO guidelines for breastfeeding and does not support advertising for formula, ICEA has severed its relationship with Impact Media.

If any ICEA educators are continuing to distribute the New Parent Magazine, please know that it does contain advertising for formula companies.
 

ICEA Announces Doula Insurance Reimbursement

The President of the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA), Jeanette Schwartz, announced October 21, 2009 that the National Uniform Claim Committee has approved a (new) billing code for doulas in the United States. The code will enable certified birth and certified postpartum doulas to obtain an NPI (National Provider Identification) number to submit reimbursement claims to Medicaid and third-party provider insurance companies.

Schwartz commented, “This is an important landmark for ICEA birth doulas and great timing for our new ICEA Postpartum Doula Program."

Press Release (03-25-09): The Parent’s Journal Public Radio Program and Podcast

We are pleased to announce that Jeanette Schwartz, ICEA President, was recently a featured guest on the nationally-syndicated, Parent’s Journal (TPJ) Public Radio program, and that the Podcast version of The Parent’s Journal is now available online.To listen to this interview, and the full TPJ podcast follow this link: http://www.parentsjournal.com/radioshow The Parent's Journal Topics&Guests (start times in parentheses)*5 Free Ways to Fuel Family Closeness- Brook Noel (1:00)*Social Development in the First Years - Dr. Linda Gilkerson – (06:05)*Parent's Notes- A Practical Parenting Tip from a Mom or Dad (24:30)*Childbirth Options- What’s Best for You? - Jeanette Schwartz (29:00)*Improving Kids Diets While Living in the Real World - Betsy Block (50:58) Ellen Pruitt Program Assistant, The Parent’s Journal Public Radio program information@parentsjournal.com

New York Mamas Embrace Homebirth

There’s a buzz around homebirth these days. Ricki Lake’s "Business of Being Born" has inspired a slew of expectant New York mamas to consider homebirth to welcome their babies into the world. A recent New York Times article entitled, "Baby, You’re Home" examines this growing trend. Written by Julie Scelfo, the article chronicles the experiences of several women who opted for homebirths. "Baby, You’re Home" details some of the logistics surrounding homebirth and addresses the fears and concerns of expectant moms.

NY midwives are surprised by all of the calls they’ve been getting. Those who have home-birth-only practices say they have received so many requests in recent months that they’ve had to refer pregnant women to midwives in Rockland County, Long Island, and New Jersey. However, what is even more surprising to them is that the increasing numbers are not so much coming from the “dyed-in-the-wool back-to-nature types or typical religious fundamentalists, but from professionals like lawyers and bankers.”

This article is a great read!

- Deanna

Have no fear...computers are here!?

Power Point Unplugged
Blogging is the most "high tech" that I get. That is, until today! Donyale gave an awesome breakout session on Power Point and how to use it in birth classes. I was so intimidated going into it as computers are not my forte`, but she really motivated me to take on this new approach. Our students are so comfortable with this form of learning system, shouldn't we be? She showed me that we can still keep the class engaged and interactive and that the slides don't replace instructors but assist us.

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