Music of Motherhood

Kate Bush is back and has remade her album The Sensual World. The new album is titled, The Director's Cut, and you can read the interesting story about the remake and hear the new album on NPR's First Listen.

Hearing the new album, particularly the song This Woman's Work, brings me back, way back; for me it touches a deep place of mystery about the work of mothering as well as the anguish in the outer fringes of anticipation. This Woman's Work was paired well with the cesarean birth scene in the movie She's Having a Baby. Up until I read the book, Baby Catcher, this scene was my only vision of birth; I think, while I was about to birth my second child, I even said the same thing that "Kristy Briggs" says in that scene.

This is the scene and the song; it may be a trigger for you if you have had a traumatic birth experience, so use your judgement in deciding whether or not to watch.

Also on the She's Having a Baby soundtrack, though not by Kate Bush, is another favorite song of mine about the tenderness of mothering--Apron Strings by Everything But the Girl. Sigh...I love this song....

Midwifery and Maternal-Child Health Educators Conference

Midwifery and Maternal-Child Health Educators Conference

Hello!

We are happy to announce our upcoming midwifery conference, "Keeping the Heart of Mother Care," which will be held in Portland, Oregon from June 16th-June 20th, 2010. This conference is going to be a delightful event, with featured speaker Bonnie Gruenberg, CNM, WHNP, MSN. She is the author of the award-winning books, Birth Emergencies Skills Training (BEST) Manual for Out of Hospital Providers and Essentials of Prehospital Maternity Care. Also featured at our conference is Melissa Cheyney, Ph.D., LDM, CPM, author of the upcoming book, Born at Home: The Biological, Cultural and Political Dimensions of Maternity Care in the United States. We really have an amazing group of speakers. Please take a look here for more information on our speakers.

This conference is a great opportunity for continuing and initial education, with three different tracks. The first is for midwifery and birth educators, and includes classes such as "Training Doulas," "Technology in Education," and "Teaching Research Methods to Midwifery Students." The second track is for practicing and student midwives and includes such classes as "Baby Done a Bad Thing: Common Neonatal Problems," "Herbs for Childbearing," and "Twins and Breeches Emergency Review." For the third track, we have focused on lactation and birth professionals. It includes classes such as "Optimal Start in Breastfeeding: Teaching Through Touch," "What is New in Postpartum Mood Disorders?" and "Therapeutic Communication." Don't forget to update your certifications with "Neonatal Resuscitation", "Legend Drugs and Devices," and "CPR." For detailed information on our sessions click here.

You don't want to miss this fabulous event, held at the Downtown Portland Embassy Suites, a beautiful hotel within walking distance from a waterfront park, world class shopping, art galleries, and a multitude of restaurants and cultural experiences.

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at this exciting event! Please pass the word along to anyone who might be interested and visit our website here for more information. For the conference early registration rate, please register by March 15th, 2010, here.

Thanks for your time!

Sincerely,

Cortney McIntyre

Conference Coordinator

Midwifery and Maternal-Child Health Educators Conference

www.educatorsconference.com

cortney.mcintyre@educatorsconference.com

The Pregnancy Place

Erica Matteson and Karen Wells, two doulas in our fabulous Portland doula community, are hosting a radio show, The Pregnancy Place, streamed on PDX.fm channel 2 on Tuesdays right after another favorite: Parenting Unplugged.

The Pregnancy Place show will cover all things pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the first years of parenting. If you missed this week's show about doula care, you can listen to it here. Stay tuned for next week's show...

Acubirth: On-Call Acupuncture for Labor Support

Have you heard about PDX Acu-Birth? It is a group of acupuncturists who rotate being on-call to provide acupuncture for women in labor. Nurture's Family Wellness Collective Member, Molly Fitzpatrick, is one of the PDX Acu-Birth acupuncturists. Check it out...

PDX Acu-Birth

Perinatal Acupuncture,

Labor Call Service

&

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Discover optimal wellness

Introducing PDX Acu-Birth,

Portland’s first labor acupuncture call service.

What is PDX Acu-Birth?

It is an Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine service that provides perinatal care, encompassing the prenatal, birth and postnatal periods. Most notably, it is a network of specially trained, on call acupuncturists that provide acupuncture during labor to facilitate the birthing process. We are available 24 hours a day in the larger Portland Metro area.

What makes PDX Acu-Birth unique?

We are the only on call labor acupuncture service of this kind. To have acupuncture treatment assist your labor, simply call (503) 772-1830 to speak with the director, Jen Kearns. A specialized acupuncturist will be sent to your birth, no matter what Portland metro location and no matter what time of day or night. The acupuncturist will work collaboratively with your other caregivers and support team to enhance your birthing experience. We may attend hospital, birth center or home births.

Why would I want Acupuncture during Labor?

Acupuncture During Labor:

Results in Shorter Labor!

• Keeps Labor Progressing
• Regulates Contractions
• Dilates the Cervix
• Reduces Pain/Discomfort
• Reduces Anxiety/Fatigue
• Reduces Blood Loss
• Assists if Premature Membrane Rupture
• Decreases Cervical Swelling
• Corrects Malposition (Back Labor)
• Delivers Retained Placenta

About the Director…

Jen Kearns holds a Master’s of Science from Touro College’s Graduate Program of Oriental Medicine in NYC. She has spent 5 years in private practice, in addition to 2 years in clinical practice at a community hospital in Brooklyn, NY in the departments of Labor and Delivery, Oncology, General Medicine, and Neuro-Ortho Rehabilitation. She has done additional study in the areas of obstetrics, dermatology, pediatrics, orthopedic injury and rehabilitation, Chinese medical massage, mental health and addiction. She has also been practicing Yoga, Qi Gong and various forms of meditation for over 15 years.

Having experienced childbirth via cesarean section with a difficult recovery, Jen is passionately committed to helping women achieve natural childbirth. Acupuncture during labor is a safe, affordable and effective tool for doing so. PDX Acu-Birth is the most reliable and efficient service for highly skilled acupuncture birth attendance.

Jen Kearns M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. O.M

Director PDX Acu-Birth

(503) 772-1830

Meet a Doula: Nurture hosts a community Doula Meet and Greet in December

Are you considering hiring a doula?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of doula options in Portland?

Would you like an opportunity to meet several doulas, face-to-face, to get a sense of compatibility, but don’t have the time to attend several meet and greet appointments?

Join us for a late afternoon mixer and meet several pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas all in one place.

December 5, 2009
4:00-6:00pm
1614 NE Alberta St.
in the large red house
Hosted by Nurture: Center for Growing Families

Highlights:
Meet local pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas
Connect with other expecting parents
Learn more about our services
Enjoy light refreshments

Doulas attending the event:

Baby My Sweet Baby http://www.babymysweetbaby.com/
Welcome With Love Family Care: http://www.welcomewithlovefamilycare.com/
Sacred Arrivals: http://www.sacredarrivals.com/
Sacred Pathways Doula Services: http://www.sacredpathwaysdoula.com/
MotherTree: http://www.mothertreebirth.com/
Renaissance Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals: http://www.renchildbirth.com/
Birth Journeys Doula Collective http://www.birthjourneys.com/
Nurture: http://www.nurturepdx.com/
Mama Bear Healing Care

Meet a Doula: Nurture hosts a community Doula Meet and Greet

Are you considering hiring a doula?

Are you overwhelmed by the number of doula options in Portland?

Would you like an opportunity to meet several doulas, face-to-face, to get a sense of compatibility, but don’t have the time to attend several meet and greet appointments?

Join us for a late afternoon mixer and meet several pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas all in one place.

October 3, 2009
4:00-6:00pm
1614 NE Alberta St.
in the large red house
Hosted by Nurture: Center for Growing Families

Highlights:
Meet local pregnancy, birth, and postpartum doulas
Connect with other expecting parents
Learn more about our services
Enjoy light refreshments

Doulas attending the event:

Baby My Sweet Baby http://www.babymysweetbaby.com/
Welcome With Love Family Care: http://www.welcomewithlovefamilycare.com/
Sacred Arrivals: http://www.sacredarrivals.com/
Sacred Pathways Doula Services: http://www.sacredpathwaysdoula.com/
MotherTree: http://www.mothertreebirth.com/
Renaissance Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals: http://www.renchildbirth.com/
Birth Journeys Doula Collective http://www.birthjourneys.com/
Nurture: http://www.nurturepdx.com/
Mama Bear Healing Care

Film: Reducing Infant Mortality

This free film, Reducing Infant Mortality addresses the impact that the medical model of care is having in the United States. We have top-notch interventions that save lives, but they are being overused, abused, and routinized with devastating effects. This film, as is well stated on the website, "...advocat[es] for a health care system in which it will be standard procedure for mothers and babies to thrive and not merely survive through birth and early life." The midwifery model of care (which the film states can be practiced by midwives and primary care physicians or nurse practitioners) is the lowest intervention route, thereby safer and more cost effective (not to mention more gentle and humanistic) for normal pregnancies. Saving the miraculous interventions for providing life-saving help when it is needed is common sense; yet in our country social constructs have created fear and stigma around viewing pregnancy and birth as normal life events. In our country, these life events are viewed as illnesses to be treated regardless of absence of any risk factors.

The film also addresses the higher infant mortality rates among black infants, with a focus on increasing accessibility to personalized prenatal care (such as the midwifery model of care) as one solution. Another solution, across the board, is promoting breastfeeding, which in intervention-laden births is often disrupted or unsuccessful.

The film makers hope that you will share this film...pass it on.

Reducing Infant Mortality from Debby Takikawa on Vimeo.

On a related note, I came across this article (through Facebook, of course). This is a story of a baby who was said, by the doctors, right after birth, that she would not survive. As her mother cuddled her to provide a loving space for this baby to die, the baby revived and survived. It is a beautiful story that demonstrates the importance of skin-to-skin contact (and kangaroo care) between a mother and her newborn.

I am not against hospital births or doctors; both have helped and saved several of my friends babies. My hope is that there is a paradigm shift in the approach to hospital birth care. A shift that reserves this care for those who truly need it, and with that a shift to preserving as much of the natural processes as possible throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.

Mother's Advocate: Birth Information Packed Website

I came across this website by way of several sources, and I'd like to pass it on. There is a lot of information about birth available on the website by way of videos, handouts, and some links.

Welcome with Love and Another Book Recommendation

Here is a follow-up on the previous post about book recommendations: My friends Kimberly and Jessi noted, on Facebook, that Welcome With Love is out of print and can be pricey on Amazon, but can be found in other countries with a different title: "Hello Baby". I have also found it with the Welcome With Love title used on Amazon, and new at Childrensneeds.com and Bestwebbuys.com.


Jennifer Fuentes from Milagros also recommended another lovely homebirth, co-sleeping, cloth diaper book called My Brother Jimi Jazz. Read her post about this book on the Milagros blog.

Children's Books: For Preparing Siblings

When families grow, many parents ask me about ways to prepare their children for the birth of and the adjustment to their new sibling. I have a few favorite books that I recommend to parents for these very reasons.

Baby on the Way

by Martha Sears, William Sears, and Christie Watts Kelly

illustrated by Renee Andriani

This book discusses pregnancy, changes in the house when a new baby is expected, a bit about labor, parents going off to "the place where the baby will be born", nursing, and sibling emotions.

What Baby Needs

also by Martha Sears, William Sears, and Christie Watts Kelly
illustrated by Renee Andriani

This book discusses the changes that occur in families when a new baby is born, skin-to-skin time, nursing, bottle feeding by other parent, co-sleeping, babywearing, welcoming the new baby into the family circle, making friends with the new baby, well baby checks, and a general baby's development in relation to interaction with siblings.

Waiting for Baby

by Anne Kubler

This book is a sweet illustrated book (no words) about pregnancy for a future sibling.

My New Baby

also by Anne Kubler

This is another sweet, illustrated book (no words) about a new sibling.

Welcome with Love

by Jenni Overend

illustrated by Julie Vivas

This book is a lovely homebirth book from a child's perspective.

Let's Talk Placentas

Placentas are the heart of connection between a baby and mother during pregnancy, literally anchoring the baby to the mother's uterine wall. In an intricate dance, the placenta gathers blood from the mother, pulls oxygen and nutrients, transfers them to the baby's blood system via the cord, and then sends the waste from the baby's blood back out to be excreted by the mother's body. This whole waltz happens without the mother and baby's blood ever combining. The placenta also produces hormones that are essential for many changes in the mother's body during pregnancy as well as the fetus's growth. It is a pretty powerful and important organ and not just during pregnancy.

After a baby is born, there are several ways that the placenta can be honored and utilized:

• In numerous cultures families plant the placenta under a tree. Some cultures burn or smoke the placenta first and plant the ashes, but other cultures plant the placenta directly in the ground. The tree's growth is a beautiful reminder and symbol of the child's growth.
• Some women encapsulate (or otherwise prepare) the placenta for ingesting. It has been said that placentophagy helps a new mother's body recover more quickly and lessens the chances of baby blues following a birth. For more information visit Placenta Benefits.info For a recipe visit Placenta Remedy
• A beautiful keepsake can be made by doing a placenta print. The placenta makes a tree-like shape when printed, and the print can be framed. The prints can be made before encapsulating or burying if you choose to do either (you would not want to use paint or ink for the print if you are going to encapsulate or otherwise ingest the placenta). Visit this webpage for more information on how to do the print. These websites both have a beautiful picture of a placenta print: http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_690_profile_portfolio__11_1_G.htm & http://www.beautifulbellies.co.nz/Placenta%20Prints.

I am also including two links to videos below. The first one is a step-by-step how to make a placenta print. The second one is a video of "the Placenta Lady" encapsulating a woman's placenta for her as her husband films and makes not-so-pleasant comments. Despite the commentary, the video is informative if you are interested. Both videos show placentas and blood, so if you do not want to see either, you might want to skip the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHc-zV77JLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuxeAbeDcU0

ICAN: Cesarean Prevention Birth Webinar

A Facebook friend posted about ICAN's (International Cesarean Awareness Network) Webinar. If you are preparing for birth, this looks like a great supplement to birthing classes or a great addition to your exisiting wisdom.

http://ican-online.org/none/ican-birth-class-cesarean-prevention

ICAN works to prevent unnecessary cesareans through education, VBAC support, and cesarean recovery.

Join us on Facebook!

Nurture on Facebook

Parent Workshops

Parents are People Too: Reclaiming Our Personal Expression as Parents
August 22, 2-4pm $30
As a parent, it is so easy to get caught up in the flow of daily obligations, leaving little time or energy for expressing who we are and what captures our imagination. Yet this creative exploration is essential to feeling fulfilled in our lives, which in turn translates into feeling more relaxed and happy in our role as parents.

Also, our fall dates for this workshop:
Moving Beyond a Difficult Birth: Embracing Healing and Connecting with Your Baby
Two-part workshop: September 12 & 19, 2-4pm $45
Part One: Healing through Birth Story and Art
Part Two: Connecting Deeply with Your Baby
The experience of birth doesn’t always happen the way we imagine. Intense emotions from a challenging pregnancy or birth can make it feel difficult to be fully present with your baby. These emotions need and deserve to be expressed and acknowledged, before we can allow ourselves to release them and begin true emotional healing. Then we can relax more deeply into a heartfelt, intuitive connection with our children.

For more information, visit www.nurturepdx.com/workshops.html
To register, contact Sarah at 503.285.4906 or welcomewithlove@gmail.com,

About the presenters
Sarah Nuxoll: After several years of feeling frustrated as a parent, I began working toward deeper body-mind clarity and emotional and spiritual healing. Now I feel excited about engaging life, moving with my creativity, and allowing myself to feel happy as a parent. In these workshops, I share insights from my experience as a mother of two, as a spiritual practitioner, and as an apprentice homebirth midwife. I look forward to meeting you!

Mychelle Moritz: Having experienced the beautiful yet challenging transition to parenthood, I have developed a passion for helping women and their growing families. I am an artist, an art therapist, and a licensed professional counselor, as well as the co-founder of Nurture. My two active young children keep me very busy and I enjoy watching their creative antics.

Homebirth and Birth Center Family Potluck Picnic

Come meet other homebirth and birth center families and learn how you can be involved in preserving out-of-hospital birth in Oregon. All homebirth and birth center families and supporters are warmly invited to this potluck in the park.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

2:00pm - 5:00pm

Laurelhurst Park, Picnic site C

Near SE 37th and Oak

View Map

For more information call Lucina Armstong at (503) 886-9171 or e-mail Silke Akerson at silkeakerson@yahoo.com

If you can’t make the picnic but want to be involved in an on-going homebirth families group please contact Lucina or Silke (see above)

Full Moon's Daughter

Courtney Jarecki, a Nurture Family Wellness Collective doula and women's health advocate, has launched her new practice: Full Moon's Daughter. Congratulations, Courtney!

Courtney Jarecki, Doula and Health Advocate
503.737.8834
courtney@fullmoonsdaughter.com

Support. Compassion. Energy. Birth. Dance. Movement. Ceremony. Freedom. Life. Joy. Love.

There is nothing on earth more amazing and humbling than witnessing a mama give birth. I strongly believe in the beauty and power of a woman’s body to birth and am honored to be a part of this experience.

For a lot of people, the concept of a Doula is a very new thing. Often, women don't have built-in family support and a Doula can fill the gap for the new family by providing knowledge, compassion and practical support during this very important childbearing year.

I am director of Full Moon’s Daughter and trained to provide Doula support during three different times of your childbearing year; pregnancy, labor and postpartum. My ongoing academic and professional experiences include training at Birthingway College of Midwifery, working as a Postpartum Doula at an established birthing center and research and training as I attend Ancient Art Midwifery Institute to become a Midwife. Throughout my work and responsibilities, I maintain a flexible schedule to ensure you will never be without Doula support.
Outside of the birthing world, I love spending time with my amazing husband Dave and puppies Satchel and Maji. Dancing, cooking, meeting friends for tea and hiking are favorite activities of mine.

I look forward to speaking with you about your baby and birth. Please feel free to call or email to ask questions.

Antepartum Doula
As an Antepartum Doula, I will support you later in your pregnancy. Antepartum services can be especially helpful if you are a single or teen mom, have multiple children, are on bed rest, have severe morning sickness or have emotional trauma. I will provide informational, emotional, physical and practical support during your pregnancy with pregnancy massage, meal planning, education labor preparation.

Labor Doula
My work as a Labor Doula means I will provide you with continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and just after birth. I will be there for you, your partner and baby after delivery to help in whatever way best serves you.

I can assist with birth plans, birth art, pain coping techniques (massage and touch, positioning, breathing, meditation and visualization, vocalization, aromatherapy and healing energy techniques), pregnancy and postpartum diet and fitness designed to ease labor and recovery, Reiki healing, and creative expression and relationship / birth coaching. This time is all about you and what works best for your family.

If time allows, we will meet two-to-three times prenatally where we will get to know each other. We can incorporate any modalities that you and your family need.
Postpartum, we will meet once, during which we will share your birth story and discuss all the challenges and joys that lay ahead. You will also receive any needed breastfeeding support during this time.

Postpartum Doula
Postpartum is a special and sometimes trying time for a new family. I can help ease this transition by providing lactation consulting, infant care techniques, meal planning and cooking, gentle yoga and exercise options, natural healing, light housekeeping, dog walking, nanny care and companionship.

Fees
I believe that all families should be able to afford Doula services and all Doulas should be able to pay their mortgages. Therefore I offer my services on a sliding scale, based on what each family can pay. I am happy to discuss pricing options and payment plans with each family and am open to barter and trade.

Antepartum & Postpartum Doula Services: $25 - $35 per hour with a 4 hour minimum.

Labor Doula: During certification process I only ask for reimbursement of transportation and food expenses, usually between $50 - $75.

After certification: $400 - $700. Includes 3 prenatal visits (if time allows), full labor and delivery support, 1 postpartum visit. Additional prenatal visits are available, based on a sliding scale.

Gift certificates are available.

Summer Parenting Workshop Series

Moving Beyond a Difficult Birth:
Embracing Healing and Connecting with Your Baby
Two-part workshop: June 6 & 13, 2-4pm $45
Part One: Healing through Birth Story and Art
Part Two: Connecting Deeply with Your Baby
The experience of birth doesn’t always happen the way we imagine. Intense emotions from a challenging pregnancy or birth can make it feel difficult to be fully present with your baby. These emotions need and deserve to be expressed and acknowledged, before we can allow ourselves to release them and begin true emotional healing. Then we can relax more deeply into a heartfelt, intuitive connection with our children.

So This is What it’s Like to Be a Parent?
Integrating Emotional Wellness with the Realities of Day-to-Day Parenting
July 11, 2-5pm $35
The reality of parenting a child can be frustrating, chaotic, and overwhelming. We may be surprised by the intensity of feelings such as rage, grief, or resentment. Without learning to truly take care of ourselves, it is difficult to move beyond these feelings toward emotional wellness as parents.

Parents are People Too:
Reclaiming Our Personal Expression as Parents
August 22, 2-4pm $30
As a parent, it is so easy to get caught up in the flow of daily obligations, leaving little time or energy for expressing who we are and what captures our imagination. Yet this creative exploration is essential to feeling fulfilled in our lives, which in turn translates into feeling more relaxed and happy in our role as parents.

Join us for all three workshops for $100, sliding scale available.
For more information, visit www.nurturepdx.com/workshops.html
To register, contact Mychelle at 971.344.7527, or Mychelle@nurturepdx.com

About the presenters
Sarah Nuxoll: After several years of feeling frustrated as a parent, I began working toward deeper body-mind clarity and emotional and spiritual healing. Now I feel excited about engaging life, moving with my creativity, and allowing myself to feel happy as a parent. In these workshops, I share insights from my experience as a mother of two, as a spiritual practitioner, and as an apprentice homebirth midwife. I look forward to meeting you!

Mychelle Moritz: Having experienced the beautiful yet challenging transition to parenthood, I have developed a passion for helping women and their growing families. I am an artist, an art therapist, and a licensed professional counselor, as well as the co-founder of Nurture. My two active young children keep me very busy and I enjoy watching their creative antics.

Confident Birthing Classes next series

The next series of Angi Gunther's Confident Birthing Classes will be starting on June 20th and will meet each Saturday from 10am-12pm for five Saturdays (no class on July 4th).

What is Confident Birthing?

Just as a woman’s body is designed to grow and nourish her baby during 40+ weeks of pregnancy, her body is perfectly designed for birth. A woman who is confident will trust her baby to come when he or she is ready. She will rely not only on science, but also on her inner knowledge and trust of the process to make decisions during labor. Confidence in the birth process and in her ability to cope with labor decreases the amount of pain she will feel and increases her satisfaction with her birth experience. This is important because the way a woman feels about her birth will have an impact on other areas of her life. A positive experience will have positive affects on her self-image as a woman and as a mother. Confident Birthing leads to confident parenting! Confident Birthing is based on the principles of Lamaze International and supports Lamaze’s Six Care Practices for Normal Birth. For more information on Lamaze, please visit http://www.lamaze.org/

Confident Birthing is a 5-week childbirth education series. We will meet once a week on Saturday mornings at Nurture.

We will discuss:

• pregnancy & birth as a normal yet significant experience in a woman’s life
• the role of pain in labor ·the emotional and physical needs of the birthing mother
• the role of her partner and ·birth from the newborn’s perspective.

The fee for this class is $125 per couple. This includes class materials and yummy snacks each week!

Email Angi at confidentbirth@gmail.com to sign up.

Nurture Welcomes Angi Gunther

We are excited to welcome Angi Gunther, LCCE to Nurture. Angi will be teaching childbirth education and doing an early pregnancy class at Nurture. Angi tells us about herself and her services...

I am a mom to three children born in 2001, 2004 & 2008. I received a lot of information and support during my first pregnancy and birth. My husband, childbirth instructor, Doula and midwives were very supportive and confident in my ability to birth my son. Inspired by my experience, I decided to change careers and become a Birth Doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.

I LOVE teaching Childbirth. I chose Lamaze because it aligns with my own philosophies about birth. Lamaze is not a method for giving birth. It is a philosophy that women have the innate ability to give birth and have the right to labor without unnecessary intervention. The classes that I teach focus on the normalcy of pregnancy and birth, trust in a woman’s body, and informed consent. I believe that parents need access to complete information regarding their options surrounding pregnancy and birth so that they can make truly informed decisions. It is a pleasure to support families during this special time and I am excited to offer Confident Birthing Childbirth and Early Pregnancy classes at Nurture!

Childbirth Education

What is Confident Birthing?

Just as a woman’s body is designed to grow and nourish her baby during 40+ weeks of pregnancy, her body is perfectly designed for birth. A woman who is confident will trust her baby to come when he or she is ready. She will rely not only on science, but also on her inner knowledge and trust of the process to make decisions during labor. Confidence in the birth process and in her ability to cope with labor decreases the amount of pain she will feel and increases her satisfaction with her birth experience. This is important because the way a woman feels about her birth will have an impact on other areas of her life. A positive experience will have positive affects on her self-image as a woman and as a mother. Confident Birthing leads to confident parenting!

Confident Birthing is a 5-week childbirth education series. We will meet once a week on Saturday mornings at Nurture. Our first series begins May 2nd!

We will discuss ·pregnancy & birth as a normal yet significant experience in a woman’s life ·the role of pain in labor ·the emotional and physical needs of the birthing mother ·the role of her partner and ·birth from the newborn’s perspective.

The fee for this class is $125 per couple. This includes class materials and yummy snacks each week! Email me at confidentbirth@gmail.com to sign up.

Confident Birthing is based on the principles of Lamaze International and supports Lamaze’s Six Care Practices for Normal Birth.

For more information on Lamaze, please visit http://www.lamaze.org/

Early Pregnancy Class

Why do you need an Early Pregnancy Class?

Birth Planning begins when the birthing family chooses a care provider and birthplace. Your care provider and place of birth should share or at least respect your own philosophies about labor, birth & the care of your newborn.

The Early Pregnancy Class will cover everything you need to know to plan for the birth of your baby, including:

Prenatal Classes and Services, Care Providers, Choice of Birth Place, Doulas, Birth Planning, & More!

Dates for the Early Pregnancy Class to be announced!

For more info or to register for classes, please email me at confidentbirth@gmail.com

Screening of the film Pregnant in America

One Night Only in Portland...A Screening of Pregnant In America and discussion with Barbara Harper and Betsy Chasse.

Thursday, March 12

at 6:30pm

The Bagdad Theater

Tickets are $8.00 and a portion of the proceeds benefit Waterbirth International

"Pregnant in America examines the betrayal of humanity's greatest gift--birth--by the greed of U.S. corporations. Hospitals, insurance companies and other members of the healthcare industry have all pushed aside the best care of our infants and mothers to play the power game of raking in huge profits. His wife pregnant, first-time filmmaker Steve Buonaugurio sets out to create a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth industry and help end its neglectful exploitation of pregnancy and birth. And though he set out to fight the system, Steve finds that he and his wife must depend on it when a hospital struggles to save their newborn daughter's life. Pregnant in America is the controversial story of life's greatest miracle in the hands of a nation's most powerful interests."

A film by Steve Buonagurio Now available on DVD

Website:
http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/

Force of Nature

Vicky York passed the news about this wonderful play...
Actress, storyteller, and postpartum doula, Carole Groobman performs thirteen characters in a play about the social, political and cultural issues of childbirth. Force of Nature, written and performed by Carole Groobman, directed by Kathleen Edwards, will be at Lewis and Clark College, Council Chamber on March 12, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. and includes a post-show panel starting at 2:15 p.m. It is free to the public. For more information: visit www.lclark.edu/dept/gender or call 503-768-7678