> > Midwifery Today Conferences > > LEARNING TO OBSERVE, THINK ABOUT AND CHALLENGE WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT: > Trusting in the simplicity of birth, we become true midwives and > guardians. Class presented at Midwifery Today's conference in > Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 21-25, 2002. Look for the conference > program on the Midwifery Today website: > http://www.midwiferytoday.com/Conferences/philly2002/ > ==== > > UPCOMING CONFERENCES > > Guangzhou, Guangdong, CHINA, "Healthy Birth": June 7-9, 2002 > http://www.midwiferytoday.com/Conferences/china/ > > The Hague, THE NETHERLANDS, "Revitalizing Midwifery": November 2002 > http://www.midwiferytoday.com/Conferences/netherlands/ > ~*~*~*~*~ > > Send submissions, inquiries and responses to newsletter items to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > o=o=o=o=o=o > > In This Week's Issue: > > 1) Quote of the Week > 2) The Art of Midwifery > 3) News Flashes > 4) Facing Burnout > 5) Check It Out! > 6) Midwifery Today Online Forum: Breaching confidentiality > 7) Question of the Week: Placental Tear (repeated) > 9) Switchboard > 10) Connections > 11) Classifieds > o=o=o=o=o=o > > 1) "To respect the instinctual nature of birth, we must allow the > process to unfold for each unique individual. As midwives, it is our > job to facilitate, not control this process." -Joanne Dozor > o=o=o=o=o=o > > 2) The Art of Midwifery > > Occiput posterior and how to get baby to change positions: Have the > mother stand and swing her hips in a wide circle as if she is using a > hula hoop. Alternate with other positions such as pelvic tilt, > squatting and lunging with one foot up on a chair. > -Chelle Goodfriend, IBCLC, CCE > o=o=o=o=o=o > > 3) News Flashes > > A study of 242 children who had been prematurely born and are now > young adults were evaluated in a study in Cleveland. They were born > after six to eight months in the womb and weighed less than 3.3 pounds > at birth. The study found that babies born prematurely continue to > have neurological and developmental problems well into early > adulthood. The group had lower IQs, more learning disabilities, and > higher rates of such disorders as cerebral palsy. There was a clear > correlation between the extent of prematurity and the extent of > disability. Researchers also noted, however, tremendous reserves of > resilience and adaptation in the children and their families. The > group was less likely to indulge in risky behaviors such as drug > taking and early sex and less likely to get into trouble with the law > - thought to be the result of more-watchful parenting. -New Eng J Med > 17 Jan. 2002 > > > =PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!= > > Baby Touch Massage Video > > Baby Massage Instructional Video. Now also in Spanish - El Massaje > Infantil. Certified Infant Massage Instructor/perinatal nurse shows 5 > classes. 65 minutes. Excellent music. "Highly recommended"- Video > Librarian. Childbirth Educators discount for 12.-pack to use as > loaners: $228 with extra instruction cards for clients to keep. > > http://www.babymassage.net or 1-888-222-9868 > > =THANK YOU!= > > > 4) Facing Burnout > > While achievement in midwifery is surely a worthy goal, it's > unfortunate that pushing our own endurance seems to become the end as > well as the means. And sometimes, it's quite literally "the end." For > when midwives ignore the scope and extent of their own limits, when > midwives neglect the basic tasks of self-knowledge and self-care, they > face burnout. For those of us who have made great sacrifices to build > our practices, it's a bitter surprise to find ourselves growing > frustrated and unhappy with the very work we were once deeply > committed to. > > We could take a cue from our medical OB counterparts. Working in group > practice would undoubtedly increase some midwives' longevity. > Scheduled monthly off-call weekends and a professional exchange of > services are only the obvious benefits. The chance to shore up one's > standards of practice within the support of peers, the opportunity to > honor one's limitations and ensure that we don't take risks - these > are invaluable gains. > > The key to building these liaisons is learning to see ourselves as > contributing members of a larger community, a community whose health > and future depend on our health. It's also time to ask some questions > of ourselves, questions like: > -Am I taking honest account of my limitations? > -Am I practicing consistent self-care? > -Do I have a support network? Do I pursue sabbatical? > -Am I just "all out" for myself or am I thinking and acting in a way > that will benefit midwifery as a whole? > -What can I do to ensure that other midwives make it, that other > midwives last? > -How can I contribute to the strengthening of midwifery in my area? > -Caroline Eustace > ==== > > Tips to Help You Handle Burnout > > 1. Do something nice for yourself once a day: Sit in a hot tub; walk > on the beach; exercise; bird watch; stop and smell the roses; rent a > funny movie; read a good book; play with your children. > 2. Just say no. Take on only what you can handle. > 3. "If you don't love the profession, get out of it, because you don't > do it any good." -Sr. Angela > 4. Take care of your spirit. Attitude is everything. > 5. Take breaks when you need them and reassess your needs regularly. > 6. Free your emotions: let yourself laugh and cry, share, sing, get > and give hugs, dance. > 7. "Burnout is not when you're too busy, too tired, or overworked. > Burnout is when you lose the passion for your work." -Carla Hartley > 8. Attend a Midwifery Today conference. > ==== > > The preceding excerpts were taken from LIFE OF A MIDWIFE,e a Midwifery > Today book. Read about the realities of being a midwife. Midwifery > Today's best-seller! To order your copy, go to > http://www.midwiferytoday.com/products/ C514LOM.htm > ==== > > I live in Vancouver, BC Canada. I have been in the birth business for > 23 years and I love it. Recently I have been convicted of criminal > contempt of court. I accepted an injunction from the Honourable Mr. > Justice Curtis two years ago because I knew I could obey it. His > ruling allowed for: > -Women to help other women at births and earn money doing so. > -Me, specifically, to teach midwifery. > > Obeying the injunction meant I would have to absolutely discipline and > train myself to not use the word "midwife" to describe myself. I did > this and the judge in the contempt matter noted this. I have no > problem with giving up the word. It seems to be the thing that always > created trouble for me - I just can't understand the meaning some > people have for it. In my province it has come to mean "good team > player who covers her butt." Although my pursuers are called the > College of Midwives, they are not educators and they are not "with > woman." It is a regulatory and disciplinary body. The 60 members must > follow College protocols and maintain hospital privileges. Having > happy, satisfied clients is not required, and complaints from the > public fall on deaf ears. The sum total of personnel is the registrar > and a part-time secretary in a small office in an old hospital. > Registrants of the College are terrified of their governing body and > they have been cautioned in writing by a woman lawyer not to go near > that office without a lawyer beside them. They have hired three > different investigators that I know of to spy on my activities. I feel > flattered they're so interested in me. > > As bad as it gets in the court system, every day I give thanks that I > did not register with the College of Midwives. I have had four years > of the best experiences ever as a birth attendant. I have not had to > hurt or "strip membranes" on anyone in order to retain a license. No > baby received erythromicin eye cream or vitamin K injections from me. > I have not had to please any physician or hospital administrator. I > have been able to look my clients and myself in the eye. I have been > forced into a simpler, less invasive style of practise and now find it > to be full of wonder. My clients and students love and respect me, and > none would testify for the ones who wish me in jail. Few people in the > world ever get to experience the kind of joyful work I have had in the > past four years. No one can take that away from me. When I go into > court it can be harsh, but I would rather face a judge with some > skills in human rights and tenets of law than face a disciplinary > committee in a professional body that has to produce a few sacrificial > lambs each year in order to justify its existence to the government. > Please don't feel angry or worried about me - feel inspired about how > strong we are. > -Gloria Lemay, Vancouver, BC > January 2002 > o=o=o=o=o=o > >
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