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ICEA Certified Educators and Doulas are committed to family centered maternity care and freedom of choice based on knowledge of alternatives. Contact your local educator or doula.

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ICEA is a long established childbirth education organization providing a comprehensive training program. Become certified and begin the journey to a rewarding career.

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ICEA is committed to offering continuing education and networking opportunities to our certified educators and doulas. Together we can promote family centered maternity care.

The value of a positive childbirth experience...

The other morning at work a subscriber canceled her magazine subscription because as she put it “I am tired of reading about birth and how important the experience is, its only one day in the grand scheme of things.” Let me first start of by saying I respect the opinions and beliefs of others-of course-that goes without saying HOWEVER, as a doula, CBE, and a mother who has had a relatively negative birth experience and most recently an extraordinarily empowering experience I say-is she kidding?!

Quick Comment about Birth in the Media

I am not the type of person you will ever find reading, watching or paying much attention to celebrities, their birth experiences, or their children (though I have been known to get fired up when some celebrity opts for an elective cesarean and goes public about it).  Therefore I have been avoiding this Gisele Bundchen birth story like the plague...until last night.

On my way home my family and I were listening to the radio in the car. My son insists on listening to a few select stations-very mainstream. During the break they were talking about the upcoming morning program and this is what I heard:

Gentle Birth in Haiti-Yayasan Bumi Sehat to Set Up Permanent Clinic

Bumi Sehat Bali

In June 2008 while visiting Bali with my family I made a visit to Yayasan Bumi Sehat.  I was under the impression we were visiting a birthing center, I was soon to find out that this clinic was so much more.  I was inspired by what I encountered at Bumi Sehat and by Robin Lim.  As it turns out the vision, generosity, and passion of this organization and her founders has extended itself to the people of Haiti.

The class that wouldn't speak...

I have been teaching childbirth education classes for a about a year and a half.  At the beginning of each series there is always a hint of nervousness-most of my anxieties dissipate the moment the pregnant couples start to walk in the room.  Once we get through the introductions everyone is at ease, comfortable. The dialogue begins, questions are asked, group activities commence.  

Eating And Drinking In Labor

Trust your instincts-as a doula and childbirth educator I find myself advising my clients to listen to their gut often.