Your expertise has changed lives. The compassion you demonstrate to your families has improved birth outcomes for all. So, we’re inviting you to submit a nomination for the ICEA Board of Directors. Come share your knowledge and expertise.
I want to thank you for your dedication, compassion, and support. Creating a family is a life changing event and having the support and education are so important for best outcomes and bonding.
We all need to recognize that we have been through a very difficult time. Everyone has been impacted in some way or another from the stress of this event. It is important that you take some time and really reflect on what you experienced and how it impacted you.
Breastfeeding improves maternal sleep, lowers the risk of depression, lessens anger and irritability, and even attenuates the negative effects of past sexual assault. When it comes to overcoming adversity and stopping the intergenerational cycle of violence, breastfeeding makes all the difference.
For some women, becoming a mom is one of the most cherished events of their life. Some moms come into parenthood reluctantly or unexpectedly. No matter what the situation, it is a transformational event that leaves a lasting impact on the person.
As an international organization, the Board of Directors frequently looks at language so that we can do our best to do the right thing for all our families. This is an evolving area and there will be changes. I, myself, and our Board of Directors are committed to hearing how we can support and educate all birthing families.
ICEA Certified Professionals and those working towards certification are now eligible for U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) benefits! The first benefit that will be accessible to any individual affiliated with ICEA International Childbirth Education Association will be a discounted registration to attend the 2021 National Breastfeeding Conference & Convening (NBCC).
ICEA recertification will now require 4 hours of education/training in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity. This requirement will begin on January 1, 2022.
Anyone who has worked in this field long enough has experienced and understands that pregnancy, birth, and parenting do not usually play out exactly as planned, and sometimes even end up completely unexpected or tragic. But even in these times where the reality is not the expectation, hope can come into its own, opening us up to creative possibilities.
Our certification programs provide you with the information and skills you need to make a difference in the lives of pregnant women and their families. Those who are in financial need are encouraged to turn your passion into a career by applying for a scholarship.
It is with great honor and privilege that I have been able to play a small part in mentoring my friend and colleague, Chen, to have met all of the requirements to become the first ICEA Approved Trainer in China.
ICEA is saddened by the growing violence against the Asian Community. Our hearts stand in solidarity with our Asian certified professionals, IATs, the families they serve, and anyone experiencing racial oppression and violence.
I would like to remind you of the core values of ICEA: Collaboration, Compassion, and Choice. Let these values guide you as you work with families so that you offer them the support they need and the education to make decisions that will work for their family.
For ICEA, all of you are the heart of our organization. Your background, diversity, passion, compassion, and desire to teach and support are vital to us and the families we serve. Go forth in February with heart and compassion, helping to spread our mission.
As the new President of ICEA, I look forward to building on the successes of the past, making changes where needed to grow even more, and support all of our certified professionals so they can support their families.
Building a nursing nest in the early-to-middle part of the third trimester can be a special ritual in preparing for baby and breastfeeding. The early preparation helps moms immensely, especially for those early days after baby’s arrival when babies typically nurse frequently and moms feel exhausted.
Childbirth educators are in a unique position to help families reduce and manage fear because we are experts in the three E’s: Education, Empowerment, and Encouragement.
Both of the these books are a good resource in any childbirth educator’s library. The books could also be sent home with parents who are wanting to encourage an understanding to older siblings.
Thank you to everyone who applied for an ICEA scholarship during the most recent application period. We received so many incredible applications and are encouraged by your dedication to improving birth outcomes for all families.
We have had to face many challenges this past year, but your ingenuity and creativity have been nothing short of inspirational. Thank you for the work you do!
When it comes to safe sleep, it’s not enough to teach expectant parents the important concepts. Today’s parents must be able to address all the aspects of safe sleep with their own parents–and aunts and grandparents and any other older adult who may be caring for the baby.
Count the Kicks, an evidence-based public health campaign, educates and empowers expectant parents to track their baby’s movements in the third trimester of pregnancy. Research shows a change in a baby’s movements could be the earliest, and sometimes only indication that something may be wrong with a pregnancy.
In 1961, the American Academy of Pediatrics began recommending all newborns receive a vitamin K injection as part of routine newborn care. The recommendation was made after review of research which confirmed the administration of vitamin K as an effective preventative treatment for Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB).
Healthy, lactating women with surplus human milk have choices for it. They produce plenty of milk to feed their own infant(s) and have extra. They can donate it to a non-profit milk bank like the Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa, donate or sell it peer-to-peer, donate or sell it to a for profit company, do a combination of these or discard it.
