Starting with pregnancy and birth care and continuing throughout the lifespan of Black Americans, systemic racism affects every aspect of life, from housing to health care to criminal justice to education to employment.
Donor human milk (DHM) is available from non-profit milk banks, for-profit companies and peer-to-peer milk sharing. The focus here is on non-profit milk banking in North America where the operational milk banks follow essential safety standards established by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA).
Why is counting fetal movement important? Because it can save a baby. Right now, as we try to navigate this highly unusual time, we want to help moms continue to learn about the importance of tracking fetal movement and to say something if they notice a change.
Of course, new Dads want to be great at burping, swaddling, and even diaper changing. It’s important to remember that Dads are also concerned about relationship changes, and communication after the baby arrives.
This book is written by Adrian Kulp who clearly describes himself as ‘not Dr. Spock, just an experienced Dad.’ He gleans his information from experience with his four children and resources described throughout the book.
Every day, I feel like we learn more about the importance of that first hour after birth, and it does seem like it has supernatural powers. We can save lives, both of the mother and baby. We can seed and grow a microbiome, inviting in the best bacteria to the party.
Newborns are often seen as helpless, but when we take a closer look this isn’t altogether true. They actually have many ways in which to adapt to life outside the uterus; systems that have been in place for millennia.
By taking this 90-minute training, participants will learn about this evidence-based program and how to talk to expectant parents on the importance of tracking fetal movement.
I would love to hear from other childbirth educators and their cultural experiences! Please send us an email at info@icea.org.
I never thought I would breastfeed my baby because I was not breastfed. I also never believed I could face birth. After all, pain as tiny as a paper cut drives me crazy! But all those assumptions began to change when a family friend who is a former La Leche League Leader gifted to me The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding when I was pregnant.
Every day our ICEA community shows strong support to pregnant and birthing women as educators, birth doulas, post-partum doulas and in other related roles. I offer up this blog post as an example of the power of birth support and how a community came together in a unique way to provide that support.
The WHO and UNICEF administer the BFHI program internationally and work with the national authority in each country which confers the Baby-Friendly® designation in their nation. More than 20,000 maternity facilities in 150 countries around the world have earned the Baby-Friendly designation.
As with any topic, I try to find the balance and work with the individual family. Breastfeeding can work and can be therapeutic while dealing with mood and anxiety disorders. It’s a matter of delving into the family dynamics and figuring out what is going to work; what is best for the situation.
The essential oils are literally the plant oils distilled from aromatic plants. This concentrated oil can be used in many ways, but like the plants, must be used respectfully. Essential oils produce an aroma, most often pleasant, and thought of as medicinally benign.
Words are important. They frame concepts and shape our ideas. How we think is often influenced by the words we use. With that in mind I would like to consider two overlapping concepts often used in healthcare.
In our movement to make sure that there is “a doula for everyone,” have we forgotten our roots? Have we forgotten what is sustainable?
Implicit bias can be defined as “attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.” What is means is that we act or make decisions/assumptions without conscious thoughts.
There are some research articles surfacing touting the ability of breastmilk to actually destroy cancer cells. Substances found only in breastmilk, alpha-lactalbumin, combined with fatty acids (most commonly oleic acid) have the capability of destroying malignant tumor cells.
In December of 2018 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first “milk analyzer” marketed as a tool to manage the nutritional needs of infants at risk for growth failure. Many breastfeeding advocates are concerned about not only how these tests are used but also the message being sent to breastfeeding mothers.
by Donna Walls, RN, BSN. ICCE, IBCLC, ANLC What is vaginal seeding? Simply stated it is placing vaginal microbes on the face, mouth, eyes, ears, and skin of those newborns who […]
Donna Walls, RN, BSN. ICCE, IBCLC, ANLC In the 1930’s the idea of using “baby boxes” for infant sleep was introduced in Finland with the idea of reducing SIDS (sudden […]
The world needs more Childbirth Educators, Birth Doulas, and Postpartum Doulas who value compassion, collaboration, and choice. We need your help to enroll 20 professionals in an ICEA Certification Program. […]
by Cynthia Billiar, BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC, ANLC, CD(DONA), ICBD, ICCE, SpBCPE Whether an infant loss is perinatal, neonatal, or that of an older infant/child, it is personal and unique to every […]
by Donna Walls, RN, BSN, ICCE, IBCLC, ANLC The Breastfeeding Family- Friendly Community Designation (BFCD) was developed as a request from the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to implement […]
