Category: Board and Staff

Childbirth education groups in the US started in the 30’s but gained popularity in the 1940s and 50s. As these […]

The ICEA Board has four open positions now seeking applicants!

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.

International Childbirth Education Week is January 25th through January 31st. ICEA is proud to celebrate so many hardworking Childbirth Educators throughout this week. To recognize the amazing work worldwide, we interviewed Amy Nevland, an ICEA-Certified Childbirth Educator and current Director of Education at ICEA.

Sitting in my office reflecting on the past year, it is a very snowy day in my hometown. As much […]

The many of us from the Board of Directors met in person for the very first time when we got […]

BY ELIZABETH KIRTS, MPH, ICCE, IBCLC, RLC I am starting this month’s note on the somber topic of infant loss. […]

As I am writing this, our Virtual Conference, Surviving to Thriving is a mere 45 days and 6 minutes away. […]

In our profession we are in a place of hope, love, and healing. When we remember that our career is really a calling, we receive so much from those we serve.

I hope that we can always be sensitive to others. This doesn’t mean giving up what is important to us, it just means being aware of others. 

On those days when you are discouraged or feel like you aren’t doing enough, remember that we never know how the little things may be part of something great. You are so appreciated.

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.

Wanting to help these families is intuitive to people in our profession. We are accustomed to providing support in whatever way we can. It seems to be engrained in our beings.

So many of us want to help and feel helpless. Thank you to Debra Pascali-Bonaro for sending along the following information with a list of birth groups and ways to donate.

You, as the certified professionals, IAT’s, and members of ICEA are the heart of our organization. Without you, we would not be able to drive our mission, vision, and values out to the families and individuals we serve.

As we continue to work hard to serve you, we appreciate all you are doing to teach and support all of the families who are going through the life changing event of becoming parents.

Joy and anticipation are what we get to experience working in the perinatal field. Our families are in the process of the biggest change as they anticipate or are in the midst of the birth of their new baby.

I want to again, thank all of you for everything you do to support expectant and new parents. It’s not always immediately and sometimes never known the impact you have on their lives. Continue your hard work remembering our core values: Compassion, Collaboration, and Choice. Know you make a difference!

As educators, doulas, and lactation specialists, we are in a unique position to teach, educate, support, and inform. We often have more time with the patients and clients than other care providers. We also are frequently using a different approach or looking at things from a different angle. 

So often in life we are wanting to rush forward to the next big thing or to get past a challenging time only to miss the little things that happen in the middle. Mindfulness will teach us this; the past is over, the future is yet to come, what we really have is the present.

August has a lot of focus on breastfeeding.  The first week is World Breastfeeding Week. This year, the focus was on the shared responsibility of protecting breastfeeding for more information; WABA.