First, thanks for being part of ICEA. I was so glad to speak to a couple of members this week who each explained how much ICEA meant to them and the work they are doing with families in their area. What an honor to lead an organization that makes its members proud.
What impact does ICEA have on the work you do in your area? If you are one of only a few ICEA members in your area, think about bringing an ICEA Approved Trainer (IAT) to help create more. IATs are available for creating more ICEA Childbirth Educators, ICEA Birth Doulas, and ICEA Postpartum Doulas. Can you see the need for any more of these types of birth workers in your area? You can help expand the services offered to families in your area by making sure there are more ICEA-certified birth workers near you.
Watching the Super Bowl last weekend, I was struck by the fact that the people involved have dedicated so much of their lives to being the best they can be at their chosen profession/passion. The game was a wonderful back-and-forth, showcasing the professionals on each side of the football. In the game, there could be only one winning team. Unlike the concept of pitting one organization against another, we can work with all the doulas, educators, and others working with pregnant families out there to make sure that all the families in our areas are getting the best care.
Networking is a great thing to do! I am tasked by my hospital to add to our resource list of all the birth workers in our area. So far, we have 67 people and organizations on the list. There are educators, birth doulas, postpartum doulas, midwives, lactation specialists, chiropractors, PTs, acupuncturists, herbalists, and more. Do you keep a list of the resources in your area? These are people you can network with to create a better “birth world”. I recommend that you do that.
I am in the process of creating a vision board for enlarging my personal business. I’ve never done one before. Have you? I will be looking for images that touch my heart and my future to remind me of where I want to go. If you have a vision board, share it with us on the Facebook page. I’ll put mine up there when I have it started.
Thanks for all you do for families in your area. The world is a better place because you have helped families bring new life to the world.
Warmly,
Debbie Young
ICEA President
