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The Birth Mag

Do Better Birthwork in 2021

January 7, 2021

do better birthwork

Are you a birth worker who is looking to expand your skill set, explore a new topic, or get new perspective? The Birth Mag team has compiled a list of upcoming classes, workshops, skillshares, and mentorship opportunities for kicking the new year off right. All courses listed are either live or have a live component, and are available virtually.

Financial Freedom for the Independent Midwife – January 17th, 2021 (2PM EST)

Presented by Tiny & Brave Holistic Services, and taught by midwife Monika Rosicka. This class is intended to educate midwives (and future midwives) about protecting their personal and business assets. While you may not have gotten into midwifery for the money, financial struggles are all too common. Enter into 2021 with some foundational information relating to financial solutions. Free to BIPOC midwives and midwifery students, $25 for allies. Sign up here.

From Body to Community Planning – January 22-29th, 2021

Presented by the Queer Doula Network, this is a series of classes taught by a variety of instructors that discuss familiar topics in birth work from a perspective that centers the LGBTQIA+ experience. Topics will include birth plans, adoption, menstrual cycles, community care, postpartum care, and endometriosis. Tickets are available on a sliding scale of $120-210. Sign up here.

Transmasculine Fertility & Birth Workshop – January 23rd, 2021 (2-4PM EST)

This workshop is facilitated by Kayden Coleman, a Black transgender man who will be sharing his experiences with pregnancy. It was created to help build space for transmasculine birthing people to be able to access safe, inclusive care through better educated birthworkers. Kayden has stated that this will be the last time he offers this specific workshop, so if you want to take it, get those tickets now! $75 for early bird tickets, $150 full price. Sign up here.

Birthwork Mentorship Circle – January 31st, 2021 (1-2:30PM PST)

This is a live gathering hosted by Birth Bruja, and facilitated by doula Keelia Alder and full-spectrum birth worker Brooke Patmor. This is an opportunity to share space with and questions of other birthworkers who are “cultivating sustainable, intersectional & liberational approaches to birthwork.” This is the first session of the year, but will be recurring on every last Sunday of the month throughout 2021. $20 to attend helps support the creation and continuation of this event, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Sign up here.

Birth and Disability – February 2-25th, 2021

Hosted by Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, and presented by Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkhulu, of Project LETS. This course will include a series of 8 live virtual classes, plus 4 additional pre-recorded modules, and weekly assignments for reflection. The topic list is expansive, covering basics of what disability really looks like, what ableism is, developing a better understanding of concerns disabled parents may have, full spectrum reproductive care for those with disabilities, practical skills for supporting and providing care to disabled people, and navigating situations when someone is expecting or parenting a disabled child, and more. $129. Sign up here.

Systemic Racism/Implicit Bias in Care Work – February 6th, 2021 (1-5PM CST)

Hosted by Re+Birth Equity Alliance, this interactive training addresses both systemic racism and bias in perinatal healthcare from the perspective that eliminating racial disparities in care requires collective effort. The workshop will discuss topics including implicit bias in birth work, course correction for bias, tools for social change, the history of medical experimentation, Jim Crow, and Black Codes, and the impacts of weathering, trauma, and disadvantage. This training sold out repeatedly last year, so reserve your spot ASAP if you want to attend this one! Donation based, with a $50 suggested donation. Sign up here.

Seahorses & Unicorns: Supporting Trans and Gender Nonconforming Birthers – February 7th, 2021 (3-6PM PST)

This course is hosted by Cornerstone Doula Trainings and led by professional trans educator and gestational parent, Trystan Reese. This session will include interactive discussion of topics including trans fertility, supporting trans people who haven’t or don’t plan to medically transition, the effects of medical transition related to reproduction, and postpartum considerations. $197. Sign up here.

MX Birth Technologies & Rebozo History + Uses – February 20-March 13th, 2021

Taught by Lucia Echeri, this online class series offers training that “will sensitize us all to use ancestral and traditional therapies with respect, honor and free of cultural appropriation.” The class is divided up across four sessions. It covers a number of topics, including extensive information about the rebozo that includes its history, creation, use, energy, symbolism, and issues with appropriation. The course content is not limited to the rebozo, and also covers birth positions, hot and cold, bindings, herbs, baths, breath work, context, and stories in a way that centers the wisdom of Indigenous peoples. The workshop offers a sliding scale fee of $300-500, with early bird discounts and payment plans available. Sign up here.

Abortion Support Skills Training – March 13th, 2021 (3-6PM EST)

Hosted by the Alabama Cohosh Collaborative, this training is intended for anyone (birthworker or otherwise) to develop some abortion support skills. Attendees will learn about multiple aspects of abortion support, including both the physical and emotional needs of people having one. The training also intends to create a deeper understanding of what abortion really is. Sliding scale tickets range from $85-125. Sign up here.

Hands On Suturing – April 9th, 2021

This virtual workshop is HiveCE’s creative way to continue offering skill specific trainings with a hands on component in the age of Covid-19. It’s taught by midwife Holly Scholles. The course is set up as a set of pre-recorded modules, followed by a live virtual group session, then finally a one-on-one video call with the instructor for review. It covers suture materials, equipment, wound assessment, medication use, and repair in considerable detail. It is approved for continuing education credits by MEAC, and can be used to meet a hands on training requirement for the NARM Bridge Certificate. It is the only virtual training that can be used to meet that requirement at this time, and perhaps for that reason sessions filled up far in advance last year. This is another training you will likely want to book as soon as you can if you’re wanting to attend it. $325. Sign up here.

Filed Under: Birth Community, LGBTQIA+, Midwifery, Midwifery Education, Trainings and Continuing Education

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thebirthmag

Happy new year! 2020 was rough on the Birth Mag cr Happy new year! 2020 was rough on the Birth Mag crew, and we know it was for many of you as well. This turned out to be a terrible year to launch a new magazine project, but it's over, and we're moving forward.

What's next then? First and foremost, the next print issue is coming! Look for a sneak peek of the upcoming cover next week. We are also settling in to a more consistent release of digital content going forward. 

We are so thankful for everyone who has hung in there with us through the tumultuous ride that was 2020, and look forward to bringing you so much more in 2021!

#thebirthmag #birthwork #birthworkers #midwifery #doulalife
New on the website this week, from Dr. Ali Davis, New on the website this week, from Dr. Ali Davis, DC (@dr_ali_thechiro ): 

"Someone you know is LGBTQIA+, possibly even someone you love.
If you’ve been in practice for any length of time, chances are you have LGBTQIA+ clients.
Even if you don’t know which ones they are.
Even if you practice in a small rural town.
Even if you think your practice serves a 'different' niche of clientele."

Read the full article at www.thebirthmag.com 

#inclusivecare #inclusionmatters #lgbtqia #lgbtqbirthmatters #queerparents #thebirthmag #birthworkforall
Repost of a snippet of a live from @maytethewombdo Repost of a snippet of a live from @maytethewombdoula and @mujer_dela_tierra discussing violence in American midwifery. You can find the full length video over on Mayte's page, and I strongly encourage everyone, especially white midwives, to go watch it. There's some excellent explanation of differences between traditional midwifery (specifically parteras) and modern midwifery as typical in the USA, and the ways bias impacts care. Warning: this is a hard conversation and does include talk about loss of a baby.
New this week on the website, some thoughts from @ New this week on the website, some thoughts from @doula_barb of @birth_fort_worth on sustainable birthwork practices, because we all know that burnout is real.

"Sustainability.

These days, it almost seems like a buzz word in the birth world. A free download. A hashtag. A commodity, even.

In reality, though, sustainability in birthwork, particularly in the doula-world, means getting to do the work that sets your soul on fire for longer than a few years.

Sustainability means creating a business from which you don’t need to regularly take self-care, or 'burnout breaks'. It’s so much more than warm baths, massages, mantras and aromatherapy.

It’s understanding that you have value. It’s understanding that it’s ok to charge whatever it takes to make you feel GOOD about walking out the door and leaving your life behind for an unknown amount of time. It’s about business models and contracts. It’s about boundaries."

Read the entire article on www.thebirthmag.com (link in bio).

#birthwork #birthworkers #doulalife #midwifery #birthsupport #thebirthmag
New on TheBirthMag.com this week from Juli Tilsner New on TheBirthMag.com this week from Juli Tilsner (@midwifejuli.cornerstone ): 
"Continuity of care and continuous labor support are intertwined as one of the most difficult aspects of birth work.  They can lead to severe burnout and limit our income when we don’t have partnerships or backups available. We can easily justify taking more clients in a month than we know we should, making these exceptions because we tell ourselves 'they need us' and saying no breaks our hearts. Most of us have broken our own number of clients per month rule, maybe more than once. Maybe it turned out OK, possibly not."

Read the full article on the website. Link in bio!

Photo by @natbro.photo

#doula #doulalife #doulaservices #midwife #midwifery #midwifelife #birthwork #birthworkers #birthsupport
New on the website this week: Raichal Reed (@mcdon New on the website this week: Raichal Reed (@mcdonald_herbalist ) shares some information about waterbirth and Covid-19. 

"According to the CDC, 'There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection of pools and hot tubs should remove or inactive the virus that causes COVID-19'. All rules that currently stand for a birthing person to be able to be in the pool (no fever, respiratory issues, etc.) should stay the same so that those who are sick in general are not in the water. Infections and how they spread vary and because there is no current documentation as to every way a person can contract the COVID-19 it is important to have proper personal protective equipment with each birthing person. Currently the CDC has not found any traces of COVID-19 in any municipal water systems, but they have not properly studied well water so their research is to be determined."

You can read more on TheBirthMag.com! Link in bio.

#waterbirth #birthduringcovid19
#midwifery #birthsupport
#birthwork #bornin2020
The lactation issue is out! We had an abundance of The lactation issue is out! We had an abundance of delays, but they have now all been mailed. If you've been waiting on this issue, keep an eye on your mailbox, because it is on the way!
Community led, community based. The Birth Mag is l Community led, community based. The Birth Mag is looking for new submissions! Are you a birth worker? Are you interested in helping your fellow birth workers learn and grow to be more inclusive and educated on the issues birthing people are facing today? We want to hear from you! Compensation starts at $35 for any article that is used. Please e-mail us at thebirthmag@gmail.com for more information or to submit an article.
#Repost @thevaginachronicles
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There is so much to learn from this week. So much to give and receive. .
.
This list is not an extensive and in no particular order but it is some of the HARD and persistent work that we must do. .
.
Black people breastfeed. Even when we tell you no after you’ve asked 15 times if we want formula. Even when we are afraid of what it looks like and how we can continue It. Even when we see how you look at our breasts not understanding how different they can be. Even when we must figure out breastfeeding complexities by ourself. Even when we had to do it for you, before we could do it for our own children. .
.
WE BREASTFEED!
#Repost @blkbfingweek • • • • • • HAPP #Repost @blkbfingweek
• • • • • •
HAPPY BLACK BREASTFEEDING WEEK! 🤩

By our histories and by the truths we know from living, our possibilities are greater than any imagination. 

For all the days that have felt hopeless, we invite you to enter a period of nourishment to revive.

Where there has been loss, grief and uncertainty, our restoration is key to being present and imagining healthy futures. 

And all through #BBW20, we reclaim our time, lives and families. 

Let’s gooooooo! 

#ReviveRestoreReclaim #blackbreastfeedingweek

Artist: Andrea Pippins @andreapippins
#Repost @storkandcradleclasses • • • • • #Repost @storkandcradleclasses
• • • • • •
New York, New York

Today starts Native Breastfeeding Week. Here are some native breastfeeding facts you should know.

-“The mission of the Native Breastfeeding Week community is to reflect the diversity of native breast-feeding experiences and to encourage and uplift visibility of native breast-feeding experiences”
-“this community also helps to address the inequality and injustice of indigenous mothers and their abilities to practice their roles in accordance to the tribal communities they dissent from”
-American Indian and American Native rates of breastfeeding initiation is 73% versus the national average of 83%.
-Formula supplementation is high (97%) for mothers who didn’t initiate.
-many native mother’s insurance doesn’t cover donor milk which could greatly benefit infants.
-many native women lack breastfeeding support because of social and cultural norms.

Facts are from @ja_lyonhawk article posted at illusa.org 2019

Please visit Native Breastfeeding Week’s Facebook Page for info about the virtual events you can support this week. ❤️

#indigenousbreastfeeding #indigenouswomen #americanindian 
#nativebreastfeedingweek #blackibclc #ibclc #doulasupport #doulas #blackmidwives #midwives #breastfeedingsupport #storkandcradle
#Repost @taprootdoula • • • • • • Blac #Repost @taprootdoula
• • • • • •
Black Maternal Health Week is EVERY week •
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Art @designedbydg •
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The best way I’ve improved my ability to care for black parents is to listen to them. But before I could learn to listen, I had to commit to the LIFELONG task of confronting my biases against them. I must also commit over and over to the a promise that I would confront bias and racism I witness in my colleagues, providers, leadership and institution. This involves being brave, frank and unapologetic, and well-versed in the mechanisms for reporting abusive and problematic  behavior, even in situations with an imbalance of power (nurse v. physician, etc.) Anti-blackness is the default in our culture. As healthcare workers if we don’t intentionally, diligently, and sustainably work to confront and destroy our biases, these biases WILL lead to black birthing people and babies’ harm and death.
•
Every birth worker - doctor, nurse, doula, midwife - needs to invest in an anti-racism training - @rebirthequity ~ @theblackdoula ~ @shishi.rose ~ @abide_women are some leaders who receive compensation to help you confront your biases against black birthing people. Anti-racism training is not CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING. Cultural competency training is required by most employers, it’s been around for a while, and it doesn’t change s#%^.
•
Follow 
@blackmamasmatter @4kira4moms to keep up to date on ways you can learn more and legislation that is working towards the goal of protecting black parents and babies from medical racism that causes harm.

#blackmamasmatter #maternalmortality #blackmaternalhealthweek
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