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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.

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Providing LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Care: How to Get Started

December 30, 2020

providing LGBTQIA+ inclusive care

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.

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Beyond the Dyad – 5 Ways to Support Families With Multiple Co-Parents

March 5, 2020

For most of human history, people have parented and raised their families collaboratively. It wasn’t until recently – the mid-19th century – that families started to be recognizable as what most westerners now think of as “normal.” That is to say, centered around a monogamous marriage, typically between a “mom” and a “dad,” who will usually raise children with little-to-no community support. This model works for some, mostly works for many, and doesn’t work at all for many more. Divorce rates are high, especially in the first few years after having a child. Many parents feel exhausted, depleted, and spread too thin. The demands of parenting – heck, the demands of being human – are unrealistic for most people to take on alone or with just one supporting partner.

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Top 4 Places To Get CEUs To Improve How You Care For LGBTQ+ Families in 2019

October 15, 2019

Are you in need of continuing education units this year? Do you also want to do better in caring for LGBTQ+ clients as a birthworker? We have some ideas for you. Midwifery Care for Every Body: Integrating Gender Inclusive Practices for the Benefit of All Clients You have to act fast for this one! This introductory level course from queer midwife Ray Rachlin will be held this Saturday (October 19th, 2019) in Philadelphia, PA. Topics include vocabulary related to care for transgender clients, approaches to informed consent, inclusive infant feeding, and more. Space is limited, but still available, at $70 for those needing CEUs. A sliding scale is available for birthworkers of color. 2 Contact Hours (ACNM) Contraception Care for Transmasculine Individuals on Testosterone Therapy This course focuses very specifically on a single topic that is exactly as the title suggests: contraception for people who were assigned female at birth and currently on testosterone therapy. Course content is available online through Wiley Health Learning, with content pulled from the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health (the official journal of the ACNM). Access requires a membership or subscription that may result in additional costs, but the CEU granting course itself is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. 2 Contact Hours (ACNM) Providing Culturally Sensitive Care for LGBTQ Families This online course from Seattle, WA based MAIA Midwifery & Fertility covers a broad range of topics relating to caring for LGBTQ+ clients, starting from planning and conception, all he way up to the postpartum period and infant feeding. This course discusses both common situations for non-heterosexual parents, and information specific to gender identity and expression, and a section fully dedicated to approaching care with cultural humility. It is notably longer than any other on this list. The course is $225. 7 Contact Hours (MEAC and ACNM) Clinical Care for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Patients This course is not birthworker specific, but it does specifically address reproductive health. It’s overall focus is on providing better informed consent, evidence based practice, and culturally appropriate care for those who are gender nonconforming or transgender. Course is available online with a $12 fee for CEU certificates. 1.5 Contact Hours (CNE or CME)

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Inclusive Language Saves Lives

September 1, 2019

by Ren Lorio-Dominguez Everyone deserves pregnancy care that includes them. Transgender and gender non-binary folks often struggle to see themselves represented in healthcare situations, or included in language surrounding birth. They frequently face barriers to care, face discrimination in care, or are unable to access care at all. A large 2015 survey found that a third of the transgender and non-binary respondents had negative experiences with health care workers in the previous year, including harassment, physical violence, or sexual assault. 8% had been outright refused healthcare in the previous 12 months. Those who also had disabilities or were people of color experienced these things at even higher rates. With these abuses happening so frequently, it should be no surprise that 23% reported they had not sought needed healthcare because of fear of mistreatment.1 Non-binary and transgender people need safe places to receive care. Healthcare professionals believing they are LGBTQIA+ friendly is not enough. Using inclusive language tells transgender and non-binary folks that you are aware they get pregnant, have babies, and lactate also. Language alone is also not enough, but it is a big piece of the larger picture. A study found that trans and non-binary people who had access to an inclusive care provider had significantly lower rates of depression and suicidal thoughts than those who did not; 38% when receiving inclusive care compared to 54% of those without.2 In a population that is nine times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population of the United States1, this is crucial. A good place to start in learning to use inclusive language is letting go of assumptions. Get comfortable asking people what their pronouns are, then use the ones they prefer. Start separating gender and anatomy in your mind. If the specifics of their anatomy are not relevant to the care you are providing, mind your own business. If they are relevant, which they often will be for birthworkers, avoid reflexively attaching gender to body parts. A pregnant person definitely has a uterus, but a woman may or may not, and a person with a uterus may or may not be a woman. Some anatomical terms have so much baggage with them that some transgender and non-binary folks may feel more comfortable using less loaded alternatives. If you’re unclear, ask what they prefer. One pregnant person may be completely comfortable discussing a baby passing through their “vagina”, while…

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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
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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.
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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#%^.
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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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