I LOVE the idea that a can post to my blog via TEXT MESG! Go ahead... call me a "Techy Midwife" ... it IS true!

New Pregnancy Resource: NaturallyBorn

NaturallyBorn.net is a new pregnancy resource for YOU!

NaturallyBorn.net provides comprehensive information about pregnancy, birth, natural childbirth, home birth, water birth, birthing centers, midwives, breastfeeding and doulas. If you are looking for a birthing center, midwife, doula or progressive hospital with natural childbirth, we offer a full directory of birth centers, certified nurse midwives, certified professional midwives,birth doulas, and postpartum doulas who can assist with natural birth techniques such as waterbirth, hypnobirthing, and homebirth.

NaturallyBorn.net specializes in providing unbiased information and resources about natural childbirth options. Our Expert Q&A section for natural childbirth features licensed midwives, doulas, and other experts in the fields of natural childbirth and midwifery.

We are honored to be part of our community, and to be helping to raise the awareness among new parents about their birth options.

Our own Kim L. Mosny, CPM [Licensed in VA] is a founding member and expert contributor for NaturallyBorn.net. Look for her profile page, articles, Q&A input and other contributions!

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The Birth Trust

www.formidwifery.org/birthtrust

~ HBMS Holistic Midwifery Skills Practicum ~

   What: A 3-Part Series of 2-day Midwifery Skills for aspiring midwives,

     taught by VA licensed CPM, by

Kim Mosny, CPM [VA], senior midwife of the

Home Birth Midwifery Service

Regardless of whether you think they are "ready" to be signed off on the skills or not, everyone desirous of becoming a midwife needs the opportunity to listen,learn, watch, practice, and practice… and practice some more!

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Part I ~ Basic Midwifery Skills: Learn how to…

1. Use aseptic technique;

a) Proper hand washing

b) Proper gloving and un-gloving

c) Assisting using both aseptic & sterile technique

2. Use both, a digital:

a) Hemoglobin meter;

b) Glucose meter;

3. Taking vitals on mothers & babies:

a) temperature,

b) blood pressure,

c) pulse/HR,

d) respirations,

e) reflexes;

4. Doing a Prenatal physical & prenatal exam;

Part II ~ Venipuncture, Starting IV’s & Suturing: (Students will practice venipuncture / IV’s on each other!)

     1. Learn, watch, and then practice proper venipuncture technique

          and drawing blood from various sites;

     2. Learn, watch, and then practice starting an IV;

     3. Learn, watch, and then practice suturing techniques.

Part III ~ Resolving Shoulder Dystocia, Estimating Blood Loss & Manage Postpartum Hemorrhage

1. Understand optimal fetal positioning (OFP).L earn & practice the maneuvers & techniques for managing a“stuck baby”… (modeled after renowned midwife Gail Tully’s Resolving Shoulder Dystocia Workshop)

2. Estimating blood loss & identifying a hemorrhage.

3. Learn techniques, herbal and allopathic treatment for managing a postpartum hemorrhage;

When:

* Mar 26 & 27 (Sat/Sun)

* Apr 30 & May 1 (Sat/Sun)

* May 21 & 22 (Sat/Sun)

We will offer another practicum, FALL Series 2011, for up to 8 students depending upon the demand.

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Please keep in mind that your instructor is an actively, practicing midwife, who is regularly “on-call” for clients due to have their babies; workshops may be POSTPONED or CANCELLED with little or no notice accordingly. The workshop will be re-scheduled or a refund offered for such cancellations.

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Fees & Details:

TOTAL COST...  ** $402.00 (including supplies);

A convenient, 3-payment plan option is available.

Overnight accommodations & transportation are YOUR responsibility. “Dutch” lunch on both days will be together as a group. “Dutch” dinner & evening activities will be planned by HBMS or you can go & do on own. 

::: NOTE ::: There is NO REFUND for missing any day due to your own personal/family issues. Make-up days may be offered by your instructor,      but HBMS is under no obligation to do so. 

** The cost ($402) of the HBMS Midwifery Skills Practicum is FINAL for the SPRING series.

    Registration must be paid by cash (do not send cash in the mail!), check, or credit card (via PayPal) ONLY. (Returned check fee: $35)

   PayPal payments should be sent to kmosny@yahoo.com and MUST INCLUDE 3% service fee.

Be sure to add a note indicating “HBMS Practicum”.

The cost MAY change for the FALL 2011 Series.

Those interested in either Spring or Fall Series should contact me ASAP!

8 student spots are now open for the Spring 2011 series. REGISTER TODAY, DON'T DELAY!

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SPRING Series Registration (Mar-May) is now

OPEN to the first 8 students

to REGISTER & PAY for Part I ($134.00) by March 05.

Payments for Parts II & Part III ($134.00each) are due:

Mar 26 & Apr 30, respectively.

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To register for the HBMS Holistic Midwifery Skills Practicum, call or contact:

Kim Mosny, CPM [VA]

Home Birth Midwifery Service

kmosny@RichmondMidwife.com

Cell: (901) 292-4876

13541 E. Boundary Road, Ste 101

Midlothian, VA  23112

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Mail-in Student Registration ~ HBMS Holistic Midwifery Skills Practicum ~ SPRING Series (Mar-May)

Name:

Address:

City/State/Zip:

Phone:

Email:

Payment Enclosed:

Please keep in mind that your instructor is an actively, practicing midwife, who is regularly “on-call” for clients due to have their babies; workshops may be POSTPONED or CANCELLED with little or no notice accordingly. The workshop will be re-scheduled or a refund offered for such cancellations.

It is Time to Reframe the Homebirth Conversation

For Immediate ReleaseJanuary 26, 2011

Contact: Midwives Alliance of North America
Geradine Simkins, President & Interim Executive Director
executivedirector@mana.org

It is Time to Reframe the Homebirth Conversation:
Focus on Optimal Maternity Care and the Practitioners Who Can Provide It

In their recently released “Committee Opinion” on homebirth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) affirms the role of informed disclosure by saying, “...we have an obligation to provide families with information about the risks, benefits, limitations, and advantages concerning the different maternity care providers and settings.” Midwives and other maternity professionals, therefore, are surprised that ACOG relies on the widely criticized Wax publications on homebirth, when there are more credible and carefully designed investigations that assess the relative risks of birth sites. Further, members of the Midwives Alliance - an organization representing the profession of midwifery since 1982 - are concerned that this ACOG Committee Opinion was apparently not subjected to review by experts who understand how to evaluate the quality of scientific studies on homebirth.

We believe it is time to re-frame this conversation. Midwives and obstetricians have been debating the safety of homebirth for far too long. In North America today planned homebirth for healthy women, attended by skilled providers, with access to medical consultation when necessary, is a safe option. Midwives as primary maternity providers, across settings and nations, have been identified as contributing to improved health outcomes. In the U.S. this includes care by Certified Nurse-Midwives, Certified Professional Midwives, and Certified Midwives. Moving beyond this debate over place of birth will allow obstetricians and midwives to focus on the goals we have in common.

There are critical issues facing all maternity providers today. First, we must understand the bio-ethical principle of autonomy as it relates to the human right of self-determination in making health care choices. Only then can we support women in their mastery of self-determination as they navigate the complicated worlds of obstetrics and maternity care and attempt to make good decisions for themselves and their families.

Second, it is the responsibility of the entire maternal and child health care (MCH) community to promote access to care that promotes optimal health for mothers and infants. We have a responsibility to remove barriers to options that women choose, provide complete and transparent information to women during the childbearing year, and work collaboratively as a team for the benefit of families.

Third, we can no longer tolerate the abysmal maternal and child health disparities that exist for our most vulnerable women and populations of color. We have our plates full with the daunting task of improving the health status of all women and infants in the United States within a social justice framework.

We stand at the cusp of the greatest opportunity in decades to reform our ailing healthcare system into one that provides the highest quality care, with the fewest interventions, to achieve optimal outcomes, in the most cost-efficient manner. We must focus on widely implementing evidence-based maternity care practices that are appropriate for mothers and babies. We must address the fact that certain costly obstetrical practices that are not supported by science are overused, while other beneficial, low-tech practices are overlooked. Of particular concern to the Midwives Alliance and the clients we serve is the trend of increasing rates of cesarean sections, contributing to increased rates of premature birth, low birth weight infants and rising healthcare costs, while women across the country still struggle to find providers willing to attend vaginal births after cesarean (VBACs).

These are the current issues that together we must devote our most fervent attention towards seeking solutions. We can no longer be diverted by the distractions of disagreements among maternity professionals. We have serious work to do that cannot wait. We look forward to being in authentic dialog with ACOG - and all other stakeholders - as we plan and participate in a Homebirth Consensus Summit as a forum for building a common agenda for all involved in caring for mothers and babies. Women, infants, and families are counting on us to bring our complementary skills and acumen to the table and work together cooperatively.

Geradine Simkins, CNM, MSN
President & Interim Executive Director
Midwives Alliance Board of Directors

Reference:
1. Sakala, Carol and Maureen P. Corry. Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve. New York: Milbank Memorial Fund, 2008, 1.

CMA Action Alert

January 2, 2011   ~   http://www.commonwealthmidwives.org/actionalert.htm

ACTION ALERT! YOUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD!!!

Dear Midwifery Supporters,

This is a call to action for all citizens of Virginia who have an interest in out of hospital birth services. The issue of access to medications for women using the services of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) is currently before the Board of Medicine (BOM). Strong citizen support is needed to communicate to the BOM that the women and babies who receive midwifery care in Virginia prefer for their midwives to be legally able to administer medications.

Although CPMs are trained to carry and administer some medications considered necessary for safe and effective midwifery care in out of hospital birth, the current Virginia statute for Licensed Midwifery specifically prohibits them to do so. For many women seeking out of hospital birth, this dilemma represents a compromise to optimal safety in rare emergencies that occur for healthy women (postpartum bleeding), as well as access and convenience for medications for their newborns (Vitamin K, erythromycin).

This gap in midwifery care requires a resolution. The Board of Medicine has recently convened a Midwifery and Medications Workgroup, whose task is to address this issue.

Please contact the Board of Medicine NOW to let them know that you care about this issue and expect to see a resolution as soon as possible! (Scroll for contact info and sample talking points.)

During the first meeting of the Workgroup (December 3, 2010), many issues were discussed among the members (2 CPMs, 1CNM, 1 OB, 2 Pediatricians, and a Citizen member). The CPMs on the workgroup and those that attended the meeting, made every effort to educate the rest of the group on the issues, concerns, and obstacles to resolution. Representatives from the Medical Society of Virginia indicated that they would like physician oversight of midwives to be established prior to supporting any changes in the scope of practice of Licensed Midwives.

Please plan to come to the next meeting of the Workgroup on Friday, February 4th at 9am to speak during the public comment period. Please prepare a brief written statement prior to the meeting.

The Workgroup was unable to come to agreement on a next step other than to meet again in February. In order to authorize another meeting, the group passed the following motion unanimously,

"The committee will discuss and develop a plan that will increase safety and access to necessary medications for home-birthing women and their newborns."

By passing this resolution, the group acknowledged that there is a concern, but that there is not yet a clear path to solving it.

Due to short notice from the Board of Medicine about the workgroup meeting, there was only ONE consumer present to represent all of you. As many of you know, it was largely due to the massive effort of every individual mother, father, grandparent, sister and cousin that allowed CPMs to be licensed in Virginia through the passage of our bill in 2005. This was not an easy effort and the sentiment from the medical community is largely unchanged. The Commonwealth Midwives Alliance (CMA) is once again asking midwifery supporters like you to come forward and bolster our goal to effectively serve the mothers and infants of the Commonwealth.

Letter Writing Pointers and Contact Information

Please write a brief personal note to the Board of Medicine today…

Address your letter to:

Virginia Board of Medicine Workgroup on Midwifery and Medications

Attn. Dr. William Harp, Executive Director;

Dr. Karen Ransone, President of the Board of Medicine;

Dr. Deren Bader, CPM, Chair of the Midwifery Advisory Board

Perimeter Center

9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300

Henrico, Virginia 23233-1463 

Please send your letter via email. Use the same header and send to: medbd@dhp.virginia.gov

(Cc) to: Dr. Deren Bader: deren@mountainviewmidwives.com

CMA President, Kim Mosny: kmosny@RichmondMidwife.com

The issue is clear: You have a right to safe and effective maternity care. CPMs are proven as safe providers of out of hospital birth. Virginia Licensed Midwives need access to the tools available to provide the care they are trained to offer.

Here are a few more things to consider:

• Describe the beliefs you have about wanting someone who would attend your birth with the appropriate tools and competencies to assist in a normal birthing process. Explain that you want your midwife to be able to use all the knowledge and skills of her training. This includes administering medications when indicated.

• If you have an experience that demonstrates how important it would have been for your midwife to be able to carry and administer certain medications, speak about the experience. For example, were you inconvenienced in needing to obtain RhoGam? Were you unable to get Vitamin K and/or erythromycin for your newborn because of the midwife’s restriction and thus you decided against those medications for your baby? Did you forgo medications due to inconvenience?

• Please do not speak negatively about hospitals or hospital providers. Keep the tone of your letter positive.

• Indicate that you will be monitoring the deliberations of the Workgroup and hope that its recommendations will be carefully focused on the evidence for best practice, and the health and safety of the Virginia families who choose home birth and the care of Licensed CPMs.

Thank you for your support of Virginia Licensed Certified Professional Midwives.

Sincerely,

Kim Mosny, CPM

President, Commonwealth Midwives Alliance

For questions or for more information please contact:

Kim Mosny, CPM ~ President 

Commonwealth Midwives Alliance

13541 E. Boundary Rd, Ste 101 

Midlothian, Virginia 23112

kmosny@richmondmidwife.com

(804) 651-0608

Be sure to join the Friends of CMA YahooGroup at: 

Friends_of_CMA-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

http://www.commonwealthmidwives.org/actionalert.htm