SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Plenary Session 1 Undisturbed Birth:  Mother Nature's recipe for safety, ease, and ecstasy Sarah Buckley Australian family physician and homebirth mother of four Sarah J Buckley MD brings her celebrated blend of science and wisdom, explaining in this lecture how the "ecstatic hormones of undisturbed birth" (oxytocin, beta-endorphin, epinephrine and norepinephrine and prolactin) are designed to enhance ease, pleasure and safety for mother and baby through labor, birth and beyond. She also explores how common obstetric interventions -- epidurals, Pitocin, cesareans and even close observation of mother and baby -- interfere with this delicate hormonal orchestration, and can compromise ease and pleasure, and sometimes safety, for mother and baby. . Along the way, Sarah shares some mammalian birth stories; muses on the birth experiences of our stone-age foremothers; describes the multiple inbuilt safety factors in normal birth; and explains why chickens cluck when they lay eggs. A not-to-be-missed experience!
Concurrent Sessions
A1	Homebirth in the Hospital Stacey Kerr, MD As a physician with strong roots in midwifery, Dr. Kerr is a passionate advocate for childbirth practices that are not only safe but also empowering. Although homebirth is a viable option for many, there are women who do not want to deliver their babies in their own homes. But why should these women be given the message that their bodies are not to be trusted? Can't they birth a baby without unnecessary medical technology and interventions?
A2	Empowering Girls and Women to Love Themselves Promotes Healthy Birth Practices  Pam Chubbuck Due to medical, societal, and psychological forces, women are losing their natural ability to give birth joyfully. Women’s self confidence is eroding as fast and as much as they are told that all childbirth is dangerous enough that it must be regulated by medical procedures all the time. This discussion will cover what happens psychologically/physically during the formative years to stunt girls’ energy to be themselves, what happens to literally change their bodies – so they do not have the energy to do what nature intended - to grow to be women powerful beyond measure, healthy, self confident and wise.   Preparing girls to be strong healthy women is foremost in preventing disempowering experiences later on in life. We will also discuss how to heal after negative experiences, and inspire women to start teaching their daughters to be healthy NOW.
A3	Listening to Mothers - Lessons Learned from SOLACE Sharon Storton and Christie Craigie-Carter
Plenary Session 2 Respectful Cesarean Joni Nichols When a cesarean becomes necessary, this sacred moment must still be considered a family centered celebration. The physical wound is hard enough...we don’t need to leave emotionally wounded women in their wake! How can we achieve this? We need a calm and tranquil atmosphere in the operating room, a mother-to-be with the person (or people!) she wishes at her side, immediate physical contact between mother and baby, continued contact during the remainder of the surgery, and a desire and attitude on the part of the professionals present to be of service to the new family. Think this is impossible? Come and see where these ideas have become realities
Plenary Session 3 Pregnant Fathers In America Steve Buonaugurio Buonagario will discuss the role of fathers during the birth of their child, how men impact their wives' birth experiences, and how men can be active in creating birth experiences for their wives that empower them.
Concurrent Sessions
B1	The Role of the Father in Preventing Cesarean Rose St. John Fathers, once banned from birthing, now thrust into the role of “coach”, are so often put into a situation that inevitably leads to feelings of frustration or failure. Rose St. John uses her experience assisting couples to find their way to a better birth, and addresses the other half of the birthing team and his unique needs. Fathers, partners, mothers and anyone else involved with birthing couples will gain helpful tools to use at births.
B3	Interpreting Your Medical Records Gretchen Humphries Are you bewildered by the “medical speak” in your own medical records or those of your  doula-clients? Do you want to access easy tools to assist you in reading and interpreting these records? Gretchen Humphries, MS DVM draws back the veil and gives you the skills you need to crack the code and empower yourself with more knowledge about your birth experience. If you have copies of your records, please bring them. Session will be in a workshop format and seating is limited - register soon!
B4	When Meconium Hits the Fan Polly Perez and Teresa Howard The goal of this session is to understand how to identify our pain from unexpected circumstances and begin the healing process. We will discover how telling our story is part of the process as well as how guided imagery will help in the healing process. We will discuss the tools that are available within your community. Teresa is a breast cancer survivor and Polly is a brain stoke survivor. They will share what worked in their healing processes as well as ideas on how to help others heal. Come ready to expand your thoughts on what to say and do to help yourself and others. This session is for anyone who is a survivor, those seeking ways to survive and those who work with survivors.
President's Panel Lunch Session
Concurrent Sessions
C2	Healing the Wounds of Birth Sandy Jones Giving birth can be deeply fulfilling, but it can also be profoundly wounding -- especially when a mother feels robbed of her birth experiences by an unexpected intervention or distressing outcome. This session sheds light on the emotional pain and loss experience of an unanticipated birth event, its effects on mother-baby and couple bonds, and it explores potential avenues for healing.
C3	The Kegel Queen Alyce Adams, RN Doing Kegels Wrong? Most Women Are! No, you can't do effective kegels while you drive your car or wait in a grocery line! Kegels can help with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, and lead to better sex — only if you do them correctly. In this upbeat, information-packed session you'll find out how to do kegels safely and effectively. You'll deepen your understanding of pelvic floor anatomy and physiology, and you'll get tips on how to successfully make kegels part of your busy life. We'll look at how pelvic floor muscle training can improve your sex life; review the research on how cesarean affects a woman's risk for urinary incontinence; and practice the Quick Kegel, the everyday habit that can protect your pelvic floor from stress.
C4	Getting the Message Out: Using the diffusion of innovation technique Ruth Ancheta
Plenary Session 4 Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in the US Eugene Declercq Eugene Declercq, one of the most impassioned and forthright advocates for improving mother-baby health in the USA, breaks down the numbers and gets to the heart of why and how the United States is failing mothers and babies so miserably. Declercq makes it easy to understand the numbers and energizes birth activists towards our goal of providing evidence-based care to all.
Plenary Session 5 "And Ain’t I A Woman”-The Sojourner Truth Syndrome” Shafia Monroe Sojourner Truth held up her banner and demanded respect even in her Blackness. Stating, “And Ain’t I a Woman”, demanding equal treatment.  Women who birth by Caesarean sections are real women with real experiences and deserve equal treatment during their postpartum experience. In this session, we will examine the impact of philosophical division in the birth culture that can make some feel less than women.
Concurrent Sessions
D1	The Courage To Try Again: Facing the fear with EFT Eileen Sullivan Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a simple tapping procedure for birth preparation based on the ancient science of acupuncture.  This gentle technique uses no needles, and can be learned in a single session.  Even beginners typically get great results, and EFT is helpful for everything from pre-birth fears and concerns to labor pain and breastfeeding issues.  In this hands-on session, we will tap together on common issues surrounding the childbearing year.   We will also discuss some hidden issues that may affect you, and how to use EFT to uncover and address them.  For instance, how well do you advocate for yourself and your baby?  Do you have “white coat syndrome”?  What is your internal dialogue about pregnancy, birth and parenting?  Is it helpful and positive, or is it self-sabotaging?  What can you do if you want to believe something (“I trust my body,” “ I can give birth without the epidural,” “Everything will go fine with breastfeeding this time”) but part of you just doesn’t agree?  You’re invited to bring your concerns and, if you choose, to share them with the group so we can tap on them together!
D2	Recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during Childbirth Jenny Griebenow  "So what's your problem? You just had a baby..." This session will provide a supportive  environment for mothers who have experienced traumatic birth; validating their experiences, while also providing specific practical information and recovery strategies that will assist them, as well as informing and educating birth professionals. An informal lecture with plenty of room for feedback from attendees, we will primarily focus on the trauma the mother has experienced, although the experiences of others family members will be briefly discussed. The session should also be informative for midwives, hospital staff, doulas, and others who work with birthing women.
D3	An Introduction to the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage: An Ancient Approach to Healing Revived. Debbie Schneider Come to this session for an introduction to The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage, and learn the answers to these questions. Why is Maya Abdominal Massage especially beneficial and healing (both physically and emotionally) to women who have had major abdominal surgery? Why does the position of my uterus matter? How can a massage help with normalizing menstruation...painful periods...uterine fibroids...digestive disorders? Why is this such a powerful statement - "The uterus is the woman's center. If her uterus is not in proper position and good health, nothing in her life will be right. She will be as out of balance as her uterus.", Don Elijio Panti, Traditional Healer in Belize. And much more!
D4	VBAC and Midwifery Legislation Panel Susan Hodges This interactive panel discussion will cover midwifery legislative efforts -- which states are seeking it and the pros and cons for midwives, consumers and those concerned about VBAC access.
Plenary Session 6 Just Say No? VBAC Bans and Other Hurdles in Avoiding Cesarean Surgery Susan Jenkins It seems as if we have reached the point with the present U.S. health care system where women who give birth in hospitals are strongly tempted to bring a lawyer as well as a doula to the hospital with them when they go into labor. Has this level of advocacy indeed become necessary and, if so, how does the average family prepare for "the L & D wars"? This presentation will explore various legal issues relating to informed consent, court-ordered cesarean surgery, and vbac bans, with a focus on recent developments and practical suggestions for avoiding unnecessary surgery and bringing public attention to the skyrocketing rates of medical interventions in U.S. hospitals.

 

 

 

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Continuing Education credits offered: please see our registration information for further information.

International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. (ICAN) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1982. ICAN's mission is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).

Contact ICAN at 1-800-686-ICAN or conference@ican-online.org

The International Cesarean Awareness Network, Inc. © 2008

Website by Christine Strain
Last updated September 1, 2008