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Hi Deb
We run a variety of programs. Essentially we offer
a one day workshop on preparation for labour & birth (8hr session) or we run
weekly evening sessions for 2 hrs over 6 weeks. Most of my teaching is based on
active birth principles but we also place a strong emphasis on informed choice,
using past life experience as a basis for decision making. Most of the
activities we used originated from the Capers and Acegraphics workshops. Also
from the work done by Terri Schilling who is a wonderful US educator. We talk
about the cascade of intervention effects and do a lot of group work on the
importance of establishing parents rights in the birth process. It doesn't
always work particularly where prospective parents end up in the private sector-
the Doctor wields a lot more power in that setting.
Recently we ran a one day class for new parents
concentrating on parenting issues which seemed very successful. The one day
programs are popular out here due to the distances being travelled -up to 1 1/ 2
hours for some people. We were looking essentially at new born issues such as
feeding,settling babies, provision of safety in the home and also ran a session
for new Dads facilitated by our social worker who is really interested in how
parenting impacts on new dads.
Hope that gives a quick outline of what we teach.
If you need more details give me a ring at work 96901350.
Regards
Jane
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 2:43
PM
Subject: Introduction and request for
help - thanks
Jane
Thank you for your reply, and your very helpful
suggestions.
Re: PI insurance - I will contact a broker here in Perth
who organises PI insurance for the firm of Patent Attorney's that I work for -
as well as other professions and see how I go - failing that, I will try our
NCT insurer in the UK and see what they may be able to do to help.
I
have contacted NACE and am in the process of joining - my colleague and I are
both going to join.
What sort of classes do you provide?
We are looking to provide classes very much along the lines of the NCT in the
UK - giving parents the information to help them make choices. We are
neither pro home nor hospital, nor are we active labour in the strict sense of
the word. Physical skills are a part of our classes, but we take them
through what would be likely to happen during a C section, pros and cons of
assisted deliveries, induction, ARM etc. We also spend a lot of time
allowing parents the time to explore how being parents will affect their
lives, as well as such practical issues as babycare, the early postnatal
period, crying babies, feeding etc. Could you envisage that this would
be appropriate in WA, or would you suggest other formats? We are going
to explore other formats such as rolling series of classes, as well as fixed
length formats.
Regarding the clinical content of Study Days - what is
frustrating is that we do want to attend Study Days with clinical content - we
need to keep up to date with the latest clinical research on all aspects of
pregnancy, labour and birth. Many of the study days we attended in the
UK had clinical content - and as our training did include the clinical aspects
of obstetrics it is not completely above our heads, despite the fact that we
are not midwives :-) For example, some of the recent issues that have
cropped up between NCT teachers on our email discussion list have been
management of shoulder dystocia (and particularly the efficacy of the
McRoberts manoeuvre), suturing after episiotomy, management of breech births,
etc. - if we are to keep clients informed as to what to expect in labour than
we need to know what midwives and OB's are learning themselves.
Once
again - thanks for your help - as much input as we can get the better and it
is all very much appreciated.
With warm regards
Debbie
Slater
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