Featured Articles

Become a Blessingway Facilitator

May 12, 2013

Facilitating blessingway ceremonies is a wonderful way that doulas, birth educators and other childbirth professionals can serve pregnant women. Blessingways originate from Native American culture and were used to mark transitions in the life of women. Unlike baby showers that often focus on gift giving, blessingways focus on honoring the expecting mother. The expecting mother is surrounded by women that are very close to her. These women participate in pampering the mother: Soaking her feet in...

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Great Reviews for Called to the Childbirth Profession

May 8, 2013

Much thanks to all that have purchased and read our new book, Called to the Childbirth Profession. This book is the first A to Z guide to the childbirth profession. It is written to inspire both new and seasoned professionals. The book has received excellent reviews at Amazon.com. Here are some of the thoughts that readers have shared: “This book is not only resourceful and helpful, accessible and friendly, but it is also very empowering and encouraging. I am new to the childbirth professi...

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Resources for Expectant Fathers

May 7, 2013

It is important that doulas, birth educators, midwives, physicians and other childbirth professionals help men transition into their roles as fathers. So often pregnancy and childbirth education materials are mother focused and the fathers-to-be are side lined, receiving little to no information to prepare them for fatherhood. Let’s change that by providing support and guidance to expectant fathers, easing their fears and increasing their confidence. The following are resources for fathers...

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Evidence supports vaginal twin births

April 30, 2013

After our last post Breech Baby Resources, we were asked if we had any information regarding the delivery of twins, when twin A is head down. What a great question! Many twin moms are facing this situation…Here is our answer. It is important that women expecting twins receive evidence-based information and be fully informed regarding having their babies delivered vaginally or by cesarean surgery. Access the largest twin study from your library or purchase it. See link: The Twin Birth Study...

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Become a Blessingway Facilitator

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blessingway candlesFacilitating blessingway ceremonies is a wonderful way that doulas, birth educators and other childbirth professionals can serve pregnant women.

Blessingways originate from Native American culture and were used to mark transitions in the life of women. Unlike baby showers that often focus on gift giving, blessingways focus on honoring the expecting mother.

The expecting mother is surrounded by women that are very close to her. These women participate in pampering the mother:

  • Soaking her feet in rose petals
  • Applying henna to her belly and hands
  • Creating and decorating a belly cast
  • Brushing her hair and decorating with flowers
  • Giving her a foot and body massage

Another important part of a blessingway is to include rituals that show the mother that her community of women friends will be with her in spirit through her labor and birth. A variety of ways can show this:

Beads - Each participant brings a bead and shares something positive and affirming to mother. The beads create a bracelet or necklace for her to wear through her labor reminding her of love and support.

Candles – Each guest lights a candle and shares about her connection to the mother and what they love about her. The candles are then taken home by the guests and lit when she goes into labor sending her positive energy until birth.

String – A long continuous piece of string or yarn is woven around the wrists of all the women present symbolizing the power of the group. Then the strings are cut and tied creating bracelets that are worn until the mother has given birth. This shows the continuous love and support of her group.

Blessingways also include time to eat and connect. If gifts are given they are mother focused and include giving her frozen meals, signing up to help with household chores, doula gift certificates, pajamas, baths salts, etc. The goal is to let her know that she will be given help, love, and support through birth and the postpartum period by her friends and family.

A blessingway facilitator meets with the expecting mother or someone extremely close to her to plan and make sure the ceremony reflects her personal preferences, as there are many ways to honor and celebrate a woman during a blessingway.

Childbirth Professionals International will be offering a blessingway facilitation workshop this fall. Send us an email to let us know your interest.

Great Reviews for Called to the Childbirth Profession

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Called to the Childbirth ProfessionMuch thanks to all that have purchased and read our new book, Called to the Childbirth Profession.

This book is the first A to Z guide to the childbirth profession. It is written to inspire both new and seasoned professionals.

The book has received excellent reviews at Amazon.com. Here are some of the thoughts that readers have shared:

“This book is not only resourceful and helpful, accessible and friendly, but it is also very empowering and encouraging. I am new to the childbirth profession and no one close to me works in the profession. This book helped answer a lot of questions I had. It made me feel the way I feel when someone is giving you the lay out or orientation to a career. My favorite part is that Donyale Abe puts down doable steps and very practical information. The book is full of ideas! Very doable ideas. I will have this book for a long time and reference it whenever I feel stuck or alone in my career.”

“This well researched resource is thorough, well presented and informative. It gives factual information alongside real life experiences. I found it inspiring, very real and a book to turn to over and over again. Highly recommended.”

“I wish this book had been available when I had the desire and ambition to enter the childbirth profession and only lacked the guidance. I eventually made it, but my way was full of road blocks, U-turns and dead ends. This book would have helped me tremendously. I highly recommend Called to the Childbirth Profession for anyone who wants an effective road map into the field. Explore over 60 professions (some of which I had never considered) and use the easy resource list to gain additional information to pursue the profession. So glad someone took the time to make life easier for so many by providing navigation through the birth field. Purchase this great resource and begin to follow your dreams.”

Save $10 off the book by purchasing it through our website at:

http://thechildbirthprofession.com/book

Resources for Expectant Fathers

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dad and babyIt is important that doulas, birth educators, midwives, physicians and other childbirth professionals help men transition into their roles as fathers.

So often pregnancy and childbirth education materials are mother focused and the fathers-to-be are side lined, receiving little to no information to prepare them for fatherhood. Let’s change that by providing support and guidance to expectant fathers, easing their fears and increasing their confidence.

The following are resources for fathers: