I am so excited to announce the date for our documentary screening!
March 3rd 2011 Doors Open at 6pm Movie starts at 6:30
at Wealthy Street Theater
See the Event listing on the CMC Website here
Guerilla MidwifeA 90 minute documentary by Deja Bernhardt
Starring Ibu(Mother)Robin Lim
Along the fragrant streets of Bali and desolate Acehnese refugee camps of the Indonesian Archipelago, Ibu Robin - A Guerrilla Midwife - perches over the red lips of volcanoes and finds herself at a time where midwifery is put to the test, when there is no technology right at the epicenter of the Earthquake and the bowels of the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in a culturally mesmerizing, heart-wrenching, epic documentary to show why we must change our protocols for pregnancy and childbirth back to a gentle, natural method, if our planet is to survive the dominance of mankind. "Healing the Earth one baby at a time." ~Ibu Robin Lim There is a WAR being fought day and night, in every country on this planet, to gain an asset more precious than gold or oil - it is our human capacity to LOVE that is at risk. The battlefield is women's individual bodies when they are most vulnerable and in need of protection, at the time they are giving birth. It is at the fulcrum of birth and the first hour thereafter that individuals develop either an intact ability or an impaired capacity to love. It is your capacity to love that either makes you helpful or harmful to all sentient beings and our environment. Technology, when used inappropriately in birth has disempowered women, harmed the bonding process and sabotaged breastfeeding and our essential human right to love and be loved. This is the burden and the gift of the Guerrilla Midwife. It is not only environmental disasters that are standing in between WOMEN but the "Big Business" of BIRTH
"Future of Birth in Michigan" Discussion to follow with a panel of midwives and birth experts.
Info tables from local birth and parenting organizations
Donations will go towards
Bumi Sehat Foundation International and ICAN of Grand Rapids Bumi Sehat Foundation International, founded in 1995, is a non-profit, village-based
organization of dedicated families, midwives, doctors, nurses, teachers and volunteers
from Indonesia and other countries around the world. Bumi Sehat runs two by-donation
community health centers in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia that provide over 17,000 health
consultations for both children and adults per year. Midwifery services to ensure gentle
births is at the heart of Bumi Sehat and our clinics welcome approximately 600 new
babies into the world each year. We have also established capacity building and
community outreach programs, including a Youth Center and village recycling program.
Explore this page for more info on the International Cesarean Awareness Network and our local ICAN of Grand Rapids chapter
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
First ICAN Support Group Meeting Tomorrow!
Our First Cesarean/VBAC Support Group meeting is tomorrow! Please check out the Support Group page for pertinent info.
I am so excited about this group and what its going to mean for the women and families in this area. We will be focusing most of our time on sharing and listening, this will be a safe space where women and their family members or spouses can work through traumatic birth experiences together, or maybe just rethink confusing events and ask others for their opinions or advice on your unique situation if you wish. I think it is invaluable to share your birth story and hear stories from other mothers and fathers, whether you are expecting your first or seventh! I read a quote today that sums up well how I hope to be supportive from one mom to another:
"We need to take care with every message we deliver to women about birth, and ensure that each message honors the fact that every woman at every moment is making the best decisions she can for herself and her child, with the information she has. And the truth is...that can take a mountain of strength." - Melissa Bruij...n and Debby Gould (in Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine
I plan to carry that quote into this group with me to try to prevent further wounding of moms that might already be vulnerable, and to be as supportive as I can.
We also plan to spend a moment or two discussing ways to prevent a first time cesarean or a repeat cesarean, and how to get the support you need to have a VBAC or HBAC.This week we will be less thorough on this topic because we will be connecting for the first time and I am sure we will discuss what ICAN of Grand Rapids hopes to be and how people can get involved.
There will usually be one or two birth professionals attending and they will be open to answering questions before or after the meeting. I look forward to meeting some new friends and working on changing the current birth climate in Grand Rapids together!
Stephanie Mayne
ICAN of Grand Rapids Chapter Co-leader
I am so excited about this group and what its going to mean for the women and families in this area. We will be focusing most of our time on sharing and listening, this will be a safe space where women and their family members or spouses can work through traumatic birth experiences together, or maybe just rethink confusing events and ask others for their opinions or advice on your unique situation if you wish. I think it is invaluable to share your birth story and hear stories from other mothers and fathers, whether you are expecting your first or seventh! I read a quote today that sums up well how I hope to be supportive from one mom to another:
"We need to take care with every message we deliver to women about birth, and ensure that each message honors the fact that every woman at every moment is making the best decisions she can for herself and her child, with the information she has. And the truth is...that can take a mountain of strength." - Melissa Bruij...n and Debby Gould (in Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine
I plan to carry that quote into this group with me to try to prevent further wounding of moms that might already be vulnerable, and to be as supportive as I can.
We also plan to spend a moment or two discussing ways to prevent a first time cesarean or a repeat cesarean, and how to get the support you need to have a VBAC or HBAC.This week we will be less thorough on this topic because we will be connecting for the first time and I am sure we will discuss what ICAN of Grand Rapids hopes to be and how people can get involved.
There will usually be one or two birth professionals attending and they will be open to answering questions before or after the meeting. I look forward to meeting some new friends and working on changing the current birth climate in Grand Rapids together!
Stephanie Mayne
ICAN of Grand Rapids Chapter Co-leader
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Announcing ICAN of Grand Rapids Blog!
Our mission:
To improve maternal-child health by preventing uneccesary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cearean (VBAC).
ICAN of Grand Rapids is a local chapter of the International Ceasarean Awareness Network.
(ICAN), a non-profit organization whose 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). We serve the Greater Grand Rapids area, and because we are the first chapter of this kind in West Michigan, strive to support those who need it in the entire West Michigan area until more local chapters can be started. Anyone who wishes to be a part of maternal health advocacy, or feels they need an advocate is welcome to participate!
~Monthly Meetings
~In Person, Phone, Email Support Options
~Special Events
~Advocacy Work
~Local Childbirth resources
~Empowerment, knowledge, and trust
Our Facebook Page
Follow us on Facebook and on here to get up to date info on Chapter events and information.
To improve maternal-child health by preventing uneccesary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cearean (VBAC).
ICAN of Grand Rapids is a local chapter of the International Ceasarean Awareness Network.
(ICAN), a non-profit organization whose 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). We serve the Greater Grand Rapids area, and because we are the first chapter of this kind in West Michigan, strive to support those who need it in the entire West Michigan area until more local chapters can be started. Anyone who wishes to be a part of maternal health advocacy, or feels they need an advocate is welcome to participate!
~Monthly Meetings
~In Person, Phone, Email Support Options
~Special Events
~Advocacy Work
~Local Childbirth resources
~Empowerment, knowledge, and trust
Our Facebook Page
Follow us on Facebook and on here to get up to date info on Chapter events and information.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)