October 2018 – Monthly Update
Intro
Dear Community,
It is autumn and the chlorophyll levels are coming down in the boreal forests of around me. Yellows are appearing. My mind easily floats back to the waterfalls of Brazil, where we just have just returned from our Spinning Babies 2018 World Confluence “SIAParto + Spinning Babies: Active Patience.”
Fun developments! The fruitful work of Spinning Babies® Approved Trainer Lorenza Holt in bringing together a Quality Improvement (QI) team is going to the APHA Annual Meeting where Leslie Fung, MPH, will present findings on a community hospital’s use of Spinning Babies®. Over 70% of Labor and Delivery Nurses and several of the Certified Nurse-Midwives from this community hospital were trained in Spinning Babies by Lorenza Holt. Three months later, Professor Karla Damus’ research students, including Leslie Fung, reported the nurse use patterns with Spinning Babies approach in labor. Side Lying Release (90.2%) and Internal Rotation of Femur (78.8%) were most frequently used by the nurses three months after learning them in Lorenza Holt’s Spinning Babies® Workshop. We’ll describe more after APHA in our December monthly newsletter.
We are offering two more Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Trainings this autumn. We’ve offered three Parent Educator Trainings so far this year to give current childbirth educators an additional ability, legal and skill, to present Spinning Babies® birth preparation to expectant parents. April and July in St. Paul, and September in Brazil. What a learning curve for us at Spinning Babies as well as our experienced childbirth educators who are surprised to find the content so unique and effective. The Parent Educator Training in the United Kingdom is full and we are happy to be offering spots in Boston this very month to childbirth educators who have taken a Spinning Babies® Workshop.
For the birth story of the month, we are sharing a new Parent Educator’s observations about the improvement in how her Spinning Babies® Parent Class participant’s births are matching the hopes of the parents in avoiding cesareans or reducing epidurals (for the parents that would rather not have epidurals).
While I’m sleeping more with the cooler weather, I’m dreaming of meeting the needs of our growing community. Ideas drop like acorns, but effort to change is like the growth of a tree. It takes longer than we think, but the benefits shade the community. If you would like to see acorns dropping as fast as my ideas, see our Instagram account for my little video and listen to the surprising sound of a shower of acorns!
Tip for the Month
“I’m Pregnant. What should I do first?”
Walking 1-3 miles, 2-5 kilometers a day with walking shoes. Mind your level of tolerance and work up to walking long distances gradually. Flexible soles and a good gait. Not fast, but flowing. Push off with the ball of your foot. Swing your leg forward using your thigh. When smooth, it’s like cross country skiing. That’s the feel!
Hip openers and lunges with legs to the front. Then calf stretches. This is great in the first trimester and throughout pregnancy. Don’t start squatting in the first trimester. Do calf stretches and front body hip openers to prepare yourself for squatting. I suggest a Squatty Potty® when using the toilet (and no, I don’t get paid to say that but I would love to! Its a great product. You can substitute but it’s not as easy to acquire or convenient to use as buying a Squatty Potty).
Daily activities and Daily Essentials are so similar. The first set is written free instructions on the website. The Daily Essentials are put together on a gorgeous video with Rest Smart and a yoga flow (and a demo for potty use!). These activities give a full range of motion to the important bits and the Rest Smart suggestions prevent falling back into misaligned postures while resting.
Daily Essentials: Activities for Pregnancy Comfort & Easier Birth
Then you may want to restore balance to your muscles and ligaments in your pelvis and uterus. I suggest the techniques on our website – these three are central to Spinning Babies success and I would add all the releases.
That’s what to do in pregnancy. Plus eat well, laugh a lot, drink clean water, and move your body. Talk to your baby. Love. Find pregnant and parenting friends or a group. See a kind provider like a midwife or a doctor who offers personalized care. Get set up with a doula. You are doing good work. We are all going to benefit from the love you grow as you grow your baby. Thank you.
Birth Stories
This month’s birth stories come from Linda Middlekauff, provisional Parent Educator. Linda is teaching her classes during her provisional period on route to becoming a Certified Parent Educator after attending our Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training this past April in St. Paul, MN.
April 2018 Spinning Babies® Parent Educator Training
She has a lot of experience teaching parents a 7 week series on pregnancy, childbirth, and the first days of parenting. Here’s Linda,
“It’s been so exciting to apply all that I’ve learned from Spinning Babies®. within my 7-week Lamaze series! For about 2 years before I attended the workshops and the teacher training, I was reading your website and began to use Sidelying Release & Forward-leaning Inversion, but in addition to learning so many more tools, the hands-on experience at the trainings helped me to better apply those first two techniques.
…I had 9 couples and re-wrote each of the 7 classes so that I could begin Spinning Babies® in the first class. … Two moms … had lower pelvic pain and both experienced a relief of symptoms by using the Abdominal Lift and Tuck + posterior pelvic tilt (in labor) in addition to using good body mechanics.
During Class 1 of this series one mom, [in her first pregnancy] at 32 weeks, told me that her baby had just become a double footling breech. She and her partner stayed after class so that I could teach them FLI in addition to the other pelvic inlet opening techniques we’d learned in class that night. They came a half hour early to the next class, so I taught them the breech tilt using the birth ball. In addition, this mom attended a prenatal swim class. 3 weeks later this baby became a vertex presentation and stayed that way!
Interestingly, 2 moms & their partners began late in Class 4 and only attended 2 classes as both delivered at 36 weeks. One baby was a frank breech and was delivered by Cesarean section after 4 hours of labor. I had no babies born after 40 weeks +3 which is very unusual. The only other Cesarean was for a mom with twins who had a scheduled Cesarean at 38 weeks + 1. Most of the others had average lengths of labor.
This class had very motivated students, most of whom really practiced as directed, and all of whom used multiple Spinning Babies’ techniques in addition to the many Lamaze techniques, comfort measures, etc. Each one of them thought that they had a positive birth experience and other than those having a Cesarean, only one had one dose of Fentanyl + an epidural. Such a low # of epidurals is also unusual in our local hospital.
We also talk about informed consent & respectful refusal. In the first class, I encourage my student to begin bringing up their preferences and suggest they bring up something simple like eating and drinking vs. IV’s if that is what they’d like. This opens communications and helps the provider know that the parents want an active role in their pregnancy & birth. As long as the parents are respectful & listen to what the provider says, I think providers learn to respect their clients more as well.”
Brazil Recap
Many hands went to making the Brazil SIA Parto + Spinning Babies Conference a success. Ana Cris Duarte, revolutionary midwife, organizes the annual SIA Parto (Transformative Birth) event.
This year 2000 doctors, midwives, nurses, and doulas attended Active Patience, the 2018 title for our combined conference. International and Brazilian providers spoke on preserving physiological birth in their practical skills presentations. Especially exciting for us was that all six Approved Trainers presented on stages for 250- 800 or more people. I got to see all of these skilled Approved Trainers present. What a treat!
We presented Spinning Babies® with the professional help of skilled interpreters giving voice to our words from their booth to the participants’ headphones. Tammy Ryan (group picture just below) began teaching in Rio on her birthday and continued on with the rest of us when we all arrived. The trainers added their specialties in personal presentations at the conference. Tammy Ryan gave the first talk in Brazil on the effects of childhood sexual abuse on the birthing person’s experience, as she is a certified When Survivors Give Birth presenter. Enjoy their photos below.
Lorenza Holt (just above) presented the Quality Improvement poster from a Boston area hospital’s Spinning Babies experience (see my letter above).
Jennifer Walker spoke to over 600 providers on common birth management practices in second stage while inviting awareness to human rights in profound and simple practice changes. Faces were riveted to her performance style teaching and bodies were squirming with uncomfortable recognition and, then, rising to commitment to offer more dignity in birth care, language, and informed consent.
Nicole Morales taught breech body balancing and the breech birth process with special attention to open levels of the pelvis with techniques and birth positions appropriate to anatomy. Providers grew in skills for both pregnancy bodywork and/or to catch breech babies, depending on their scope of practice and choice.
Rachel Shapiro brought her audience of some 800 people to their feet at the end of her midwifery skills lecture. I don’t have that pic, but above is Rachel in our Approved Trainer group on the stage wishing 2000 providers happy physiological birthing until we meet again! We leave them with our three published, Portuguese language books by EMA Publishing (Belly Mapping, The Quick Reference Guide, and The Breech Quick Guide) and our digital downloads. Tania De Filippis has printed posters and tear-off handouts for childbirth educators. Look for digital versions of the English handouts on our shop soon!
SIA Parto is an oxytocin fest! Each of us got to hear stories of how what we taught the day before affect the birth of someone that following night! Amazing!
Tammy continued teaching around the country after the conference, as did Rachel Shapiro, who had taken her nursing exam on the same day she flew to Brazil. All of us did one or two or more workshops, until 600 providers attended the Spinning Babies® Workshop. Lorenza Holt, Jennifer Walker, Rachel Shapiro and myself were joined by Tania De Filippis (below with her birth colleagues of Campinas) to prepare 59 Parent Educators to bring Spinning Babies ease in birth to parents in Brazil. Tania is our representative in Brazil and helped us 24/7 from Sept. 3 to the 17 when I got on the plane to come home. There was also a few days of fun in Alto Paraiso, a crystal- lined wilderness with waterfalls and hiking trails.
We met Brazilian friends who are conference and exhibit organizers and helpers, providers, excited nurses, the first doula in Brazil, artists, and activists. Before we left the country, one new friend is 79-year-old midwife, Dona Flor, serving families in the forest and seeking to build a birth and training center to teach physiological birth skills to new midwives and family planning to young people living in rural Brazil. We would love to surprise her with a monetary gift to help that practicality become real. Visiting Brazil (Brasil!) was a bonding experience for our team.
Tammy is set to go next April to Recife, Brazil, for SIA Parto events and to offer more workshops. And I stroke the little silver lantern given to me – Luz de Candeeiros. Treading through the darkness by the help of candles in tin lanterns to do the work of Light.
The midwives asked us, everywhere we went, “Don’t forget us.”
Boston Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training
Our next Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training is coming up in Boston, MA, USA October 25 – 28! Nothing beats the in-depth training this workshop provides if you want to teach the Spinning Babies approach to pregnant parents. Here is what past attendees have to say about the training:
“There are no words. I just can’t put into words what this weekend is doing and has already given to me. I’m so very thankful to be a part of a group of women who understand birth and are willing to share. Just in awe.” – Traci Weafer
“It is such an honor & privilege to be a Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator, improving pregnancy and birth experiences for parents in our local community… Gail Tully has created a program that really works!” – Amaris Garcia
“I’m absolutely loving my Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator Training in St. Paul, Minnesota. I’ve met so many amazing birth workers from all over the world and we’re all here learning such inspiring, amazing, birth-changing education.” – Shanna Baker Switzer
“Wow! I’m still processing all of the information Gail Tully and Jennifer Walker shared with us. It was a day filled with magic and passing of wisdom. I’m so excited to share this knowledge with my clients & experience how these techniques work in the birth room!” – Christine Michelle
Would being certified to teach Spinning Babies® to parents be an advantage to your childbirth education offerings? Learn more and register here!
Upcoming Spinning Babies® Workshops & Events
OCTOBER
5 – Singapore – Spinning Babies® Workshop
5 – Tacoma, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Gail Tully – SOLD OUT
6 – Tacoma, WA – Labor In-depth with Spinning Babies® w/ Gail Tully
7 – Tacoma, WA – Resolving Fetal Malposition in Labor with Spinning Babies® 4-hour clinical AM w/ Gail Tully
9 – Tacoma, WA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Gail Tully – SOLD OUT
11 – Norwood, MA – Labor and Birth with Spinning Babies® w/ Lorenza Holt – SOLD OUT
13-14 – Auckland, NZ – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop
16 – Adelaide, AU – Spinning Babies® Workshop
17 – Melbourne, AU – Spinning Babies® Workshop
18 – Sydney, AU – Spinning Babies® Workshop
19 – Brisbane, AU – Spinning Babies® Workshop
20 – Brisbane, AU – Spinning Babies® Workshop
20 – Chicago, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan – SOLD OUT
25-28 – Boston, MA – Spinning Babies® Parent Educator Training
27 – Dallas, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan – SOLD OUT
28 – Dallas, TX – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan – SOLD OUT
30 – Albuquerque, NM – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/Nicole Morales
31 – סדנא ספינינג בייביס
NOVEMBER
1 – Amsterdam, NL- Spinning Babies® Workshop met Jennifer Walker (nederlandstalig)
2 – Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
3 – Winnipeg, MB, Canada – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
4 – Jerusalem – 2 Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Rachel Shapiro (English language)
8-11 – Birmingham, UK – Spinning Babies® Parent Educator Training for Childbirth Educators – SOLD OUT
9 – Grand Rapids, MI – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
10 – Grand Rapids, MI – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
17 – Gilbert, AZ – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
22 – Antwerpen, Belgium – Spinning Babies® Workshop met Jennifer Walker (nederlandstalig) – SOLD OUT
23 – Antwerpen, Belgium – Spinning Babies® Workshop met Jennifer Walker (nederlandstalig)
27 – Boulder, CO – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan – SOLD OUT
30 – Washington, DC – Labor and Birth with Spinning Babies® w/ Lorenza Holt
DECEMBER
1 – Washington, DC – Labor and Birth with Spinning Babies® w/ Lorenza Holt – SOLD OUT
11 – Charlestown, MA – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Lorenza Holt
19 – Litchfield, IL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
JANUARY 2019
5 – Columbia, MD – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
18 – Montgomery, AL – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
February 2019
4-5-6-7-8 Gail Tully, Spinning Babies® Workshop, Resolving Shoulder Dystocia, Breech Basics – all week! Scuola ElementaLe di Arte Ostetrica, Firenze, Italia … Translated to Italian
APRIL 2019
6-7 – Fürstenfeld, Austria – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Jennifer Walker
9-10 – Fürstenfeld, Austria – 2-Day Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Jennifer Walker
27 – St. James, MO – Spinning Babies® Workshop w/ Tammy Ryan
JUNE 2019
24 – Lago d’Orta, Italy – Birth with Love & Spinning Babies® Doula Retreat w/ Jennifer Walker and Debra Pascali-Bonaro
JULY 2019
Will there be a Parent Educator Training in Toronto this month? We’re considering! This is for childbirth educators who’ve taken the Spinning Babies® Workshop.
You can see our upcoming events on our calendar here.
Please note: A Spinning Babies® Workshop is given by a Spinning Babies® Approved Trainer. If a workshop is not given by Gail Tully or an Approved Trainer then it is not a Spinning Babies® Workshop. Attendance at a Spinning Babies® Workshop is not certification or permission for teaching or using Spinning Babies name or brand in your business or education.