Doula Training Expansion (April Newsletter)

Events & Information for Birth & Postpartum Doulas (and aspiring Midwives!)

Grant pays for tuition-free midwifery program at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan’s School of Nursing has partnered with Birth Detroit to launch the Michigan Maternity Care Traineeship Program. What an opportunity!

Laughing gas for labor pain? Nitrous oxide (N2O) has some advantages over injected opioids and epidurals. It provides rapid onset of moderate pain relief that is under the laboring woman’s control. It has no known adverse effect on labor progress or the baby.
 
The Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)is dissolving as an organization, not without controversy. A celebration will be held on Sunday, April 7th. Search on Facebook to enter the conversation.

New reasons and new ways to study birth physiology. The upshot is, birth works better when we disturb normal physiology as little as possible. In particular, neocortical stimulation via language, bright lights, the “feeling of being observed,” and situations associated with a release of catecholamines (stress hormones) should be avoided.
 
Michigan Midwives Association Spring Conference will take place May 3 & 4 in Lansing. Great networking and continuing education opportunity for Michigan’s homebirth midwives and aspiring midwives.

End-of-Life Doula Training Comes to Russia

Interest in end-of-life doulas is growing worldwide. After months of collaboration, the folks at the Human Development Institute in Saint Petersburg are premiering the first End-of-Life Doula Training program in Russia. The program is based on the curriculum developed by Patty Brennan of Lifespan Doulas. We now have a model for how to navigate the co-creation process and customize content with our international partners. I thoroughly enjoyed this discovery process and welcome inquiries from other countries!

How to Network: Top Tips for End-of-Life Doulas

Our March Members Webinar proved beneficial for the EOLDs who attended, some of whom were feeling discouraged over the perceived failure of their networking efforts. All their issues were addressed with specific guidance and encouragement from presenter Kelly Collins, CEOLD and host Patty Brennan. Kelly has been especially successful at making rewarding connections in her home state of Florida. If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch the recording here: Top Networking Tips for End-of-Life Doulas.

Lifespan Doulas’ training programs are now available through Washtenaw Community College.

We expect these trainings to be approved for 6.5 Nursing CEUs and possibly also for Social Worker CEUs, but approval is pending. We will keep you posted .. 

See the Spring/Summer brochure. Join us for the free exploratory mini-classes during Free College Week in April:

• Becoming an End-of-Life Doula on 4/9 (Tuesday, 11am EDT) or 4/11 (Thursday, 7pm EDT)   
• Becoming a Birth or Postpartum Doula on 4/9 (Tuesday, 1pm EDT) or 4/10 (Wednesday, 7pm EDT)

Get your questions answered!

Advance Care Planning Resources

From the newsletter of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) … favorite resources for advance care planning. April 16th is National Health Care Decisions Day. 

CaringInfo offers comprehensive guides and resources on topics such as advance directives, palliative care, caregiving, and hospice care. Their resources are designed to support individuals and families as they navigate complex healthcare decisions during challenging times. 

Compassion & Choices offers “Finish Strong” tools and resources designed to assist individuals and their loved ones in planning for an end-of-life experience that aligns with their values and preferences. Their resources cover various aspects of end-of-life care planning, including options for individuals with dementia diagnoses. 

Hospice Foundation of America provides valuable information on advance care planning, including guidance on creating advance directives and making informed healthcare decisions. Their resources aim to empower individuals to take control of their end-of-life care journey.