Mother's Day

This weekend here in the United States we are getting ready to celebrate our mothers. I remember once when my dad was working for the phone company he told me that one of the busiest day for phone calls all year was Mother's Day.

Our mothers hold a special place in our hearts and memories. What do you think of or remember when you think of your mom? I remember notes in my school lunches signed with her distinctive heart signature. I remember her letting me talk through my options and listening to her words of wisdom as I considered where to go to college or get a job or one of those other "big" decisions of life. I remember when the tears would come she would let me have a good cry and then tell me to go wash my face and brush my teeth and go to bed because everything looks better in the morning. The first time I shared those same words of wisdom with a patient, I am pretty sure I could hear the echo of my mom's voice.  

This Mother's Day as we celebrate and remember those moments I want us to also remember that this day and every day there is a tragedy happening to mothers around the world. This Mother's Day, 1,000 mothers will die. They will die not from old age or cancer but because of complications during pregnancy or childbirth. 90% of these complications are preventable. The line at the end of this video says it all... "because out there, there is a mother that needs you, right now." So get more information and get involved. Organizations like Every Mother Counts and White Ribbon Alliance are a good place to start.

  (For those reading this in your email or via RSS you might need to click on the link to the blog to be able to watch the video)

International Day of the Midwife 2012

I love May! Flowers are blooming and we get to celebrate nurses, midwives and mothers!! Tomorrow, May 5th, is International Day of the Midwife.

No mother should have to risk her life or that of her unborn baby by going through childbirth
without expert care. The consequences of this are tragic. Over 350,000 women die each year as a result of preventable maternal causes. Millions more suffer infection and disability. Families are devastated.

Every year over 800,000 newborn babies die during childbirth, and more than 3 million babies die
before they are one month old. More than 7.6 million children die before the age of 5. Almost all
of this is readily preventable with proper midwifery care.

It is why the world needs midwives now more than ever. Midwives save lives.

Today and tomorrow those passionate about midwifery will be meeting both locally and virtually to celebrate and learn. One of my favorites is virtual and it starts shortly and runs for the next 24 hours. It is hosted in New Zealand, so it starts at 3 pm PST. Each hour brings a new topic by different speakers. With topics ranging from "Birthing at Home Regardless of Risk: Educated Choice or Extreme Sport" to "Nuchal Cords: Ritual and Routine" and "Working in War-Torn and Post-Conflict Countries" there is a topic for just about everyone. You can find out more by watching this YouTube video or by checking out this web page for the schedule and times where you live. The presentations are also recorded and will be available afterwards to watch if you aren't able to attend the live conference.

 

(For those reading this in your RSS reader or email you might need to click on the link to the blog to see the video)