BOLD announces 2 exciting ways to Be BOLD in 2012!

• Host a Performance of Karen Brody’s critically-acclaimed play BIRTH

• NEW! Host a Screening of Karen Brody’s critically-acclaimed play BIRTH
  

All events raise awareness around childbirth issues and raise money for local mother-friendly birth groups and initiatives. Check out our new BOLD Guideline for 2012.

and celebrates creative efforts in the birth world!

Our BOLD 5 live webcast on September 5th had viewers from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, New Zealand, Uruguay, Mexico, and Bulgaria!

Thank you to everyone who was BOLD with us!

To see a re-broadcast of the show on September 17 or 24 go to www.GetBOLDaboutBirth.com.

PHOTO: www.judithrae.com <http://judithrae.com/>

Who doesn’t love Ina May? Not only has she written Spiritual Midwifery, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, and her most recent book Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta but she has been an outspoken advocate for mothers and babies and is still helping mothers deliver their babies on The Farm in Tennessee. Get a cup of tea and listen in to a recent conversation Pathways to Family Wellness recorded with BOLD founder and playwright Karen Brody had with Ina May. Birth wisdom abounds.

Karen Brody and Ina May Gaskin

Karen tells us more about the new BIRTH script for BOLD’s 5th anniversary!

I love being a mom, writer, and activist but most days I juggle the hats so many times I’m not sure who I am on any given hour. The past two days have been different. I’m in major writer mode. Of course dinner is still being cooked and I continue to answer to the tune of “Mommy!” – but what it does mean is that I have carved out a rare chunk of space to do nothing but write.
The result? A new story in the play BIRTH! I’ve been wanting to add this story for a while. What better way than to premiere the new story on BOLD’s 5th anniversary – this Labor Day weekend! Thanks to this occasion and a gentle push from Maude Poulin, who has now produced BIRTH many times (and will do so again next week!) this week I sat down and wrote it.

I know you’re wondering…is it a new character? No. Is it a hospital birth? Yes. A vaginal birth? Yes. A…VBAC? Yes!!!!!

It’s the character Sandy’s second birth story.

Sandy is such a joy to talk with. In May I interviewed her about her second birth, an empowering hospital VBAC with midwives and a doula. I know her birth journey is one mothers need to hear.

As Sandy says, “My story was like a total Phoenix from the ashes type moment of moving from a birth that went so horribly wrong to a birth that went right.”

She also says, “People said I was lucky to have a VBAC. I wasn’t lucky, I was smart.”

I can’t wait to premiere Sandy’s new story this September and raise awareness about VBACs and the alarming cesarean rate. It’s time.

I hope you will go see the play this September! And if it’s not in your area be BOLD and consider organizing a performance!

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For details on how to organize a performance go back to the BOLD website and click on “How to Organize An Event.” 

Meet a very special girl who was in the audience at BOLD New Paltz, New York on July 9th. Karen just had to interview her after the performance!

Birth Power of An 8th Grade Girl

Contact:

Birth scene in Regina, SK, Canada:
There is one licensed midwife in our community. She works alone without administrative assistance from our health district. Midwife attended homebirth is not an option as regulations require 2 midwives at every homebirth. The most common option for women is to give birth in the hospital. We do have an active doula community, a fledgling ICAN chapter, and various other groups that promote gentle birthing practices. Prenatal education includes regular information based classes to hypnobirthing and Birthing from Within classes.

Performance beneficiary: DOULAS OF REGINA, ICAN (INTERNATIONAL CESAREAN AWARENESS NETWORK) REGINA

Beneficiary’s mission: The Doulas of Regina is a collective of birth professionals in Regina and area. We have come together to provide support to each other and to the birthing families of Regina and area.  

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Contact: www.boldactionfrance.org

Birth scene in Paris, France:

In France 99% of women give birth in hospitals, and the rate of medical interventions is quite high. For example for cesareans the rate is always increasing, we are near 20% now in France. The birthing centers are not authorized here (it was on the point of being authorized in the new 2011 law, but unfortunately at the end the assembly voted against it …). A very few women do home births, which is very difficult since the midwifes can not get insurance to attend home births.

Performance beneficiary: Accueil Naissance, Femmes Sauvages

Beneficiary’s mission: Accueil Naissance is a place created by a midwife where a lot of activities for pregnant women and for young mothers are organized, talking sessions, yoga, massage, etc ….
Femmes Sauvages is an association whose purpose is to ameliorate women conditions in every field, by diffusing accurate information about women topics, creating events, conferences, etc … 

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Contact: Shannon@boldfortworth.org

Birth scene in Fort Worth, Texas:

Tarrant and Dallas counties have the highest infant mortality rates in the nation.

Performance beneficiary: Tarrant County Birth Network

Beneficiary website: www.tcbirthnetwork.org

Beneficiary’s mission: TCBN is a community organization, with national roots, whose mission is to provide information about, and advocacy for, evidence-based, Mother-Friendly care for expectant Tarrant County families seeking a healthy, informed, and enjoyable pregnancy and birth. 

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Contact: danielle.longfield@gmail.com

Birth scene in Hamilton, Ontario:

In Ontario, OB/GYNs and general practictioners as well as midwives are considered primary care providers for women during pregnancy. Women may choose one of these caregivers for the duration of her pregnancy. Currently, there are 3 midwifery practices within the community and there is a lot of interest from the community and from within our midwifery class to raise awareness about women’s options for care during pregnancy. In general, as with most of North America, women in our community still encounter barriers to receiving the kind of care they want and the experience they want during birth. Although our community is only one of three in Ontario that has a Midwifery school and, many people do not know about their options and healthcare workers are still uncertain about various options and preferences women have regarding their birth experiences.

Performance beneficiary: Women’s Center of Hamilton

Beneficiary website: http://www.intervalhousehamilton.org/womenscentre.html

Beneficiary’s mission: Women’s Center of Hamilton in partnership with Interval House Hamilton. This is a non-faith based community agency that provides a space for mothers to communitcate with each other about issues that affect women, share their stories and feel that their concerns are being heard. This agency recently started a group called “mom to mom” in order to provide a opportunity for new mothers to feel connected to others mothers and their community.
Their partnership with Interval House provides additional services and support for women experiencing abuse. 

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