Introductory Monitrice Training

Introductory Monitrice Training Application

Name: Phone: Address: E-mail: Months or Years in Practice:

Describe your experience with birth:

How many births have you attended and in what setting?

What professional training, if any, have you attended?

List any professional affiliations:

Please list ten websites that you feel provide the most adequate info for families on childbirth/breastfeeding: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Provide two references of clients that you supported in birth: 1. 2.

In what ways do you hope to contribute to the birth community in the next 5-10 years:

The Role of a Monitrice

We know that one on one, in-home, personal support works better than large classes or brief visits with a care provider. Women prefer this and the whole family benefits from such intensive care. The Monitrice always fosters family bonding, showing the partner or other family members how they can support the mother and baby.

A Monitrice will be familiar with local resources and can refer a mother for what she needs. She can work with her local health department, social services, hospital, homebirth midwife, birth education or breastfeeding group or on her own. She is familiar with alternative/complimentary health care modalities that are available.

The Monitrice is not a medical caregiver, although some monitrices are nurses. She does have specified basic health assessment skills she is competent to perform. She may also teach them to parents so they can do them for themselves. She is knowledgeable about normal childbearing and encourages the mother to see her caregiver when there are medical questions.

Many doulas are looking to further the ways that they can be a valuable resource for their community. Training in monitrice skills brings doula training to a deeper level. This intimate way of caring for birthing women contributes greatly to the health of women, their families, the community, and the world.

Prerequisites: Participants must have fulfilled the following prior to attending:  Must have attended 15 births in any capacity; at least 10 must have been in a direct support role  Must have attended formal childbirth education training or have very good overall knowledge of the physiology of childbirth  Must understand basic connection between mind and body  Should be personally or professionally experienced with breastfeeding; or attend a complete series of LLL meetings  Should be a regular participant in an organized or unofficial doula/midwifery network and support local birth initiatives  Must supply 2 references of clients with whom you have had a direct support role for their birth Syllabus

Participants will learn beginning monitrice skills including:

 The business of birth  Ethical practices  Communication and Emotional Support Skills  Developing trust and rapport  Partnering with conventional care

 Prenatal assessment and basic care  Nutritional counseling  Understanding urinalysis and lab results  Holistic therapies

 Basic reproductive anatomy and physiology  Labor Assessment and basic care  Blood pressure basics and skill practice  Fetal heart tones and issues  Palpation skill practice

 Universal Precautions  Vaginal exam skills practice and contraindications  Quick birth procedures  Postpartum assessment and basic care  Networking and further skills practice

Skills that won’t be covered during this work shop, include:

 Advanced breastfeeding support  Advanced birthing support techniques  Advanced postpartum skills  Marketing

*Additional training may be necessary before incorporating the learned skills in one’s practice. Required Materials Required Texts:

Visit the following link to view books that are required for this program: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/RBO WPWJRIOOEF/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view/103-6072251- 2358240?ie=UTF8&lm%5Fbb=

All books, except for Holistic Midwifery Vol II, are required for this program. Certain books, such as Spiritual Midwifery, Born in the USA, Immaculate Deception, and Heart and Hands, may be available in your local library. For the others, you will likely want to retain your own copy for reference. To reduce your costs further, you may purchase used copies on Amazon or ask friends if they have certain ones that they are done with. Expect that you might still spend $200 for books. Many of these are required for midwifery programs, as well.

Required Supplies:

Participants are required to bring the following supplies to class:

 Blood Pressure cuff  Stethoscope  Box of non-sterile, non-latex gloves  10 pairs of sterile, non-latex gloves  Economy Fetoscope  Doppler with gel (not required)

Supplies may be purchased from www.birthwithlove.com , www.1cascade.com , or www.midwiferysupplies.com. Birth With Love tends to have the cheapest prices on products and shipping.

Cost: Introductory Monitrice Training will occur over 2 full weekends. The cost for the entire training is