News
BEPE presentations are now available
on DVDs at the Nevada
County, Sutter, Yuba and Placer County Libraries. See Calendar
for details.
Free public education programs (see calendar)
were videotaped for showing on NCTV's Education News.
Tune into a monthly radio talk show, "Parents Connect," 3rd
Tuesday of each month at noon.
KVMR (89.5 fm), hosted by BEPE member Helena
McDaniel.
About Birth and Early Parenting Educators
We are a novel alliance of educators in Nevada City, California, with a common interest in the first frontier of human development from preconception through birth and breastfeeding.
Members of the group are childbirth educators, nurses, midwives, doulas, prenatal/Calm Birth yoga instructor, infant massage teachers, craniosacral therapists for babies and energy-body workers, counselors, therapist, lactation consultants. a film producer, a herbalist and a gemologist. Four members are authors of books on prenatal psychology and parenting. We are ready to educate parents about the special challenges of the first period of human development. Some of us are members of an international group concentrating on this period of development, the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH). Please explore the informative website: www.birthpsychology.com.
Some of the big ideas we want to share with the community are:
... parenting begins before conception when you can prepare body and mind
for the huge experience ahead;
... development of baby senses in the womb proceeds rapidly and there
are probably a dozen senses, not just five;
... emotion is not delayed until after birth but is expressed in body
language in the womb;
... babies and parents can practice talking to each other all through
the gestation period;
... birth is meant to be a transforming psychological and spiritual experience
for mother, father, and baby;
... ideal birth is holistic in respecting the true dimensions of all the
parties involved, not a disease to be routinely treated with drugs and
surgery; and
... following birth, breastfeeding is the normal way of nourishing a baby
for maximal safety and maximal health benefits.
Suggestions for Reading:
Chamberlain, David B. (1998) (3rd ed.) The Mind of Your Newborn Baby.
Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
England, Pam & Horowitz, Rob (1998) Birthing from Within.
Albuquerque, NM: Partera Press.
Hallett, Elisabeth (2002) Stories of the Unborn Soul: The Mystery
and Delight of Pre-Birth Communication. (www.light-hearts.com)
Klaus, Marshall, Kennell, John, & Klaus, Phyllis (1993) Mothering
the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier Birth and
Healthier Baby. New York: Addison-Wesley.
Mendizza, Michael & Pearce, Joseph Chilton (2003), Magical Parent,
Magical Child: The Optimum Learning Relationship. (orders@ttfuture.org)
O'Mara, Peggy (2003), Having a Baby Naturally: The Mothering Magazine
Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth. New York: Atria Books.
Peterson, Gayle (1999) (2nd ed.) An Easier Childbirth: A Mother's
Guide for Birthing Normally. Berkeley, CA: Shadow & Light. (www.AskDrGayle.com)