Everyone needs a brain trust
Who is in your trust?
The Brain Trust
The first “Brains Trust” began as a term for a small group of advisors (experts in their fields) usually brought together to advise a presidential administration. The term has since morphed to refer to any group of trusted advisors to a decision maker.
In your family… isn’t that decision maker YOU? So, who is in YOUR brain trust?
I have compiled a list of trusted advisors, consultants and providers here for you to explore, interview and if you choose, incorporate into your own personal Brain Trust.
RESOURCES HERE IN THE TREASURE VALLEY
Freestanding Birth Centers:
The Baby Place Midwives & Birth Center
Treasure Valley Midwives & Birth CenterHospitals:
St. Alponsus
St. Luke’sIdaho Midwives and Midwifery:
Idaho Midwifery Council
Idaho State Board of MidwiferyBreastfeeding
St. Alphonsus Breastfeeding Support and EncouragementCranial Sacral Therapy
Pat Babendure: 939-2239
Kathy Weinert: 340-9073
Prenatal Yoga/Pilates
Thrive Physical Therapy and Pilates
Parent Education
Marti MonroeCommunication/Couples Counseling & Mediation
Jan BlumPhotography
Joyce Alexander
The work of natural light photographers, Joyce Alexander and Victoria Choules (formerly of Olive Tree Photo Company) is featured on two of the pages on this website. I am very grateful to these photographer-moms for lending their photos and their own images to me to share with you here. Joyce is now working on her own. She specializes in Lifestyles and Portraits and has a particularly unique style and, I believe, captures those particularly special moments in a way that is often overlooked by others.Other FUN stuff for babies and kids (and their parents, too)in the Boise, Idaho area:
Mommy’s Own A locally owned, on-line store with oodles of good stuff/resources for moms and babies.
Just Kiddin’ Around Indoor creative play place for kids and families.
ONLINE RESOURCES
- CHILDBIRTH
Lamaze International
Yes, it started out as the hee-hee-hoo technique but Lamaze International is no longer a technique. It is instead, a philosophy: birth is NORMAL and and there are many ways women and their partners will find to give birth confidently. Parents will find many useful tools and resources through Lamaze, not the least of which is…
The Lamaze Healthy Birth PracticesChildbirth Connection
A rich resource for parents and birth professinoals, Childbirth Connextion provides up-to-date evidence-based information and resources on planning for pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period.CIMS – The Coalition to Improve Maternity Services
The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) is a coalition of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families.
CIMS is responsible for the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative and The Birth Survey If you have given birth in the past 3 years, please visit The Birth Survey and share your experience about your care provider. If you are pregnant, please check out The Birth Survey to learn more about the providers in your area.Cesarean and VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) Information and Education
I-CAN – The International Cesarean Awareness Network with two Chapters in Idaho including Boise. There is a reason the US has a cesarean section of rate of 30+%. Learn how to avoid unnecessary cesarean section and how to increase your chances of a successful VBAC.
- BREASTFEEDING
- DOULAS
DONA International
Doulas of North America International is the premiere doulat training and certifying agency. The founders of DONA were responsible for starting the modern birth support movement, coining the term, doula (which means “woman’s servant”). DONA is at the leading edge of training both birth and postpartum doulas and providing enriching continue education to its nearly 7000 members worldwide.DoulaMatch
Find doulas in your area. Learn about their experience, training, fees and availability.
- LEARNING TO TEACH
Teri Schilling/Passion for Birth
I taught my Confident Birthing Class for 10 years before I had the pleasure of attending Teri Schilling’s Passion for Childbirth Educator Training in order to become a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this wonderful workshop. Teri’s wonderfully informative and inspiring way of teaching confirmed my own experience of teaching childbirth and motivated me to continue my commitment to make my class as unique and memorable as possible. I encourage you, when you are ready on your own journey as a doula/childbirth educator to invest in this wonderful workshop. You won’t be disappointed.Lamaze International
It took me 10 years as a childbirth educator to come to realize how meaningful Lamaze is to the future of birth in our culture. Yes, Lamaze started out as the hee-hee-hoo technique but that is not its legacy. Lamaze International is no longer a technique, it is instead, a philosophy of birth and parenting and more than that, it is a RICH consumer and professional resource. I was unaware how much Lamaze would provide to me as a member and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator until I took Teri Schilling’s training and I can honestly say it was one of the turning points for me as an educator because in Lamaze International, (along with DONA International), I found an organization whose mission resonated and supported my own.Women Who Rock My World:
Penny Simkin
Childbirth Educators with licenses to use the Baby Bump Childbirth Educator Platform:
Liz Chalmers, BirthZone, Redmond WAKate Rollins, Let It Be Birth, Seattle WA area
Emily Fontes, Millcreek, WA
Katy Rawlins, Birth Idaho Falls, Idaho Falls, ID
Shannon Laird, Strength In Labor, Edmonds, WA
Tiffany Clayton, Bend OR