Birth Day - International Childbirth Education Association

By Connie Bach-Jeckell
Where Do We Go from Here ?
Motherhood…it’s a universal language.
It makes no difference of nation,
color, creed or race. Our blood types
are the same, our bodies go through
the same physical process…the hearts
of mothers are the same.
In our world right now, women
need information on family planning,
pregnancy and breastfeeding. They need
information on infant care. They have
no idea how to help a choking baby.
Birth is shrouded in mystery, experienced
alone and in fear. There are no
childbirth education classes available.
This age of technology enables us
to better reach out to developing countries.
ICEA was founded as an international
organization. We now have the
capability to easily provide education
to many nations and cultures. It’s time
for us to truly walk in our international
destiny; training and equipping
educators around the world…with the
goal of education and family-centered
maternity care for all women, regardless
of their nationality or ethnicity.
ICEA was founded to effect
change. We once fought for the rights
of fathers to be present at birth…
we pushed hard for family-centered
maternity care…we set a standard for
childbirth education. We still have the
same philosophy…freedom of choice
based on knowledge of alternatives. We
take for granted how much knowledge
we have…knowledge we could share
with someone else. There are other
families around the world who hope
for, and deserve, that same freedom to
choose. They need our help in moving
toward that goal.
It’s also time for some of us to step
out and walk in our individual destinies.
We’ve been brought to this place
in time for a purpose. It’s sad when a
graveyard is the prime place to discover
buried treasures…treasures that were
never delivered to their intended recipients.
Your destiny may be personal,
but it’s not private. Other peoples’
destinies may depend on how you
live out your own. (I am reminded…
if a woman hadn’t started a perinatal
exercise class at a community center
in Memphis thirty years ago; my life
would have been very different.)
Considering our resources, the
birth outcomes in this country are
humiliating, yet we continue to see a
general decline of participants in our
classes. In this “land of plenty,” a huge
selection of resources goes to waste. We
settle for sulfur water, while there’s an
undiscovered, miraculous healing well
flowing just below; but people don’t
seem to want to dig a little deeper.
This “low-priority” attitude,
wherever it comes from, sometimes
has a way of discouraging excellence in
educators, care providers, etc. Teaching
on an international level, although
challenging, can be a “healing experience”
for those of us who need a boost
in our original passion…or for those
who are looking for “what comes next.”
When we get back home we’re
excited about our experience, the
work we’re doing, etc. We’ve improved
ourselves, so our classes improve. In
this way, even the women we’re teaching
here at home benefit because we
stepped out of the box.
Give it some thought…decide if
teaching internationally is for you. If
you’re looking for the adventure of a
lifetime…a chance to grow into who
you’re becoming: step out. Take some
time to give your treasure to yourself,
ICEA and the world. Last August in
Guatemala I saw educators come alive
with an energy they hadn’t felt in a
long time. New destinies were revealed
and lives were forever changed. Even
though the ICEA team is no longer in
Guatemala, peoples’ lives are better
because we were there. (This includes
the team as well as those we served.)
Ours is a mission trip of a different
nature. It is so much more than putting
a small, temporary band-aid on a
gigantic, long-standing problem. It is
promoting the well being of families
around the world. We have a global
touch of influence. We speak that universal
language of motherhood.
I am reminded of a quote from
Suzanne Arms "If we hope to create a
non-violent world where respect and
kindness replace fear and hatred, we
must begin with how we treat each
other at the beginning of life. For that
is where our deepest patterns are set.
From these roots grow fear and alienation
- or love and trust."
Connie Bach-Jeckell, RN, IAT-CE-D-CPFE
is an ICEA Director and chair of the new
ICEA International Relations Advisory
Committee. She served as the Chair of the
2009 Convention Planning Committee.
She recently got married (June 2009) and
resides in Alcoa, Tennessee with husband
Charlie as well as with her children and
grandchildren.
Volume 24 Number 4 December 2009 | International Journal of Childbirth Education | 11