From the WBWC Blog:

News

Latest news non-related to individual births.

WBWC Welcomes New Director of Lactation, Jacquana Smith

WBWC is happy to announce Jacquana Smith as its new Director of Lactation. Jacquana brings both her knowledge (degrees in psychology and public health) and her “latched-on personal experience” to Chapel Hill. A 29-year-old mother of four children — ages 7, 5, 3, 1 — Jacquana has been nursing babies nonstop since her first child was born. “I have literally been lactating since May 2012,” Jacquana said. “I hit seven years nursing this month!” Born in New York City, and raised in a small town in Ohio. Jacquana’s focus on families grew while earning her B.A. degree in psychology at the University of Cincinnati and continued while obtaining a master’s degree in public health. Jacquana’s passion is deeply rooted in research, education, and planning. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), she is passionate about lactation and the need for equality and dismantling systemic issues that prevent babies from access to human milk. She has a passion for fighting for inclusion of all families and dedication to infant feeding and birth justice. Jacquana serves as the Conference Program Coordinator 2020 for the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). She has served as a La Leche League leader on the USA council, and Director of La Leche League USA Breastfeeding Helpline. Jacquana and her husband, Myrell, met at the sweet age of 16 and enjoy exploring museums, homeschooling, and trying new foods with their four kids, Malia, Olivia, Laila, and Mattias. Jacquana sees not just WBWC patients, but can see any mom in the community who needs help with breastfeeding support through WBWC’s Mother Infant Lactation Center (MILC). Jacquana is very interested in community building, bridging the gap in outcomes and making sure all families have the support they need to meet their own breastfeeding goals via an evidence-based care approach. Jacquana is also teaching community educational classes including “Breastfeeding Basics” and “Express Yourself”, a class on pumping and returning to work. She will also be training IBCLC students going through the Mary Rose Tully Training Initiative at UNC. She wants to increase support and education of those in marginalized and underserved communities, when it comes to human milk feeding. “My aim is to support the bigger initiative to dismantle inequalities and reproductive oppression, so that families can feel empowered to make healthy decisions for themselves and their children.” Jacquana’s public health studies included a focus in maternal and child health. She … Read More

Maternal Mental Health Matters!

By Nancy Albrecht MA, RN, BSN Facilitator: Coping with Motherhood Support Group May is Maternal Mental Health (MMH) month, with the fourth annual World Maternal Mental Health Day held on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. We need special focus on MMH to: · Increase visibility because NO ONE IS IMMUNE! · Combat social stigma because ILLNESS IS NOT A CRIME! · Improve detection and treatment because 1 IN 5 NEW MOTHERS EXPERIENCE MMH DISORDERS and 7 IN 10 WOMEN HIDE OR DOWNPLAY THEIR SYMPTOMS! · To earmark more resources to maternal and infant mental health because NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH! If you are a mom struggling with mood changes or anxiety, the WBWC midwives, nurses, and staff are here to help. Whether you are pregnant, newly postpartum, or have a toddler, you are not alone and will recover! You may regain your life as you: · Turn to those around you and ask for help. · Seek professional support from your midwife or a referral to a therapist. · Find peer support from a support group like Coping with Motherhood or online at PSI (www.postpartum.net). · Acknowledge and grieve the loss of the “ideal” motherhood experience. · Look ahead to wellness. Spouses, family members, and friends may be the first to notice these changes. You can help by: Ask her “How are you doing, how are you really doing?” LISTEN to what she says! No matter how many people you think are supporting her, there are often way too few who ask and listen. Everyone wants to know how the baby is: how baby is growing and moving or how baby is sleeping, eating, pooping, etc??? Nobody is asking mom if she’s getting rest; if she’s eating regularly; if she gets to take a shower when she needs or wants to. Ask her “How much did you sleep last night?” “What did you eat today?” Help her make a sleep plan and bring her food. Ask her “Are you okay?” Be prepared if she says NO: Call us! Moms and family members can become MMH activists: Support PSI. Participate in the annual Climb Out of the Darkness events sponsored by PSI-NC (https://psichapters.com/nc/): Chapel Hill, Saturday, June 8, 2019 and Durham, Saturday, October 19, 2019. Make sure your professional support team has been trained by PSI. Emily Joubert, CNM will be the most recently trained member of the WBWC staff, attending … Read More

Fond Farewell to Rebecca Costello

By Rebecca Costello, IBCLC, MPH As many of you already know, I am leaving WBWC in mid-May. I’m both so sad to leave such a special place, but also happy to moving closer to family in upstate New York. When I started at WBWC, I had been a lactation consultant for several years already, but all of that experience was in a hospital setting. I felt confident about supporting families days 0-4 after birth, but what about day 5, or day 365, or day 723? I had so much to learn when I started working here, and every single family I have worked with has taught me something. So while patients often thank me for help, really it should be turned around. So THANK YOU to the families who have been so generous in sharing their lives and their struggles, and putting their trust in us here.  I am proud that our lactation team has not only provided excellent care to our patients, but also participates in lactation advocacy, research, and leadership. We have grown so much in the past five and a half years. I am thrilled about my successor, Jacquana Smith – she is bringing so much passion and energy to this role, and I know she is going to do great things here and that you will love getting to know her.  My colleagues here at WBWC – LCs, midwives, nurses, lab, front desk, boutique, everyone! – have also taught me volumes, and have also been the most supportive and dedicated and funny group of co-workers I could imagine. I wish I could take WBWC with me when I move, and a piece of my heart will always be here!  

Restoring Balance at WBWC

Restoring Balance is now located on the 3rd floor of the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center. We are a collective of woman-owned independent businesses and share a common commitment to holistic health and well-being for women, men and people of diverse gender identities. Many of us specialize in women’s health, pregnancy and postpartum care. We strive to be safe, inclusive and welcoming and we are thrilled to join this community. We offer: Massage Therapy and Bodywork Thai Yoga Massage Reflexology Cranio-sacral Therapy Polarity Therapy Acupuncture in both a private and community setting Chinese and Western Herbal Medicine Ayurvedic Medicine Placenta Encapsulation Check out our website www.restoring-balance.com to see all our services and get to know us! Additionally, we have a doctor of physical therapy specializing in women’s pelvic floor health that shares the space with us. As the Triad’s leading Prenatal and Postpartum Rehab Specialist, Vitality Physical Therapy is privileged  to provide highly specialized preventive and supportive services with a uniquely holistic approach. Common areas of expert care include treatment of pregnancy pain and postpartum care for abdominal/pelvic health. Vitality PT shares the same core mission of WBWC and offers sliding scale services for qualifying established patients of WBWC. Visit www.VitalityPT.org for information on FREE educational classes and ways to optimize caring for your body. Dr. Lori O’Neill, PT, DPT www.VitalityPT.org

First Year of Life Classes

A new series of First Year of Life Classes are starting June 12th at Women’s Birth & Wellness Center, Suite 304, the “Living Room”. Come join in and find out about the connection between well-being and your child’s self-initiated movement. Parenting can be overwhelming today. We have access to so much information, much more than parents had even 10 years ago. It is a blessing as human hunger for information and good quality care are expanding. The never ending flow of information and conflicting expert opinions can be a tremendous source of pressure and anxiety for us as well. We all want to do our very best for our babies. The First Year of Life Classes that Kyle Dunlap is offering at Women’s Birth & Wellness Center are an opportunity for parents to come together to create community and support for each other during this first year of our children’s lives. We bring our questions about how we are coming into relationship with the world we live in and to the type of parents we want to become. Kyle is an Early Childhood Educator, specializing in Birth-Three. She is able to offer a human development perspective to where our children are and where they are going developmentally so that we can come into a loving, warm and sustainable relationship of attachment and care-giving with our children. What do we do in the Class? Mothers, fathers and care-givers are all welcome during the hour and 20 minute class. During the class you can hold your baby, nurse or feed your baby, and attend to your baby’s bodily care as is needed in the moment. When you feel comfortable putting your baby down on the floor, the babies will have some floor time. This is your child’s opportunity to experience their own freedom of movement as we all learn to observe how their gross motor development is unfolding Parents sit or lie close to their babies on the floor so that your child can have free movement and feel your close loving presence as well. We will have conversations about how to have safe spaces for your child to have floor time at home and what it means to create spaces into which our children can self-initiate through their own movement. We learn to involve our children in their own care-giving so that they feel a part of their self-care right from … Read More

Let’s Celebrate Maureen!

After over 30 years of service and tireless dedication to midwifery, women’s health and the nonprofit community, Maureen Darcey has retired. Please help us honor Maureen as she receives the governor’s highest award, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.  All are welcome to join us for a celebration at the Rigmor House on April 20th from 1-5 p.m. A buffet of NC BBQ and all the fixins’ will be served at 1:30 p.m. If you play, bring an instrument. If you sing, bring your voice. If you have a story to share, bring your memories. Love, hugs, and joy are the order of the day, and we expect to have them in abundance as we celebrate Maureen! You may also wish to make a tax-deductible donation to Women’s Birth and Wellness Center’s “Dorothy B. Sullivan Fund” as we carry on Maureen’s vision for our “home-grown, home-owned” practice serving women and families in our community. The “Dorothy B. Sullivan Fund” is an endowment named after Maureen’s mother which directly helps the birth center continue to provide its invaluable services. You can donate now by clicking here. Thank you so much for your support! View the Evite

Fresh, Locally-Grown Flowers for Mother’s Day!

Order a Mother’s Day bouquet for someone you love! Featuring fresh cut flowers from local growers. Mother’s Day pre-order bouquets will be available for pick up at Women’s Birth and Wellness Center Boutique on Sat, May 11th (the day before Mother’s Day). For more information and to place an order, please visit https://www.alimdonnelly.com/

New & Returning Front Desk Staff

  Join us in welcoming our front desk staff, Kiah Sell-Goodhand and Sarah Sule! Kiah will be a familiar face to many of you. She is back with WBWC during her gap year before nursing school. Sarah Sule comes to us from the western United States. She grew up in Colorado and earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at Colorado State University, and went on to seek a graduate degree and career in Alaska doing Archaeology. A world traveler, Sarah spent several years living in Scotland, where she earned her certificates and licensure in massage and bodywork therapies. Sarah has more recently pursued interests in holistic health and wellness and is passionate about the outdoors, balanced lifestyles, and community.

The Power of Menopause Half-Day Workshop

Join Allison Koch, CNM for a half-day workshop and explores the changes you can anticipate during this powerful transition time in your life. This class will focus on perimenopause and the hormone shifts that occur, and what you can do to help regain balance and embrace your power. A practitioner who specializes in perimenopause and menopause, Allison will help guide and support you. Call 919-933-3301 for more information or to register. Date: January 26 Time: 11 AM-3 PM Cost: $35 *Lunch will be provided

WBWC Sponsors Film Screening of “These Are My Hours”

Join us on Tuesday, October 16 from 7:30-9 PM for a screening of the birth documentary, These Are My Hours. These Are My Hours is an intimate sensory immersion into one woman’s physical, emotional and psychological experience of giving birth. It is the first documentary filmed entirely during a labor, told from the perspective of a woman giving birth. This documentary delivers the intimacy and intensity of childbirth as an expression of women’s empowerment in a way that reveals the special dignity of the event that ushers us all into life. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Scott Kirschenbaum and the featured mother, Emily Render Graham. WBWC is a sponsor of this event, which will take place at UNC’s Mandela Auditorium in the FedEx Global Education Center, located at 301 Pittsboro Street in Chapel Hill.   For more information, visit https://thesearemyhours.com/.

New ACA Insurance Coverage

Good News: Women’s Birth & Wellness Center (WBWC) is part of the UNC Health Alliance and there are new 2019 Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans offered providing in-network coverage at WBWC! If you previously had coverage under Blue LocalSM with Duke Health & WakeMed, the plan has been replaced, and coverage will now be available through Blue ValueSM  with UNC Health Alliance.  Click here to read more: https://www.bluecrossnc.com/ready-to-renew.  If you have questions about open enrollment or billing, please call George Higgins at 919-951-1724.

WBWC Boutique featured on WCHL

Thanks to Sharon Hill at WCHL for inviting Brianna and Holly to come chat about the Women’s Birth & Wellness Boutique. Listen to the show to learn about our mission, how we got started, what makes us unique, how we find products (hint: LOCAL WINS), the importance of bra fittings, our price matching policy, how proceeds from the boutique support our mission to provide care for all, and what we love about what we do. https://chapelboro.com/wchl/weekend-shows/todays-business/june-16-2018 If you haven’t yet, come check out our small space with a LOTS of products and get help from our knowledgeable, supportive staff.