Following are some of the ways we are educating the public in Kentucky:
1. An active consumer organization. Our Kentucky Alliance for the Advancement of Midwifery (KAAM) is a consumer organization with dynamic leadership. KAAM's web site offers information. KAAM purchases vendor booths at local health fairs, neighborhood fairs, and professional conferences. KAAM cultivates relationships with news people and sends press releases to major newspapers and television stations for all midwifery events. All these events are staffed by consumers and midwives. We have found that this team approach to public speaking works extremely well. Consumers answer the "why have your baby at home?" questions, and the midwives answer the "what if something goes wrong?" questions.
2. Contact local newspapers. Small town papers make a great impact. Their reporters are LOOKING for stories. Some homebirthers contact their paper and ask to have a story done on their newest arrival. The midwife can also attend the interview to again answer the "what if" questions. Baby pictures in small towns sell newspapers. Then have the couple cut out the article and send it to their state legislators. I still have people come up to me and mention they saw me in our local paper three years ago!
3. Speak to high schools. I have a standing invitation each year to speak at our local high school. My former preceptor and I speak to several classes studying parenting, childhood development, etc. We bring homebirth videos and provide a chance to meet a midwife. Educating young women and men provides an opportunity to counter the message that birth is painful and replace it with the possibility that it can be a powerful life changing event.
4. Wear a name tag. I have a name tag listing our midwifery association under my name. I wear it to all my speaking engagements. Many of my one-on-one conversations have arisen from wearing that name tag while getting gas or stopping at the store on my way to an engagement. You never know who you will run into.
5. Set up a speaker's bureau. Pool the resources in your midwifery organization. We provide speakers on a wide variety of topics to local groups, churches, colleges and organizations. While I speak on other topics, I always tell people I am a midwife. Usually at least one person will come up to me after the presentation to talk about midwifery.
6. Join or visit other organizations. We attend other conferences, meetings and seminars. Look for goals you have in common with that group, and wear your name tag. At a Women's Advocacy Meeting and at a luncheon for legal professionals, my former preceptor and I became the focus for discussions on midwifery.
7. Print up business cards and hand them out. I keep business cards in my checkbook and wallet next to my cash and hand one out every time I hand someone cash or a check. It always sparks a conversation. I handed one to my veterinarian's secretary. She kept it for over a year and called me when she became pregnant. These one on one discussions have opened so many opportunities to speak to larger groups.
8. Contact the local health department. I have a background in public health, but anyone could use this as well. I visit the health education coordinator at health departments in various counties and offer speakers for their health fairs. We offer to teach classes on prenatal care, nutrition, and breastfeeding. These departments are usually understaffed and overworked. They are usually thrilled.
Never turn down a chance to speak. I sometimes feel I'm a slave to my offer to talk to anyone at any time, even two little old ladies who get together for tea every Thursday. It does get frustrating at times. I dare not leave the house in a ratty T-shirt, because that will be the day I meet a potential new client in the grocery store. I love my profession and I love to talk--what a great combination!
-Candy Hall Brunk, midwife
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 1 Issue 24, June 11, 1999)
To subscribe to the E-News write: enews@midwiferytoday.com
For all other matters contact Midwifery Today:
PO Box 2672-940, Eugene OR 97402
541-344-7438, midwifery@aol.com, Midwifery Today
|
|