| | It’s hard to believe we are more than halfway through 2024, which is a good reminder to make time to pause and reflect. Having half a year fly by is an off shoot of overdoing it, so let’s take a moment to slow down.
This is easier said than done, so I encourage every reader to commit to picking one suggestion as a gift to themselves, prioritize it – set intention, heck add it to your calendar! |
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Loving kindness starts within and through practice you will increase positive emotions, compassion and empathy.
Decrease levels of stress, quiet your inner critic and push back negative assumptions. This makes it a gift not only to yourself, but to the world around you. Laugh, find joy in little moments. Slow down. Meditate, take a nap (sometimes one turns into the other). Exercise, add movement/stretching even into short breaks. Breathe deeply (not just when you’re modeling for your clients). Get outside, connect with nature. Journal a gratitude. Hug someone (or something). It’s summer – reflect on a favorite childhood activity or adventure - or even better…go do it! Cannonball into the pool, skip, jump rope, climb a tree, play hide and seek .
May you be happy, may you be peaceful, may you be well.
May you be free of pain, harm and suffering.
May you feel renewed, refreshed, reenergized, reset and REJUVENATED! |
|  | Meredith Bowden, CPM NACPM Board Member |
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| |  | We are thrilled to provide you with NACPM’s mid-year Donor Report, showcasing the progress NACPM has made in the past six months thanks to grants and individual contributions.
In the first half of 2024, NACPM took proactive steps to champion and uplift the next generation of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). We fervently advocated for CPM students, CPMs, and birth centers through targeted initiatives designed to bolster education and promote the sustainability of the profession.
Through our unwavering commitment to CPMs, students, consumers, advocates and the future of midwifery, NACPM continues to serve as a steadfast ally, dedicated to advancing the practice of midwifery and empowering the next generation of midwives.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT
Securing operating expenses remains our biggest challenge. While we are excited to announce a $300,000 grant from the Skyline Foundation, distributed over the next three years, this funding alone is not enough to meet our ambitious goals. We still need to raise additional funds to ensure our programs can thrive and expand. Support from our midwifery community and allies is crucial in helping us bridge this gap and sustain our vital work in advocating for midwifery and improving maternal health outcomes in the United States.
We are actively applying for multiple grants and will soon launch a targeted fundraising campaign to replenish our Bigger Table Fund and TKT Midwifery Scholarship funds. We need your help to spread the word about our mission and accomplishments. Sharing our achievements and goals with your network can make a significant difference. By encouraging others to understand our impact and consider donating, you can help us reach our funding goals and continue our vital work. Your advocacy is powerful, and together, we can amplify our efforts to improve maternal health outcomes nationwide.
We hope you enjoy reading this report, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds. |
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We are excited to launch a new content campaign to highlight the multifaceted role of midwives. This month, our theme is rejuvenation so we are emphasizing the importance of self-care amidst daily challenges. We invite our midwifery members and allies to share their personal experiences on rejuvenation and self-care via short video clips, which we will feature on NACPM's social media channels.
Why participate? Inspire Others: Your experiences can guide and motivate aspiring midwives. Build Community: Connect with like-minded midwives who understand the unique challenges you face. Highlight Your Expertise: Show your dedication and knowledge, elevating your professional profile. Promote Well-being: Encourage a culture of self-care and rejuvenation in midwifery.
How to Participate: Choose a Question: Pick a question that resonates with you. VIEW QUESTIONS HERE Create a Reel: Record a 1-4 minute video answering the question in a way that touches hearts and minds. Post your video on Instagram and tag us at @nacpmidwives or email your video to communications@nacpm.org
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| | |  | NACPM is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2024 Tanya Khemet Taiwo Midwifery Student Scholarship. This scholarship fund is made possible by a generous grant from The Skyline Foundation and Individual Donations.
The Tanya Khemet Taiwo Midwifery Student Scholarship Fund provides support for tuition and related educational expenses to second- and third-year Black and Indigenous midwifery students enrolled in programs accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC).
This Fund is a celebration of the legacy of Dr. Tanya Khemet Taiwo, NACPM’s longest-serving Black Woman on NACPM’s Board of Directors, as well as an exemplary community health innovator, epidemiologist, researcher, and midwifery educator. Tanya served the maximum allowable three three-year terms on the Board of NACPM from 2012-2021, including as Secretary, Co-President, and President. NACPM has launched this fund in Tanya’s name as an acknowledgement of her legacy of outstanding service and her commitment to eradicating inequities in birth outcomes for Black and Indigenous birthing people and their babies in the U.S.
To hear directly from Tanya about her story and journey with NACPM, listen to this podcast from Shirley McAlpine’s She’s Got Drive with Dr. Tanya Khemet Taiwo and NACPM board member Dr. Keisha Goode.
Since 2021, NACPM has distributed $51,200. We are half way to our goal of raising $30K to distribute in 2024. We are actively applying for grants to sustain this initiative and we encourage our generous donors to consider contributing directly to this fund. |
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We’re excited to announce that we now have a robust Events Calendar up on our website.
VIEW OUR EVENT CALENDAR HERE
If you or people in your network/community are hosting relevant events, or events that offer CEUs to midwives, please share this form with them so that we can feature their event on our calendar.
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT HERE
Thank you for helping us showcase the incredible work happening in the midwifery community! |
| |  | George Washington University is conducting a 12-week pilot study to evaluate AIMIcare, a mobile app designed to improve well-being and prevent burnout among healthcare workers. Eligible participants will receive $70 for full participation, including using the app daily and completing three surveys. To learn more and sign up, please visit bit.ly/GWwellbeingstudy. |
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Urban Perinatal Education Center (UPEC) is partnering with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) to establish a community-based midwifery workforce in RI and improve perinatal outcomes in the State of Rhode Island.
The mission of the Urban Perinatal Education Center is to create a space for perinatal equity through three lenses: culturally congruent care and community, supporting equity in care, and building a workforce for change. Through the Maternal Health Innovation grant UPEC is implementing the Certified Professional Midwifery (CPM) Initiative alongside other maternal health projects with RIDOH. The collaborative development plans to promote a culturally competent midwifery program with a focus on attracting a more diverse student body will serve to provide concordant care to people of reproductive age in Rhode Island, as midwives of color are uniquely positioned to address the economic, political, and social determinants of health that impact people of color. |
| | |  | On June 20, Representatives in the Massachusetts House voted 153 to 0 to pass H.4773, "An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options," which includes licensure and MassHealth reimbursement for certified professional midwives, removal of barriers to staffing and operating birth centers, ensures MassHealth reimbursement parity for nurse-midwifery services, provides paid pregnancy loss leave, expands postpartum depression screening, and more! |
| | |  | On June 20th we held our Summer Chapter Collaboration Call. The theme of this quarter's call was peer review. Jennifer Olliges, Kentucky Chapter Leader, led a discussion on Kentucky's Peer Review Program. Other leaders also shared about their peer review programs or experiences during the discussion. It was a great opportunity for sharing, brainstorming, and support. We also discussed new programs or policies that NACPM is or will be rolling out for Chapters. If you're a leader and missed the call and would like to see the recording, please email Nasima at chapters@nacpm.org. |
| | Save the date: Fall Chapter Collaboration Call is scheduled for September 19, 2024 3:30-5:00pm ET. We will focus on incremental change in legislative and policy work and discuss legislative updates/experiences from chapters over the last session and plans for the next year. To learn more about starting a chapter please visit our chapter page and email Nasima at chapters@nacpm.org for more information. |
| | We are excited about the incredible work midwives are doing across the country. To celebrate and showcase the impactful initiatives happening in each state, we would like to highlight your individual and Chapter achievements, challenges, legislative efforts, fundraising activities, and more in our newsletter , on our website and on our social media platforms. Use the form linked below to let us know any news worth sharing! |
| | |  | We’re asking every member to consider a $10 donation for every birth they attend in 2024. Imagine the impact, if every one of their clients also donated $10 to support their midwife’s profession! Help make this campaign a success by making a donation today. |
| | |  |  | | Your purchases contribute directly to our Bigger Table Fund Initiative, enabling us to to help grow a racially, ethnically and socially representative CPM workforce. |
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