Lamaze International

TO ADVANCE SAFE AND HEALTHY PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND EARLY PARENTING THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

CERTIFICATION, ACCREDITATION, AND EDUCATION COUNCILS - THE LAMAZE CERTIFICATION COUNCIL SERVES AS THE STANDARD-SETTING AND POLICY-MAKING BODY FOR THE COUNCIL'S CERTIFICATION. EACH YEAR TWO CERTIFICATION EXAMS ARE DEVELOPED AND ADMINISTERED. A LAMAZE CERTIFIED CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR ("LCCE") MUST RECERTIFY EVERY THREE YEARS BY EITHER DEMONSTRATING THEY HAVE ACQUIRED 25 CONTACT HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION OR HAVE RETAKEN AND PASSED THE LAMAZE CERTIFICATION EXAM. THE LAMAZE ACCREDITATION COUNCIL SETS STANDARDS, GUIDELINES AND POLICY FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF LAMAZE CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS WHICH PREPARE CANDIDATES FOR LAMAZE CERTIFICATION AND GRANTS FORMAL APPROVAL TO OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING ACCREDITATION FOR OFFERING LAMAZE CONTACT HOURS FOR AND EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS. THE COUNCIL MAINTAINS A HIGH STANDARD FOR ITS CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS USING A CLEARLY DEFINED PROCESS FOR ASSESSING NEED, PLANNING, DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING LAMAZE CONTINUING EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND ETHICS, AND MAINTAINS LAMAZE INTERNATIONAL'S STATUS AS AN ACCREDITED PROVIDER OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION THROUGH THE AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER ("ANCC") AND CALIFORNIA BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING ("CABRN").THE LAMAZE EDUCATION COUNCIL ENSURES THAT ALL CHILDBEARING WOMEN HAVE ACCESS TO LAMAZE EDUCATION THROUGH DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING: HIGH QUALITY EVIDENCED-BASED TRAINING FOR CHILDBIRTH EDUCATORS, HIGH QUALITY EVIDENCED-BASED CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR CHILDBIRTH EDUCATORS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, AND HIGH QUALITY EVIDENCE-BASED CONSUMER EDUCATION. THE COUNCIL'S PROGRAMS FOCUS ON CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR TRAINING AND RESOURCES, CONTINUING EDUCATION, PARENT EDUCATION AND INCLUDE AN LCCE MEMBER-AT-LARGE WHICH REPRESENT THE NEEDS OF NEW COUNCIL EDUCATORS RELATED TO TRAINING, RESOURCES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION TO HELP ASSURE THAT COUNCILS EDUCATION OFFERINGS ARE RELEVANT TO CHILDBIRTH EDUCATORS AND RESPONSIVE TO PARENTS' NEEDS, AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF INTERESTED PROFESSIONALS.

COMMUNICATIONS - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM WHICH TARGETS BOTH THE PROFESSIONAL AND PARENT/CONSUMER AUDIENCES THE ORGANIZATION SERVES. PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDE: THE JOURNAL OF PERINATAL EDUCATION, A QUARTERLY, PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION; INSIDE LAMAZE, A MEMBER NEWSLETTER; AND CONNECTING THE DOTS, A RESEARCH BLOG ABOUT PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND BEYOND. COMMUNICATIONS FOR PARENTS/CONSUMERS INCLUDE GIVING BIRTH WITH CONFIDENCE, A BLOG WITH EVIDENCED-BASED ARTICLES AND TIPS RELATED TO PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND PARENTING; YOUR PREGNANCY WEEK BY WEEK, A 40-WEEK EMAIL SERIES WITH EVIDENCE-BASED INFORMATION FOR A HEALTHY PREGNANCY AND A SAFE CHILDBIRTH. LAMAZE HAS A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE (WWW.LAMAZE.ORG) TARGETED TO PARENTS, CHILDBIRTH EDUCATORS AND BIRTH PROFESSIONALS, AND DOCTORS AND MIDWIVES, AS WELL AS A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM.

COMMITTEES - THE LAMAZE INSTITUTE FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY BIRTH WAS REORGANIZED IN 2018 INTO THREE DISTINCT AREAS OF FOCUSED WORK: RESEARCH WORKING GROUP, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION COMMITTEE AND DIVERSITY AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE. THE RESEARCH INITIATIVE FACILITATES INVESTIGATION OF: EVALUATION OF CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION ACCESSIBILITY, EFFECTIVENESS, ACCEPTABILITY, RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND QUALITY; BEST PRACTICES FOR DELIVERING AND RECEIVING CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION; PARENT KNOWLEDGE OF EVIDENCE-BASED BIRTH AND BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES. ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION HAVE LONG BEEN STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR LAMAZE INTERNATIONAL: THIS COMMITTEE FOCUSES ITS WORK ON ADVOCATING FOR SAFE AND HEALTHY BIRTH PRACTICES THROUGH ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION FOR ALL EXPECTING PARENTS ON LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN ANOTHER STRATEGIC PRIORITY: THIS COMMITTEE FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY-LED ACTION AND LEADERSHIP WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING A DIVERSE LAMAZE MEMBERSHIP THAT IS A REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNITIES WE WISH TO SERVE.

ANNUAL MEETING - EACH YEAR THE ORGANIZATION HOSTS AN ANNUAL MEETING FOR LAMAZE MEMBERS AND OTHER MATERNITY CARE PROFESSIONALS TO GATHER FOR A ROBUST PROGRAM WITH AN ADVOCACY OR EDUCATIONAL FOCUS. THE MEETING INCLUDES EXHIBITS OF INTEREST TO ATTENDEES AND A SOCIAL PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE NETWORKING. DURING 2021, DUE TO COVID-19 THE ANNUAL MEETING WAS NOT HELD.