The Citizen, 2007-05-17, Page 6Pregnancy and childbirth
are beautiful experiences. But
they can also be a time for
questions and concern.
As women prepare to
welcome a new life, the
changes in their body, the
circumstances in which they
live, the status of their
relationship with the baby’s
father, and uncertainty of their
ability to care for a child, can
all impact this special time.
As today’s women become
more empowered to take
control of their lives and their
bodies, an age-old idea is
gaining in popularity. In
Huron County there are two
certified doulas currently
offering emotional support,
physical comfort and pre- and
post-natal education.
Doulas do not offer medical
help. “We do not take the
place of the medical
profession,” said Sharon
Jerome.
Jerome has been a doula for
11 years. “I have always been
fascinated with babies and
birthing. But my dream came
true actually as the result of
the birth of my first
grandson.”
Jerome said a nurse at the
time complimented her on the
support she had given and
suggested she take some sort
of training.
Jerome had 21 hours of
class time at Conestoga
College, followed by
attendance at three births.
These were documented by
the staff or midwife, plus
input was presented from the
mother.
“It took some time, but I
believe being certified shows
my loyalty, professionalism
and dedication to serving
women.”
While doulas in Canada
don’t need to be certified,
those who are must re-certify
every two years.
Doula is a Greek word
meaning woman serving
woman. For those who have
been helped by a doula, the
service is invalueable.
“I don’t think I could have
done it without a doula,” said
Colleen Smith of RR4,
Walton,
Jerome was with Smith
through two pregnancies and
births. Son Cam was born in
March 2005 and Colin was
born this past January.
“I met Sharon at pre-natal
classes and was
overwhelmed by her
personality. I told my husband
then I’d like to have a doula.”
Unfortunately, many who
could benefit from a doula
aren’t in a position to do so.
For this reason Owen’s Light
is celebrating International
Doula Month with a
fundraising concert in Blyth
Memorial Hall, May 26.
Owen’s Light started in
2006. Since then Owen’s
Light has helped many
women who for various
reasons would have
experienced childbirth
without personal support.
These include second-time
mothers without partners, to
first-time teenage moms and
their boyfriends.
The concert will featured
two award-winning Canadian
children’s performers, Kathy
Reid-Naiman and Debbie
Carroll.
Reid-Naiman’s music is
distributed to new parents
through the Huron County
Health Unit and the Ontario
Early Years program.
Carroll’s CD Up and Over the
Moon received accolades
from Today’s Parent
magazine.
The show begins at 10 a.m.
Tickets are available at the
Blyth Festival Box Office by
calling 1-877-862-5984.
“Owen’s Light came about
as a result of the founder
being so satisfied with her
experience having a doula
that she thought every woman
in Huron should have one if
they wanted,” said Jerome.
Smith agrees. “Sharon
helped me feel relaxed. She
was very calming and had
good ideas on different
birthing techniques. She just
knew where to touch, what to
say to make it easier.”
Studies have shown that the
presence of a doula increases
the likelihood of a drug-free
birth, reduces the need for
medical or clinical
intervention, improvesmaternal bonding and hasincreased the number ofbreastfeeding mothers.Smith said, “Both of mybirths were drug free. With
Cam I was having trouble
breastfeeding and might have
given up, but Sharon came
and helped me.”
“My husband was very
supportive,” Smith said, “buthaving Sharon’s help was justbetter.The bond that formsbetween mom and doula isone that often continues long
after the birth.
“My experience has been
that I don’t just partner with
the mom while she’s going
through this, and then I walk
away. It is a privilege to gothrough this with them, anhonour that I am invited to bepart of it,” said Jerome. “We are still in contact,”said Smith. “We e-mail and
she stops in. Of course, I tell
all my friends too that a doula
is the way to go. I always
say, don’t do it without a
doula.”
PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2007.
Grateful for doula
Colleen Smith of RR4, Walton had the services of a doula through the
pregnancies and births of both her children, Colin and Cameron, right. (Bonnie
Gropp photo)
Doulas serve women when they need it most
Continued from page 2
and Kathy Bridge will present
to the Brussels Public School
student.
Following lunch the group
visited Iceculture in Hensall.
Kerri Gingerich greeted them
and gave the tour.
Iceculture is a private,
family-owned company with
a staff of 50 and four
divisions. This plant produces
25,000 blocks of ice a year
which are shipped all over the
world.
Carvings may be as small
as an nice goblet or fruit bowl
to full-size ice bars, castles,
cars or ice sculptures at
weddings or at fancy hotels.
An example is as the Pontiac
Ice Maze for General Motors.
This last project consisted of
20,000 ice blocks and claimed
the position in the Guinness
Book of World Records.
Gingerich explained that
these ice blocks take three to
four days to freeze and weigh
about 300 lbs.
They also make ice balls
that don’t melt in your drinks.
This plant that has been
going for 18 years, 15 at this
plant, and is continuing to
grow and has just put in a new
freezer area. This area will
host an exhibit from
November 2007 to January
2008 so anyone can see their
beautiful work.
Kathy Bridge thanked Kerri
Gingerich for having the
group.
The ladies then went to
Exeter where they saw the
Kraft Canada plant. Fruits and
vegetables are canned here.
By late afternoon, the group
returned to Brussels after a
very interesting day.
The next UFO will be held
on June 12 at Pat Wright’s.
The regular meeting will be
at 11:30 a.m. at the home of
Yvonne Knight with a
potluck lunch.
The “untruths about
apprenticeships are really
coming to light,” says the co-
ordinator for apprenticeship
programs at the Avon
Maitland District School
Board.
And it shows in the number
of students choosing the
skilled trades as a career path:
the board has once again
submitted a record number of
names for apprenticeships in
2006-07, continuing an
upward trend of several
years.
Glen McGregor appeared
in the Good News section
of a regular meeting Tues-
day, May 8 to inform
trustees about the success
of two Listowel District
Secondary School (LDSS)
technical students in a
provincial skills competi-
tion.
The students will compete
in Saskatoon at the end
of May in the national
event.
He concluded by noting
that, so far this year, the board
has submitted 110
applications to the Ontario
Ministry of Colleges,
Training and Universities for
apprenticeship status.
Speaking to reporters
afterwards, he noted this is up
from 89 in 2005-06, about 80
the previous year, and 40
before that.
“And we’re not finished this
year. I think we’ll hit about
120 by the end of the year,”
said McGregor, coordinator
of the Avon Maitland version
of the Ontario Youth
Apprenticeship Program
(OYAP).
OYAP placements are
available to students at all
of the board’s high
schools.
But speaking to trustees, he
emphasized the programs at
LDSS and Stratford
Northwestern – facilities
which have benefited from
recent provincial funding
boosts.
“I think it really reflects
what these two schools have
done in the skilled trades,” he
told the meeting.
Afterwards, he told
reporters LDSS accounts for
about 40 of this year’s
apprenticeship applications,
while numbers from
Northwestern and F.E. Madill
in Wingham are “in the
20s.”
“But all the schools in the
board are contributing to the
OYAP program . . . I think the
board would like to
expand tech programs in
all the schools. But, of
course, financing is a
challenge.”
McGregor expressed
confidence the trend
will continue at the provincial
level to increase support
for training in the skilled
trades. Initiatives like the
“Learning to 18” fund –
which aims to retain students
who might otherwise be at
risk of dropping out – are
indications of the increasing
value placed on
apprenticeships.
“There’s good publicity
about the trades now . . .
Parents are calling me more
and more,” he said, adding an
apprenticeship is no longer
seen as a last resort or
something to fill time while
thinking about other
opportunities.
And the results are there
– not only in the form
of graduates finding full-
time work, but in the form
of students staying in
school.
“Even in schools where our
enrolment is declining, our
technical enrolment is up,”
McGregor said.
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The Citizen
Students choose trades
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen