One of the valuable benefits for Lamaze International members is a subscription to Lamaze International's official journal - The Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE).  The mission of the JPE is to promote, support, and protect natural, safe, and healthy birth through education and advocacy. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles and evidence-based, practical resources that childbirth educators and other healthcare professionals can use to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their care or teaching to prepare expectant parents for birth. 

Through evidence-based articles, the JPE advances the knowledge of aspiring and seasoned educators in any setting-independent or private practice, community, hospital, nursing or midwifery school-and informs educators and other healthcare professionals on research that will improve their practice and their efforts to support natural, safe, and healthy birth.

The journal's content focuses on pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, breastfeeding, neonatal care, early parenting, and young family development. In addition to childbirth educators, the JPE's readers regularly include nurses, midwives, physicians, and other professionals involved with perinatal education and maternal-child health care.  Which highlighted below articles are the ones that you want to explore?

Consider joining Lamaze International to receive this member benefit along with other perks.  There are value and benefit to all birth professionals in joining Lamaze and helping families have safe and healthy births.  This third quarter of 2019's publication is, as usual, chock full of useful information.  Articles include:

In This Issue–Confronting Birth Inequity

Author: Wendy C., PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, LCCE, FACCE

Abstract

In this column, the editor of The Journal of Perinatal Education discusses the growing issue of confronting birthing inequity and factors impacting maternal morbidity and mortality. The editor also describes the contents of this issue, which offer a broad range of resources, research, and inspiration for childbirth educators in their efforts to promote, support, and protect natural, safe, and healthy birth.

Celebrate Birth!–Retrospective Narrative of My Active Participation in a Home Birth as a Teenager: Reflections on Empowerment and Suggestions for Research

Author: Vargas, Emily A., PhD, MS

Introduction

Home birth is relatively uncommon in the United States (Boucher, Bennett, McFarlin, & Freeze, 2009), especially given the changes in social factors over the past 50 years that have given rise to the number of women who deliver in a hospital (McCool & Simeone, 2002). Despite its rarity, a body of important research has been committed to empirically investigating home birth. A significant segment of this body of research largely focuses on the question of safety for the mother and child (e.g., Budin, 2016). Many studies have pointed to questions beyond safety, including reasons for women's choices and their perspectives. A small body of literature has examined the perspectives of family members present during the home birth. Within this body of literature, even less research has investigated the children's perspective in home birth, especially how their participation in a home birth may influence their immediate experiences as well as their subsequent perceptions and attitudes (Jouhki, Suominen, Peltonen, & Åstedt-Kurki, 2016).

To address this critical gap in the literature, I leverage my experience of being an active participant in the home birth of my youngest brother when I was a teenager. In the current paper, I retrospectively reflect on the details of this transformative experience, including the education I gained, the empowerment I witnessed, and the social constructions that came to light. It is my goal to tie this narrative to the larger body of science and the larger context of labor in the United States so it can inspire future research.

Distinguishing Subgroups in Opposition to Infant Immunization: Results from the Listening to Mothers III Survey

Authors: Cheng, Erika R., PhD, MPA, Ranchoff, Brittany, MPH, Declercq, Eugene R., PhD

Objective

To investigate factors associated with parental intention of refusing or altering their child's vaccination schedule.

Experience of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: A Phenomenological Study

Authors: Simeone, Silvio, PhD, RN, Stile, Filome, Assunta, Guillari, Gargiulo, Gianpaolo, RN, Rea, Teresa, PhD, RN

Abstract

The international literature concerning cesarean surgeries (CSs) make it clear that many of these procedures are unnecessary. Using a phenomenological methodology, we seek to understand the experiences and decisions of women who have undergone vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Various factors contribute to the choice of VBAC. Making VBAC a more regular practice would contribute to a decrease in the total number of repeat CSs. The purpose of this study is threefold: (a) to understand the process that women use to select a VBAC rather than a repeat cesarean, (b) to understand the mothers' lived experience of that VBAC, and (c) to use the aforementioned data to inform the development of new educational programs for mothers considering VBAC.

A Labor Support Workshop to Improve Undergraduate Nursing Students' Understanding of the Importance of High Touch in a High-Tech World

Authors: Burgess, Adriane, PhD, RNC-OB, CCE, CNE, Morin, Luukia, BSN, RN, Shiffer, Wendy, MS, FACCE, LCCE

Abstract

This article presents the development and evaluation of a labor support workshop aimed at providing senior undergraduate nursing students with education on the provision of labor support. In collaboration with a Lamaze educator, a two and half hour interactive educational session was developed. The workshop included both a didactic and a hands-on component which included physical labor support strategies, which could be utilized in the clinical setting. Pre-and postintervention data was collected on students' knowledge and self-efficacy in the provision of labor support, as well as, data on their use of these strategies while in the clinical setting. The labor support workshop was well received by students (4.9/5) and increased their self-reported knowledge (p = <.001) and self-efficacy (p = <.001) in the provision of labor support.

Continuing Education Module—Information Needs and Information-Seeking Processes of Low-Income Pregnant Women in Relation to Digital Maternity Education Resources

Authors: Arcia, Adriana, PhD, RN, Stonbraker, Samantha, PhD, MPH, RN, Warner, Eva Rose Asaan, MS, CNM

Abstract

Pregnant women need high-quality, timely information for self-management. The extent to which digital education resources meet their needs is unclear. This study elucidated how low-income pregnant women characterize their digital information needs and seeking processes and identified barriers/facilitators to meeting them. Focus groups bookending field-testing of a digital maternity education resource elicited barriers to and facilitators of Internet access, Internet use patterns, preferred methods to access information, and explored acceptability and desired features of online resources. Content analysis was used to analyze transcripts and six thematic categories were identified. Digital maternity education resources should be flexible, easily shared with loved ones, and responsive to users' experiences. Although helpful, digital resources are insufficient to meet pregnant women's need for social support.

Delphi Expert Parent Study: Factors Needed for 21st Century Pre- and Perinatal Parenting Programs

Authors: McKee, Christine L., PhD, Stapleton, Peta, PhD, Pidgeon, Aileen M., PhD

Abstract

Using Delphi methodology, the current study utilized a panel of “expert” parents (N = 23 after three rounds) to examine nine content-based and logistical factors perceived to be important when developing pre-and perinatal (PPN) parenting programs for the modern-day. The aim was to attain consensus on 235 items generated from literature and panelists. Consensus was reached on 126 items (53.62%). The most notable related to needs-based content, barriers to fathers' attendance, and groups of parents who may benefit most from programs. Consistent with the literature, clarity was not achieved for appropriate timing and length of programs. With the diversity of recommendations, next steps involve developing a range of programs that use randomized clinical trials with control groups, effective sample sizes, and are pre-and post-tested.

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