AAMI's Midwifery Skills
Labs
AAMI's Midwifery SkillsLabs offer aspiring midwives a safe environment to ask questions and practice skills. AAMI’s emphasis is on non-interventive practice and our philosophy is “with woman” midwifery. However, there are some skills that a midwife needs to practice “just in case.”
AAMI's Midwifery SkillsLabs (MSLs) are taught by Dana Combest, CPM, LM. Dana has been a home birth, traditional midwife since 1978, Dana is a graduate of Ancient Art Midwifery Institute and has served as the Academic Director of AAMI for 10 years. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor, AAMI’s first Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Labor Assistant, CPM and Washington state Licensed midwife. Dana has conducted numerous workshops and apprenticed many midwives. Dana has a heart for traditional midwifery and takes groups of AAMI students, midwives and aspiring midwives on midwifery service trips to locations all over the world.
Attendance at a AAMI's Midwifery SkillsLab satisfies one of the Advanced Midwifery Studies Section 3 curriculum options.
For more information email midwiferyskillslabs@ancientartmidwifery.com
Ancient Art Midwifery Institute's Midwifery Skills Lab (MSL) is a three-day, hands-on intensive workshop for midwifery students and beginning midwives. MSLs focus on non-interventive, low-tech, expectant midwifery care and home birth. We believe that the most important thing a midwife needs to know how to do is not so much management skills - but knowing how to avoid needing them and knowing when something else will serve the mother and baby better. Keeping this in mind, we discuss and practice a variety of skills, beginning with basics, listed on the attached page. Discussion varies with the group attending but common topics include informed choice, herbs for pregnancy, and preventing tears. This workshop is an introduction to these skills and we do not promise that attendees will become proficient.
Group size at MSLs is limited to 8; minimum size is 4. The MSL usually begins on Friday and goes through Sunday afternoon; occasionally we meet on weekdays. We normally meet beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, 9 or 10 on Sunday. The workshop runs each day until 5:00; occasionally on Sunday we are able to finish as early as 2:00 pm. On Friday we reconvene at 7:00 for dinner and videos. The cost is $350, payable in advance, and includes breakfast and lunch each day, and dinner on Friday evening. Lodging is not included, although at many workshops it is available though other attendees. On Saturday night, I go out to dinner and all attendees are invited to come along.
No children are allowed, other than non-mobile nursing babies. Childcare is arranged or not, as determined by the hostess based on need. You will most likely have to arrange for care of your children. If you choose to bring your baby, you should understand that if s/he is very young or one who needs a lot of attention, you will not gain optimal benefit from the class. I may ask that you take your baby to another room if s/he becomes fussy for longer than a short period of time, in which case you will miss part of the content.. Additionally, it is not fair to expect that other participants will watch your baby repeatedly while you do your skills practice, although we are often willing to do so. However, there are skills that we all do as a group (e.g suturing), so no one will be available during those times. I know this sounds extremely harsh, and is certainly not in keeping with the baby-love we all feel as midwives, but I feel it is only fair to make this clear before you register for the MSL.
You will be asked to bring a fetoscope, stethoscope and bp cuff to the MSL; however, this is not required. It is also expected that you will have at least a basic understanding of the principles of midwifery and midwifery terms. The book Helping Hands: The Apprentice Workbook is required to be read prior to the MSL.
Again, it must be emphasized that our focus is on non-interventive MIDWIFERY care, and we will concentrate on low-tech midwifery skills. We will practice the skills listed, but only in the context of last-resort techniques. We feel that good midwifery care hinges on the use of "medical" skills only when necessary. Additionally, we place great importance on the issue of informed consent and the right of parents to refuse ANY test or procedure. This emphasis does not mesh with some midwifery practices, so please consider this information and keep it in mind when you register and attend the workshop. We do not ask that you agree with our perspective, or that you practice in this manner; we do not advocate that you break any rules, laws or protocols set forth by your state or governing body. We ask that you consider the value of what is taught in the context of a huge world of varied midwifery practice and that you take what information you can use or apply, and leave the rest without further judgement.
Please feel free to contact your hostess or myself with any questions you might have. You can reach me at banana@turboisp.com or 509-722-3263. Thank you for your interest in the Midwifery SkillsLab.
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Please Note: We are not a nursing program nor affiliated with any nursing program. Although many of our students and graduates have become CNMs, we cannot provide any credentialing that will count toward a CNM.