Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Why You Need to Go to the Trust Birth Conference

Women’s Health. When you read those two words together, what does it make you think of?

I think about all of the women’s health issues that I heard about on a daily basis from clients in my chair in the salons I have worked in over the past 5 years, and it is tragic. I hear story after story of polycystic ovarian syndrome, terrible pregnancies, traumatic births, and even worse post-partum depression; like it’s normal. These stories are shared like it is normal for us, as women, to have no control over our own hormones and reproductive health. This is a lie. My sister, roommates, sisters-in-law, and girlfriends all know that I am passionate about the TRUTH when it comes to health. And the truth is we have access to the tools to be educated, knowledgeable women in control of our bodies.

One great piece of advice that I wish I could share with every young women is this: Take responsibility for your health. It’s like a mantra. If you ask my husband, he would probably tell you that I sing the tune in my sleep. (Side note: You should have seen his face when we were still dating and he saw my collection of childbirth and hormone books. Needless to say, he has had quite an education since then!) It just breaks my heart to see beautiful women terrified by birth and hurt because they didn’t know any better!

This why I am so excited about the Trust Birth conference. From April 13th-15th women from all over the United States will gather in Nashville, TN to encourage and celebrate the truth about women’s health. Women will be teaching and encouraging women about hormones, pregnancy, childbirth, and taking responsibility for their health. It is going to be so amazing! I am not with child (nor trying, yet!), and I am not a midwife or doula or any sort of childbirth professional, but this event is going to be an incredible opportunity for ALL women. We are talking about the chance to learn from midwives, doulas, nurses, medical doctors, nutritionists, herbalists, applied aromatherapy practitioners, naturopathic doctors, health coaches, and so many other women with intense and valuable knowledge of how to be empowered as a woman in today’s society. This is the kind of education every women should have about their bodies!

I encourage you to go, tell your sisters, bring your friends, and send your daughters! I could not be more enthusiastic about promoting this event, because when I was in high school I had the opportunity to attend a week-long midwifery skills class (also in Tennessee) and it radically changed my perception of how childbearing should be. I felt so empowered! In a country with abnormally high cesarean rates, complete medicalization of birth, and a government more concerned about publicly funded birth control than internationally competitive public education, it is vital to the generations in front of us that this becomes the new ‘norm’; feeling like there are options, understanding what is going on with your own body, knowing that there are women who will help you be well. We have to create the new normal for our peers, and our daughters, and their daughters: taking responsibility for your health. And every woman deserves the opportunity to learn how. The education and fellowship at Trust Birth is a great place to start. Go. www.TrustBirthConference.com. This conference is going to change lives.