Meet ICAN’s newest leader – Jennifer Wakefield from Baton Rouge!
ICAN is excited to announce Jennifer Wakefield as our newest chapter leader! She has completed training and will be leading ICAN of Baton Rouge!
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Tell us about the birth climate in your area.
The best thing about the Baton Rouge area is the willingness of many area providers to work with birth professionals – listening to their patients and standing up against hospital boards for change. I do wish we had a better birth community. In recent years, many have secluded to their own corners unless it benefits them directly.
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Why get involved with ICAN?
When I started researching VBAC’s in 2010 with my 2nd VBAC baby. I didn’t become involved with ICAN until 2013 when my family relocated to Baton Rouge, LA. I’m most excited about connecting with the community, supporting mothers and families through their journeys, and continuing to improve our birth outcomes through provider outreach. I wish people knew that ICAN is a nonjudgemental organization.
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Please share a little about yourself!
I am passionate, creative, caring, easy to talk to, and a coffee lover! I had a baby at 17 that ended in an unnecessary cesarean, who was adopted by family after I suffered terribly with PPD/PPA. Six years later, my husband and I had our first baby and I lucked out with a wonderful provider, “You wanna try for a VBAC? You’re a good candidate…” Um, sure, I don’t know what that is. I went on to have two more eventful pregnancies with uneventful VBACs. In 2009, I became a birth photographer and four years later I took my DONA doula training. I’ve since also become certified with StillBirthday.com, Matrona Holistic Doula, and APPA (Association of Placenta Preparation Arts). I find it incredibly important to work through any traumas as best as possible before working with others. If it’s something that will take a while to process, have the ability to check it at the door and leave your experience out. For this reason, I am still struggling to work adoptions and any long-term postpartum work.
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Next meeting?
Our first official meeting will take place in February, date not yet decided, but most likely the 3rd week of the month for an easier transition for anyone already attending the current meetings.
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Welcome, Jennifer! We can’t wait to see what your and your chapter get up to!