International Cesarean Awareness Network

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ICAN Board of Directors Announcement

August 2, 2017 by president

ican-board-of-directors1International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) is excited to announce Lindsey Seger as its new President. Lindsey has served on the Board of Directors as both Vice President and President in the past and is the current Accreditation Coordinator. She is also the chapter leader for ICAN of Nashville, a certified childbirth educator, and a diagnostic medical sonographer. When she isn’t working, she’s laughing with her sons, curled up on the couch with her husband, or reading a good book.

Justen Alexander has accepted the role of Vice President. Justen has been involved with ICAN since 2013 and has been a Chapter Co-Leader in Huntsville, Alabama for two years. She has had two cesareans and one VBA2C. During her time as an ICAN leader, her main focus has been advocacy work, including obtaining the VBA2C clarification from ACOG, as well as attending and speaking at local hospital board meetings, writing letters to local physicians, publicly speaking out against unethical practices, and working to increase VBAC access for Women of Color. Justen also volunteers with The Good Earth, LLC., where she helps families navigate through the process of Home Funerals and Green burials, and assists in the burial process. She is passionate about communicating with birth professionals and finding ways to work together in order to improve the maternity care system for all birthing women.

Samantha Wall is joining the Board of Directors as Secretary. Samantha also fills the role of Assistant Chapter Director and is a co-leader for ICAN of Omaha. She has a strong passion for helping women achieve informed and empowered birth experiences through education and support. Samantha works with other local community businesses and organizations to promote woman-centered, evidence-based maternity and childbirth care. Samantha found ICAN shortly after the birth of her first daughter by cesarean. The support she found through ICAN was invaluable to her while she planned for her VBAC. Outside of her childbirth advocacy work, Samantha enjoys traveling and photography.

Continuing in their respective roles are Mychel Hefner as Treasurer, Ann Marie Walsh as Chapter Director and Board Member at Large, Brianna Barker as Advocacy Director and Board Member at Large, and Christa Billings as Board Member Emeritus. The ICAN Board of Directors can be reached at board@ican-online.org. For more information about the International Cesarean Awareness Network, please visit www.ican-online.org.

Filed Under: ICAN Tags: Announcement, ICAN

Meet the Leadership: Kristen Stratton, ICAN of San Diego

July 28, 2017 by blog

ICAN is excited to announce Kristen Stratton as our newest Chapter Leader!

kristenstratton

“Informed consent and informed refusal are necessary for an empowering birth experience and knowing the facts is our right as patients.” ~ Kristen Stratton, ICAN of San Diego

Please introduce yourself to ICAN:

I am the proud mother of three children and have experienced cesarean birth. I am a VBAC and Cesarean educator and doula. I am also a military spouse. I enjoy time with my family, church, and friends.

What led you to join ICAN?

I joined ICAN when I was seeking VBAC options for my own pregnancies. Now, I want to give the support to the birth community that I so greatly needed the nine years ago I was pregnant with my first child.

How do you share ICAN as an organization with others?

It is non-judgmental and recognizes the woman’s autonomy to choose both VBAC or cesarean for her birth. We just want you to know it’s YOUR birth.

Where will you be serving women through ICAN?

San Diego County and parts of Riverside and Orange County. We have midwifery options at both hospitals and birth centers, lots of doulas, and several OBs who are evidence-based practitioners for first-time moms, VBAC moms, and FCC supportive. I would like to see lower cesarean rates at all of the major hospitals first-time mothers. Then we wouldn’t have to worry so much about VBAC!

Please share your upcoming Chapter meeting:

Most likely September at Yoga Jai Ma sharing VBAC Birth Stories.

Congratulations, Kristen!

Filed Under: ICAN, New Chapter Leaders Tags: Announcement

ICAN Announces Changes to Board of Directors

October 30, 2016 by president

October 2016

It is with great excitement that the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) announces Lakeisha M. Dennis as ICAN’s new President, effective October 1. Lakeisha served the Board of Directors as Chapter Director and Member at Large and previously as the NorthEast Regional Coordinator. She was also the founder and chapter leader for ICAN of Greater Essex County in New Jersey.

Ms. Dennis’s professional experience include higher education, non-profit and the food and beverage industry. She is also a decorated Air Force veteran. Lakeisha’s work and experience as a birth professional proved the catalyst for her involvement and commitment to ICAN. She is both excited and humbled to serve as ICAN’s 13th president and believes her diverse professional and academic background is well suited for today’s more global and diverse world. “I’m excited to be working with this dynamic group of women who are phenomenally devoted to the mission of ICAN,” says Lakeisha. She looks forward to meeting the challenge of the presidency as ICAN approaches its 35th anniversary.

Lindsey Seger will be resuming her role of Vice President, after being Acting President since January of this year. VP is a role that utilizes her strengths and passions in service to ICAN, and she’s eager to get back to business. Lindsey is also the chapter leader for ICAN of Nashville, a certified childbirth educator, and a diagnostic medical sonographer. When she isn’t working, she’s laughing with her sons, curled up on the couch with her husband, or reading a good book.

Megan Nickel-Martin is our current Secretary. She is also one of the founders and leaders for ICAN of Lee County in FL. She will be concluding her term as Board Secretary in early November. We are indebted to Megan for her voice and her gracious support. During her term as secretary, Megan’s most notable accomplishments were creating a chapter leader training for ICAN’s chapter leader accreditation program and creating a person. She gave birth to her daughter, Lorelei, in Sept 2015. She describes her time as secretary as “enlightening and a wonderful learning experience.” While Megan will continue to be involved with her chapter, she is looking forward to having more time to spend time with her children, following her husband’s band, The Freecoasters, as they embark on a multi-state tour in 2017, and starting the daunting process of applying to graduate schools. ICAN means the world to her and she is proud to have served on our Board of Directors.

Mychel Hefner is continuing her role as Treasurer. She also serves as Assistant Chapter Director and covers as Regional Coordinator, as needed. Mychel manages the ICAN Store and serves as the ICAN Webmaster. She found ICAN in 2010 while looking for support for a VBAC with her third child. She received so much support on the forums from other moms who felt the same about their previous birth experiences; betrayed, disrespected, violated. It encouraged her to get more involved. She joined the Board in 2013. Mychel has three boys and an amazing husband who supported and “caught” their third baby via unassisted VBAC due to a lack of supported options. In addition to ICAN, Mychel homeschools her 3 boys, collects Disney Snow Globes and plays in homeschool band with her sons.

Ann Marie Walsh has accepted the role of Chapter Director and will continue as Board Member at Large. She joined the board in April of this year. Ann Marie found a passion in birth after her first labor ended in a cesarean. She became a research junkie and found ICAN in 2010. Rather than ‘waste’ all of that information, she decided to share with local mothers by starting Second Heartbeat to share research, statistics and teach a VBAC birth class. As Co-Leader for ICAN of Nashville, she supports mothers as passionately as she received support. She has since welcomed a second and third child by hospital VBAC. Ann Marie spent time with ICAN as both the Southeast Regional Coordinator and United States Coordinator – South.

Brianna Barker is the Advocacy Director and Board Member at Large. She also joined the board in April of this year. She previously served as ICAN’s graphics coordinator. Brianna is a mother, wife, and volunteer at home Mom. She is the leader and founder of the Huntsville chapter of ICAN. She is passionate about supporting mothers and advocating for a system that provides integrated, evidence-based, respectful care options in all settings with particular concern for fully informed consent, and respect for patient’s rights surrounding both cesarean sections and Trial of Labor After Cesarean. Brianna was inspired to start volunteering for ICAN after having little support during her own personal birthing experiences. Her first child was born via cesarean for preterm breech, second via hospital VBAC, third out of hospital VBAC over state lines, and she is pregnant with her 4th baby due this fall. Brianna felt strongly about the need for an ICAN chapter in her community because women should not feel alone during their birthing journeys.

Christa Billings serves as our board member emeritus and past president. She served as the conference director in 2016. We are forever indebted to Christa for her institutional memory, mentorship and longstanding commitment to ICAN. Christa has been involved with ICAN for 9 years and has served in numerous positions. Christa is a mother to 3 girls. Her own birth experiences are what brought her to ICAN and shaped her passion for continued birth advocacy work.

The ICAN Board of Directors can be reached at board@ican-online.org. For more information about the International Cesarean Awareness Network, please visit www.ican-online.org.

***

Filed Under: ICAN Tags: Announcement, ICAN

ICAN Signs Amicus Curiae Briefing on Forced Cesareans

December 29, 2014 by Samantha Wall

ScalesThe International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) recently signed an amicus curiae briefing in support of Plaintiff Rinat Dray in the Rinat Dray v. Staten Island University Hospital, et. al case against forced cesareans. This briefing, which presented 50 stories of mothers who wanted to share their experiences of obstetric abuse within the maternity care system, was curated and submitted by both the National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) and Human Rights in Childbirth (HRiC) to the Kings County Supreme Civil Court in NY.

The International Cesarean Awareness Network is in support of this amicus curiae because it is in alignment with our mission, which is to improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). We envision a reduction in the cesarean rate driven by women assuming responsibility for their healthcare by making evidence-based, risk appropriate childbirth decisions. This cannot happen if women are being abused in a birthing environment that lacks empathy and access to evidence-based birth options.

It is our sincerest desire that all women be granted access to maternal care that is both mother and baby-friendly in a nurturing, supportive, and empathetic birth environment.

Filed Under: ICAN Tags: Advocacy, Announcement, Cesarean, Consent, Maternity Care, Media, Rights

Giving Tuesday

December 1, 2014 by Samantha Wall

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On December 2nd, ICAN will participate in Giving Tuesday in the hopes of raising $10,000 in 24 hours. We take our job of being a  source of support and a gateway to resources for birthing families seriously, and that is why we would so appreciate your help.

Our chapters in the United States and our international chapters around the world give of themselves selflessly to mothers in their areas, some of them supporting mothers in hostile birthing environments that do not offer them viable options for evidence-based care. With a current cesarean rate of 32.7% and a ranking of 60th worldwide when it comes to maternal mortality rates in the U.S., it is imperative that we make the adjustments necessary to stand in the gap for the ever-increasing numbers of women who can benefit from the support that we can and do provide.

Though the mountain may be high, it is not insurmountable.

With each person doing what they can to contribute to the solution to this issue, we can turn this ship around slowly but surely. We, collectively, have the power to impact the lives of birthing women not just in this generation but in the generations to come. Paradigms are being challenged, generational cycles are being broken, and women are awakening to the beauty of their courageous, empowered, sufficient selves, regardless of how their babies arrive…one mother and one birth at a time.

This is why we, and hundreds of our dedicated volunteers around the world, do what we do.

Please stand with us as we take a stand for you.

On December 2nd, please consider partnering with us to make a donation of any amount. No amount is too small as we work to change the reality of birthing mothers around the world.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Cesarean, Chapter, ICAN, VBAC Tags: Advocacy, Announcement

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