Scuola Elementale di Arte Ostetrica
Florence, Italy

The Rational Foundation
of Holistic Physiology in
Pregnancy, Labour and Birth

The Endogene Resources of Women
Tools for Midwives

By Verena Schmid*, midwife, Florence, Italy
and Tricia Anderson*, midwife, London

4 days, 28 hours
24 - 27 May 2004

Venue: Florence, Italy
Elemental School of Midwifery Art,
Via San Gervasio 26 - 30

Goals: Deepening the knowing of the complex processes of pregnancy, labour and birth trough an attentive lecture of physiology, enriching it with holistic criteria and new observational tools for midwives;
to create awareness about the rhythmic matrix of these events;
to offer instruments for maintaining women in health and preventing the obstetrical risks;
to offer instruments for recognizing the borderline cases and to offer manual and relational tools of intervention specific for midwifery support.

Program
Pregnancy:
• The morning experience: rooting in the earth
• What means health in pregnancy?
• The three pillars of health in pregnancy
• The physiological systems of adaptation and the   women's behavior.
• The fetus's systems of adaptation
• The endogene resources of women and child.
• The rhythm of pregnancy trough the three trimesters   and delivery.
• The clinical, hormonal and behavioral observations and   interventions

• The morning experience: active-passive rhythm
• The midwife's focus points in the screening of   pregnancy.
• Clinical aspects of the last ten days of pregnancy, the   physiological preparation and onset of labor

Labour and delivery
• The morning experiences: dancing with the two main   forces of labor, fire and water dance
• The laws of physiology in labour. The sexual and   emotional rhythm of delivery trough the four stages.
• The neurohormonal foundations for movement,   expressions and progress in labour
• Clinical and behavioral observation of the autonomic   nervous system and the hormonal functions. The   delicate balance between stress and distress in   mother and/or baby.
• Cervix and uterus;
• The bio-mechanics of the pelvis: opening the pelvis,   opening the heart.
• Holistic criteria for understanding when there are   blocks in progression and where to put boundaries.
• The OP presentation. A holistic view. A special   massage to help the baby turn. Midwifery solutions for   long labours, the rule of support and holding.
• The physiology and the transformation of the pelvic   floor during second stage; modes of pushing.
• The prevention of perineal tears: the steps of the   prevention work, the care before and during delivery.
• Becoming aware of the pelvic floor in his three levels
  creating the right environment for birth; the first hour   after birth.
• Third stage: the time and the holistic process, the   newborn's adaptation trough the placenta.
• The endogene resources of women, babies and   midwives. Self-esteem for midwives!

Methodology: the methodology is active, every participant has to take part directly and to be disposed to a personal involvement. The theoretical parts alternates with elaboration in small groups, practicing on clinical cases and experiences trough body work and relationships.
Dress comfortable.

Evaluation: it will be continuos, oral and trough group work. At the end of the workshop there will be a questionnaire of general evaluation of the learning.

The limit of participants is n. 25

Cost: Euro €420.00

Booking: Until 30 March 2004 by Scuola Elementale di Arte Ostetrica,
phone: ++39 55 576043 / 576266
fax: ++39 55 576266
e-mail: cstudimarsupio@tin.it, scuolasrl@catpress.com

Website: www.catpress.com/marsupioscuola

Place to stay in Florence: The school office can help you with Hotel addresses, please ask.

Verena Schmid is an independent midwife from Florence, Italy, founder of the "associazione per il parto a domicilio IL MARSUPIO", an independent midwifery center in 1985, founder and director of the Elemental School of Midwifery Art" in 1996, a unique school of physiology for midwives, founder and director of the professional magazine for midwives "Donna e Donna il giornale delle ostetriche"in 1993, co-author of several books (9) and author of two own books. She has been lectur in several meetings and congresses in Italy and in Europe (65). In the year 2000 she won the international award Astrid Limburg for here engagement to promote midwifery and natural birth in Italy.

Tricia Anderson MSc BAHons PGDip(THE) RM is an English independent midwife and a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at Bournemouth University where she is Course Leader for the MA in Advanced Midwifery Practice. Prior to this she was Editor of the MIDIRS Midwifery Digest and The Practising Midwife, and co-Editor of the Informed Choice Initiative. She runs workshops both nationally and internationally on normal birth and is also widely published. She also co-runs the Bosom Buddies, the largest breastfeeding peer support network in the UK and her research interests include the second stage of labour and the role of trust in midwifery.

SCUOLA ELEMENTALE DI ARTE OSTETRICA
VIA SAN GERVASIO 26 - 30
PRESSO CENTRO RISONANZE
50131 FIRENZE
ITALIA