Birth and Early Postpartum Related Organizations
The following organizations are valuable for doulas and childbirth educators. If you know of an organization that should be listed here, or if there is information on this list that is incorrect, please email the Membership Coordinator (info@alace.org).
Advocacy/Informational Organizations:
Birthing the Future®: Birthing the Future is a non-profit organization started by birth advocate, Suzanne Arms. It is involved in international projects to return dignity to birth, women and babies around the world.
Address: P.O. Box 1040 Bayfield, CO 81122
Phone: 970-884-4090
Website: www.birthingthefuture.com
Comments: Produce an educational/inspirational video entitled “Giving Birth, Choices & Challenges”, and offer ongoing workshops and conferences.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC): National Center for Health Statistics
Address: Metro IV Bldg, 3311 Toledo Road Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
Phone: 301-458-4000
Website: www.cdc.gov/nchs
Comments: A good resource for statistics regarding national health data, including birth and fetal deaths.
Childbirth Connection: (formerly Maternity Center Association) is a not-for-profit organization that has been dedicated to improving maternity care in the United States since 1918. Its mission is to is to promote safe, effective, and satisfying maternity care for all women and their families through research, education, and advocacy. Maternity Wise is the Maternity Center Association’s long-term national program to promote evidence-based maternity care.
Address: 281 Park Avenue South, 5th floor, New York NY 10010
Phone: 212-777-5000 Fax: 212-777-9320
Website: www.childbirthconnection.org
Comments: Website has a wealth of resources both for consumers and for professionals. Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy is online at their site (and you can download it and print it for free). They have numerous other resources that can be downloaded (The Listening to Mothers Study. The full text of “Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth,” the latest Cochrane Review and the booklet “What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know About Cesarean Section”).
Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS): Established in 1996 CIMS is a collaborative effort of numerous individuals and more than 50 organizations (including ALACE) representing over 90,000 members. Their mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs.
Address: P.O. Box 2346, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004
Phone: 888-282-2467
Website: www.motherfriendly.org
Comments: Many good downloads for parents (fact sheets)
International Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (NAPSAC):
Address: Rt. 4 Box 646, Marble Hill, MO 63764
Phone: 573-238-2010
Website: www.napsac.org
March of Dimes: The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. They carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives.
Address: 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
Website: www.marchofdimes.com
Comments: Visit website for articles and fact sheets on many subjects related to the latest research on genetics and pregnancy. A lot of their resources are available in Spanish.
National Association of Childbearing Centers: a non-profit membership organization founded by the Maternity Center Association. For over 20 years, the National Association of Childbearing Centers has been the nation’s most comprehensive resource on birth centers.
Address: 3123 Gottschall Road, Perkiomenville, PA 18074
Phone: 215-234-8068
Website: www.birthcenters.org
World Health Organization (WHO): governed by the United Nations, its primary focus is to obtain the highest quality of health for all peoples across the globe.
Website: www.who.int/en
Comments: Fact sheets on women’s health and safe birth practice recommendations. Other publications available on website.
Cesarean Awareness/Prevention:
International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) ICAN is an international, nonprofit organization that was founded by concerned parents and professionals in 1982 and now has chapters in every state and many foreign countries. Many chapters provide information and support on a one-to-one basis.
Address: 304 Kingsdale Ave, Redondo Beach CA 90278
Phone: 800-686-ICAN or 310.542.6400 Fax: 310.542.5368
Website: www.ican-online.org
Comments: Many resources about VBAC and cesarean prevention for families. Helpful position papers and fact sheets that are well referenced.
Childbirth Education:
ALACE (Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators): ALACE is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting womenís choices in childbirth. We accomplish this goal by training and certifying Childbirth Educators and Labor Assistants/Birth Doulas, ALACE respects birth as a woman-centered and woman-directed passage. Our goal is to help women reclaim trust in their ability to safely and dependably give birth.
Address: P.O. Box 390436, Cambridge MA 02139
Phone: 888-222-5223 Fax: 617-441-3167
Website: www.alace.org
Comments: Online Mail order bookstore with large selection of alternative pregnancy, birth and postpartum books
American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth (The Bradley Method™): The American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth® was founded by Robert A. Bradley, M.D. and Marjie & Jay Hathaway, AAHCC for the purpose of making childbirth education information available. The Academy provides communication Services, Resource Information, Film Showings, Lectures, Workshops, and National Affiliation for teachers.
Address: P.O. Box 5224, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413
Phone: 800-422-4784
Website: www.bradleybirth.com
Comments: Their website is very hard to get information from
Birthing From Within: As a nurse-midwife and mother, Pam realized the chasm between what was being offered in most childbirth classes and what women needed to prepare to give birth. In 1989, Pam began developing the multi-sensory Birthing From Within approach. Birthing From Within classes help parents reclaim the spiritual, emotional, and psychological awareness needed to fully experience birth as the rite of passage it is and should be.
Phone: 505-254-4884
Website: www.birthingfromwithin.com
Comments: Information about classes, teacher certification, workshop schedules, discussion boards, catalog)
BirthWorks: BirthWorks® embodies the philosophy of developing a woman’s self confidence, trust and faith in her ability to give birth. Their goal is to promote safe and loving birth experiences through education, introspection and confident action.
Address: P.O. Box 2045, Medford NJ 08055
Phone: 888-862-4784
Website: www.birthworks.org
Comments: Online referrals/online shopping
Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA ): CAPPA is a non-profit international organization that was founded in 1998 to offer professional membership and training to childbirth educators, lactation educators, labor doulas, antepartum doulas and postpartum doulas.
Address: 310 Sweet Ivy Lane, Lawrenceville GA 30043
Phone: 888-MY CAPPA (888-692-2772)
Website: http://cappa.net/
Comments: Online bookstore and parent resources
Hypnobirthing Institute®: Begun by Marie Mongan, M.Ed., M.Hy., of Concord, N.H. and based on the book Hypnobirthing® ~ A Celebration of Life. The Mongan Method is a method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by hypnosis techniques that allows women to use their natural instincts.
Address: P. O. Box 810, Epsom, N.H. 03234 USA
Phone: 603-798-4781
website: www.hypnobirthing.com
International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1960 as a professional organization to support educators and other health care providers who believe in freedom of choice based on knowledge of alternatives in family-centered maternity and newborn care.
Address: P.O. Box 20048, Minneapolis, MN 55420
Phone: 952-854-8660
Website: www.icea.org
Comments: Online Bookcenter; ICEA Bookmarks is a catalog of the large selection of books, videos, handouts and parent resources that are available to educators
Lamaze International: was founded in 1960 as the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics. In the 1970’s it became know as ASPO/Lamaze and referred to as Lamaze.
Address: 2025 M Street, Suite 800, Washington DC 20036-3309
Phone: 800-368-4404
Website: www.lamaze.org
Comments: Many online resources for childbirth professionals and parents; online bookstore
Labor Support (Birth Doulas/Labor Assistants):
ALACE (Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators): ALACE is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting womenís choices in childbirth. We accomplish this goal by training and certifying Childbirth Educators and Labor Assistants/Birth Doulas, ALACE respects birth as a woman-centered and woman-directed passage. Our goal is to help women reclaim trust in their ability to safely and dependably give birth.
Address: P.O. Box 390436, Cambridge MA 02139
Phone: 888-222-5223 Fax: 617-441-3167
Website: www.alace.org
Comments: Online Mail order bookstore with large selection of alternative pregnancy, birth and postpartum books
Birthing From Within: see Childbirth Education section above
Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA): see Childbirth Education section above
DONA International: is a nonprofit organization founded in 1992 as Doulas of North America (DONA). They certify both birth and postpartum doulas.
Address: P.O. Box 626, Jasper IN 47547
Phone: 888-788-3662
Website: www.dona.org
Comments: Website has both professional and consumer resource sections and an online boutique (books, jewelry, etc.)
Midwifery:
American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM):
Address: 818 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 900, Washington DC 20006 Phone: 202-728-9860 Website: www.acnm.org
Association of Radical Midwives (ARM):
Address: 6 Springfield Rd. Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7DS UK
Website: www.radmid.demon.co.uk
Comments: Publishes a quarterly journal called Midwifery Matters
Citizens for Midwifery:
Address: P.O. Box 82227, Athens GA 30608-2227
Phone: 888-236-4880
Website: www.cfmidwifery.org
Comments: Resources for finding a midwife, onsite news articles and other short essays of interest, online catalog of publications available
The Farm (The Farm Midwives; Ina May Gaskin):
Address: P.O. Box 217, Summertown TN 38483
Tel: 931.964.2472
Website: www.thefarm.org or www.inamay.com
Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery is a 501©(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the midwifery model of care as the quality health care option for women and families.
Website: www.formidwifery.org
International Center for Traditional Childbearing (I CTC):
Address: P.O. Box 11923, Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503- 460-9324
Website: www.blackmidwives.org
Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA):
Address: 4805 Lawrenceville Hwy, Suite 116-279, Lilburn GA 30047
Phone: 888-923-6262
Website: www.mana.org
Comments: Provides online referrals to midwives and state by state information about the legality of homebirth midwifery; extensive midwifery bibliography
North American Registry of Midwives (NARM):
Address: 5257 Rosestone Drive, Lilburn GA 30047
Phone: 888-842-4784
Website: www.narm.org
Physicians for Midwifery
Address: 112 Exchange Place, Lafayette LA 70503
Website: www.well.com/user/zuni/pfm
Comments: selected articles available online
Seattle Midwifery School:
Address: 2524 16th Avenue South, Room 300, Seattle, WA 98144-5104
Phone: 206-322-8834 or 800-747-9433
Website: www.seattlemidwifery.org
Nursing Organizations:
Association of Nurse Advocates for Childbirth Solutions (ANACS). An organization that assists like-minded nurses and other childbirth advocates to network and discuss maternity service issues. The goal is more Mother-Friendly nursing for hospital based birth. The website offers many resources, links, news, chat rooms and participation in the community through frequent updates and automatic notification of new articles on the site.
Address: 916 Daleview Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20901
Phone: 301-434-5546
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN):
Address: 2000 L Street, NW Suite 740, Washington DC 20036
Phone: 800-673-8499 (US) 800-245-0231 (Canada)
Website: www.awhonn.org
Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG)
Address: 409 12th St. SW, P.O. Box 96920, Washington DC 20090-6920
Phone: 202-638-5577
Website: www.acog.org
Comments: Public access to perspectives on birth formed under the medical model; very good site to keep apprised of changes and policies within the medical system
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC):
Address: 780 Echo Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5R7
Phone: 613-730-4192 or 800-561-2416
Waterbirth:
Global Maternal/Child Health Association (formerly Waterbirth International):
Address: P.O. Box 1400, Wilsonville OR 97070
Phone: 800-641-2229 or 503-673-0026
Website: www.waterbirth.org
Comments: online catalog, pool rentals and sales
Birth Defects:
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation:
Address: 1275 Mamaronek Ave, White Plains NY 10605
Phone: 888-663-4637; Order by phone: 800-367-6630
Website: www.modimes.org
Comments: Many parent resources/handouts
National Down Syndrome Society:
Address: 666 Broadway, New York NY 10012
Phone: 800-221-4602 or 212-460-9330
Website: www.ndss.org
National Organization for Rare Diseases:
Address: 55 Kenosia Ave., P.O. Box 1968, Danbury CT 06813
Phone: 203-744-0100 or 800-999-6673
Website: www.rarediseases.org
Comments: Disease database and peer support
Breastfeeding Related Organizations:
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre, Ltd:
Phone: 888-2357201
Website: www.bflrc.com
Comments: Information from Linda Smith and Jack Newman regarding breastfeeding. Many resources are able to be reprinted.
International Lactation Consultants Association (ILCA):
Address: 1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102, Raleigh NC 27607
Phone: 919-787-5181 Fax: 919-787-4916
Website: www.ilca.org
La Leche League International (LLLI)
Address: 1400 N. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4808
Phone: 847-519-7730
Website: www.lalecheleague.org
Car Seats:
SafetyBeltSafe USA:
Address: P.O. Box 553, Altadena CA 91003
Website: www.carseat.org
Comments: Has a list of current car seats that have been recalled
Circumcision:
National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC):
Address: P.O. Box 2512, San Anselmo CA 94979
Phone: 415-488-9883 Fax: 415-488-9660
Website: www.nocirc.org
Comments: Online catalog of publications and books
NOHARMM (Men Organized Against Infant Circumcision):
Address: P.O. Box 460795, San Francisco CA 94146
Phone: 415-826-9351 Fax: 305-768-5967
Website: www.noharmm.org
Comments: Online catalog of videos and books
Maternal and Child Health:
Association for Pre- & Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPH):
Address: P.O. Box 1398, Forestville, CA 95436.
Phone: 707-887-2838
Website: www.birthpsychology.com
Comments: Forum and resources for birth professionals who are interested in information and research on the psychological and spiritual dimensions of conception, pregnancy, birth and postpartum from the perspective of the pre-nate and baby as well as the mother, father and family; the primary information site regarding birth trauma; conferences
Maternal and Child Health Bureau:
Address: 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville MD 20857
Phone: 301.443.2170
Website: www.mchb.hrsa.gov
Maternal and Child Health Clearinghouse:
Address: 38th and R Street NW, Washington DC 20057
Phone: 888.434.4624
Website: www.ask.hrsa.gov/mch.cfm
Comments: publications catalog available on-line/ online ordering available
National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health:
Address: Georgetown Unv., P.O. Box 571271, Washington, D.C. 20057
Phone: 202-784-9770
Website: www.ncemch.org
Postpartum Depression:
Depression after Delivery (DAD)
Web-based organization
Website: www.depressionafterdelivery.com
Comments: Geared toward parents; lots of resources
Postpartum Support International (PSI):
Address: 927 North Kellogg Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA
Phone: 805-967-7636
Website: www.postpartum.net
Postpartum Doulas:
National Association of Postpartum Care Services:
Address: 800 Detroit Street, Denver CO 80206
Phone: 800-453-6852
Website: www.napcs.org (Online bookstore/doula location available)
Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA): see Childbirth Education section above
DONA International: see Labor Support section above
Other:
International Association for Infant Massage:
Address: 1891 Goodyear Ave., Suite 622 Ventura, CA 93003
Phone: 805-644-8524
Website: www.iaim-US.com
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Moms and Dads (ECMO):
Address: C/O Gayle Willson, Route 1, Box 176AA, Idalou TX 79329
Phone: 806-892-3348
Email: bgw@odsy.net
Resources for Special Populations:
National Organization of Single Mothers:
Address: P.O. Box 68, Midland NC 28107
Phone: 704-888-5437
Website: www.singlemothers.org
Comments: Online information, support resources, forums, biweekly newsletter and resource list available)
Parents Without Partners:
Address: 1650 South Dixie Highway, Suite 510, Boca Raton FL 33432
Phone: 561-391-8833
Website: www.parentswithoutpartners.org
Comments: Information on memberships, finding/starting a chapter, Parents Without Partners newsletter, various resources and organization merchandise available
National Organization of Mothers of Twins Club (NOMOTC):
Address: P.O. Box 438, Thompson’s Station TN 37179-0438
Phone: 615-595-0936
Website: www.nomotc.org
Comments: Online communication center, resources, product catalog and purchasing available
Pregnancy and Parenting Resources
Helpful Pregnancy and Parenting Links
Networking Groups for Birth Professionals
Continuing Education Opportunities
Professional Childbirth Related Organizations
Websites for Birth Professionals
Magazines and Publications for Birth Professionals
Articles for Birth Professionals
