Crowning Jewels - a midwifery workshop series
We believe that well-supported midwives develop quality care, practices, skills and intuition that results in better midwifery care.
When Midwives surround themselves with other safe, experienced and trusted mentor midwives it can lead to growth, learning, and the development of new or improved skills.
OB Ultrasound: the patient/client perspective
September 12th - 9:30-12:00pm
with Emily Scibetta, MD
Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Ventura County Medical Center
Dr. Scibetta will review what your patients should expect during routine prenatal ultrasounds, focusing on the anatomic survey. She will review American Institute for Ultrasound Medicine and Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine guidelines for these exams. She will focus on common findings that require additional counseling including: placenta previa, fetal growth restriction, low amniotic fluid, common fetal anomalies. She will review the basic concepts of cell free DNA genetic screening and offer some tips on how to counsel patients on their testing options. She will review her answers to common questions patients ask during their visit for ultrasound or genetic counseling.
Emily Scibetta
Dr. Scibetta is proud to provide high risk pregnancy services as Ventura County Medical Center’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist. She was born and raised in Roanoke Virginia and made her permanent trek to California in 1999 to join the UCLA Women’s swim team. After college, she worked in global health in South Africa and Burma before returning to medical school at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She also completed her residency in OBGYN at UCSF in 2015. She then returned to UCLA for fellowship training in Maternal Fetal Medicine. During her fellowship, she focused her research on innovative prenatal care services to improve health outcomes for underserved patients in LA County. Dr. Scibetta provides pregnancy ultrasound services and inpatient consultation for women with high risk pregnancy conditions at Ventura County Medical Center. She also sees patients for primary prenatal care at Mandalay Bay Clinic in Oxnard. She directs the VCMC High Risk Obstetrics Fellowship, with the help of her OBGYN colleagues, to provide specialty training in obstetrics for dedicated Family Medicine physicians with an intent to practice in underserved communities. When she’s not hanging out with pregnant women and her wonderful work colleagues, Dr. Scibetta can be found at home in Ojai where she enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking and generally spending time with her family and friends. Dr. Scibetta speaks English and Spanish.
3rd Stage: How Much is Too Much Blood?
October 15th - 12:30-3:00pm
with Karni Seymour-Brown, LM
Have you ever found yourself questioning your judgment of Estimated Blood Loss (EBL) in the immediate third stage postpartum period? Join us for an educational workshop where we will dive deep into the intricacies of estimating and managing blood loss during this critical time.
Key Topics:
- Comprehensive Review of the Third Stage of Labor: Understand the physiological process of placental separation and its implications for blood loss.
- Effective Management Techniques: Learn best practices for managing the third stage of labor, including recognizing and addressing retained membranes.
- Medication Protocols: Gain insights into the medications that can be used to manage postpartum bleeding effectively.
- Understanding Causes: Discover the primary causes of postpartum hemorrhage, with a focus on the leading cause: mismanagement.
- Timely Intervention: Learn how to determine the appropriate moment to intervene based on the amount of blood loss, ensuring the safety and well-being of the mother.
This workshop aims to enhance your skills in estimating blood loss accurately and managing the third stage of labor effectively, reducing the risks of immediate postpartum hemorrhage. Join us to improve your clinical judgment and ensure better outcomes for mothers in your care.
By the end of this workshop, you will have a clearer understanding of how to manage the third stage of labor, recognize when intervention is necessary, and apply life-saving measures when needed. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise and confidence in handling postpartum blood loss.
Karni Seymour-Brown
My journey began with the birth of my first son in 1976, an experience that inspired me to become a childbirth educator and later an empirical midwife in 1979. I joined the California Association of Midwives (CAM) in 1980 and have since supported various paths in midwifery, from apprenticeships to education programs. In 1991, I became a registered midwife with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and later achieved the title of Certified Professional Midwife. My work with CAM has focused on decriminalizing midwifery and promoting licensure in California. A milestone in my career was in 1996, when I became one of the first licensed midwives in the state. That same year was also special as I welcomed my second son, born at home. The days have been long, and the years have been short, but through it all, I have grown immeasurably as both a mother and a midwife and continue to have immense gratitude for the new experiences I am blessed with on this continuum of life.
Midwifery and the process of becoming
November 12th - 12:30-3:00pm
With Meaghan Snider, LM
This workshop will focus on surviving and thriving in apprenticeship while on the path to becoming a midwife. This class is going to support questions on how to financially support yourself during your apprenticeship and get your practice up and running. We will address questions such as how to earn income that will also contribute to your skills as a midwife and how to prepare and open your practice when you’re ready. Focu on how to transition from apprenticeship to your own practice. We will look at the strengths and weaknesses of the apprentice and preceptor relationship and how to repair conflicts. What’s the ingredients for how to have a good preceptor relationship? I will present and share some tips for self care and a rosemary plant closing.
Meaghan snider
Meaghan has been immersed in learning midwifery for years and midwifery has been steeping in her blood for generations. Her Mexican grandmothers were midwives.
Meaghan was drawn to midwifery when she gave birth at Sunrise Birthing Center and at home with her two children. She was in awe about how the midwife led her life. The midwifery care model and the compassion she received, changed her life.
She always sought natural healing modalities and began studying them in depth when her children were born. Meaghan is a certified herbalist, Ayurvedic practitioner, and yoga instructor. She got the call to midwifery and began studying with great intention. She has a Bachelors in Midwifery with a focus in International Midwifery. She is a licensed and certified practicing midwife. She practices in Ventura and Los Angeles counties where she was born and raised. She is interested in midwifery with extended and in depth postpartum care practices including nourishment and traditional techniques.
Suturing Challenging Perineal Tears
December 15th - 12:30-3:00pm
with
Ana Levin, MD
Mina Ananth, MD
Michelle Orabueze, MD
This simulation will use a very realistic animal model that will allow for providers to practice the
repair of common and complicated obstetric laceration, including anal sphincter
injuries. It will be a vivid, hands-on opportunity to practice suturing skills as well as talk
through common issues that providers come across in the practice of repairing perineal
lacerations.
This workshop is for midwives who are experienced with suturing. Please bring your own suturing tools and packets of suture. This will save cost.
Ana Levin
Hello my name is Ana Levin. I am a family medicine physician with fellowship training in obstetrics and maternal child health. I grew up in Ojai and went to UC Berkeley and majored in anthropology. I completed a Masters of Science in Public Health and a medical degree through the UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program. I completed my residency training at Sutter Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency. In 2020, I trained with Dr. Solinas at Santa Paula
Hospital and Ventura County Medical Center as a Maternal Child Health fellow. I am passionate about women’s health, peripartum couplet support, farmworker health access, and the wellbeing of our patient community in the Santa Clara Valley.
Mina Ananth
Hello, my name is Mina Ananth. I am a family medicine physician with fellowship training in obstetrics and maternal child health. I have lived all over and attended undergrad at Princeton where I majored in anthropology. I went to medical school at Tulane where I also completed a master’s degree in public health. I completed my residency training at White Memorial Hospital In Los Angeles, California. I trained with Dr. Solinas at Santa Paula Hospital and Ventura County Medical Center as a Maternal Child Health fellow.
Michelle Orabueze
Hello! My name is Michelle Adaora Orabueze. I am a Family Medicine Physician and Maternal Child Health Obstetrics Fellow. Originally from Atlanta, GA, I attended Georgia State University and majored in Chemistry, went to medical school at Morehouse School of Medicine, and completed my residency training at Ventura Country Medical Center. I am passionate about women’s health and obstetrics, safe deliveries, postpartum care and newborn care.
We suffer in the shadows: second victim phenomenon
January 18th - 9:30-12:00pm
with Denise M. Ellison, CNM (retired)
Not every birth ends like a fairy tale. Sometimes moms and babies don’t live happily ever after. We spend a lot of time concerned about the trauma that mom and her partner are experiencing. We forget that the provider was planning on a fairy tale ending as well. There is no contest as to who is more affected. The trauma is real but different, not more or less. For us, the midwives, there is guilt, blaming, and shame. Who is there for us? How do we process the pain and feeling of loss?
Denise M. Ellison
I grew up knowing that I wanted to be involved in healthcare one way or another. I started as a CNA as a 16yo and decided that nursing was my calling. I was introduced to midwifery while in nursing school at the Los Angeles County Medical Center. I knew immediately that being a nurse-midwife was my goal. I love birth and most especially the process of watching the evolution of a woman with her partner. There is no more intense or intimate moment than birth. Retirement has been a difficult transition but I am enjoying the time to sew, quilt, hike, and play with my GRANDs.
