Education

There are a variety of educational tools available on this website.  Some tools are for midwifery students no matter how, or from where, they are getting their education.  These would also be appropriate for Childbirth Educators, Doulas and parents.  Other tools are for people interested in holistic health.  Dianne home schooled some of her children for a few years and was always looking for materials for her kids.   Some of the tools are very appropriate for home schoolers, and there are even color sheets for kids.

Dianne has always been invested in the educational process.   Both her parents were educators, and Dianne’s bachelor’s degree is in education. When Dianne started midwifery practice it was during the resurgence of midwifery from the grass roots level in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  She was quite upset that there was not adequate academic and clinical training available at that time for direct-entry midwife apprentices. She figured if a person wanted to become a midwife they should have available proper training and receive a college degree just like other professions.

With that in mind she founded the Utah School of Midwifery (USM) in 1980, which later became Midwives College of Utah (MCU).  The college is accredited by MEAC and students can receive federal funding.  Dianne was president of the college for 20 years and taught midwifery classes for 37 years.  Her advice to hopeful future midwives is to get the best training and credentials they can, because the profession is still in the early stages. Dianne would like to see the midwifery profession expand so there would eventually be a “midwife for every mother.”  She is always saying, “We need more midwives!”

These videos go through the various positions of the fetus in utero.  It is suggested that you have available a pelvis and doll for hands-on learning of the various fetal positions as you look at the videos. The material correlates with the book Oxorn-Foote Human Labor & Birth. Also included is a video on Preterm Labor and Post Term Pregnancy.

These videos go through some variations of normal delivery.  There is a suggestion under each video of what you should have for better hands-on learning.