REACHE is
the Regional Association of Childbirth Educators. The REACHE board meets
monthly to plan and organize an annual conference on topics of interest to
childbirth educators and other professionals in the birth community.
Meetings also offer a chance for Board members to network and share
information about their own prenatal and parenting programs.
Mission
statement: The Regional Association of Childbirth Educators of Puget Sound
(REACHE) develops and offers quality educational conferences to increase
the knowledge and teaching expertise of prenatal, childbirth, and parenting
instructors. We strive to increase communication among educators and to
promote choices for expectant parents and new families.
Current
Board Members:
Marie
Esch-Radtke: Marie
teaches nursing at Highline Community College, and works at Pediatric
Interim Care Center (PICC) in Kent, WA, a facility for drug-affected
newborns. She has been nursing women, children, and families for over 30 years,
and has extensive experience as a prepared childbirth instructor, doula,
and doula trainer. She's the mother of 4, and the grandmother of 2.
Judy Higgins, RN. President of
REACHE, Childbirth instructor for 24 years for CEAS / Great Starts. Birth
doula. Married with 4 grown children, 5 grandchildren. She was the
doula for all her grandchildren's births. Her personal interests also
include gardening, travel, reading, and meandering walks with her dog.
Carrie Kenner is
a Certified Birthing From Within mentor; birth, lactation,
postpartum, and parenting educator; and birth doula. She
owns Big Belly Services in Seattle, WA, providing independent childbirth
education and doula services. Carrie is on the faculty of Seattle
Midwifery School, Bastyr University, and Clover Park Technical
College as a DONA-approved doula trainer. Carrie is the
proud mother of three sons and six grandchildren.
Sharon Muza is a birth and family educator at Swedish
Medical Center and Big Belly Services, a certified birth doula with DONA
and PALS, and a DONA Approved Birth Doula Trainer. She is on
the faculty at Seattle Midwifery School, where she teaches the labor
support course and has an active Seattle area birth doula and private
childbirth education practice, New Moon Birth. Sharon and her husband
have two elementary aged daughters.
Melissa Shaffer. Melissa is a childbirth educator at Swedish
Medical Center, the prenatal educator for Seattle Indian Health board, a
labor support doula, and the lead instructor for the childbirth educator
training at Seattle Midwifery School. She is the mother of three children.
Debra Shelden is
a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, lactation educator, and
Happiest Baby on the Block instructor. She is the WA State Representative for
DONA International and serves on the board of Postpartum Support
International of WA. She has 2 sons and a very supportive husband!
Joining the Board:
Do
you have a passion for pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting?
Would you love to be a part of this exciting community and be a REACHE
board member?
To
become a REACHE Board member, you must be actively involved in prenatal,
childbirth, or parent education, and you must reside in the Puget Sound
area.
Board
terms are two years long, with the expectation of renewal for another two
year term, and a total commitment of 4 years. During that time, you are expected to
attend monthly meetings, and take on one of the tasks of conference planning
and management. In exchange, you attend the annual conference free of
charge.
For
information, email: board@reache.info
or janelyntemp@hotmail.com
Guiding
Principles of the REACHE Board
REACHE
believes that pregnancy and childbirth are normal and healthy life events.
We value women’s ability to give birth.
REACHE
supports preparation for childbirth that includes current information about
self-help labor coping skills, the birth process, and the appropriate use
of intervention.
REACHE
acknowledges the importance of choice for women and new families, and
encourages decision-making with knowledge of alternatives.
REACHE
recognizes that breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for the newborn
baby in accordance with the World Health Organization guidelines.
REACHE
strives to enhance communication and cooperation among community educators.
We encourage individuals as well as representatives from various health and
education organizations to be on the REACHE board of directors.
REACHE
works to stimulate community interest in the educational needs of new and
expectant parents.
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