Training
A cornerstone of our efforts is the sponsorship of Clinical Roundtable Weekends. These events are a unique opportunity for our midwives to join together in 4 days of clinical and scientific education. Equally important it fosters an important network of cooperation and lasting friendships!
Our Fifth Clinical Roundtable Weekend -
October 9 -12, 2019 Chichicastenango!!
Our Fourth Clinical Roundtable Weekend -
May 9 -12, 2019 Chichicastenango!!
ASOPAR sponsored the 4th Clinical Weekend in May 2019!! It was a big success!! Participants met from Thursday, May 9 – Sunday May 12 and enjoyed a highly educational experience together learning new techniques.
The days were long but incredibly interesting!! With each clinical weekend, we become more skilled as midwives!!
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Ricardo Pérez Martínez y María Guadalupe Colunga Herrera taught everyone a new therapy called “Nierika”. Nierika is an energy therapy that can strengthen the body’s healing system and create greater balance in the energy / electrical system of the body. Many cultures see illness as an expression of imbalance in the mind and body.
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We learned a new way to assess imbalances in the body from Dr Vinicio España who is a chiropractor and a reflexologist. The technique determines sensitive points on the foot and their reflex relationship to various organs and structures elsewhere in the body. It is non-invasive and helpful in determining which organs need extra support. And by massaging the sensitive point on the foot, it is a reflex therapy to the related organ or structure.
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Dr Ernie Marino gave a detailed lecture on various periodontal problems that our midwives may encounter and how to identify them. Dr Adrian Levesque provided our attendees with important information on tooth decay; how to identify it and how to prevent it. Dental health is an important part of total health and awareness and prevention are key to oral health!
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Once again, Poxita provided wonderful instruction in massage techniques for pregnancy and other related symptoms. Massage is relaxing and a powerful stress-reducing therapy and is valuable for the stressed mother.
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Our good friends from Quinfica came to continue our education in Bach Flower Remedy use and where to find other medicinal herbs.
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Olga Barrera Rico returned and shared some new information. Olga showed us how to take the placenta, prepare it for dehydration, dehydrate it and then put the dried and powdered placenta tissue into capsules. Placenta tissue is a rich source of hormones, heat-shock proteins and chaperon proteins that stimulate stem cell proliferation which is the basis for profound healing and repair within the body. And each mother receives her OWN placenta tissue, so it is a very specific treatment.
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We also learned more recipes for special kinds of soaps. Soaps are important for personal hygiene, disinfecting the skin and are an important part of economic sustainability for midwives.
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At the end of the weekend, it was sad to leave but we all look forward to being together again in October!!
Our Third Clinical Roundtable Weekend - October 4 - 7, 2018, Chichicastenango
ASOPAR celebrated its 3rd clinical weekend for midwives in Chichicastenango, from October 3 to 7, 2018 and it was a great success!
For 4 days, our midwifes and students received valuable clinical information from a wide range of experienced people. The topics ranged from: preparing traditional herbal medicines to help in pregnancy and childbirth, the clinical use of Bach Flower remedies to help deal with emotional problems and traumas, how to identify nutritional deficiencies without requiring laboratory tests, how to prepare natural fermented vegetables to improve gastrointestinal health and reduce diarrhea, assessing the complications that may occur during delivery and what to do about it, and more.
The days were long, but they gave us delicious meals (and coffee!) provided by a local family, so we could be alert and concentrate on learning.
The first day, we learned how to cut and prepare the right vegetables for a fermentation. The consumption of naturally fermented vegetables is an important way to introduce or replace critical beneficial bacteria in the intestines. After 4 days of fermentation, everyone could open their jars and taste what they had prepared!
Dr. Jeff presented many slides on how to identify nutritional deficiencies and imbalances and Oscar did the translation! When laboratory tests are not available, it is especially valuable to know the signs and symptoms of different vitamin deficiencies that may allow adequate correction. Later in the program, everyone was tested for hemoglobin with our new hemoglobin meters, which were provided by the Rotary International Grant, so they could know if they were anemic.
Olga Barrera Rico, a certified midwife from Mexico, taught how to select certain herbs and prepare them in tinctures and creams for use during pregnancy. We had a room full of leaves, branches and living plants. Everyone enjoyed preparing, cutting and filling the herbs in bottles to extract them with alcohol. The best way to learn is to do it!
Two representatives of Quinfica in Guatemala City came out to make a 3-hour presentation on the use of Bach flower remedies. The information was very interesting, as it provides another way to deal with the emotional difficulties faced by many women and families. The flower essences are homeopathic and safe for use.
MDF Instruments of California (USA), was generous in donating high quality stethoscopes and blood pressure kits to all who needed them. We took a couple of hours to practice with the new equipment. Now all of our midwives can detect the hypertension of their patients and members of their communities and direct them for treatment. MDF has been a great advocate of our work and we are all grateful for his kindness and generosity.
Gregg and Fabian from the Rotary Club of Guatemala City came to visit on Saturday. They had the opportunity to have lunch with the girls and listen to some of their stories. Dora Maria and Carolina gave them a brief demonstration of what they were learning using the birth mannequin that was provided to them in May.
Sustainability is always a key and we want all of our midwives to have the knowledge and skills to operate a successful midwife practice. Dr. Jeff shared his knowledge on the basics of providing quality professional services, support products and community awareness of what you offer as a professional.
It was sad to see that the program would end gradually on Sunday night. We enjoy our time together. Certificates of attendance were awarded and each midwife received a team full of equipment they need in their practices.
Our Second Clinical Roundtable Weekend - May 3 - 6 2018 in Guatemala City, Guatemala
Our second weekend clinic was held at the Royal Palace Hotel. Several instructors shared their knowledge and experience with everyone who attended.
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Carmelina and Carolina worked with the birth simulator to demonstrate various complications that may occur during a birth.
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Oscar explained how to use the hemoblobin meters and each of the girls had the opportunity to prove themselves.
Poxita, from Chichicastenango, shared a series of massage techniques to help during pregnancy and childbirth.
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Dr. Jeff taught the principles of Applied Kinesiology and how this technique can help to work with the intelligence of the body. Working with the capsule machines allows each midwife to prepare a special herbal preparation for their patients.
And Juan Pablo explained the fundamentals of successful midwife practice and business management skills that are useful.
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We enjoy a busy schedule and hope to return in October!