Protect Yourself from the Flu Season Peak

Did you know that flu season normally peaks in February or even March? If you’re a midwife, make sure your patients know that it’s not too late to get a flu shot. And whether you’re a health care professional or not, the CDC offers free materials to help you make informed decisions about how to best protect yourself this season.

• Flu Shot Factsheet for Pregnant Women
  
  
• Posters to promote flu vaccination for clinics and patient rooms
  
  Print them yourself
  (English1)
  (English2)
  (Spanish)
  
  Or order from the warehouse (scroll down to Flu Materials #s 22-0359, 22-360, and 22-361) - all orders require 4 to 6 weeks for delivery
  
  
• Educational DVD movie and PSA for waiting rooms
  
  View the movie online
  
  Or order from the warehouse (scroll down to Flu Materials - #22-0447) – all orders require 4 to 6 weeks for delivery
  
  
  
• Podcasts for pregnant women
  
  Pregnant Women: Know the Signs and Symptoms of Flu
  Pregnant Women Need a Flu Shot
  
  

Let’s Play Catch Up!

by Melissa Garvey, ACNM Writer and Editor

We’ve been quiet at Midwife Connection lately, so let’s pick up the pace again by catching up on the latest ACNM news.

• Flu season is on the way. ACNM, CDC, and other professional organizations issued a joint statement on the importance of seasonal flu vaccination—especially for pregnant and postpartum women.
  
  
• Collaborative practice between midwives and physicians is in the spotlight. ACNM and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are calling for papers on successful collaborative practice models between midwives and physicians. Winning submissions will receive monetary awards and may be published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
  
  
• Free updated midwifery fact sheets are available. Two of our most popular fact sheets—Essential Facts about Midwives and CNM/CM-Attended Birth Statistics—have been updated and are available online.
  
  
  
• National Midwifery Week is October 3 – 9. Host your own event or join in one of the many celebrations across the country during National Midwifery Week. ACNM has a webpage with tools to help you celebrate, and Where’s My Midwife? is organizing the National Walk for Moms and Midwives.
  
  

How Pregnant Women and New Moms Should Prepare for H1N1 Flu

Midwives, pregnant women, and new moms, watch this webcast for the latest on what you should know about H1N1 flu. Features questions from the public and answers by experts from ACNM, CDC, and NIH.