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Midwifery Today, Issue 138, Summer 2021.
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It seems that we in the USA are rounding the corner on Covid-19. This is helping me think of resuming many of our old plans that got interrupted by this awful pandemic. I’m looking even further into the future for Midwifery Today. We are tentatively planning to hold our Eugene, Oregon, conference in September 2021. I think this will give us enough time to make sure we do it safely.

I have already procured our lovely venue in the little church I attend. We have had several other events there and found it to be a delightful place for a conference. The program will only change a little to account for Gloria Lemay’s inability to attend. I hope to be able to set the dates for this event and open it up for registration by July 1, 2021. The website for the Eugene conference is https://www.midwiferytoday.com/conference/eugene-oregon-2021/.

Next in our plans is an international conference in Germany. It will be in the beautiful little town of Bad Wildbad—which is known for its gorgeous spas and stunning environment. The town is ever changing, adding new features to what was already a totally interesting town. There are forest walks, a huge slide, and Cornelia Enning tells me that they have added, “[t]his new, ultra-modern bench … in the Bad-Wildbad pedestrian area. [It includes] working solar bluetooth, wireless LAN, and loudspeaker. We tested the bench today!” I really miss Bad Wildbad.

The dates for the Germany conference are already set for October 20–24, 2021. The theme is Birthing in Love: Everyone’s Right. We are not accepting registrations yet, in case we have to postpone it again. The US seems to be doing a little better than Europe, Covid-wise. We hope to be able to begin registering attendees by August 1, 2021 for this event. Keep an eye on our website for any changes in the program, such as substituting speakers for those who cannot come. There has been so much change in a past year plus! The web address for the Germany conference is https://www.midwiferytoday.com/conference/bad-wildbad-germany-conference-2021/.

In the future, I really hope we can coordinate a conference in Greece. We have excellent collaborators there who are helping us with planning. You can join us here for updates: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=greece%20midwifery%20today%20conference.

If you have a location where you would like Midwifery Today to hold a conference and are willing to help, please share the idea with me by e-mailing jan@midwiferytoday.com.

Midwifery Today has always been about improving our knowledge while also providing insights and inspiration. The most satisfying feedback from a conference is when a registrant tells us she had lost her desire to do births and was planning to quit after decades of fighting for motherbaby, but had then been rejuvenated by the conference and was ready to return to her practice and keep going in the service of mothers, babies, and each other. We need each other. Our conferences offer a special unity that grows out of our meeting together in a safe and peaceful environment. We work really hard to make our conferences a place of peace and acceptance.

Gail Hart gave us one of the greatest compliments. She has taught at many, many events and she said Midwifery Today is the best organized of any she has participated in. I hope we can keep that so even in these tougher times.

We have been able to keep our magazine—now an online membership subscription—going thanks to a dedicated staff. That won’t change because we still offer, with your great writing, words of wisdom to keep the joy of midwifery and birth alive and growing. Our goal has always been to expand the reach of midwives. From the beginning of Midwifery Today I have wanted every pregnant woman to think of getting a midwife. Our goals have become more inclusive to include doulas, childbirth educators, and anyone who can help birth be the best possible under trying circumstances of medicalization. Our Online Membership offers you access to an astonishing amount of really good information. Please continue to support us so we can keep supporting you.

For Better Birth,