THE BIRTH IN PLACE PATCH - for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides
BIRTH HAPPENS
Sometimes women labor rapidly and give birth before professional assistance is near. Sometimes natural disaster: tornados, floods, hurricanes, blizzards or earthquakes, prevent women from reaching professional help. Most births, particularly those that happen rapidly, are uncomplicated. Support can be provided by any calm person. Knowing how to support birth helps a person remain calm.
SCOUT PATCH
The Birth in Place Patch gives a scout the opportunity to learn enough about uncomplicated birth to provide emergency assistance. In learning about birth and immediate newborn care, the scout also learns about careers in women’s health. All readings, worksheets, instructions and videos for this patch are available online without charge at www.advantagemidwifery.org
Targeted Ages
US Girl Scouts: Juniors (4th-5th grade), Cadettes (6th-8th grade),
US Senior Scouts (9th-10th grade), Ambassadors (11th-12th grade)
BIRTH IN PLACE PATCH ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Additional Information
To earn this patch, the scout will:
Choose two of these discovery activities:
1. Read the information and instructions for helping a woman give birth titled, “Birth in Place.”
2. Read the information and instructions about caring for a newborn immediately after birth.
3. Work with a group. Each scout visits one or more of these websites and investigates how the organization works to improve birth and newborn safety. Scouts then report back to the group describing the organization they investigated.
a. March of Dimes www.marchofdimes.org
b. Every Mother Counts www.everymothercounts.org
c. Maternity Worldwide www.maternityworldwide.org
d. Save the Children www.savethechildren.org
e. Partners in Health www.pih.org
f. Doctors Without Borders www.doctorswithoutborders.org
g. JHPIEGO, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University www.jhpiego.org
Complete two of these skills-building activities:
1. Watch the film on birth in place. (A link to a free video filmed for this patch will be provided.)
2. Complete the birth and the newborn care worksheets
3. Complete the birth and newborn word search.
4. Invite a midwife, labor and birth nurse or obstetrician to visit with your troop. Practice helping a woman during birth during a skill drill. (Instructions for drill and skills checklist will be available without charge online.)
5. Make an emergency birth kit by gathering the equipment listed in “Birth in Place.”
Complete one of these activities:
1. Interview a labor and birth nurse, a midwife, doula or an obstetrician about birth and why they chose women’s health care as a career.
2. Help a mother with a baby who is less than 6 months old. Ask the mother about feeding the infant and what the infant has learned to do. Change a diaper.
3. Talk to a woman who has given birth. Ask her what the birth was like. Find out what she thinks would have helped her to be more comfortable during labor.
Complete one of these service activities:
1. Collect gently used baby clothes and blankets. Wash them and fold them for donation to a women’s center or refugee service.
2. Have a fundraiser for an organization that supports healthy birth. Suggested organizations include:
a. March of Dimes www.marchofdimes.org
b. Every Mother Counts www.everymothercounts.org
c. Maternity Worldwide www.maternityworldwide.org
d. Save the Children www.savethechildren.org
e. Partners in Health www.pih.org
f. Doctors Without Borders www.doctorswithoutborders.org
g. JHPIEGO, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University www.jhpiego.org
