The Second Annual USF Maternal Child Health Symposium

     Last year I attended Robbie Davis-Floyd's lecture at USF on the anthropology of childbirth during the First Annual Maternal Child Health (MCH) Symposium at USF. This year I also attended the symposium with keynote speaker Dr. Kendall-Tackett who is a researcher and author of several books including, "Breastfeeding Made Simple."

     I didn't make the first day of the sympoisum because I went on clinicals with my midwife and a fellow classmate. However, after clinicals we did make it to Birth the Play at USF. I'd heard a lot of great things about the play and was excited to go. Three of my fellow midwifery school classmates came too as well as my best friend (in real life), Sarah.

Me and Sarah at Birth the Play

     The MCH symposium was really great. The speakers talked about various topics including the effects of childhood sexual abuse on breastfeeding, fatigue and breastfeeding, fetal and infant sleep and post tramautic stress in "near-miss morbidity" (near death childbirth experiences). It was nice to hear experts in the field discuss in detail things I've learned while in midwifery school. I had a really great time and am looking forward to next years symposium.

 Me with fellow classmates: Jessica B. (center) and Shea