Going BOLD

BirthNetworkNWA provides a unique opportunity for women in the area to come forward, share their birth stories and enjoy theatrical birth experiences through all the offerings associated with our BOLD Red Tents and the play "Birth" by former Arkansan Karen Brody.

Tell Your BOLD Birth Story under The BOLD Red Tent!

BE BOLD and join in the global movement "Birth On Labor Day" as women around the world gather during the month of September to inspire their communities to create childbirth choices that work for mothers.

When and Where:

Saturday, Sep 13th at the Fayetteville Farmer's Market from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

and

Saturday, Sep 20th at the Bentonville Farmer's Market from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

What:

1. Tell your birth story! - Stories have the power to reach into our hearts and minds, impart truths, and transform lives. Share your knowledge, wisdom and birth experiences with other women under the red tent.

2. Buy your tickets to a production of Karen Brody's play "Birth", debuting at Fayetteville's Teatro Scarpino on Friday, September 19th. (Tickets available online or at the Fayetteville Red Tent)

3. Henna Body Art - Bring your pregnant belly (or your beautiful non-pregnant body) and experience the beautiful, nurturing art of henna painting. Choose a design that expresses your unique personality as well as the universality of womanhood and motherhood.

4. Learn about Free Local Birth Resources - Get connected with representatives from BirthNetwork NWA, La Leche League, the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN), and DONA International (a doula organization) about how we can support you throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

5. Win Great Prizes! - Enter your name in a drawing to win some great prizes from the following businesses

• Binsi Birth Skirt
• Moby Wrap from Terra Tots
• Natracare New Mama Pack
• Chanel "Allure" Perfume Gift Pack

And we don't want you to miss the

local performance of a play by Karen Brody

"Birth"

Friday, September 19th, 2008

at

Teatro Scarpino in Fayetteville.

Birth is part of the BOLD (Birth On Labor Day) Movement. Every September, Birth is performed in cities around the world, uniting women's voices calling for change in a maternity-care system that is broken--

For example:

• One in three women in America give birth by undergoing major abdominal surgery.
• In Northwest Arkansas, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is banned in most hospitals.
• In our area, few women have access to professional nurse-midwifery care in a hospital and there are no freestanding birth centers.
• The American Medical Association just adopted a resolution that would seek to ban homebirth in every state.

But there is a movement to promote a model of care that is evidence-based and centered on mothers and babies. It's called "Mother-Friendly" Maternity Care. BirthNetwork NWA promotes this model of care through education, advocacy, and support. Please join with BirthNetwork NWA and BOLD to raise money, raise awareness, and raise the energy of a movement that will empower women take charge of their births and give them options that work.

Tickets are on sale now. Click here to access ticket sales through BirthNetwork's "Events" page. Please don't wait, because we do expect a "sell-out" of the play. Even if you can't come, please consider becoming a consumer member of BirthNetwork NWA. Your name and your voice as a consumer means something, and we must have broad consumer support to encourage doctors and legislators to listen.

As we make strides to improve our state's maternity care system, making it more mother-friendly, we want everyone to know we value our mothers and our children. This is just another step we are taking . . . one of the first of many to come.