Welcome to the IIMHCO Conference 2019 Program.
(This is still a work in progress while we finalize a fantastic line-up of truly world-class plenary Keynotes speakers, and ground-breaking presentations for the Concurrents.)
The likely Programme timetable will be as follows:
Friday 27th September 2019
Optional Half Day 4-Hour Pre-Conference Workshops
Ellerslie Convention Centre, Meeting Room
| MORNING | Elizabeth Davis: Heart & Hands Midwifery Care |
| AFTERNOON | Dr Ricardo Jones: Homeopathy for Birth Practitioners |
Friday 27th September 2019
Optional Evening Networking (& Pre-Registration)
5.30 – 7pm
Ellerslie Convention Centre, Conference Venue
Saturday 28th September 2019
Conference Day-One
| 7.45am-8.15am | Registration |
| 8.30am | Welcome Opening |
| 9am | KEYNOTE: Loula George Epigenetics – The Evidence for the Importance of Preconception Health Care Loula George has been specialising in the area of fertility for over 25 years. In the last 5 years she has incorporated genetic analyses into her work with couples. In doing so she has made some profound discoveries that have helped couples understand their fertility and more importantly increase their chances of not only conceiving but having healthy pregnancies and giving their children a greater chance to achieve optimal health as they grow. DNA testing offers a chance to fine tune dietary and lifestyle choices to optimise prospective parents’ health and thus pass on a stronger, healthier genetic imprint to their children and possibly their grandchildren. Loula will go over a number of cases to illustrate how she uses genetic analyses to help couples in their quest to have healthy babies. |
| 9.45am | KEYNOTE: Dr Emma Parry Lessons Learned from introducing Integrated Maternity HealthCare across Bhutan A significant highlight for Dr Emma Parry, was leading the introduction in Bhutan on the inception and development of a perinatal unit, and countrywide network, based on holistic traditional integrative medicine and modern obstetric medicine. A fascinating journey with much wisdom gained. This included three months solidly on the ground, and ongoing supportive assistance, with deaths and serious injury for mothers and babies significantly reduced because of this initiative. Parry says she is proud to be working in New Zealand’s health field. “We have world-leading researchers and pioneers. I love that we were the first to give women the vote and I love being part of a multicultural society that’s not based on hierarchy.” |
| 10.30am | Morning Tea |
| 11am | KEYNOTE: Irene Chain-Kalinowski KEYNOTE: Integrating Homeopathy into Maternity Care Prior to the 1930s many Obstetricians were Homeopaths, and many books dating back over 150 years ago show how Obstetricians worked with a holistic and integrated mindset. Homeopathy is both a science and an art, which beautifully complements the Medical Model of care. Statistically, 60% of midwives across the globe prescribe Homeopathic medicines and/or practice Acupressure. With more than 20 years of midwifery Homeopathy experience, Irene will give an introductory overview about why it is important Midwives use applied Anatomy and Physiology when prescribing Homeopathic remedies. And she will explain some of the challenges of implementing Homeopathy into China. Plus clarifying some of the common combination-remedies ideally used to support women through their Childbirth experience. |
| 11.15am | KEYNOTE: Meng ‘Jenny’ Xue [& Irene Chain-Kalinowski] The Challenges and Triumphs of implementing Integrated Change With some “translation assistance” from Irene, Meng will explain the challenges and successes of transforming a culturally-ancient yet also overly-medicalised Chinese Maternity HealthCare system, into an holistic integrated system that is particularly encouraging the use complimentary use of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) & western Homeopathy – rolling out the radical transformations in Hospitals, one by one. This Modern Maternity Service System (MMSS) being implemented in China, is a unique modern system of maternity care designed by an interprofessional team, with philosophies that respectfully integrate and preserve traditions while supporting the natural physiological processes of mother and baby. MMSS integrates the old systems of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Homeopathy, and other natural therapies; with a modern maternity healthcare system, with care that is effectively reducing interventions and preventing many obstetric complications. The speed of implementation changes is phenomenal. Most importantly this approach to care gives women and families voice and choice in all matters. In a country not especially interested to Westernize – but very keen to Modernize – Meng will share in this presentation the tears and the triumphs of implementing such innovative change in China. |
| 11.50am | KEYNOTE: Brad Crouch Integrating Iridology as a Diagnostic Tool Brad’s reputation of creating miracles, has made him into an iconic infertility specialist for many decades … with over 50,000 patients, all just through word-of-mouth. He is undoubtedly one of NZ’s most renowned and internationally-respected gynaecological and obstetric medical herbalists. And one of Brad’s most-used tools in his toolbelt, is Iridology. Iridology (and sclerology) are not forms of treatment — they are diagnostic assessment tools. Iridology reads the colours and characteristics of the iris, and sclerology examines the red lines in the whites of the eyes. Iridology can provide a vast array of information about genetic predispositions, as well as current health challenges, and sclerology gives very specific information about current health issues and the causes at an anatomical level. Because iridology is not a treatment, most iridologists are Naturopaths who have also studied a complementary medicine such as medical herbalism, in order to treat disease. Iridology and Sclerology can be useful for practically everything as an extraordinarily valuable diagnostic tool to identify dis-ease and confirm wellness. This plenary keynote will be a fascinatingly educational introductory overview to Iridology from one of the world’s top Iridological experts in Women’s Health. We are thrilled to have Brad back with us again. |
| 12.30pm | Lunch |
| 1.30pm | BREAKOUT CONCURRENT: Session-1: Antepartum |
| 2.30pm | BREAKOUT CONCURRENT: Session-2: Intrapartum |
| 3.30pm | Afternoon Tea sponsored by NaturoPharm |
| 4pm | KEYNOTE: Elizabeth Davis Optimal Labour & Birth: An Integrated, Physiologic Approach Optimal labour and birth involves integrating social, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of the process with the physical. How can we, as care providers, most effectively promote this, and what are the challenges inherent in doing so? In the holistic module of care, we refrain from giving advice unless it is requested, and yet seek to stimulate our clients’ desire for information and their ability to identify areas where it is most needed in order to promote optimal wellbeing. Not only is this critical during the antepartum and intrapartum periods, but also postpartum with regards to optimal recovery and personal/family integration. Practical tools to facilitate this will be presented, along with case histories. In addition, understanding the deeper physiology of birth can help us better prepare our clients for labour and learn how best to assist them during the process. Discover the correlation between high levels of oxytocin and altered states in labour, learn more about the natural pause-points (or plateaus) that occur during birth and how they link to female sexual response, with scientific evidence to support these pause-points not only as normal and functional, but as potentially transformative. |
| 5.30pm | Close |
Saturday 28th September 2019
Optional Round-Table dinner with Keynotes
7pm onwards
Venue & Cost: To Be Confirmed
An opportunity to “break bread” and have a casual chat
with our wonderful and inspirational Keynote Speakers
Sunday 29th September 2019
Conference Day-Two
| 8.45am | Registration |
| 9am | KEYNOTE: Dr Ricardo Jones Birth in the Perspective of the Subject In this lecture, Dr Ricardo Jones addresses the central questions of the paradigmatic revolution related to the attention to childbirth that, beginning with the onset of obstetric science and medical intervention in the late seventeenth century, continues to transmute towards a more integrative view of the phenomenon of birth, at the dawn of the 21st century. Through the most important historical references on the emergence of movements to improve the assistance of childbirth in the world, he discusses with the audience, the main themes of this debate: the agency restored to women in childbirth, the interdisciplinary view of birth and the linkage of the postulates of humanization with the medicine of the late 20th century, known as “Evidence-Based Medicine.” With clear language, scientifically structured and with humor he analyzes the serious problems that we are facing: the excess of interventions, objetualization of patients, epidemic of caesarean sections, unreasonable protocols to childbirth, etc. At the same time, he discusses what he calls “the best of two worlds”: a woman-centered obstetric care that provides affective, emotional, psychological and spiritual support for pregnant women, as well as guaranteeing access to medical technologies for those cases in which there is a deviation of normality. The idea of “obstetrics in the perspective of the subject” arises, with this keynote focusing on the understanding the dilemmas of childbirth in contemporary western societies. |
| 10.30am | Brunch |
| 11.15 | BREAKOUT CONCURRENT: Session-3: Postpartum |
| 12.15 | Winning Student Presentation |
| 12.30pm | KEYNOTE: Maha Al Musa With Woman – Understanding Osmotic Sensory Embodiment as a powerful tool What is osmotic sensory embodiment? How can it affect the birth process and outcome? And what do we need to consider so we can enhance its positive qualities for mothers and babies? What does it mean for care providers to truly be with “woman in childbirth?” For a mother to be with her own woman and baby? The energetic birth field, regardless of the external physical environment of birth, resonates at a particular vibration that is a reflection of those who inhabit its space, whether that be birth care providers or family members. In turn these influences profoundly affect a mother and baby’s embodiment and experience of childbirth for better or worse. It is absolutely essential that care providers and all those who are in the birth space become conscious of what gets transmitted to the mother and baby and the impact of its profound effects. We must recognise that the presence of those within the birth field, both physically and energetically can play a key role in how the birth narrative unfolds. A willingness to understand these influences, is a great necessity if we truly want to support the richness of a mother-baby experience of birth in the most courageous, optimal and nourishing way. Within this framework we explore the idea of how a mother can safely and securely embody her birth, where she is able to actively listen to her body and baby speak with autonomy, so that the innate primal processes will be guided by her mammalian instincts. We look within as care providers so that the woman can feel our presence in the form of connectedness and loving kindness. We are her protector not just her provider. When we actively do this reflection, we clarify our role so we can grow our personal inquiry in order to honour our own sense of what is needed from maternal care. We can also ask ourselves to authentically explore what it means to become embodied in our own presence. It is through honesty, body awareness, personal exploration and the intention to be with woman, not from an intellectual standpoint but also through a connection with our own intuitive flow that we can bring positive respectful change for birth, because we are all in this together. |
| 1.15pm | Early Afternoon Tea |
| 1.45pm | KEYNOTES: François & Julie Gerland Birthing the New Humanity: Revealing the Creation Code The current world situation and threat to humanity and Mother Earth’s very survival is more than alarming. Most people seem to be experiencing feelings of being overwhelmed, and inadequacy to make a change, depression and despair, or even anger and violence. At last some Governments have understood where our collective salvation lies amidst the chaos in the proverbial pandora’s box. Birthing The New Humanity is a solution whose time has come! Never before have heads of Governments collectively created an initiative to change the way our babies develop, are born and nurtured calling for immediate implementation (but have with the UN Sustainable Development Goals). “This is not rocket science, this is neuroscience” Andrea Leadsom, MP (Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons UK) from the UK’s All Party Political Working Group on the 1001 Critical Days: Conception to Age Two. Nor is it actually a new concept. What makes our children be born unhealthy, unable to experience love or empathy and live with destructive and violent behaviour? By understanding how to heal prenatal and perinatal trauma and change limiting subconscious programming, women can become free from the past and initiate a lasting paradigm shift. Using “The Creation Code” provides essential keys to know hot to birth new humanity, becoming ‘midwives’ to a whole new world, moving from peril to thriving humanity. Effective, economical and collective solutions are here. In just two or three generations the international goal is to make this paradigm shift a global reality. The time is Now! Everyone is needed to make this shift as swiftly as possible in harmony with the United Nations SDGs, World Health Organization/UNICEF documents and the G20 Initiative on early childhood development. |
| 2.45pm | Conclusion & Thanks |
| 3pm | Close |
[Program Subject to Change]