ICAN is excited to announce Amanda Beck as our newest chapter leader! She has completed training and will be leading ICAN of Vancouver (WA)!
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Tell us about the birth climate in your area.
My chapter is in the PNW! Vancouver serves the southwest region of Washington state, up toward Seattle, and east into the Columbia River Gorge. The number of providers of different types (OB/GYNs, CNM/CPM midwives, lay midwives, doulas) is a bonus to this area in so many ways. I would like cesareans to not be viewed as the end-all-be-all of subsequent births, that VBAC is a viable, healthy option for many women.
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What drew you to ICAN?
When researching VBACs during my second pregnancy, I learned about ICAN from other moms on message boards and in forums. I didn’t have a chapter in my state until after she was born though. I have found such support and comfort in knowing other women who have walked a similar path through pregnancy and birth. I look forward to being a source of information, support, and community for new moms coming down the cesarean path. I have gained much in learning from those ahead of me and I hope to be able to provide that for those coming behind me.
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What do you wish other people knew about ICAN?
I wish that ICAN did not have a VBAC-only image. Yes, we promote VBACs and advocate for lower cesarean rates (for good reason!) but that doesn’t mean that moms who choose only cesarean birth or who have CBAC births aren’t welcome and important members of the community.
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Please share a little about yourself!
My friends would say I was forthright, determined to shine a light on truth, and mothering. I am currently a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to four children. Originally from Arkansas, I moved to the PNW when my third child was five weeks old. When not wrangling their many interests and needs, I fit a little reading, a little knitting, and a little movie watching into my time margins.
