By Kristen Hains
Special to the Herald
Before heading out to the Family Wisdom Conference this past Saturday, midwife Kathi Mulder had an important job to do first: bring a new baby into the world.
The delivery happened around 5:30 a.m. just hours before the conference was scheduled to commence.
It was a busy week for Mulder, one of the original founders of the Family Wisdom conference. She also had a delivery two days earlier. She said the new mom had just one last question before Mulder left her with her new baby on Thursday. "She said 'oh, by the way, can I go to the conference on Saturday?'" Mulder said. "I said, 'I don't think so, you just had a baby today.' It meant that much to her."
Though the new mom had to miss the conference, more than 200 parents and children attended the conference which was held at Scholars Hall on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.
The conference was originally the brainchild of Mulder, Diane Lopez-Wild, a childbirth educator and doula and Karen Griggs, a doula and former midwife apprentice. Lopez-Wild and Mulder had been hosting a childbirth information at the Traverse Area District Library and after the third year, attendees started suggesting a longer conference.
Over the years the conference has grown, but the groups original mission has remained the same. "The basic format has remained the same," she said of the day long conference. "Pulling together different resource people...people in the health field but also in education as well as alternative type services...anything that might be of interest to people raising a family."
This year's conference featured breakout sessions on topics like postpartum depression from a father's perspective, the pros and cons of immunizations, the dangers of food additives, alternative dentistry, a look at the midwife model of care and numerous other topics.
Mulder said one of the most exciting aspects for her has been watching the way the conference has grown both in attendance as well as exhibitors and presenters. They've also seen a steady increase of the number of men attending each year.
"This was the first time we had a session run by men for men," she said. "We did get some great feedback and positive response on that. The number of fathers that come to the conference is really exciting."
In addition to the breakout sessions, the conference also featured an exhibitors' area where numerous non-profits, educators and local businesses were offering handouts and materials.
One group represented in the booth area was Traverse City Area Public Schools "Way to Grow" program.
"(Way to Grow) is a school readiness program through TCAPS," explained Kelly Bevier. "We offer opportunities for families with young children to bring their kids into the schools before kindergarten through play groups, community events and we also offer home visits where we work with the families one-on-one."
Amanda Gaylord, a member of the conference's planning committee, attended the conference for the first time in 2005. She had just had a home-birth and Mulder was her midwife. Based on her experience, she became involved with the planning committee for the 2006 event.
"The support that I received from everybody that is here offering sessions and the people that are involved in establishing the conference it was just amazing," she said. "Even though I've gone to school for accounting, I knew this was what I wanted to do for my life, even though I don't get paid for any of this. I knew I had to give back."
The group plans to have a wrap-up meeting next week to discuss this year's conference, review feedback and look towards next year. As for Mulder, she's looking forward to some much needed rest: as a perfect close to a weekend focused on families, Mulder was up all night Sunday in order to welcome a new life into the world on Monday morning.