Let’s get the name (Wintergreen) thing out of the way. I have spent a large portion of my Life prior to immigrating to New Zealand in 1995 living in very traditional communities.
In each community, I am Named.
Naming is important. Wintergreen is a Seneca name … O’gista’gey aa. Translation to English is Wintergreen … an herb not a cold season + colour.
Like all names, they mean something. While I have carried another dozen names, I chose to be called Wintergreen for the past 30+ years.
The recommendation given by UK Obstetrician, Yehudi Gordon to New Zealand Immigration supporting Wintergreen immigration application.
Negative aspects:
- Wintergreen is an American by birth and we all know how Kiwis feel about Americans
- Has a weird name
- No qualifications except a BS in Medical Anthropology
- No medical training
- Is not a midwife, childbirth educator or doula
Positive aspects:
- Hands-on naturopath specializing in severe physical disabilities, high-level sports performance and pregnancy/birth body knowledge.
- Nit-picked with hundreds of fathers and mothers all the niggling issues/gaps that plague so many in regards to birth.
- Listened to many thousands of Birth Stories globally.
- Globally has shared both Birthing Better skills and The Concept that all families should learn, practice and use birth/birth-coaching skills for 45 years.
- Is committed to a strong midwifery maternity system that works alongside a broad self-learning, skilled birthing population.
Background
Wintergreen is the Founder/Director of Common Knowledge Trust … registered in New Zealand in 1996 and transferred to Charities Commissions in 2008 (CC24400).
Wintergreen has worked with self-skilled birthing families for 45 years. The Concept grew from the development of the Birthing Better Childbirth Preparation by hundreds of fathers and mothers.
Wintergreen immigrated to New Zealand in the mid1990s
Immigration welcomed Wintergreen based on family-focused birth and birth coaching skills. Immigration felt ‘Cluey Kiwis would be keen to self-learn skills for their births alongside the Midwifery Partnership’.
Wintergreen had no idea when she immigrated mid1990s that NZ had recently put in place a Midwifery Model of Care. Once she paid attention, it was obvious New Zealand had achieved what birth advocates, homebirth midwives, and famous authors absolutely had been talking about globally from the 1970s onward … PLUS SO MUCH MORE!
Wintergreen was gob-smacked by the amazing NZ midwifery model of care and could immediately see how a skilled birthing population would have a huge, positive impact on this amazing partnership. With excitement, she gave a presentation at NZCOM conference in 1996 presenting The Concept for a skilled birthing population as well as the specific skills in Birthing Better (previously known as The Pink Kit).
In 1996, Wintergreen founded Common Knowledge Trust, put all the Birthing Better (Pink Kit) skills into a charitable organization and has worked to grow a skilled birthing population since then because of the unquestionable benefits to all birthing families by filling the Huge Gap by correcting the Big Mistake.
My commitment to you, as Director of Common Knowledge Trust, is the same as to Andrea … support, support, and support.
Further reading:
- The Concept
- Protocol
- Participant
- Enrolment
- Koha
- Support
- Past broke Present
- 1961 Brant Study
- Andrea
- Interviews
- Future Research
- Director Common Knowledge Trust
- Birthing Better Childbirth Preparation
- Childbirth Trends
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