A panel discussion on care practices which promote, protect and support the birth process will be held at the Scarborough Public Library on Tuesday, April 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Julianne Paris, a birth Doula (a labor-support person who attends to the emotional and physical comfort needs of laboring women to smooth the labor process) and childbirth specialist, is one of the panelists and coordinators of the program, which is co-sponsored by Scarborough Wellness and the library. The program will encourage expectant mothers, or any women considering pregnancy, to focus on positive models of birth and care so they can make the right choices for their birth options and the health of their babies.

Panelists will be Dr. Robert Sansonetti, obstetrician, discussing the services his Scarborough office offers women and their families in support of individual choices regarding their birth experience; Sarah Levy, founder of the Ballard House, a birth center in Portland, presenting the benefits of choosing to birth in a home-like atmosphere; Dr. Kelly Pendleton of Scarborough Family Chiropractic, addressing the benefits of proper spinal alignment before, during and after pregnancy, with special attention given to fetal development, labor and delivery; and massage therapist Rebecca Goodwin, of Birth Alliance Doula and Childbirth Services, offering the benefits of massage for mother and baby during the childbearing year, and the benefits of having a Doula.

Paris, also of Birth Alliance Doula and Childbirth Services, will discuss HypnoBirthing Childbirth Education classes, with focus on the benefits of learning to eliminate the fear-tension-pain syndrom during pregnancy, labor and birth.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 883-4723 or Julianne Paris at 415-5536. For more programming information, log onto the library’s Web site at www.library.scarborough.me.us.