Childbirth Educator FAQ

How are Birthingway Childbirth Educators trained?

Birthingway childbirth educators attend a 38 hour workshop in which they receive a firm foundation in biodynamic birth principles and tools for facilitating adult education. They complete a significant amount of reading and learning and personal evaluation of materials about birth; childbirth education “tools of the trade” such as videos and charts; tools they can suggest for birthing families, such as relaxation techniques, pain management, birth art and movement; and critical evaluation of common birth interventions. They are not trained to be the experts to whom families turn for “advice,” but rather as resources to whom families can turn to for direction and support. After the workshop, student educators complete additional homework in which they develop community resource binders and their own syllabus. They then teach from their own syllabus with the support of a Birthingway childbirth education mentor.

How much do classes cost?

Birthingway childbirth educators are self-employed. Please see the website under student educators and certified educators for information about individual childbirth educators. In general, however, the student classes will tend to be very inexpensive, $20 or less to cover the cost of the student’s materials, while a certified childbirth educator may charge anywhere from $100 - $250 depending upon their level of experience, number of contact hours, complimentary services offered (such as belly-casting or mama spa days), and cost of their supplies.

How would a childbirth education series look with a biodynamically trained childbirth educator coordinating it?

Biodynamic birth emphasizes the known physiological aspects of birth, particularly the hormonal pathways that can help or hinder birth, including ways to increase the beneficial and necessary hormones such as oxytocin "the love hormone,” while decreasing the interfering hormones such as adrenaline. This model encourages women to allow themselves to move into their instinctual birthing bodies, and out of their rational thinking brains. Birthingway childbirth educators are trained to help you become familiar with these hormonal pathways, as well as help you and your support people develop a variety of tools specific to your needs that you can use prenatally, at the birth, and postpartum to smooth your transition into your newest parenting life (with your first, second, or even sixth baby). Many of the tools a Birthingway childbirth educator will help you develop are physical ways to create safety and security (keeping the birth space warm and dark and as unrestrictive as possible), but others are cultural (in some cultures having men at a birth would completely hinder the woman's ability to birth instinctively, in others, not having the father of the baby present could make the environment feel unsafe for the woman). Our educators will ask you to dig into your own birth preconceptions, fears, and hopes to help you create the best birth possible for your family.

We also pay close attention to current research and encourage Birthingway childbirth educators to practice evidence-based care. Research does not always support current obstetric technologies, and our students will encourage you to ask provocative questions and get answers. We recognize that most women are birthing in the hospital, and this alone may limit the mother's birth options, but through education and evidence-based care, we hope to open up your possibilities.

We believe that if we can help families get to the information they need so that they are making informed choices about their care BEFORE LABOR, then they can allow themselves the freedom to move out of the neocortex DURING LABOR and BIRTH.

How would I choose a childbirth educator?

Call several educators (and call people working from several different models of education, such as Birthing From Within, Bradley, or ICEA, if you are still unsure about the type of childbirth education series you would like to take). Interview several people. It is important that you feel comfortable with the philosophy and personality of the educator you choose. Other practical factors to consider are if the dates and times of the various classes fit your schedule and if the costs fit your budget.

What are the differences between taking a class from a student educator versus a certified educator?

Student educators are mentored during their student teaching series. This will be the first time they have taught their particular syllabus, but they will be well versed in the material because they have developed the syllabus themselves. The student classes will tend to be very inexpensive, $20 or less to cover the cost of the student’s materials, while a certified Childbirth Educator may charge anywhere from $100 - $250 depending upon their level of experience, number of contact hours, complimentary services offered (such as belly-casting or mama spa days), and cost of their supplies.

If you take a series from a student childbirth educator, you will be asked to submit evaluations of the student which will be reviewed by the Auxiliary Programs Coordinator and the student’s mentor.