Childbirth Educator Program

The Birthingway Childbirth Educator Program was designed from the beginning with the biodynamic model of birth at its core.

Childbirth Educator Certification

Prerequisites: None

Birthingway offers a Childbirth Educator Certificate. Students must:

• Attend and successfully complete the Childbirth Educator Workshop
• Complete additional independent practicum work
• Apply to the Childbirth Educator Practicum program and pay a fee  (students enrolled in the midwifery program will not pay this fee)
• Document Childbirth Educator Practicum
• Request a certificate (good for four years) for a fee
  

Childbirth Educator Certification Program Fees

Workshop Fee $595.00
Application for Practicum Fee $ 100.00
Certification Fee $50.00

Program Requirements

To become a Certified Birthingway Childbirth Educator students follow a three step process:

Childbirth Educator Workshop

The workshop takes place over two weekends and can be taken as a stand alone class or as the first step toward certification. Throughout the nearly 40 hours of classroom time, there are many opportunities to:

• Learn the fundamentals of the biodynamic model of birth
• Explore our own preconceptions about birth
• Practice many forms of relaxation
• Produce our own birth art
• Brainstorm dozens of teaching tools and techniques
• Tell stories and share food

Independent Work

This phase includes designing a syllabus for your own class, reviewing a birth video and several books, and creating a community resources binder.

Student Teaching

Students are connected with a mentor childbirth educator who supports them as they facilitate their first series of childbirth education classes.

Childbirth Educator Program for College Credit

Students may choose to take the Childbirth Educator Program for two college credits. Students choosing this route will pay the current Birthingway credit price for two credits and will be required to complete additional work. If the student is enrolled in the midwifery program, the course may count as one of their required elective courses.

Students who are not taking the program for credit may take the workshop alone or choose to move forward toward certification, completing additional homework and a mentored teaching experience over the course of an additional 10 months. Students who are taking the workshop for credit MUST complete additional homework (see syllabus for the specific homework details), but may choose whether or not to certify by completing a mentored teaching experience. The additional homework must be completed before the end of the term in which they take the workshop. If they choose to certify, they will have an additional six months in which to complete their practicum.