Catalogue 07-08: Introduction

Please note that this is the March 2007 version of the 2007-2008 Catalogue. Information within is accurate as of this date. Subject to change without notice.

Welcome to Birthingway College of Midwifery. The purpose of this catalogue is to record policies intended to concretely implement the philosophy, purposes, and objectives of Birthingway College of Midwifery.

Birthingway is located in a large two-story house in Southeast Portland, about one mile east of Interstate 205 on Foster Road. The school includes two classrooms, kitchen, library, and offices.

Accreditation
History and Culture
Purpose and Mission
Guiding Principles and Philosophy
Institutional Objectives
Midwifery Program Objectives

Accreditation

Birthingway is institutionally accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC), 515 E. Birch, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001.

In addition, this college is a nonprofit corporation authorized by the State of Oregon to offer and confer the academic degree described herein, following a determination that state academic standards will be satisfied under OAR 583-030. Inquiries concerning the standards or school compliance may be directed to the Office of Degree Authorization, 1500 Valley River Drive, Suite 100, Eugene, Oregon 97401.

Birthingway Midwifery Degree and Certification programs meet all State of Oregon educational requirements for Licensed Direct Entry Midwives under OL1993, ORS362, Section 3. The Board of Direct Entry Midwifery can be reached at 700 Summer St. NE #320, Salem, OR 97310.

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History and Culture of Birthingway College of Midwifery

Birthingway started in March 1993 as a six-month structured study group in the home of founder, Holly Scholles. Soon, the group transformed into a private business, Birthingway Midwifery School, offering a two-year program of classroom and independent study. Holly taught all of the courses, with the occasional help of guest speakers. In 1996, to meet MEAC accreditation requirements, the program expanded to three years and increased the clinical requirements for graduation. In 1997, Holly turned control of Birthingway over to a Board of Directors and the School became Birthingway Midwifery Center, a non-profit, charitable corporation.

In fall of 1998, Birthingway moved out of Holly’s home into a large house in North Portland. By this time, a growing number of teachers and preceptors were part of the Birthingway community. The new location proved to be temporary, however, and Birthingway moved to its current site in August 1999.

In spring 2000, the state of Oregon gave Birthingway a choice: become approved as a “career school” or offer a Bachelors Degree. After much community discussion, the renamed Birthingway College of Midwifery applied to the Office of Degree Authorization in September 2000 to confer the Bachelor of Science in Midwifery degree, which was authorized in March 2001.

While Birthingway has grown through the years, the beliefs at its core have remained intact.

• We are a community learning together, teachers and students alike. While instructors have specialized knowledge and experiences to teach, students also have knowledge and experiences to share. We learn from each other. Because of this emphasis on learning, there are no “stupid” questions at Birthingway. At the same time, it is okay for a teacher to say “I don’t know the answer.” When that happens in other schools, the teacher often says “I’ll look it up for you next week,” then everyone forgets about it. At Birthingway, as likely as not the class will stop and look up the answer right then. Or if more research is needed, the instructor really will answer the question the next week.
• We honor and encourage diversity and multivocality. After all, there are many kinds of childbearing women in the world, so we need many kinds of midwives. The crucial element here is respect for other people’s opinions, beliefs and practices. Respect allows room for disagreement through discussion and round-tabling and allows insight into other ways of thinking and doing. This provides the basis for consensual action, and mutual support both within the Birthingway community and on our individual paths as midwives and birth activists.
• We are relationship based. The Birthingway community is formed by interactions between individuals, multiplied many times over. Here, we support a model of “power with” and “power within” rather than the “power over” so common in our world. Emphasis is on face to face interactions, communication skills, and personal responsibility. Kindness, compassion, and the highest standard of personal integrity are essential.
• We value and encourage development of intuition, empiricism, and analytical thinking as equally vital components of excellent midwifery. We teach students to listen to their inner voice of insight and knowing, and to live in a spiritual way that is appropriate for them. Empirical knowledge is validated through the emphasis on storytelling, on learning from mistakes, and on hands-on experiences. Rigorous analytical skills are cultivated through differential diagnosis, critical analysis, problem solving, and case studies. By balancing these three “ways of knowing,” we are able to bring many resources to our work.
• We avoid rewards and punishments, and do not believe that one person can “motivate” another to learn. Once an individual is admitted to Birthingway, they can quit but they cannot fail. That does not mean that everyone is “passed along” through the program. Quite the contrary – our standards for completion of coursework are quite high. Birthingway’s task, rather than to stamp people as failures, is to set appropriate standards, and to encourage and support students as they meet those standards.
• Birthingway has developed a model of caring for women and families during the childbearing year. We refer to this model as biodynamic birth, in which birth is not only a natural part of human life, it is a necessary part, and one that is intimately connected with what it is to be human. The “bio” in biodynamic reflects overarching relationships to life and biological processes, while the “dynamic” describes the natural energy and intention that ensures our model is very woman-centered and individual. A biodynamic birth will be one with the least amount of intervention, while still protecting the well-being of mother and baby. Intervention takes on different meanings depending upon the type of care provider; therefore, each of our programs develops specific tools for the various types of services our students will be providing.

Taken together, these principles produce an environment in which each member of the Birthingway community – students, faculty, and staff – travels their own path towards excellence in their chosen vocation. Each of us serves as a beacon of hope toward a better way for birthing women and new families, and thus a better world for all.

(See Truth or Dare by Starhawk for information on “power over,” “power with,” and “power within.” The works of Alfie Kohn, especially Punished by Rewards, explore the ideas behind motivation, failure and rewards in education.)

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Purpose/Mission

• To educate midwifery practitioners in the midwifery model of care, as reflected in Birthingway’s Guiding Philosophy and Principles, integrating a solid framework of traditional midwifery theory and practice with a variety of therapeutic approaches.
• To offer a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery degree in order to further validate the depth of knowledge and rigor of preparation involved in Midwifery education, to enable those students who so desire to pursue advanced degrees, and to meet student demand for a degree program.
• To provide a resource for practicing midwives, including access to excellent quality continuing education.
• To foster an environment of diversity and acceptance by not discriminating on the basis of race, ethnic identity, national origin, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or socioeconomic status.

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Guiding Principles and Philosophy

Birthingway College of Midwifery supports the midwifery model of care, which includes the following principles:

• Midwives are trained independent practitioners, who are specialists in natural, vaginal childbirth and in well-woman gynecological care.
• Pregnancy and birth are healthy processes, with a wide range of normal variations.
• Pregnancy and childbirth usually progress best without interference, which inevitably alters and frequently harms the reproductive process.
• Each woman and family is unique, and best served by individualized, non-routinized care.
• A midwife's role is not to manage, but to support, encourage and guide. A midwife does not empower women, rather she assists women as they empower themselves.
• Midwives provide continuity of care throughout the reproductive year, and integrated care for the woman, infant, and family.
• The focus of midwifery care is the childbearing woman and her family. Pregnancy and birth are major life experiences of the woman, not the birth attendant.
• Midwives honor and support a woman's right to make her own decisions. Active use of informed choice is an essential part of midwifery practice.
• Midwives believe in the intrinsic value of childbirth as a process, while simultaneously working toward the goal of a healthy mother and infant.
• Midwives strive to be inclusive and cooperative in their interactions with clients and peers, rather than oppositional or controlling, with knowledge shared freely.
• Midwives are best trained by other midwives. Hands-on learning should be a major component of midwifery education.
• While childbearing women and families are responsible for the outcomes of their own decisions, midwives have responsibility for maintaining a safe situation. Skills must be kept current and knowledge updated so that the midwife can optimally perform her tasks of overseeing the progress of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum; providing well-woman gynecological care; observing signs and detecting problems; promoting health and encouraging prevention; and utilizing midwifery knowledge and skills to rectify problems or consult/refer as appropriate.

Birthingway College of Midwifery supports and follows the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) definition of a midwife, as reflected in the MANA Statement of Values and Ethics, MANA Core Competencies for Midwifery Practice, and MANA Standards for the Art and Practice of Midwifery. (See Appendices)

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Institutional Objectives

• To educate students in a knowledge base which is current and complete.
• To prepare students to be able to provide individualized, woman-centered care.
• To develop programs founded on the principles of biodynamic birth and to expand these principles into other areas when applicable.
• To teach and promote biodynamic birth principles among students and staff of Birthingway.
• To provide opportunities for students to acquire familiarity with a variety of therapeutic modalities, including biomedicine, herbalism, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and other synergistic approaches.
• To encourage well-rounded practitioners with a broad base of experience and knowledge, including General Education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences as defined by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization for those students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BSM) degree from Birthingway.
• To train students in clinical and/or practical skills that are necessary for providing safe and sensitive care. Such training should focus on continuity of care, best achieved in a one-on-one apprentice-preceptor or mentor relationship.
• To encourage and support students to reach their educational goals.
• To teach students skills that will prepare them for their professional lives, including an understanding of their field, writing skills, familiarity with medical terminology, literature, and research, and practical skills for running a practice and business.
• To encourage the evolution of awareness concerning professional ethics and relationships among staff, students, and faculty, and clients as articulated in the MANA Statement of Values and Ethics. (See Appendix A)
• To encourage and support students to become change agents in their communities.
• To foster personal growth and character development which is necessary for excellent biodynamic care, including compassion, honesty, confidentiality, non-violent communication, humility, responsibility, loyalty, respect, tolerance, and patience.
• To support wholistic approaches to living and care, by integrating intellect, senses, intuition, and judgment in learning situations.
• To create an educational program structure which allows students, faculty, and staff to achieve balance among relationships, career, and personal needs.
• To create and foster an environment of diversity and acceptance. Birthingway College of Midwifery admits students of any age, race, color, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national and ethnic origin, disability, or gender in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other school-administered programs.
• To educate the public regarding biodynamic pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and well-woman care.
• To provide students, midwives, and the public with a subject specific research library.
• To provide a location, materials, and assistance for research and study.
• To provide opportunities for continuing education for caregivers serving women and their families, including: midwives, herbalists, lactation consultants, labor and postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, and others who support wholistic care.
• To engage in other activities related to educating the public concerning midwifery issues and providing midwifery and wholistic health resources to the community.
• These objectives are rooted in Birthingway's philosophy, and provide a consistent actualization of the underlying principles concerning pursuit of knowledge, relationship, and diversity.

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Midwifery Program Objectives

• Provide students with a midwifery knowledge base that is current and complete
• Prepare students to provide individualized, woman-centered care
• Teach and promote biodynamic birth principles
• Graduate students with competence in theoretical midwifery knowledge
• Provide students with information about a variety of therapeutic modalities
• Train students in midwifery skills, including all those listed on the NARM skills list
• Encourage and support students in reaching their educational goals
• Support students in their desire to credential or license and to practice midwifery
• Encourage well-rounded practitioners with a broad base of experience and knowledge, including General Education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences as defined by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization for those students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BSM) degree.
• Encourage the evolution of awareness concerning professional ethics and relationships among, students and clients as articulated in the MANA Statement of Values and Ethics.
• Encourage and support students to become change agents in their communities. Foster personal growth and character development which is necessary for excellent midwifery care, including compassion, honesty, confidentiality, non-violent communication, humility, responsibility, loyalty, respect, tolerance, and patience.
• Support wholistic approaches to living and care, by integrating intellect, senses, intuition, and judgment in learning situations.
• Support wholistic approaches to living and care, by integrating intellect, senses, intuition, and judgment in learning situations.
• Create an educational program structure which allows students, faculty, and staff to achieve balance between relationships, career, and personal needs.
• Create and foster an environment of diversity and acceptance.
• Educate the public regarding direct-entry midwifery and homebirth
• Provide students, midwives, and the public with a research library
• Provide a location, materials, and assistance for midwifery research and study
• Information Literacy
• Provide opportunities for continuing education for midwives
• Engage in other activities related to educating the public concerning midwifery issues and providing midwifery and holistic health resources to the community