childbirth educator

ELLE,

I AM new to the boards..but i am completing Bradley Childbirth Teacher certification now. it is a truly wonderful program and i have had 2 natural births with it. one was 8 12oz. completely drug and complication free! i'm just beginning to get my nursing pre reqs and will be hopefully entering a BSN program in FALL 2004. GOOD LUCK!

I'm new to the boards too.
I recently got my childbirth certification through the Academy of Childbirth Educators - acbe.com
I had a wonderful experience going through the certification process. I took a weekend course that covered a ton of valuable material.
Learning a lot of information in a condensed amount of time can be a bit treacherous. I loved it though - the instructor was very warm and had a lot of creative ideas about getting the information across. She was very into getting the Moms and partners involved in the class. i.e., to teach the post partum class, she passed a gym bag around. Each person took something out of the bag and had to say how they thought it'd be used in post partum. She put ice packs, the "underwear" you see in post partum, the big pads, even condoms in the bag.
Loved it!

Check out www.cappa.com

Personally, if I were doing it all over again, I wouild probably go through ICEA or Lamaaze.

Did you do Cappa before? What didn't you like about them if so?
I am just checking into it.
Thanks

BETSRN, what's the advantage of going through ICEA and/or Lamaze?
Just wondering. (I'll need new recertification next year, I'd go through a different organization if I felt like I'd learn more).

I am not too sure there is any real advantage. I LOVE ICEA's teaching materials. I use them all the time. Lamaaze is a known name and having a Lamaaze certified CBE (LCCE) on staff might be good for your institution.

I did the BEST program years ago. I was a teacher before becoming a nurse sop teaching was nothing new to me. I personally thought my training was a waste of time.

If I were doing it again, one of the above is probably the way I would go. I am not going to bother. I am an RNC and just became an IBCLC, which is far more important to my career at this time.

However, if I ever went to an institution that required me to change CBE certifications, I would be glad to do so. It just is NOT on the list of priorities for me because I don't need to do so at work.

I fel badly saying so, but so much of what we teach goes in one ear and out the other. Much of the training is never put to the test. The knowledge people receive in CB class is very valuable but after doing this as many years as I haev, I feel sad to say that I think we waste our time.

Here's my little voice in the wind, BETSRN, meant to be a drop in the bucket of encouragement...FWIW...my CB class changed my life. Really. But, of course, I was already of a low-to-nonintervention mindset, like most ppl who take CB classes.
I'm so sorry you feel like teaching CB classes is a waste of time. Bummer.

Personally, I am of a low to non-intervention mindset. I also had easy births. I have a difficult time perceiving long hours of pain or pushing more than a few times. I work in a low intervention mindset hospital. I feel lucky. However, there are still lots of unnecessary interventions peformed.

I do NOT feel that most people who take CBE classes are of the low/non intervention mindset. They take classes because they think they SHOULD take classes: that being something that "everyone does." First time parents are SUPPOSED to "take classes." Now we have developed the weekend classes, just to accomodate those who do not have the time for the full series.

I think there are lots and lots of really motivated people out there who get a lot out of classes. But, sadly, I think most are there just to mark time. I have come to feel that people do NOT want any pain. They don't want to work at it at all.

I see both sides, being a L&D nurse as well as a CBE. Much of what we do falls on deaf ears, either because the people don't really want to "go natural" or their docs scare the heck out of them and they agree to inductions, interventions and the like.

Until people learn to advocate for themselves, that's the way it will be.