Becoming a Childbirth Educator- Questions to Ask Your Certifying Organization
Working as a childbirth educator is truly a gift. It’s a profession where you can share your passion for amazing, educated birth with people who want to listen (always a bonus for those of us passionate about birth!), build lasting relationships, help contribute to the family budget, and find a greater purpose in the world.
You don’t actually have to be certified to teach birth classes- anyone can decide this is what they want to do and start doing it. However…
If you do want the professionalism and support of a certifying organization, then certifying is the best option for you.
There are, however, countless organizations out there who certify childbirth educators. How do you decide which organization best fits you and YOUR needs and desires?
Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself as you learn about childbirth education certification organizations so you can find the best fit for you and feel truly happy in your choice. There is a large investment of time and money in certification- this is a choice worth your careful consideration.
Questions to ask:
Do you want to develop your own curriculum or use one that is pre-designed?
Some organizations have a developed curriculum. They lay out classes, lesson plans, topics, and more so that you don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Others leave class content up to the instructor.
Some find great value and huge time savings in certifying with an organization that has already done this front end work. It gives you the ability to spend your time teaching rather than developing curriculum.
How do you think you would like to spend your time as a childbirth educator?
Do you want instructor resources and teaching tools available to you?
Effective teaching is most often accomplished when using a variety of teaching techniques and tools. Everything from class activities to visual aids and lesson plans helps your students learn and decreases your stress. Developing effective teaching techniques can take years of trial and error. Having an organization that already has done this for you so you can focus on growing your business and teaching your classes can be a huge time saver.
Do you want an online training or an in-person training?
Being able to do things online is obviously convenient. But many of us crave human interaction and learn a profession better in an environment where others can answer questions and where we can connect with people going into our same line of work.
Decide what type of training you want, and then choose an organization that meets those needs.
Our trainings are in-person and we have regional trainers all across the country. You can find training dates here.
Do you want to develop your own marketing materials?
Making a good first impression is always important. When you are starting a business, it’s imperative to your success. Marketing really is in everything you do- from the clothes you wear to your business cards and flyers.
Some people enjoy the challenge of creating logos and formatting trifold brochures. It’s an artistic endeavor!
If you prefer to have marketing materials that are designed for you and have a streamlined, professional feel, search for an organization that makes this a priority and makes it available to you.
Do you want your students to have streamlined materials or photocopy these yourself?
Most people want to teach childbirth classes because they want couples to have all the information they can get to have an amazing birth. It’s almost impossible to do all of this in a sit-down class, even a very long one. Most educators include some written or graphic media as well.
This can take the form of a workbook or photocopied articles.
One question to ask yourself is do you want to find these resources and compile them for your students, or do you want the convenience having a ready-made manual that contains everything they will need for home?
Do you desire support, mentoring, and training from other birth professionals?
Any new business owner can benefit from mentoring from those with more experience in their particular field. Having others who support you and whom you can ask questions gives you the chance to learn from the mistakes of others rather than your own mistakes.
In business, times get tough. Birth work can be emotional and it can take time to start having referrals rolling in. A supportive community during these times helps keep you in the game and feeling inspired and buzzing with great ideas.
Do you want a network of other instructors throughout the country for referrals?
A large family of childbirth educators, spread across the country and in different communities is a fabulous referral base. Even having other people who teach your same childbirth curriculum in your community can help you grow your own business.
Educators who have a forum in which they communicate with one another and help relatives and friends across the country find their own birth class will not be standing alone, paddling a large boat in an ocean. They will be teamed with many others all working towards the same goal, and all pulling their weight.
Birth Boot Camp strives to connect our instructors with one another and help them feel supported, both by corporate and by one another.
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In full disclosure- Birth Boot Camp is an organization that doesn’t just have amazing online childbirth classes- we love training new childbirth educators in communities across the country!
- Birth Boot Camp DOES offer their instructors a well designed and organized curriculum for our childbirth educators. All our instructors currently have the materials available to them to teach a comprehensive 10 week childbirth class, an early pregnancy class, a refresher class, and a sibling’s birth class.
- Birth Boot Camp DOES include instructor resources, lesson plans, and class activities in our training materials.
- Birth Boot Camp only does IN-PERSON instructor trainings. We highly value the time to connect with each of you and for you to connect with each other. Our regional trainers have instructor trainings available all over the country to minimize travel for you but give you that in-person experience.
- Birth Boot Camp DOES have a wide variety of pre-designed marketing materials for our instructors. We want you to be able to get the ball rolling immediately and not waste hours of your time and hundreds or thousands of dollars developing materials.
- Birth Boot Camp DOES provide streamlined (and beautiful if we do say so ourselves) teaching materials for our teachers. Who wants photocopied articles stapled together?
- Birth Boot Camp DOES pride itself on having an active network of involved and amazing instructors who lift, support, and help one another out. It is truly a community unlike any other!
- Birth Boot Camp DOES try to provide referrals for you. With our online directory, our instructor spotlights on our website, and teachers who actively refer to one another, we want you to feel supported.
Before you decide to become a childbirth educator, ask yourself all of these questions and find an organization that fits with what you want to bring to your community. We would love to have you in our Birth Boot Camp family!
Register for a childbirth educator training today!
