There are a ton of childbirth educator trainings out there!  So many, I can’t even begin to count.  Some are from super credible training programs from well respected organizations while others are home grown programs without any accrediting agency.  This is not a post to talk about the pros and cons of other childbirth education programs.

This is a post to talk about the benefits of joining a Lamaze Accredited Childbirth Educator Training, and hopefully it is one of ours! ?

Birthing Babies VA supports childbirth educators through their journey to Lamaze certification and beyond.

• The three day, interactive training will provide information on establishing your business, growing your network, and developing your curriculum.
  Ongoing email support—Have questions about the exam? Trying to figure out how to teach a particular topic? Shoot us an email and we will be happy to share what we know and point you in the right direction to gain additional information.
• Consultations—Phone and video conferencing options available to participants.
• Business Building Webinars—After the seminar, join us for our monthly Business Building Webinars to make sure you are hitting your intended audiences.
• Exam Prep Study Groups—Join us for a weekly, hosted, study group to make sure you are on the right track leading up to the Lamaze Exam! Offered twice annually in conjunction with the Lamaze Exams.
• Newsletters—Email newsletters will make sure that you stay up to date with developments in childbirth education and business.

Additional benefits of taking a Lamaze Accredited Childbirth Educator Training and certifying with Lamaze International.

Lamaze is the highest respected childbirth educator credential in the world.

Let that sink in for a moment.  Lamaze is an international organization that has gained the respect of families, providers, and other organizations by consistently providing participants evidence based information in an unbiased format.

I recently had a conversation with a person new to birth work who did not realize that Lamaze was a brand of childbirth education and believed that all low intervention childbirth education was called Lamaze.  As she said, “kind of like Kleenex.”

Lamaze maintains it’s credibility by supporting it’s educators.

In order for Lamaze to remain so well respected it is vital that they ensure educators have the most up to date information available to them and provide tools to help educators teach these.  The below list is not an exhaustive list of the benefits of becoming a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, but some of my favorite things about it. ?

• Lamaze provides participants of accredited childbirth educator trainings a student membership so they will have the resources they need to begin their teaching journey.
• Lamaze membership includes access to the Cochrane Library so educators are able to view research relating to childbirth, pregnancy, parenting, and other related topics.  This is one of my favorite benefits as it is so important to understand what we teach to ensure that it is in fact evidence based.
• Lamaze members receive teaching tools and infographics that they can use in their classes.
• Lamaze publishes the Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE) to help educators understand topics important to education, recent medical research, and it provides continuing education credits (CEUs).
• Lamaze supports educators by providing a class locator for parents to find classes close to them.  Since Lamaze is such a trusted name in childbirth education, this is actually my #2 referral source for new clients (#1 being providers).
• Hosting a members only Facebook page for educators to help mentor and support each other.
• Discounts on registration for Annual Conferences and Continuing Education.

Lamaze Certification carries more weight than other childbirth certifications.

• Lamaze is the only childbirth education program that has passed the standards of the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
• Lamaze is accredited as a provider of continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
• Many hospitals require that their childbirth educators be certified by Lamaze International.

Interested in learning more about how Lamaze International and Birthing Babies VA can support your journey towards becoming a childbirth educator.  Learn more by selecting Become A Childbirth Educator.

You may also be interested in learning about Why I Chose to Become A Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.