I am proud to be a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. I am passionate about helping families experience safe and healthy birth. It seems that some people today spend more time planning a wedding or party than they do planning their birth. As a result, some hospitals and birth facilities have cut corners when it comes to offering quality birth education. I believe parents should be encouraged by hospitals and birth centers to purposefully invest in preparation for the birth of their babies.
When an athlete trains for a marathon or big event that requires strength and skill, they study every physical and mental nuance and strategy for winning the game. This, to me, is what childbirth education is like. It should be focused on building skills and imprinting them on the brain, muscles and mind.
Birth is instinctual, but many women today do not believe that they have everything they need to give birth. I liken it to what happens to wild animals when they are removed from their natural habitat. They forget how to survive in the wild. As such, modern maternity care takes women out of their natural birthing habitat and exposes them to unfamiliar surroundings, people, and things. This makes it very difficult for the hormonal cascade that facilitates normal birth to occur.
To have a safe and healthy birth, I believe that women should choose well trained midwives, who are guardians of normal birth, and quality childbirth education that integrates both the mind and body.
First time parents should receive at least 12 hours of education.
Education Council: Standards of Practice for Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators and Lamaze Classes
Standards for Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators (LCCE educators)
The Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE educator) will:
follow the Lamaze Code of Ethics for Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators,
maintain certification through continuing education or re-examination as required by Lamaze International.
Standards for Lamaze Childbirth Education Classes
Lamaze International encourages Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators
(LCCE educators) to offer childbirth education in a variety of formats
throughout the childbearing year. This may include a series of classes
with one group of students, several independent classes, or one-to-one
teaching. Classes may be in-person or online. First time parents should
receive a minimum of 12 hours of instruction.
An educational offering may be identified as a “Lamaze” session, class, or class series if:
it is presented by a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE),
it is consistent with the mission, vision, and philosophy of Lamaze International,
it promotes the Six Healthy Birth Practices identified by Lamaze International,
it includes interaction between students and the educator,
it promotes informed decision-making,
it includes strategies to incorporate the cultural values and beliefs of the participants,
the educator facilitates small groups of no more than 12 pregnant
women and their support teams. Four to eight pregnant women with their
support teams is considered an ideal class size.
Approved by the Lamaze Education Council Governing Body/2010
Source : http://www.lamaze.org/WhoWeAre/Policies/EducationCouncilStandardsofPractice/tabid/609/Default.aspx
