I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by a new childbirth educator as part of her certification process and, in answering her questions, realized how much they made me analyze my work and articulate my love for what I do.  Check it out!

Tiffany: Why did you want to become a childbirth educator?
Me: I wanted to become a childbirth educator after my first son was born and I realized how much information was not shared by providers to clients when planning for birth. The more I learned about the normal birth process the more I saw how divergent it was from mainstream conventional thought and that made me incredibly passionate about changing that inaccuracy and reframing the public opinion about birth to be more woman-centered rather than technology-driven (which does not mean promoting a certain model of birth, more so a model of care).

T: What - to you - is the most challenging aspect of this profession?
Me: I've been teaching for ten years and the challenges have varied along the way.  Initially, the most challenging aspect was learning when to listen and not share because sometimes it's not the right space or time to give research-based info; sometimes women (and partners too) just need to be heard.  More recently - not so much a challenge but more a consideration - I've been working on changing things up a bit in terms of the order in which I discuss topics and the dynamics of presenting information to keep the class fresh and engaging (for both myself and the participants!).

T: Do you follow an organizations predetermined class or do you make your own class?
Me: I am certified by Birth Works and the classes I teach are based on their philosophies.  Birth Works is not a methods class and does not tell women "how" to give birth but instead provides women with the safe space to explore their birthing options and their own priorities while being supported in finding research-based information and developing tools for communication and empowerment.  Working within and building upon these constructs, ideals, and guidelines, the classes I teach have become my own.  I am a firm believer in the facilitator making a big difference in how effective the class is and feel passionately that there should be some leeway for facilitators to make the classes they teach their own while still respecting the philosophies of the organization with which they are a part.

T: How many women do you work with a year?
Me: Throughout my work in childbirth education, doula support, and breastfeeding support, I work with close to 200 couples per year.  In childbirth education specifically, the number is probably around 175.

T: Are there any resources, books, etc. that you have found particularly helpful to developing your practice?
Me: I focus a lot of my work on pelvic bodywork and dynamics so one of my favorite books initially was "Let Birth Be Born Again" by Jean Sutton. A couple others that have had a huge impact on my philosophies include "Birth as an American Rite of Passage" by Robbie Davis Floyd and "Rediscovering Birth" by Sheila Kitzinger.  I particularly love anthropological books on birth and the body; Sarah Blaffer Hrdy is one of my favorite authors.

T: Why do you feel it is important for families to take CBE classes?
Me: It is really important for families to take out-of-hospital childbirth education classes specifically so that they can receive an unbiased perspective on the birth process as well as learn communication skills, build confidence in understanding consent and refusal and in their rights, and develop their own ideas of what a positive birth experience looks like.  In addition, gaining knowledge of options, learning tools for working through labor discomfort, and building a partner's confidence in him or herself as birth support are very important for creating an empowering experience.  

T: Based on what you have learned from your own experience, what advice would you give a new CBE?
Me: My best advice for a beginning childbirth educator would be to create a non-judgmental space for women and their partners to open up about their feelings, thoughts, anxieties, expectations, and hopes for labor.   This may have the most impact in empowering couples to come out of their births feeling really great as they haven't been forced to believe in something but have been supported in developing their own ideals.  Also, remember that it is okay and incredibly important to always be learning as the professional.  Honesty when not knowing the answer to a question in class is key and will help to build trust between the client and the facilitator and will allow the facilitator to grow as a professional.

A big thank you to Tiffany Lynn Kennedy, Birth Arts International Trained Doula and Birth Arts International Trained Childbirth Educator for asking me about my journey.  Find her online at www.birthwellnessdoula.yolasite.com and send her an email at  [email protected].

Are you birthing in Philly and confused/overwhelmed/unsure about your options for place of birth and type of care provider?  Look no further!  Here is a comprehensive* list of all the options available to expectant families in the greater Philly area.  Here’s to positive, healthy, and well-informed birthing!

*There is surely a chance I have missed a provider or two here so please feel free to comment below with any additions!

**Notice some options overlap depending on how it’s group so check out the whole list.

***CNM refers to a Certified Nurse Midwife; CPM refers to a Certified Professional Midwife; LM refers to a Licensed Midwife; a great resource for sorting through the differences between the certifications is here:
   [Photo of Tiff Hare and Family of Karma Birth Services]       http://mana.org/about-midwives/legal-status-of-us-midwives
    [Photo by www.tammybradshawphoto.com]                                   

Hospitals
Bryn Mawr Hospital (Montgomery County)
Cooper Hospital (Camden NJ)
Delaware County Memorial Hospital (Delaware County)
Einstein Medical Center Montgomery (Montgomery County)
Hahnemann Hospital (Center City Philadelphia)
Holy Redeemer (Meadowbrook, Montgomery County)
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (West Philadelphia)
Inspira Medical Center Elmer (Elmer, NJ)
Jefferson Health (Center City Philadelphia)
Lankenau Medical Center (Wynewood, Montgomery County)
Paoli Hospital (Paoli, Montgomery County)
Pennsylvania Hospital (Center City Philadelphia)
Riddle Hospital (Media, Delaware County)
St. Mary’s Medical Center (Bucks County)
Temple University Hospital (North Philadelphia)
Virtua Hospital in Voorhees (Voorhees, NJ)

Birth Centers
LifeCycle Woman Care (formerly the Bryn Mawr Birth Center, Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County)
The Birth Center in Wilmington (Wilmington, DE)
Valley Birth Place (Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County)

Homebirth Midwifery Practices
Inner Circle Midwifery, Asasiya Muhammad, CPM, LM
Luna y Sol Midwifery and Family Wellness, Terri Simmons, CPM
Midwifery Care Associates (NJ), CNMs
Midwives of New Jersey, CNMs
Midwifery Traditions, Kathy Hindle, CNM
Motherland Midwifery, Christy Santoro CPM
New Birth Experiences (NJ), Dina Aurichio CPM
Rising Moon Midwifery, Kate Aseron CPM
Urban Bush Baby Midwifery, Janeyne Sexton CPM
Woman Wise Midwifery, Karen Webster CPM

Waterbirth
Gentle Beginnings, Inspira Medical Center (Elmer, NJ)
Virtua OBGYN and Midwifery, Karen Shields, CNM, Virtua Voorhees (Voorhees, NJ)
Valley Birth Place, CNMs (Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County)
The Birth Center in Wilmington (Wilmington, DE)
*Waterbirth is an option when birthing at home

In-Hospital Low-Intervention Birthing Suites
Pennsylvania Hospital; jacuzzi tub available for laboring (not birthing)

Hospitals with Midwives on Staff
Bryn Mawr Hospital (Montgomery County)
Delaware County Memorial Hospital (Delaware County)
Doylestown Hospital (Bucks County)
Einstein Medical Center Montgomery (Montgomery County)
Hahnemann Hospital
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Hospital
St. Mary’s Medical Center (Bucks County)

Independently Practicing Midwives with Hospital Privileges
Midwifery Traditions, Kathy Hindle, CNM (Einstein Montgomery Hospital, Montgomery County)
Valley Birth Place Birth Center and Woman Care, Barbara D’Amato, CNM (Einstein Montgomery Hospital, Montgomery County)
Woman Wise Midwifery, Ronni Rothman, CNM (Einstein Montgomery Hospital, Montgomery County)

VBAC
**VBAC options include hospitals with OB or midwifery care or homebirth in PA with CPMs

Thank you to those who contributed their knowledge in making this list accurate and comprehensive - Christy Santoro, midwife Mari-Carmen Farmer, and Lori Daley of Delco Doula Birth Services.