How many of us are cbe???

tlcdoula · 12-09-2006, 11:04 PM

How many of you ladies teach childbirth education series? Do any of you work for hospitals?

I would love to learn more about your classes?

I have found in my area that people want their classes to be short and sweet and over fast and it is driving me crazy. It is so hard to get all the necessary information in with so little time. Today I taught a one day express class at the hospital. The class runs from 9 am until 4 pm with a one hour break for lunch. I try so hard to cover the important stuff, but find that I am rushing and it makes me worry about whether they are really getting what they need.

sacredma · 12-10-2006, 06:38 PM

i am a childbirth educator through alace. i dont teach anymore though as i live in a small area and most people go to the hospital for classes. i used to do private classes.

i just spoke to one of the most popular childbirth ed in the area, she teaches out of a docs office and she says she has recently made her series, 4 classes as that is what people want.

teachinmamaof4 · 12-10-2006, 09:18 PM

As soon as my client births and the $75 fee I'll be able to submit my paperwork for certification through CAPPA.

I will be starting classes in January however. I have one couple who is planning a homebirth with the mw I'm working with (I'll probably also doula for them). I have NO desire to teach in the hospital. I want to do mostly private classes and small groups. I've already networked with one other midwife who has taken my info in case her clients can't get into the Bradley class.

So...we'll see how it goes.

naturalbirther · 12-11-2006, 12:53 AM

I just landed a job teaching at the most family-friendly hospital in town! it started out as me looking for other doulas in the area to shadow for my certification and to get my feet-wet. After speaking with a lady who used to be a doula and is now a lactation consultant, she called me and said they were short-handed and needed to train someone. Found out that they were looking for someone who had doula training. Also found out that they would pay the same to train me as I would get teaching. Then found out that they would also pay me to observe! I even got paid for the two classes that I observed before I actually took the job!

We teach our Childbirth 101 (new parents) classes in a series...four classes total; on per week. We have two groups per week in those classes, then we do two saturday classes per month for a fast-track course that parents are finished with in that two weeks. Breastfeesing, daddy boot camp (taught by a dad and no women allowed! We hear they are hillarious!), breathing and relaxation, sibling classes, and newborn basics are all one class in length. I believe that Childbirth classes for those who have already been through L&D are just a one or two class course as a refresher to cover basics and answer questions-haven't observed one yet!

There is only one other certified doula in town and she and the lactaion consultant that got me the job, as well as the lady who is training me are all wanting to start a doula business that includes CBE classes later on down the road. I am really interested in it, but I sort of already have that set up in my business- in-home classes, that is. Who knows, maybe that time I will need some back up and some breaks!

Whew! Ok, I'm rambling!
Ash

everydaymiracles · 12-11-2006, 09:21 AM

I am also a CBE - I took my training almost two years ago. I got my start as a friend was expecting her 5th child and wanted to take some time away from teaching her classes (6 week session at the Y) but didn't want to give up the gig at the Y or have her business name fall off the radar. I observed a series, attended a training and cotaught a few series before she had her bub (I was also her doula!) I also taught private classes in my home or the clients at this time as was rather spoilt as I was able to use her teaching aids (which are quite extensive!) I continue to teach private and semi private classes (just finished one last night) I have tried to run 6 week group classes and haven't had more than one or two clients sign up (I prefer 3-6 couples for group dynamics) I think it has alot to do with people not wanting to commit to 6 weeks. When I do a private class it is over 4 weeks. I have taught two 4 hour sessions and found it very difficult - both to get everything in and have clients take it in!

I have taught a few clients and also been their doula - I love that! I know what info they have given and get to know them so much better through teaching a series that I feel I can support them better as a doula. One of the clients in my class last night is also a doula client for next year - yipee! R

moncton doula · 12-11-2006, 11:34 AM

I am working on my course design right now-what a task!!! I hope to start taching in a couple of months. I'm going with Lamaze so my classes need to be 12 hours in total. I'll probably do 5 X 2.5hr weeknight classes or one weekend class (6 hrs each day).

tlcdoula · 12-11-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moncton doula

I am working on my course design right now-what a task!!! I hope to start taching in a couple of months. I'm going with Lamaze so my classes need to be 12 hours in total. I'll probably do 5 X 2.5hr weeknight classes or one weekend class (6 hrs each day).

I am currently teaching at a hospital and their classes are going to 2 1/2 hours for four weeks or we have an express class that meets for a total of 7 hours (one hour is for lunch) and then another express class that meets twice for three hours.

I am currently certifying through ICEA, but truthfully am not sure I am going to finish it - I am also certified through CAPPA.

syncreo · 12-12-2006, 08:40 AM

Hi,
I teach and currently we do 12 hr weekend classes or a 5 weeks series of 2.5 nights. I am Lamaze trained and although I was teaching before it I noticed a huge improvement in my classes since my training. I have been teaching and desiging adult education courses for a long time and I had a lot of questions and challenges around how I was teaching my CBE classes and what I found was that the basis of what I was doing was really good but I needed to go deeper and do more reflection work with the participants.

I intend on writing the Lamaze exam in April and am absolutely a convert to the Lamaze philosophy and their process of certification for Childbirth Ed.

moncton doula · 12-12-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syncreo

Hi,
I teach and currently we do 12 hr weekend classes or a 5 weeks series of 2.5 nights. I am Lamaze trained and although I was teaching before it I noticed a huge improvement in my classes since my training. I have been teaching and desiging adult education courses for a long time and I had a lot of questions and challenges around how I was teaching my CBE classes and what I found was that the basis of what I was doing was really good but I needed to go deeper and do more reflection work with the participants.

I intend on writing the Lamaze exam in April and am absolutely a convert to the Lamaze philosophy and their process of certification for Childbirth Ed.

Oh, Shawna, I so wish I could come back up for like a month so I could brainstorm with you and get my course done. I am currently waiting for the tapes to arrive from Teri, and I ordered Prepared Childbirth-The Educator's Guide but that won't arrive for several weeks. I feel I have the knowlege to do this but I do not work well alone! I looked at the outline you sent me and I'm like- yeah, that looks great! But I should probably come up with my own, lol.
Sigh, I just wish I could have a study group of peaple that have your knowlege to talk it out with in real life.....

ctowndoula · 12-12-2006, 02:48 PM

I am certified through Lamaze. I also have their advanced training as a Breastfeeding Support Specialist. I teach private cbe series, breastfeeding classes and comfort measure classes. I teach a baby basics class at Babies R Us. I also teach a faith-based cbe series at my church.

The private cbe classes vary in length, mostly four three hour sessions, which is the same as my group cbe series. When I teach the group class I make the fifth class optional and it is always a breastfeeeding class. The comfort measure or refresher courses I only teach privately and they vary in length from 2-4 hours.

The class at the church is actually six two and half hour classes. I really enjoy those classes b/c they do take committment and the people that sign up really want to be there. This class includes scripture and bibilcal disscussions. Topics include: decision-making, parental responsiblities, comfort measures in the Bible (water for comfort is mentioned in so many ways!), the myth of "Pain vs. Toil" in translation, postpartum hormones, breastfeeding in the Bible. This six week series includes some Baby Basics and the Breastfeeding class, b/c I have 15 hours to teach it all in.

When I teach the baby basics or breastfeeding basics classes I do try to make them two and half hours each. It is much harder to do a dynamic class in the middle of Babies R Us though. I am still refining my outline for that.

As for writing your Lamaze outlines, why don't you join a list srv of other PfB grads? I know Teri started one for the course I took.

Only no one has posted on it.

syncreo · 12-12-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moncton doula

Oh, Shawna, I so wish I could come back up for like a month so I could brainstorm with you and get my course done. I am currently waiting for the tapes to arrive from Teri, and I ordered Prepared Childbirth-The Educator's Guide but that won't arrive for several weeks. I feel I have the knowlege to do this but I do not work well alone! I looked at the outline you sent me and I'm like- yeah, that looks great! But I should probably come up with my own, lol.
Sigh, I just wish I could have a study group of peaple that have your knowlege to talk it out with in real life.....

Liz,
I don't think you need to come up with an outline of your own - I basically took the one we all did together and just slightly rearranged it. Besides, Teri did say we could work together.
So you know you are more than welcome to come back down here and stay with me anytime!!! I was just thinking the other day that it would be very cool to have a good girlfriend like you in town so if you can convince the whole family to move....

Ok, so I realize neither of those options are probably very realistic but I am more than happy to help. We could do a phone conversation and discuss your ideas, you could send me some of the 3 ps you have done and I could give you some feedback. Both of these are doable. Let's make a phone date, each grab a glass of wine, our materials and chat like we are in my living room.

Jill and I are meeting tomorrow morning to plan out our work for the course design so we will be definitely working on it full speed over the holidays and into January to make the deadline. If you want ,let's talk next week and see where we are both at. You don't have to do this alone so let's get going on getting it done!!!

Sorry to hijack....back to the original post

DL · 12-12-2006, 09:13 PM

I am Lamaze trained (PfB), but have yet to teach my first formal cbe series. I've still yet to write my course outline, and I'm frankly totally overwhelmed at the thought of doing this. I enjoy teaching, but I have always hated to come up with my own curriculums (I used to teach preschool and really hated not having a pre prepared curriculum). I also homeschool and totally switched my curriculum because I couldn't stand doing lesson plans.

So... I've greatly procrastinated on even starting it. I'm hoping with completing more of the recommended reading, that it will be easier for me to come up with ideas.

Without even asking, I've been offered a space for free to teach at a local midwifery and still keep all profits (although I think it's too small, IMO, to be very interactive with learning stations, etc.), so I'll probably have to teach elsewhere. I could teach a series as soon as I could come up with students, but I have 0 teaching supplies.

I know that once I get my act together with gathering the supplies and finishing the course ouline, I will really enjoy teaching. I'm thinking that I probably won't sit for the Lamaze cert. exam until Oct. 2007. Christy and I will have to get each other going soon!

I have GREAT respect for the ladies who've gone before me in certifying; I look forward to being included in your ranks!

doulamomma · 12-13-2006, 09:01 AM

Well I'm not a CBE yet but am in training, so enjoyed reading everything you all have wrote. I'm doing my training through a local organization. Hopefully i'll be certified within a year.
I hope to do more private classes than hospitals but if a hospital class was offered to me, i might take it.