Why did you choose the organization you certified with?

Jenny Lynne · 09-19-2006, 02:24 PM

I'm wondering why everyone chose the organization that they did, or why you chose not to cerify if you went that route. I'm still trying to choose an organization and would love to read everyone else's thoughts. Also, you can list any plusses or minuses for cert programs. I'll add my thoughts in a bit - I'm at work now.

teachinmamaof4 · 09-19-2006, 02:26 PM

I chose CAPPA because I had an opportunity to do a combo training.

I also like that I don't have to follow someone else's curriculum.

fearlessbirth · 09-19-2006, 02:36 PM

I chose DONA because it was the only organization in my area offering training. I am happy with them so far.

Gentlebirthmama · 09-19-2006, 03:18 PM

I chose the Bradley Method for several reasons:
1) it was the method of classes my dh and I used when we were first pregnant and the classes really helped us focus on the natural birth that we wanted, and it worked for us.
2) I believed in their no holds bar stance of birth being natural and knew I didn't want to go with the more mainstream Lamaze classes.
3) and I could see from their stats that the 'method' worked.

I hesitate today recommending the Bradley Method for those wanting to certify only because I feel the organization has changed somewhat since I took the training over 14 years ago. I think their philosophy of birth being natural is still intact but the organization has become much more rigid in some of their views and the way they run things. I know I'm not the only Bradley 'old-timer' that feels this way.

My classes have certainly become my own over the years, but I did like having a class curriculum all written out to help me get started.

fearlessbirth · 09-19-2006, 03:35 PM

YIKES! I'm sorry. I forgot about the new CBE forum. I spoke too soon. I take back my entry. lol I'm not a CBE but merely a doula!

Jenny Lynne · 09-19-2006, 04:45 PM

Gentlebirthmama - I feel the same way about Bradley. I love their philosophy, but I almost feel like they've become birth bullies or stuck their heads in the sand and refused to acknowledge that things don't always go as planned. But being that I agree so much with their philosophy, it's hard for me to go another direction. BFW is the only other program I've come across that I think I could do, and it's even more expensive than Bradley.

MyDoulaStacia · 09-19-2006, 05:18 PM

I went with DONA. I agree with their Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
I feel comfortable knowing I am following an organization that is so well known and respected.

Stacie · 09-19-2006, 06:37 PM

I chose Lamaze, because my DONA doula trainer told me, when I asked her and mentioned I was thinking about CAPPA simply due to the distance option, that I could ONLY CHOOSE LAMAZE THROUGH PASSION FOR BIRTH, lol. I know her well, and i trust her implicitly. She was interetsed in becoming a CBE, and she explored all the options. So I checked into it and signed up!

Gentlebirthmama · 09-19-2006, 06:47 PM

Jenny Lynne,

You know I really noticed the changes happening after Dr. Bradley died. I don't think he would have approved of how things are handled or run nowadays.
Did you know that he never wanted it called the "Bradley" method? He was very humble and just wanted women to trust in themselves to give birth as the Lord designed them to.
I'm glad I trained in the Bradley Method and hope I can carry on Dr. Bradley's work at instilling confidence in women to trust in their bodies and allow nature to take it's course.
I find it sad that people misunderstand the Bradley method and find myself getting defensive when I can tell someone is bashing the method. It works and Dr. Bradley proved that over and over in the time he caught babies...approx. 94% of his patients had completely natural births. He taught women to trust in nature and how to work with labor rather than fight it. He believed that panting was for dogs

, unnatural for humans, and therefore encouraged abdominal breathing and relaxation as a means for handling labor. He was appalled at the way women were treated during birth and believed that they (we) deserved better.

Ya know, I once saw a Hypnobirthing teachers workbook and it was so similiar to the Bradley workbook. And then I realized that HB is based on the research of Dr. Dick Grantly-Read who realized the fear-tension-pain cycle that occurs in birth. The Bradley Method is also based on that concept and although we don't call it hypnosis, the relaxation techniques that our couples learn are about the same. Just a little

I would encourage you to follow your heart, but don't not consider Bradley because of negative info you may hear or read. Talk with some of us ol' timers...yes, there are still many of us out there that have lasted over 10 years

...and get a more accurate picture of what Bradley's about.

jesscardona · 09-19-2006, 09:37 PM

Well, I'm not in the CBE field yet, but that is something I would like to get into later on..
actually I'm going to apprentice with a doula this week for the next 6 weeks and I will be taking her CBE classes which is "Birthing Within" so I will have a chance to see how this class is.. I also like Lamaze, that is the one that I trained with for my doula (approved by DONA) training with Teri from pfb and Ann Tumbling.

sacredma · 09-19-2006, 10:02 PM

well i am trained by Alace. at the time i did my certification, it was called informed homebirth, which is why i went with it, they later changed to informed birth and parenting and then to alace. i loved their philosophy, and they dont subscribe to any one method. since i did the training which was in the early 90's many more organizations have sprung up and the old one's changed as well.

MindfulBirth · 09-20-2006, 09:55 AM

I have chosen CAPPA for my main training for a few reasons. First and foremost is that I agree with their philosophies and vision statement. (Not that I disagree with the others, lol). Secondly, the training classes are nearer to my home and the price was within my budget. I also felt that they were recognizeable. I emailed some other CBEs who said that they enjoyed the CAPPA training and felt it was comprehensive.

I also plan to become a Birthing From Within mentor. I plan to offer classes in both the BFW model and the more traditional childbirth class format, as well as some other specialized classes.