Lamaze Leads The Way: The Trusted Source of Childbirth Education
/by Lauren King, RN, Certified Lamaze Educator and DONA Birth Doula
For 55 years, Lamaze International has been the leading provider of evidence-based education programs that prepare childbirth educators to teach with skill and confidence. The Lamaze childbirth education certification is the only childbirth educator program that has passed rigorous standards set by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The Lamaze certification program has been designed to meet the highest professional standards, with quality education offerings that help candidates develop as skilled, trusted LCCE educators.
I worked a labor and delivery nurse for 6 years before becoming a childbirth educator and doula. However, that alone didn’t make me a professional educator. In order to become certified through Lamaze as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE), I had to first attend a 2-day seminar. The seminars are not cheap, and they’re usually not nearby – making them even more of an investment. I drove to Raleigh, NC and stayed in a hotel for 3 nights to attend the seminar that led me on the path of certification.
In my seminar were people from all walks of life, but I was (surprisingly!) the only nurse! I couldn’t believe it. All these other people who had NO prior medical knowledge – very limited history on anatomy, maybe no formal knowledge of physiology, and most people in the class had extremely limited knowledge on labor and birth. My advantage to having medical experience was further made clear when we did a “medical lingo” activity. Do you know a “ctx” is? How about a toco? Do you know what pit stands for? (Contraction(s), uterine monitor and Pitocin.) So, yes, it is definitely advantageous for you to take a childbirth class, but even more so to take a class from someone who has a lot of real-world knowledge and experience.
“I chose Lamaze because around the world, it is a well-known and trusted name in childbirth for the past 55 years.”
After my seminar was complete, I had a mentor observe me teach a class. Afterward, I was permitted to sign up for the certification exam. It is only offered twice a year and has around 150 questions. I sat in a little closet (literally) with a desk, a chair, and the computer in front of me. Talk about stressful! A few weeks later, I was notified that I had passed the test, and I was officially a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.
Now, to maintain my certification, every 3 years, I must submit 25 hours of approved continuing education, as well as make another monetary investment. (This is on top of the 30 hours and monetary investment I have to submit every two years to maintain my nursing license!) Lamaze does an awesome job of offering a lot of those hours through various seminars and workshops. The courses I take must relate to one of the seven Lamaze Childbirth Educator Competencies:
Competency 1: Promotes the childbearing experience as a normal, natural, and healthy process which profoundly affects women and their families.
Competency 2: Assists women and their families to discover and to use strategies to facilitate normal, natural, and healthy pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early parenting.
Competency 3: Helps women and their families to understand how complications and interventions influence the normal course of pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and early postpartum.
Competency 4: Provides information and support that encourages attachment between babies and their families.
Competency 5: Assists women and their families to make informed decisions for childbearing.
Competency 6: Acts as an advocate to promote, support, and protect natural, safe and healthy birth.
Competency 7: Designs, teaches, and evaluates a course in Lamaze preparation that increases a woman’s confidence and ability to give birth.
Don’t take childbirth education too lightly!
As your educator, I LOVE teaching you everything I possibly can about pregnancy and birth. I do it because it is my passion! I chose Lamaze because around the world, it is a well-known and trusted name in childbirth for the past 55 years. Lamaze International stays up-to-date on all the current research and recommendations, and I pass all of this on to my students.
Knowledge is power but only if you know how to apply it to your situation. Schedule a private childbirth lesson in your home to maximize your chances of a having a comfortable and relaxed birthday party.
