Core Competencies of the Certified BfW Childbirth Educator

Core Competencies of a Birthing from Within Certified Childbirth Educator


  • Demonstrate accurate, non-outcome-focused knowledge of the physiology of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

  • Use solution focused dialogue techniques. 

  • Understand the importance of, and be practiced in using, inclusive language.

  • Acknowledge and address personal biases and blind spots, and be open and responsive to feedback on how to improve behaviors and processes. 

  • Use the labyrinth as a map for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting, and specifically as a lens for understanding the stages of labor. 

  • Describe birth as a heroic journey, including preparation, ordeal, and return, and specifically how it relates to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

  • Lead parents in at least 3 pain coping practices: BA, NFA, and one other. 

  • Use birth art as a tool for inquiry and discovery with pregnant and postpartum people. 

  • Involve partners in the process of preparing for birth and postpartum. 

  • Consider the framework of the Birth Story Gates as you listen to postpartum people share their birth stories. 

  • Understand the concept of archetypes and how identifying them is relevant to birth work. 

  • Understand and embody the qualities of a mentor.

  • Combine BfW techniques and processes to create unique, context-appropriate class series, private consultations, experiential workshops, and more. 

Previous
Previous

Certification Requirements

Next
Next

Code of Conduct