Celebrating BirthWorks!

In 2023, BWI celebrated 35 years of pioneering leadership in the birth field, fostering trust and honoring the innate birthing capabilities of mothers.

1970s
Global view on birth
Appreciating the diversity of birth

Cathy Daub and her husband Raysh traveled the world for three and a half years learning about different cultures and people.

1980s
Evidence for VBAC
Women question cesarean safety

Pregnant women in the US were told to have repeat cesareans, “once a cesarean, always a cesarean,” even with research showing Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) was usually safer!

1981
First VBAC Conference
Cesarean Prevention Movement (CPM)

Cathy co-chaired the first VBAC conference in May in the USA, out of which CPM was founded. It later changed its name to International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN).

1982
Starting out as a pilot program
BirthWorks' beginnings!

Cathy Daub served as Chair of the Education Committee for ICAN, and BirthWorks began to educate parents.

through the 1980s
Belief in women's abilities to birth
Childbirth Preparation for parents!

Cathy Daub deeply believed women should birth in the least risky way, so developed classes to help parents have faith that knowledge of how to birth is already within them. Many parents were taught during this time and BWI's Childbirth Prep for Parents continues today.

1982-1988
Let's certify educators!
Our Childbirth Education Manual

Building on successful parent classes, BirthWorks started a teacher certification program including writing one of the most comprehensive manuals for educators, which is continually updated as we certify childbirth educators.

1988
Certification workshops begin
Birth of a Childbirth Educator Professional Training Program!

We offered the first official Childbirth Educator workshop. Since then, we have Certified Childbirth Educators for decades in the United States and abroad!

1992-93
Official incorporation as a US-based non-profit.
Becoming an NGO

After separating from ICAN, BWI successfully applies to become an Incorporated 501(c)3 organization.

1990s+
Many professionals and parents share the value of BirthWorks!
BWI Membership keeps growing!

People kept sharing the value of being a member of BirthWorks including the deep value of -- our evidence-based holistic Philosophy, being part of something they can’t do on their own, and joining a movement to empower women to birth better and educate professionals to provide best support for optimal health and wellness outcomes for moms and babies.

1994+
BWI Board of Advisors began and keeps growing today!
Support from leaders in the field

With the support of our Mentors and others wanting to be on the Board of Directors, BirthWorks gained support from varied prominent key leaders in the childbirth field who joined our Board of Advisors.

1998
Request from our professionals to develop more programs
Birth of a Doula Program!

Our Childbirth Educators (after experiencing the impact their work had on the parents) wanted BWI Birth Doula Certification. The program was co-created by Liz O’Shea CPM and Cathy Daub, PT, BirthWorks Founder.

1999
Over time with feedback, we created more birth doula materials
BirthWorks first Birth Doula Workshop

The first Birth Doula Workshops began. Following that the Doula Journal Workbook was developed, then Cathy wrote Doulas of Love to enhance the learning that happened during the in-person three-day workshops.

2003
BirthWorks begins offering conferences
Human Values in Birth Conference

BWI conferences start bringing together top thinkers in the birth field. The first conference theme was Human Values in Birth - A New Perspective which planted seeds for BWI's values-based approach to birth.

2005
BirthWorks first film is released!
Passage to Life

For BWI inspiration, watch the film here!

February 2006
BirthWorks adds "International" to our name!
Name change!

Our Board of Directors decides to include th work International after our name to better reflect those members who lives overseas - the official name is now BirthWorks® International. 

2006
The new state-of-the-art and user-friendly site is here!
New website launch!

A major project of BirthWorks was launching a new website on February 7th. We worked hard to make it reflective of BirthWorks Philosophy.

2007
BirthWorks' second national conference
Birthing in the Spirit Conference

Continuing to inspire and lead forward thinking in the field, this conference shared BirthWorks Philosophy and holistic approach to birth, leaving many inspired to learn more and be part of BWI in bigger ways.

2007
Cathy's Birthing in the Spirit book is published!
BirthWorks Book Release!

Birthing in the Spirit shares about inner wisdom, trust and empowerment for pregnant women. In a unique way it benefits women’s health and her full potential to expand her mind, body and spirit, as she goes through pregnancy, to labor and birth, and into motherhood. The second edition is bring worked on in 2023!

2009
Third national BirthWorks conference
Global Lessons from the Womb

Continuing on the last two conferences, key leaders in the birth field came together to understand, learn and see things from a different perspective, in order to improve birth and outcomes for mothers and babies.

2010
Cathy was invited to be an international speaker! 
The Mid-Atlantic Conference On Birth and Primal Health Research

Dr. Michel Odent invited Cathy Daub, as a Guest Speaker, to his Atlantic conference held in the Canary Islands (at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) from February 26-28, 2010.

2010+
Keeping busy certifying hundreds of birth professionals
BirthWorks reach keeps growing
Online Childbirth Classes For New Parents | BirthWorks International

We continue certifying childbirth educators and both birth and postpartum doulas. We often hear great testimonials from our professionals and the parents they teach and support, as well as our members.

2012
Again, Cathy was invited to be an international speaker!
The Mid-Pacific Conference on Birth and Primal Health Research

Dr. Michel Odent invited Cathy Daub a second time, as a Guest Speaker to his Pacific conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA held on October 26-28, 2012.

2013
BirthWorks second film is out!
Trusting Birth

For BWI inspiration, watch the film here!

2015
BWI professionals request a new program + more materials!
BWI's Postpartum Doula Program started as an online program!
Postpartum Doula Certification | Postpartum Requirements | BirthWorks | Postpartum Doula Training | Postpartum Doula Certification | BWI

BWI's Postpartum Certification was co-created by Maria Pyanov CCE(BWI) and Cathy Daub. Again, it was a natural extension of both our Childbirth Educator and Birth Doula. As part of the program, Cathy wrote the BirthWorks Postpartum Doula Training Book.

2015+
Global outreach of BirthWorks in New Zealand
New Zealand ~ BWI Postpartum Doulas

Initially, BWI Postpartum Doula training was offered online only. Then, varied BirthWorks Childbirth Educators and Birth Doulas in New Zealand asked for in-person Postpartum Doula training and the three-day workshops were offered there for years.

2015+
BirthWorks is the only dual-certification training organization
ACED! (Accelerated Childbirth Educator & Birth Doula) Certification

BirthWorks keeps offering our in-person and virtual workshops ~ as well as the new Accelerated Childbirth Educator & Birth Doula (ACED) program for the most aspiring birth professionals wanting an intensive experiential training to earn dual-Certifications.

2016
BirthWorks conferences continue exploring important topics
Finding the Truths About Birth

This time, national and international leaders came together in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, USA around the key conference theme and human-value of Truth.

2017
BirthWorks next conference - community meets at the beach!
Turning Truths of Birth Into Action

During this Virginia Beach, VA, US-based BirthWorks conference, birth leaders found ways of exploring how truths around birth inform effective education and changing birth experiences for the positive.

September 2017
For anyone interested in their immune health!
Your Microbiome Workshop

This NJ, USA conference taught how the microbiome is seeded for an optimal immune system and therefore lifelong health. BWI was visionary in sharing how microscopic events impact a baby’s lifelong health and how birth interventions interfere with crucial microbial transfer from mother to baby.

2019
Next BirthWorks conference at a beautiful Florida venue!
Peace in Birth Conference

In partnership with Birthpedia, BirthWorks national conference took place in in Mount Dora, Florida, USA. This year, it focused and inspired leaders around the human-value of Peace.

2019
BirthWorks expands its event offerings into holistic health
Food as Medicine

In collaboration with Karen Burzichelli, this event shared the immense difference nutrition makes for health and well-being for (pregnant and nursing mothers) and all of us. It was such a success, it was offered again!

2019+
Labor intensive childbirth preparation offered online
BirthPrep! for Parents Workshops
Become A Birth Doula Trainer Online | BirthWorks International

Given the key importance of childbirth preparation in first trimester... but knowing free time is limited for pregnant working moms... our Trainers and Board took the best of BirthWorks Philosophy to develop an online immersion experience for parents. (This was before the pandemic began!)

2020
Due to requests, we took our virtual postpartum workshop live!
BWI's Postpartum Doula Program now offered in-person too!
Postpartum Doula Certification | Postpartum Requirements | BirthWorks | Postpartum Doula Training | Postpartum Doula Certification | BWI

Cathy Daub went to Texas to teach our first in-person BWI Postpartum Certification Training Workshop - this happened just before the pandemic started!

2020 September
Beyond excited to have launched our new, improved website!
New website launch!!!

Now, easily find all Workshop, Certification and Parent information, as well as our shop and blog

* In partnership with Simplified Website Design, BWI members get 10% off their own website with ForDoulas.com!

2020-21
We never shut down for the pandemic ~ we just kept going!
BirthWorks went virtual!

When covid came, BirthWorks offered every workshop and certification online. We enhanced interactive training with digital media and online learning that keeps improving. Our students share that a top benefit of our programs is Personal Mentoring, which was appreciated so much at this time.

* Now, BWI virtual workshops reach more people globally, and we happily offer live BWI workshops as requested!

2020+
From a Birth Doula talk to training workshops for many doulas
BirthWorks in Indonesia

Staring in 2020, Cathy and Cristin's Birth Doula talk (online for Indonesian women) grew into us offering varied birth and postpartum doula workshops -- first virtually and also now in-person. (BirthWorks trained the first Postpartum Doulas ever in Indonesia!) We are thrilled to have Tia Pratignyo, our newest BirthWorks Trainer, continue to share BirthWorks in Asia.

2020+
Advanced professional training for optimal neonatal outcomes
Kangaroula care saves lives! with the best Nurture Science and Neuroscience

In September, we launched our Kangaroula Training Program in affiliation with with Jill and Dr. Nils Bergman, to offer advanced doula skills for those wanting the best full-term care and an understanding of premie-care practices. Today, Kangaroula Workshops are offered 2-3 times per year and Certification Mentoring is available for serious professionals.

end of 2021
BWI Birth Doulas can now get paid by the US government!
BWI chosen as a certifying organization by Tri-Care!

Our BWI-Certified Birth Doulas can now bill directly through Tri-Care (a Defense Health Agency program) and get reimbursed if supporting US military families, starting Jan. 2022! This opens the door for many families to get doula support who otherwise would not.

2022+
Advanced training empowering those helping mom-baby dyads
BreastfeedingWorks! a new program

Join BreastfeedingWorks! for Professionals training with Trainer Madison Henry, CBD(BWI). Live and virtual workshops empower childbirth educators, doulas, midwives, nurses, pediatricians, Ob/Gyns and Neonatologists to fully support successful breastfeeding - for healthy full-term babies as well as premature, late-preterm infants (32-37 weeks), high-risk dyads, belly birth (cesarean) and those with maternal complications.

2023... and many more!
BWI is celebrating an amazing 35 years!
Happy 35th Birthday to BirthWorks!

This year we celebrate the many people who are part of BirthWorks, so you'll hear from them. We will also share many testimonials!

We have upcoming workshops throughout the year. Stay tuned for news on our new logo, new programs and an upcoming virtual conference, too.

March 2023
BirthWorks looking back and now into the future!
BirthWorks Timeline of 35 years!

35 years of creating a birthscape that honors women's innate abilities to birth!

March 2023
It shows more the important mother-baby energetic connection.
Our new logo is introduced!

We updated the The Birthing in the Spirit book logo to highlight the importance of centering skin-to-skin and BWI's positive synergy to connect all. The logo embodies energy, safety and peace following trust and faith in birth.

April 2023
Reached 450 attendees live, plus 700 later!
BWI co-sponsors the Visionary and the first Microbiome Conference!

Together ~ we take the highly-valuable, evidence-based research about the microbiome's role in optimizing newborn (and log-term) health to the next level -  bringing together forward-thinking birth organizations to create ways to shift best practices for the future! BWI had four speakers as part!

February 2024
BWI Kangaroula Trainers (the Bergmans) are featured speakers!
BWI part of the Second Microbirth Plan - Microbiome conference!

Exploration of how microbiome science brings positive change to maternity care, including to improved health outcomes. Participants are multidisciplinary maternity professionals including midwives, childbirth educators, doulas, lactation professionals, nurses, doctors, hospital managers and public health professionals.

2024 into the future!
Empowered, informed perspective on the potential of birth
What makes BirthWorks Holistic Approach so important?

It is foundational learning about possibility in birth. Today, many are unaware of the importance of preparation and support — to assure positive birth and postpartum experiences — for both mother and baby. BirthWorks means parents participate – are academically and emotionally prepared – so realize and enjoy the birth experience and confidently start to care for their baby.

2024 & beyond!
You are integral to our unique, vibrant vision
Join Us to become part of BirthWorks!

You can Be Involved in many ways! As a non-profit, we appreciate donations. Earn your Childbirth Educator or Doula Certification. If you're certified with us, build your c.v. as a Mentor or join our Board of Directors, or make money as a BirthWorks Ambassador or BirthWorks Trainer.

Or be a BirthWorks Affiliate or Partner! Together, we can reach parents with innovative education and doula services for safer, healthier birth experiences!

2025-2026!
Through International SOS, BWI Doulas will serve abroad too!
BWI is part of Tricare Global Expansion!

BWI is helping expand Tri-Care globally, so our doulas can offer support through Tri-Care International outside the US. - program launches Jan. 1 2025 to Dec. 2026!

Have a Question? Let’s Chat.

Please don’t hesitate to reach us, happy to be in touch.

Cristin Tighe
Executive Director & International Coordinator
info@birthworks.org
1-609-953-9380
1-202-276-3521 Mobile/WhatsApp