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.
Cathy Daub and her husband Raysh traveled the world for three and a half years learning about different cultures and people.
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!
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).
Cathy Daub served as Chair of the Education Committee for ICAN, and BirthWorks began to educate 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.
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.
We offered the first official Childbirth Educator workshop. Since then, we have Certified Childbirth Educators for decades in the United States and abroad!
After separating from ICAN, BWI successfully applies to become an Incorporated 501(c)3 organization.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A major project of BirthWorks was launching a new website on February 7th. We worked hard to make it reflective of BirthWorks Philosophy.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This time, national and international leaders came together in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, USA around the key conference theme and human-value of Truth.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!)
Cathy Daub went to Texas to teach our first in-person BWI Postpartum Certification Training Workshop - this happened just before the pandemic started!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
35 years of creating a birthscape that honors women's innate abilities to birth!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
