In 2020, like many, we had time to reflect on the past and re-create what BirthWorks’ future would be. So we asked key people involved with BirthWorks - What is the BirthWorks Experience to you? They have been with BirthWorks for a long time, starting off with attending a BirthWorks workshop, becoming certified, and finding themselves inspired to use the skills in their birth work and in their lives for years and even decades. Some became Ambassadors for BirthWorks and also Mentors and Trainers.
Here, we share with you their reflections and insights. If you are new to BirthWorks International, this will give you a deep sense of the uniqueness and value of our approach to childbirth preparation and to training birth workers. We advocate helping women to have more trust and faith in their bodies that were born with the knowledge about how to give birth. Giving birth doesn’t need to be learned because birth is instinctive. These people realize the value of helping birthing women to feel safe and manifest a loving space so they can let go to give birth and have the most positive pregnancies, labors, births and be happily empowered new parents.
So - here are some insights about the BirthWorks Experience!
To me, BirthWorks is a foundational program for learning about the potential and experience of birth from an empowered and informed perspective. Too many women today are unaware of or have lost sight of how important preparing for birth is on the birth and postpartum experience, not only for the woman, but for the baby and family as well. BirthWorks invites women and their partners to participate in the birth experience and subsequently realize this potential.
What is unique about BWI? It's core of the practice of human values is the path to change and transformation of childbirth practices. I'm involved to be a part of creating a better society through birth since the experiences of a woman giving birth is generational. The BirthWorks Experience is the royal highway to manifesting our full human potential by realizing the power women have to practice the human values in their births and lives. It is experiential, increases confidence, and decreases fear in birth and in life. The practice of human values results in an experience of transformation.
BirthWorks is an all-encompassing program for Childbirth Education and Doula training. These programs focus on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual preparation during pregnancy and labor. There is also a specific curriculum that is not touched on in other programs – pelvic bodywork, grieving and healing, feelings and more. The biggest reason that I am involved is that I want birthing parents to know that they have choices. BirthWorks provides evidence-based education for the birthing community to understand their rights and choices as a “consumer.” It is imperative that birthing parents understand that just because something is routine doesn’t mean that it is best and that they have a say in their experience.
The BirthWorks philosophies are very inspirational. Teaching women that they have the power and knowledge within them to birth their babies is so important in today’s society. I feel as though it is easy to believe that we need the assistance of others and that we are merely vessels and passive participants in birth but BirthWorks aims to create a different way of thinking.
The BirthWorks Experience allows birthing families to delve deeper. Birth is not just a physical experience – it is emotional and spiritual and a life changing experience. BirthWorks encourages and allows parents to lean into this and prepares them for the entire birth experience. The BirthWorks Experience is meant to be more than a didactic experience so that birthing parents can open up and experience childbirth education in a whole new way.
BWI offers a unique perspective because it is grounded in human values. The core of the knowledge and participation in pregnancy and birth is with the woman herself, and as such she should be the one included and trusted to make the best decisions for herself and her baby. I appreciate this approach because it’s also something that we should incorporate in our everyday life as well…. As I’ve grown more acquainted with BirthWorks and the Philosophies and human-values approach, it has inspired me and helped to keep me grounded as a birthworker. I am reminded that the only expert in a woman’s birth is the woman herself. No birthworker is an expert.
BirthWorks approach is heart-centered and fills a gap that other childbirth education and pregnancy yoga classes for moms don’t touch on in enough depth. I stay involved in BWI because it’s values-driven, from the heart and spirit informs the philosophies. At the same time, it is evidence-based and academic theory informed. It believes in the power of women and their power to birth, honoring intuition and connection to their own body and their babies. It also empowers women in the best way to believe in themselves, and to know and understand and trust when medical support is needed and the best choice.
The BirthWorks Experience, to me, is women staying connected around their divine power to birth and their capabilities, which has been lost and is deeply needed and needs to be part again of our ideology and conversation about birth, and even more than that, needs to be the norm. From years of being involved, there are infinite testimonials that come from parents, childbirth educators and doulas who experience our workshops, take our training and from parents who attend childbirth preparation classes. It is inspiring to see how many people are touched by this work and in varied ways it is impactful, not just through each person’s journey and transformation from pregnancy to parenthood, but also in their lives! People walk away surprised, inspired, empowered... and also more calm, compassionate and confident - of their own power, the miracle of birth, and how a values-based approach to becoming parents and being birthworkers is so important.
To learn more for yourself, join a Workshop, get Certified or find a Parent Class.
