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Achieve proficiency as a prenatal educator in a blended workshop team-taught by skilled faculty since 1997. The CET combines online learning with 3 intensive on-site days. Please note: Completion of online coursework* is required prior to the on-site days. On site days: Friday-Sunday, May 3-5, 2013 8am-6pm $899 ***REGISTRATION CLOSED*** REGISTRATION DEADLINE: April 5, 2013 by 4PM PST *Depending on your knowledge and experience, online coursework will take 30+ hours to complete.

The curriculum

Reproductive anatomy and physiology
Elements of prenatal care
Women's experience of pregnancy and labor
Nutrition and exercise
Massage, relaxation, and breathing techniques
Normal birth physiology and hormones
Stages of labor
Comfort measures for labor
Pain medications (separated out from comfort measures)
Birth-planning and informed choice
Medical procedures
Cesarean birth
The postpartum period, breastfeeding, and newborn care
Adult learning theory
Teaching methods and skills
Curriculum development

Students learn not only what to teach, but how to teach it. The instructors model a variety of teaching techniques including lecture, use of audio-visual aids, role-playing, and small group activities. Students apply their learning through practice teaching sessions, which offer each student a chance to give a short presentation to peers and receive an experienced childbirth educator's feedback.
Since most expectant parents plan to give birth in a hospital, most opportunities for childbirth educators involve teaching about hospital birth. Therefore, the class focuses primarily on how to teach about hospital birth, although out-of-hospital birth is also addressed.

Course Notes

Required Text (click here for information on where to obtain texts.)

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley, and Keppler et.al. Make sure you purchase the latest 2010 edition.

Recommended Preparation

This training is appropriate for a wide variety of students, from lay people who wish to become childbirth educators, to birth professionals who wish to enhance the educational aspect of their practice.

Participants are expected to complete the reading assignments and the study guide, which will be available to you one month before the course starts.

For students without prior experience in the field, it may be helpful to attend our DONA-approved Labor Support Course or observe a childbirth education series as preparation for the class. It is also helpful if you have attended at least one labor and birth, either as a birthing woman or as a support person.

Instructors

Location

All courses are held at Bastyr University unless otherwise noted. Directions.