As Childbirth Educator week comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to me to be an ICEA certified educator. My journey started in 1994, after the birth of my daughter- which was unexpectedly empowering. During that timeline, many of my friends and family were also having babies and their stories were not all positive. I realized I wanted to help families have better births. So I took a Childbirth Educator training and the rest is history!
I’ve been a certified educator for over 25 years now. . Here in Austin, I hang my hat at St Davids Healthcare, Any Baby Can, and Real Deal Birth and Parenting. I run into families who have taken my classes regularly– many of those “babies” now adults! Crazy to think how many families I’ve impacted — by encouraging them to trust their bodies, communicate with their providers, and to ask for what they want. We know our birth experience impacts our postpartum experience, which in turn affects our parenting. I don’t just teach people about contractions and breathing. I teach life skills!