Old Childbirth Educators Never Die … They Just Labor Away

Abstract

Teaching childbirth education classes year after year can become monotonous or stale for some educators. Consequently, their students may also become bored. Rejuvinating one's professional self takes effort; however, the results are a renewed sense of purpose and a more exhilarating atmosphere in class.

Revitalizing the Professional Self

Old childbirth educators never die … they just labor away. This outlook is evident in the graying of our conference attendees, as well as in the larger print on our conference nametags. But what keeps these determined childbirth educators laboring away with generations of expectant families? And what keeps them from burning out? I want to share some of their secrets with you.

This editorial is written for you if:

• You have taught childbirth education classes for more than one year and believe that this occupation is repetitive;

• you believe you will spontaneously combust if you discuss the stages of labor one more time;

• you can recite the entire script of the video Hello Baby! (Vida Health Communications); and

• you find yourself lecturing and cannot remember what you have said (much like driving and “waking up” to find yourself a few blocks farther down the road).

Last year I was tired of hearing couples from my classes say, “We almost didn't take childbirth classes because our friends said their classes were boring.” These couples reassured me that my classes were interesting andrelevant. I have some ideas about why their friends perceived their classes as boring. I also believe that the childbirth educators teaching those dull courses were probably bored themselves with the repetitive nature of their classes. When an educator begins to feel stale, that perception is most likely being conveyed to the students.

I have been teaching continuously since I first began in 1978. Usually, I teach two classes a week. Toss in eight doula training sessions a year and a couple of Lamaze Teacher Training Seminars and I find that I have many opportunities to discuss labor and birth. Why do I continue to labor away? I believe it is because maternity health care is a passion for me. The more I learn about normal birth, the more pieces of the puzzle fit together—a process that has fascinated me for years.

Some of my best friends are spread across North America and many are childbirth educators. They are my sounding boards; so when I was asked to write this guest editorial, I contacted these wise, passionate women for their input. Being the caring friends that they are, most offered to help. Their ideas, combined with my own, are presented here.

Become Organized

Lisa Redwine, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) from South Carolina who has been teaching for 10 years, keeps all of her activity ideas in labeled folders. For example, “icebreaker” activities are grouped together. If she wants to try a new icebreaker, Lisa opens the corresponding folder and chooses a new idea. After attending an educational presentation or workshop, she files new ideas in the various folders where they remain until a stale moment sends her to one of her folders to find a new activity. I often return from a conference with too many new ideas to try in one series. Using all of them at one time would overwhelm both my students and me. So I choose one or two ideas to use right away and, then, file the others for another time. Teri Shilling, an LCCE in California, actually gathered and published ideas in The Idea Box for the Creative and Interactive Childbirth Educator, which is available through the Lamaze International Bookstore and Media Center (call toll free 1-877-952-6293 or log on to www.lamaze.org).

Try It, You'll Like It

For some of us, attempting interactive learning is a true test of bravery. Barbara Hotelling, an LCCE in Michigan who has been teaching for more than 20 years, is one of those venturesome souls. She confides that, when she began to more actively involve her students, she did not lose control of her class and the students enjoyed and learned. I must admit, I am always a bit wary when I try something new—not all of my ideas have worked. But in 20-some years, more ideas have been successful rather than unsuccessful. Usually, when I chose not to reuse an activity, the problem was the amount of time it involved. One word of advice: Before you attempt to use new visual aids, practice in front of a mirror a few times. Not only will you improve your confidence and skills level, but you will also see it from the viewpoint of your students.

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

If, in 1980, I had not had a wonderful group of women in our local then-ASPO group, Lamaze of Cary in Cary, NC, I doubt that I would be writing this commentary. I probably would have returned to teaching elementary education. This group met once a month for business, networking, education, and friendship. We supported each other through Lamaze certification, teaching successes and woes, our own pregnancies and births, and family changes. I eagerly anticipated each of our meetings. Two members were a little older and much more learned about pregnancy and birth than I was. They were my mentors. Thank you, Marty Ballard and Joy Johnson.

If a local, formal group is not available in your area, invite some other childbirth educators to get together either for lunch at a local restaurant or for a potluck at someone's home. Include local childbirth educators from several sources—independent educators, hospitals, health departments, and educators of various certifications. A variety of educators will enhance your diversity. If some of the educators have young children, try meeting at a church and hiring a teen-ager to play with the children in the nursery. It is important to have some structure at these meetings. Do not let the gathering develop into a gripe session about epidural or cesarean rates at the local hospitals. Some suggestions for conducting a structured meeting are:

• Invite everyone to bring a new teaching idea or visual aid to share.

• Order a new video or slide show to preview.

• Review a new book about pregnancy, birth, or parenting. Lamaze International has a top-10 list of books. You can begin there. To obtain their list,log on to Lamaze International's Web site (www.lamaze.org) or call their office at 1-800-368-4404.

• Review some recent literature. Again, Lamaze International has done the homework for you—they publish a list of must-read literature each year.

• Provide in-service sessions. Invite a community representative to provide a short educational presentation. You might consider asking a massage therapist, a doula, a counseling mother from a breastfeeding support group, a labor and delivery nurse from a local hospital, a midwife, an obstetrical office nurse, an obstetrician (one with a new practice in town is more likely to attend), a representative from a birth center, or an official from the local health department. These sessions may also offer more networking opportunities for your inner circle of childbirth educators.

• Plan a thank-you event or gift-giving presentation for local professionals who help support you. Our group of hospital childbirth educators hosted a breakfast for the local midwives. We have also delivered cookie and candy baskets to nurses in the maternity areas of local hospitals.

• When one of your group members attends an educational workshop or conference, invite that person to provide a report on the event.

• Plan a one-day workshop, such as Lamaze International's Childbirth Education in the 21st Century or one of Lamaze International's other advanced skills series.

Observe your peers. If one topic in your class is becoming stale, ask another childbirth educator if you could observe her approach to that topic. Or ask to observe an entire series of an educator you admire. Offer to mentor a new instructor. The excitement and enthusiasm of a new teacher may invigorate you, too. Consider coteaching a series with another instructor. Coteaching can provide each of you with opportunities to observe the other's strengths. This would be an excellent opportunity to divide the class into mothers and partners for extra work specific to each of their needs. An instructor would be available for each group.

Inject Humor into Your Life—It's One of the Best Medicines

On their final evaluations, my couples often remark that they appreciate the humor in class. You may not have the stand-up comical style of Mary Jo Podgurski, an LCCE in Pennsylvania, but humor can be added to your classes in other ways. Read the comic strips regularly and you will find warm, humorous wisdom that can be inexpensively mounted and displayed in classes. Choose comic strips that are appropriate for the content of a particular class. A cartoon from the sports page that Toni Keys, an ICCE in North Carolina, shared with me depicts a pregnant woman crossing the finish line of a 10-k Labor Inducing Fun Run—a suitable introduction to a discussion about appropriate, natural means for inducing labor. A word to the wise: Do not select cartoons or comic strips that portray pregnant women, infants, children, health care professionals, or men in a negative manner.

“ … Chance Favors Only the Prepared Mind” (Louis Pasteur)

As Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) once said, “Where observation is concerned, chance favors only the prepared mind” (The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 1979). New information stimulates me. Here are some of my favorite ways to learn:

• Read a variety of new books. You will then know the best books to recommend to your students. I derive much satisfaction from reading—in both fiction and nonfiction books—about the strengths of women.

• Order a new maternity health journal, which will inspire you several times a year when it arrives.

• Increase your circle of childbirth educator friends by joining an Internet chat list or bulletin board. It will also provide you with an opportunity to share with other educators.

• Review literature.

• Attend a Lamaze International Childbirth Education in the 21st Century workshop. For a selection of meeting sites, log on to the Lamaze International Web site or call their office.

• Offer to help facilitate in a Lamaze International Teacher Training Seminar.

• Save your money to attend a national conference, says Sandy Vermillion, an LCCE in North Carolina. Some organizations provide scholarships or reduced fees to those exhibiting financial need.

Think Outside Your Box

Add a new level of education and/or certification to your present bag of tricks. Consider which part of birth fascinates you the most.

• For those of you who are interested in labor, consider obtaining doula certification. You may not have time to take on regular clients and be on-call; however, by attending a couple of convenient births a year, you will increase your birth endorphins and collect hands-on experiences to use as examples in your teaching. Always ask for permission before discussing anyone's birth in class.

• If lactation is close to your heart, attend local breastfeeding support group meetings and/or attend a lactation training course and obtain certification.

• Organize a new mothers' support group in your community. Perhaps a local religious or community facility will provide meeting space. A hospital and a mall in Asheville, NC, sponsor a mothers' stroller group that meets weekly for socialization, education, and exercise.

• Offer to provide preconception classes. What a wonderful opportunity to help couples define their philosophy of birth before they get pregnant so they can choose their health care providers and birth site, accordingly.

• Offer private childbirth classes for women who are on bed rest or have other special needs.

• If you are approaching menopausal age, develop a curriculum about that important life change. Preparing the curriculum will help you learn about your own changes and offer a positive perspective to your students.

• Provide lectures at local schools. Middle schools, high schools, and colleges teach child-development and life-span courses that include pregnancy, birth, and parenting. You may have access to videos and other visual aids that the teachers would welcome. Ask direction from the teacher beforehand so you will discuss the appropriate content.

• Think outside your box. What else might you be comfortable teaching? Twelve years ago, I developed a sexuality class for the preteen group at my church. The class involved the students' parents and outlined skills to enhance communication skills between the generations. We also discussed puberty and developing sexuality in both males and females. The church setting permitted values and moral discussions. The parents appreciated the class so much that it has become a command performance for me each year.

Final Thoughts

Penny Simkin of Seattle offers this advice, “ Keep the challenges coming.” Our work in educating families and teaching advocacy is never done. A new or revised issue or challenge always arises and needs to be met.

You may need a break from teaching. Try taking a sabbatical for a few weeks. During that time you can observe another teacher, read an invigorating book, or just clear your mind. You might also consider scheduling a few weeks off between classes.

Rejuvenating your professional self involves effort. By putting forth this effort, you will reap many rewards. Your classes will become more exhilarating and your students will give you accolades!