Frequently Asked Questions and Policies:
When is it too late to register?	When PfB was started, we honestly thought that most people would sign up a couple months in advance. But in reality, most people sign up very close to the start of the seminar! It’s easier for us if we know how many are coming, so we can plan handouts, snacks, space needs but if you just heard we were in town and the seminar starts in the morning, please come!! You do get a small gift if you sign up early (30 days in advance and you get an "Idea Box for the Creative and Interactive Childbirth Educator" or "Staying Energized.")   But it’s much better to "grab" a seminar while we are in your area. It's great if you can observe a childbirth class before the seminar. Having a basic knowledge (like what you get from taking a childbirth class) is helpful. So it's up to you.  (Remember if you come and it's over your head, you can always come to another seminar (without re-paying, just helping out with snacks etc)
Do I have to buy a Study Packet? And all those books?	"Worth it’s weight in gold" is what I hear often about the Lamaze Study Guide. I also hear "how much does this weigh?" because it is a huge binder of incredible articles when you print it out. In addition to the Lamaze Study Guide, the packet also includes Lamaze on-line membership, a complimentary copy of the Birth with Confidence Official Lamaze Guide, access to the on-line PfB Learning Task Journal and a PfB goodie bag.   Do you "have to have it?" The answer depends on your background. If you are new to the field of childbirth education and will be following the NEW educator path, yes, you need to order the study packet.    If you are an experienced educator and will be taking the exam as an OPEN candidate (Lamaze sets the criteria for this - 60 documentable hours of teaching CBE - for 2010 exam) buying the study packet is not required, just highly recommended. It’s based on the same competencies that the exam is, it’s full of up-to-date articles, and is a valuable resource. It also includes your on-line Lamaze membership which reduces the cost of the certification exam.  Purchase of the  Study packet is non-refundable.   The other frequent question is whether or not all the recommended books are required reading. Look at the books, assess where your strengths are and if you have gaps. Buy, borrow, bum the ones in your "gap" areas. If you have a smilar book to one listed, please email Teri e-mail teri@passionforbirth.com and ask if that would be an appropriate substitute. See the reading list tab for other cost saving advice!
Can I just take a Teaching Skills Workshop?	Yes, you can sign up for the seminar only. The workshop awards 20 VA and CA nursing contact hours and 20 Lamaze contact hours.   If you are a new educator, attendance at the workshop only will not meet the requirements to take the Lamaze Certification exam. (Need to prove purchase of the study guide and teach with a mentor/observer)  But if you are an experienced educator, the seminar will fulfill the education part and you will need to document 60 hours of teacing experience and you are set!   If you are an LCCE (Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator) you are invited to apply for the 1 - 2 slots made available to LCCEs at PfB workshops. There is a reduced ($195) workshop fee, you must attend the entire workshop. In some locations, there is an option to "barter" to provide the snacks/beverages in lieu of the workshop fee. You serve as a resource person and a possible small group leader. The contact hours you get can count toward re-certification. And once you have been to a PfB seminar, you are welcome to attend any PfB Teaching Skills Workshop - to get back on track, to get re-energized, to serve as a resource to new educators. Just contact Teri.  (Space is sometimes limited)
Are there time limits?  Can I get an extension?	PfB is committed to supporting you to complete the steps to become an effective, dynamic and evidenced based childbirth educator, including becoming Lamaze International certified.   We understand that you have made a commitment to follow this path as well.    Lamaze requires that you take the exam within three (3) years of your seminar.    If something happens in your life and the time gap is longer, you will need to attend another seminar (no registration fee will be charged but you will need to help with snacks, pay for additional materials, etc. if the seminar is OPEN, not sponsored by someone who is limiting enrollment.)
I want to create a course design for the program I will be leading.  Can I get feedback on it?	Yes, for an additional $75 fee, you can order the "Putting the Pieces Together" booklet that will guide you step by step on how to write a course design.  We encourage you to design your first session and submit it electronically for feedback.  Then complete the course design and mail it to a mentor/reviewer for feedback.  She will comment, make suggestions, and compliment you on your course design's strengths.  She will then mail it back to you.   NOTE: If you enrolled in the PfB prior to August 2009, your course design review fee is included in the $200/$230 fee you paid and you do NOT have to resubmit payment.
How do I find a childbirth class to observe?	Find the very best childbirth educator in your area and ask if you can observe her classes. Hopefully that "very best" person will be Lamaze certified but if there are no Lamaze educators actively teaching or others who are more highly recommended, observe them! There is no benefit in watching a poor educator or one who is not evidenced based. If there is NOBODY to watch, PfB does have a series of classes on DVD you can borrow and watch to complete this component. But it’s much more fun and rewarding to be involved with real people and an instructor you can dialogue with before and after class and may be a possible mentor in the future. To find a Lamaze Childbirth educator in your town go to lamaze.org and go to the Childbirth educator locator. While on the Lamaze website, look up your Lamaze International state coordinator and connect with her - she may have leads or recommendations in your area. When observing classes, remember you are an observer. Try to soak in as much as you can. Don’t be disruptive. Volunteer to help set up or take down or bring snacks. Some educators allow you to observe for free, others have limited space and turn down a paying enrollment to make room for you. Clarify if there is a charge before you watch a class series. Even if you take classes when you were pregnant, you should watch another class.  You will benefit in different ways than when you were personally facing birth and trying to clarify all that information, skills, etc. There are suggested forms to use when observing in the  Learning Task Journal part of the website.
How can I arrange to be at births?	There are a couple ways to make the connections to do this. The easiest of course is if you are able to attend friends and family member’s births. The next possibility is to offer support to members of the childbirth class you observe. They will know you and may appreciate the extra support. You can volunteer at a teen program, crisis pregnancy center, at the hospital. Talk to your midwife and/or ob/gyn to see if they can help you. You can also talk to area hospitals to see if they will allow the observation. There are now strict confidentiality rules that you will abide by, called HIPPA. You can get a special letter from Teri verifying your enrollment in the childbirth educator training program and your agreement to follow the hospital’s confidentiality protocols.
How do I set up practice teaching with a mentor/observer?	Be creative! By now you have surveyed your community and know where the teaching opportunities may be. Connect with a LCCE and see if you can make arrangements to have her observe a class series you have organized or if she would consider allowing you to team-teach her class under her supervision. Some experienced educators will volunteer to do this, others expect payment. Clarify these issues before you start to teach. Also remind them if they are an LCCE that they can claim alternate credit towards their re-certification for observing you! If there is no LCCE available in your community, you can select someone whose feedback would be helpful to be the observer/mentor.  With the new requirements for the certification exam changing in 2010, Passion for Birth will be developing materials for mini-workshops/programs you could offer in your community.  Stay tuned as these are developed.
Will I be able to find a job teaching childbirth classes after I finish the program?	This is the million dollar question and worth exploring before you leap into becoming a childbirth educator. Survey your community - who offers classes? who is NOT going to classes and how could they be reached? Often times there are classes at the hospitals, faith-based organizatoins, some Gymborees, community centers, private OB-Gyn offices - the sky is the limit. Talk to educators in your community and see if there are predicted openings? Is there a potential clientele to offer private classes to? Is there a need for special classes like sibling, over 35, pre-conception, grandparents, etc. etc. Take the time to survey your community.
The exam is several months away and I have completed the seminar, can I start teaching?	The answer is yes. While you are waiting to take the examination and then waiting for the results, you can say you have attended a Passion for Birth seminar, accredited by Lamaze International.
Do you ever cancel a workshop?	PfB HATES to cancel a workshop.  We work very hard when we select sites to make sure we are never in that position.  The host/local organizer promises to do everything in her power to spread the word and make sure there are at least 8 to 15 people excited about coming! However, if only 2 or 3 people and the host register, we will have to cancel.  It's not only a financial issue but there is not enough "group" for group dynamics, learning from each other and interactive activities.  If your seminar is cancelled, you will be offered a refund and receive a coupon for $100 off another seminar.  It is recommended before you book non-refundable airline tickets that you check with PfB to see how registrations are going. If weather or illness or family emergency impacts the seminar's Learning Facilitator, PfB will work hard to substitute a trainer or delay the start (weather) but try hard not to cancel.  These things will be handled obviously case-by-case.    What happens if I register for a seminar and have to cancel? Seminar registration fees are transferable but not refundable.
I love what PfB is doing, can I make a donation for a scholarship?	YES, YES, YES! We would love to expand our capabilites to award more scholarships, especially to those educators who want to reach communities who are not provided chances to take emppwering childbirth education classes. You can donate directly to PfB or if for tax reasons it may be advantageous to donate directly to Lamaze International (non-profit 501-c3 status) and they will earmark funds for PfB participants. Thank you! Contact e-mail teri@passionforbirth.com
I have a question that wasn't answered here, now what?	Send us any questions that you have - we will do our best to answer and if we get asked the same question a couple times, we will add it here!    Full name: Email address: Comments:

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