If you're like so many future parents and educators, you delve deep before
making a decision to entrust your education - and in some instances, your
child with an organization. This intrigued the staff of BirthWorks
International and led us to ask one question - "Why did you choose
BirthWorks". This question, posted online on our Social Networks, for 24
hours led us to hundreds of responses.
Answers like "because my mother told me that VBACs were a thing of the past"
and "because my OBGYN told me that using a midwife for a home birth is no
better than having a back alley abortion." were some of the most mind
boggling responses ever.
Some answers like "because I was denied entrance into other organizations
because of my need to have an epidural" and "because I was removed from
another organization because I had a cesarean" were absolutely appalling.
An answer like "because after being an instructor with another organization
for seven years, I was dismissed an stripped of my income because of my
mandatory cesarean" nearly brought us to tears.
We even received answers like "because BirthWorks encouraged me to make
educated decisions instead of letting someone make them for me". Answers
like this one, is exactly why we do what we do at BirthWorks.
Some answers were quite honest, "because BirthWorks was the only
organization - of its kind, to have a clear and informative website".
However, in all of our 117 responses, eleven stood out because they had a
powerful message. They weren't prolific responses, written by noted doctors
and educators, but they were simply women - women that came from all walks
of life and were searching for an organization like our own. And their
answer, written in four short words, was loud and clear - because
"BIRTHWORKS CHANGED MY LIFE".
The answers we received from our past participants and current members, are
the reason why we love what we do. Like us, our Members understand that
BirthWorks thrives because our members succeed and like excellent customer
service - it's ancient.
Written by:
Jamia "Mia" Bell
Program Director
BirthWorks International
We encourage you to answer the question "What led YOU to BirthWorks" in our comments section below
Wow, so powerful! For me personally, as I was researching childbirth ed organizations 4 years ago, I kept returning to BirthWorks. Like some of the comments you've listed from other women, I found that a couple very well-known organizations would probably not have accepted me b/c my only birth experience at that time involved an induction and so was not completely "natural/intervention-free." Additionally, I may not have been accepted in these organizations b/c I stopped breastfeeding my 1st baby after 3 months of severe difficulties coupled with PPD. BirthWorks, to me, was just what I was looking for. I remember being so encouraged (and still am today) by the fact that BW believes whole-heartedly in the importance of normal, healthy birth practices and yet it's not just another "natural birth class."
ReplyDeleteAnd I can honestly say that while going thru my most recent pregnancy and birth, BW played a vital role in helping to continually work through my fears, make very educated decisions and to have a positive birth outcome, in spite of challenging circumstances. Even today, as an educator, the BW philosophies continue to shape me and encourage me toward personal, as well as professional, growth.
What I'm hearing from my BW clients is that many of them are initially drawn to BW b/c it's not a method and b/c of the emphasis put on the emotional and spiritual preparation as well as the physical preparation.