Sweet Miracles

CAPPA offers the highest level of evidence based training available and is the fastest growing childbirth education and doula organization in the world. Membership entitles you to many benefits including free conferences. For information about other requirements for becoming a CAPPA Certified Labor Doula or Certified Childbirth Educator please see CAPPA's website www.cappa.net.

Why be a Labor Doula?
You can make a difference! While no one can predict exactly what will happen during birth, as a doula, you can help provide continual comfort, support and information about birth options to expectant moms and their partners, helping them achieve the birth experience they desire. Studies have shown that women supported by a doula during labor have:

50% reduction in c-section rate
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
40% reduction in Pitocin use
30% reduction in analgesia use
40% reduction in forceps delivery

(Information obtained from The Doula Book by Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus)

In addition, doulas are now able to bill insurance for reimbursement. This new development (2009) will only serve to increase the demand for doula services.

Why be a Childbirth Educator?
Knowledge is power. While the physiology of birth hasn't changed, the ways in which we learn about it have. Gone are the days of women learning about childbirth from their grandmother, mothers, aunts, midwives, and friends. Today we can click the mouse and have millions of webpages offering information to us. We can turn on the television and choose from dozens of "birthy" shows. But not all of this information is good, accurate or even helpful. A childbirth educator who is well trained, up-to-date and offers dynamic classes can make a world of difference to an expectant mom and her partner, helping them to sort the good information from the bad to enable them to make the choices that are right for them. CAPPA certified childbirth educators teach classes in health departments, hospitals, clinics, pregnancy centers, and independently around the world!

Why do a combo training?
There are many benefits to taking the combo training and doing both the labor doula and childbirth educator workshops at the same time. First, it will save you money. Taking the combo training is less expensive than taking two individual trainings, especially if you take advantage of the Early Bird Specials. Secondly, CAPPA has made many of the requirements to become both a childbirth educator and a labor doula the same. This saves you time and energy. Thirdly, it makes you more valuable as a birth professional. As a childbirth educator who actually attends births, you'll have a much broader scope of experience from which to draw as you teach your classes. A labor doula who is a certified childbirth educator can command a higher fee and has more to offer. In fact, the more you have to offer - whether you're a massage therapist, chiropractor, aromatherapist, herbalist, photographer, lactation educator/consultant, etc. - the more you can earn and the more valuable you are to your clients as well as the birthing community as a whole.

What you will learn
The training workshops are an important step in the journey to becoming a CAPPA certified Labor Doula (CLD) and/or Childbirth Educator (CCCE).

Doula training participants will learn various comfort techniques to help mothers and their partners cope with the challenges of labor including breathing patterns, position changes and massage techniques. Other topics covered in the workshop include:

Psychological and emotion support during labor
Pain medications for labor
Interventions and procedures
Birth planning
Difficult births
Communication with other medical professionals
Cesareans/VBACs
Developing and marketing your business

Childbirth Educator training participants will receive a solid evidence-based foundation to teach a variety of Childbirth Education Courses with curriculum you develop. Skill sets for teaching will be gained through many types of teaching strategies and learning style approaches.

What the training includes:

Roles of Childbirth Educator
History of Childbirth Education
Cultural influences of Childbirth Educator
Stages and Phases of Normal Labor
Comfort Measures
Postpartum and Breastfeeding
Medical Interventions
Cesareans and VBAC's
Proper use of media in classroom
Adult principles of learning
Evidence based teaching practices (overview of reviewing and understanding research)
Curriculum development
Marketing

Interested in a training in other parts of Missouri or in another state?
By hosting a training in your area, you may receive your training for free (a small materials fee applies), and even a free certification packet, well over $350 in savings! Contact Sweet Miracles for hosting information and possible dates.

To register, click here.

Workshop Information
The individual workshop fee is $375* and includes the appropriate CAPPA Manual (retail cost $50). COMBO trainings are $600* - both manuals are included. Tuition increases by $50 for registrants in the last 21 days before the workshop. Non-refundable deposit of $250 is required to secure your spot in the training.

*When registered and deposit made by Early Bird deadline. Please email with questions.

Sign up with a friend and receive $25 each off your workshop fee.

CAPPA membership is required and can be applied for at the workshop or online at www.cappa.net. The cost is $45 for one year, $80 for two years. CAPPA membership benefits include attending the annual conferences for free.

Certification Packets can be purchased at the workshop for $35 each or online at www.cappa.net. The only additional fee is $75 for the Exam Certification Processing Fee (per certification). Total cost for certifying thru CAPPA, including the workshop, is $530 (individual training) to $865 (combo training - includes two cert packets and two processing fees). These figures do not take into account any early bird specials or discounts you might otherwise be entitled to.

Refund Policy: If SM cancels the workshop, the entire fee will be refunded.The deposit of $250 is non-refundable unless SM cancels the workshop. If the cancellation is made within two weeks of the workshop, no refund will be given. With express written approval of the Director, payment may be applied to a SM workshop within 12 months. (If applicant does not attend a workshop within 12 months, all fees are forfeited.) If you are unable to attend your organization may send a substitute participant at no additional charge. If the workshop is cancelled due to low enrollment you will be notified at least a week in advance and you will be able to choose a complete refund or credit towards another workshop.

A Childbirth Education and Doula Service by Louise E. DeLaney, CCCE, CLD