Triple Crazy

That's right I am not just one kind of crazy I am Triple crazy! Yeah baby, yeah! Ever since settling on our plan and finally deciding what I want to do, what is calling out to me, I have done nothing but read read read on my options for childbirth educator training/certification. There are several places to go all with similar philosophies, all with advantages and disadvantages to them. My top 3 picks are ICEA, ALACE (or IBHW I believe it is now called) and CAPPA. So let's look at the 3 of them individually

ICEA -- this certification would allow me to teach in a hospital (where 90% of women give birth). Very thorough with lots of hands on learning/training. Downside? It does lean more towards the hospital model of birth obviously and boy are they all over you during your training (which could be a good thing too) and it's an intense training program, which is a pro & con.

ALACE -- another I could use to teach in the hospitals although they prefer the ICEA. More towards the natural birth philosophy. Not as structured, very hands off training, no workshops, the student (me) gets a lot more flexibility. While I do love my flexibility I think it's a good thing to at least have a framework for the classes which I don't feel like I would get with this group. But since this is hands off and less structured it is also a lot less intense training program meaning I could get through it faster and practicing faster.

CAPPA -- this one is also towards the natural birth philosophy, I haven't seen anywhere that you can teach in the hospitals with this one. This is another structured heavy training with hands on interactions as well as them hands on my training although not nearly as tight as the ICEA hand is. Extra benefit to this is they also offer lactation educator certification and that is one I'd like to add to my repertoire.

So my thinking is Start with ALACE to get my certification quickly then I can go through ICEA in the accelerated (ie cheaper & faster) program and then add on the dual certification with CAPPA.

Each individual certification would be around $1200 including reading list books (and I actually plan to buy/read all of the book snot just the 4-5 required, what can I say I am a birth junkie, and huzzah I have already read at least half on the ALACE list!). However by going the accelerated route with CAPPA & ICEA after getting my ALACE it would be considerably less. I'll keep my certifications for about 3 years, long enough to get established an then I'll likely drop all but the one I need to work in the hospitals should I decide I want to keep teaching in the hospitals. I figure most clients are going to come word of mouth eventually an the certifications are just a piece of paper, any Joe Blow can get certified, it's really just a formality but gives me the education I want/need to get started on this path.

Hell who knows I may decide to add lamaze, bradley, birthing from within, birth works and hypnobirthing to my arsenal one day ::laugh:: See, triple crazy.