Childbirth International (CBI)

“Indigenous women gave birth to an entire hemisphere.

For thousands of years, birth was attended by midwives, grandmothers and female relatives with ceremony, prayer and collective support for mother and baby. Though each tribe had its own customs, the arrival of a child was a sacred event that included family and community in an unbroken cycle of life that promised continuity for generations to come.”

Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, though we’re going to shift the focus this year to look at the United States, where American Indian and Alaskan Native birthing people experience the highest level of maternal mortality in pregnancy and childbirth. Suzette Brewer, a journalist from the Cherokee Nation, published a two-part, in-depth article earlier this year examining the historical experiences of American Indian and Alaskan Native birthing people, and how a growing Birth Justice movement is working to create change. You can read the articles below.

Part One: https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/for-centuries-native-women-have-been-told-to-trust-the-doctor-the-results-have-been-disastrous/271389

Part Two: https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/birth-justice-the-fight-for-reproductive-freedom-in-indian-country/271753

“I appreciated how approachable and encouraging the trainer was throughout the course. They created a safe and non-judgmental learning environment where questions were welcomed, and discussions felt meaningful. Their willingness to guide and provide clarity made the learning process much more comfortable and engaging.”

Training with Childbirth International includes the support of a dedicated, highly experienced trainer. They provide individualized feedback on all submitted assignments based on their knowledge, training, experience, and understanding of working with parents and families throughout the perinatal period.

A 2025 study looks at the perinatal mental health experiences of genderq***r and nonbinary birthing people, finding that many felt they lost a sense of their identity. The cis-hetero norms in the reproductive healthcare system contributed to feelings of erasure while trans nonbinary people were trying to define themselves as parents. Articles like these can help inform how we structure our support for 2SLGBTQIA+ families. If families from these communities are part of your ideal client circle, consider whether your marketing, social media, contracts, and resources reflect openness and understanding of q***r and trans families.

Read More: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26895269.2025.2549126

When evaluating a training program, it’s also worth examining how the curriculum is developed.

High-quality doula education should be grounded in current evidence, reflective practice, and real-world experience. Look for programs where the curriculum is written and reviewed by people who have actually worked in the field – doulas, educators, and clinicians who understand the complexity of birth support and can translate evidence into practice.

Increasingly, some low-cost programs rely heavily on AI-generated content or generic summaries that haven’t been shaped by lived experience, peer review, or educational design. While AI can be a useful support tool, a curriculum built primarily this way often lacks depth, nuance, and accountability – and may not prepare you well for supporting real clients in complex situations.

Price can be a useful (though imperfect) signal here. Programs at the very low end of the price range are more likely to rely on templated, lightly edited, or automated content, with limited educator involvement or student support. More robust programs usually reflect the time, expertise, and care required to develop evidence-informed materials and maintain meaningful trainer engagement.

As you compare programs, ask:
- Who wrote the curriculum?
- What experience do they have in birth work and adult education?
- How is evidence selected, updated, and applied in practice?
- What level of human support and feedback is provided during training?

Read more and download the free guide here: https://substack.com/home/post/p-186255880

A recently published Cochrane Review of six studies concluded that planned early birth for birthing parents with pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders had improved morbidity and mortality outcomes, without an increase in cesarean delivery. It is recommended that, of course, the birthing parent’s preferences and individual circumstances and risk factors are taken into account when determining an appropriate timeline for inducing labor. Further studies are recommended to determine long-term impacts on infant and maternal outcomes.

Read more here: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009273.pub3/full

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Childbirth International!

“It is absolutely imperative that every human being’s freedom and human rights are respected, all over the world.”– Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

A review of clinical trials has found that doulas may improve parental anxiety, increase breast/chestfeeding initiation rates, and increase how often parents access healthcare throughout their pregnancy. As you might expect, though, more studies and trials are needed to fully understand the impact of doula care and support throughout the perinatal period, as many factors were not fully explored in the studies reviewed for this report.

Read more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2847989

“I found the training to be very comprehensive. The combination of assignments, activities, videos, readings, etc made it fun to learn across many different mediums. I appreciate how the training was completely self-led. It allowed me to continue learning when it worked for me (in pick up line, at practice, etc.).” Alison G. Postpartum Doula Graduate

One of the greatest things about CBI’s courses is their portability! You can study anywhere that works for you, without worrying about a deadline or an arbitrary timeline - you can complete your studies at your own pace, and in your own time!

April showers bring May flowers … share your goals for the coming season and the successes you had in the first third of the year!

: This year’s theme for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia is “At the heart of democracy,” calling for a reaffirmation that democratic societies must be centered on freedom and justice for everyone. As birth professionals, we can look at how our services and supports create space for dignity and respect in childbirth, and whether our marketing and social media reflect the clients and families we want to work with in our communities. We can also look broader and evaluate how we can use our voices to call out injustice in the birth world, and advocate for more inclusive and supportive spaces for all parents and families.

You can learn more about IDHOBIT here: https://may17.org/