Birth and Beginnings Education: The BABE Course
Childbirth Educator Certification
Birth and Beginnings Education (BABE) is the Academy of Certified Birth Educators' CCE (Certified Childbirth Educator) certification program. This course is designed for healthcare professionals, attendees of past ACBE or ACBE-approved birth doula and childbirth education workshops, and others who qualify based on education or experience as determined by our review committee.
Course Objectives:
Describe the philosophy of different types of childbirth preparation methods
Adapt course content to meet the needs of the individual childbearing family
Demonstrate ice-breaking techniques to improve group dynamics
Identify learning activities to aid women in assessing their nutritional status
Explain the basics of breathing methods and their relationship to relaxation
Demonstrate techniques for teaching relaxation principles
Formulate a complete topic outline for a childbirth education course
Identify maternal and fetal changes as they relate to each trimester
Identify maternal behaviors that may indicate a history of sexual abuse and birth trauma
Demonstrate prenatal exercises
Utilize a variety of teaching techniques to differentiate between minor discomforts and warning/danger signs during pregnancy
Describe the progression of labor and birth
List benefits of professional labor support for the childbearing family
Explain the physiology of non-pharmacological pain relief
Using the principles of adult education, demonstrate the ability to teach in a simulated situation
Identify the current trends in cesarean birth in the United States
Summarize the current ACOG criteria for vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
Define advantages and challenges of breastfeeding for mother and baby
Identify techniques to assist mothers in initiating breast- and bottle-feeding
Describe characteristics of the normal newborn
Identify teaching strategies to enhance childbirth preparation classes for adolescents
The Accelerated BABE Course
We now offer an accelerated version of the full 3-day BABE Course.
The Accelerated BABE Course is a 1-day workshop designed to build on the knowledge from our Birth Doula Workshop. This intensive course focuses primarily on teaching techniques, group dynamics, and activities to enhance the learning experience.
Participants in ACBE's 3-day Birth Doula Workshop automatically qualify to take the Accelerated BABE Course as an optional fourth day of training. We also recommend the Accelerated BABE Course for BABE certification renewal.
CEUs
Both the full 3-day BABE Course and the Accelerated BABE Course are approved as continuing nursing education activities through the California Board of Registered Nursing.
The 3-day BABE Course is approved for 19.5 continuing education hours (CEUs) total, or 6.5 hours per each day of the workshop. CEP#9357.
The Accelerated BABE Course is approved for 6.5 continuing education hours. CEP#9357.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for the BABE Course if you meet one of the following criteria:
Registered nurse (currently licensed)
Graduate of a higher education institution with a degree in a health-related field
Attendee of a past ACBE or ACBE-approved birth doula or childbirth education workshop
OR
You may qualify by experience. Qualification by experience is determined on an individual review basis by our registration committee. Please contact office@acbe.com for details.
ACBE reserves the right to accept or deny applications with or without cause.