As childbirth educator's we are taught that it is not our job to make decisions or set goals for the families we work with.  Our job is to present you with evidence-based information so that you can make informed decisions and be active participants in all aspects of the prenatal and postpartum care.  While I do believe in that philosophy, I also believe that the childbirth educator's role is much more than that.

We need to be advocates for choices in childbirth for the mother and her husband or partner.  We need to encourage mothers to be advocates for themselves.  It is so important that choices in childbirth are still available to women. Choices such as where you choose to give birth, what happens to you and your child during labor, delivery, and postpartum. Also, who is present to share this momentous event with you. These choices should not be made by a childbirth educator, doctor, midwife,  or administrator.  They should be made by the mother.

Lastly, as childbirth educators, we have a duty to be as unbiased as possible.  This can be a challenge to educators in a variety of ways.  For example, educators teaching within a hospital setting may feel obligated to teach only that particular hospital's policies, or solely medicated, or "active model birth".  Because I teach outside of a hospital setting I am free from that bias, and teach from an  evidence-based point of view.  I am, however, careful not to present my own beliefs on the birth process as fact. These are the ideals that make up my teaching philosophy. 

~Patrice Nichole Byers