These statements identify the competencies that are essential for practice as a childbirth educator and reflect the specialized knowledge of a childbirth educator certified by Lamaze International.

What are the competencies of a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator?

The Lamaze Childbirth Educator: 

1. Competency 1: Promotes the childbearing experience as a normal, natural, and healthy process which profoundly affects women and their families.
2. Competency 2: Assists women and their families to discover and to use strategies to facilitate normal, natural, and healthy pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early parenting. 
3. Competency 3: Helps women and their families to understand how complications and interventions  influence the normal course of pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early postpartum. 
4. Competency 4: Provides information and support that encourages attachment between babies and their families. 
5. Competency 5: Assists women and their families to make informed decisions for childbearing.
6. Competency 6: Acts as an advocate to promote, support, and protect natural, safe, and healthy birth.
7. Competency 7: Designs, teaches, and evaluates a course in Lamaze preparation that increases a woman’s confidence and ability to give birth.