Today's post is another in the occasional series "Building Your Business." Do you use the Lamaze brand in your business name or class titles? If not, maybe the time has come to make that change. Brenda Kirkpatrick, doula and Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator talks about how she incorporates the Lamaze branding in her business and class curriculum and how it benefits her business and the families she works with. You can find the entire "Building Your Birth Business" series here. - Sharon Muza, Community Manager, Science & Sensibility.

Part of offering quality childbirth education in your community includes attracting pregnant people to your classes and encouraging health care providers to refer patients and clients to them. Clearly describing your classes and your affiliation with Lamaze International lets people (consumers and providers) know to expect evidence based information and support for a safe and healthy birth when they register and attend your class offerings.

When setting up their business, some educators and birth professionals choose kitschy program names to appeal to a target audience. Others choose to offer their classes under their own name, following the "keep it simple" method. But what's in a name? Could there be both perceived and actual benefits to using the term "Lamaze" in your class offerings? Have you considered what message your business name or class names convey about the true content of your childbirth course?

What does Lamaze stand for?

The mission of Lamaze International is to advance safe and healthy pregnancy, birth and early parenting through evidence-based education and advocacy. The Lamaze vision is "knowledgeable parents making informed decisions." Forming the foundation of the organization are the Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices. These evidence-based practices, adapted from the World Health Organization, promote, protect and support natural, safe and healthy birth.

• Fundamentals For Pregnancy
• Fundamentals For Birth
• Fundamentals For Parenting

Is "Lamaze" synonymous with childbirth education?

Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators provide the highest quality, evidence-based curriculum. Lamaze is recognized as the gold standard of childbirth education. When people hear the word "Lamaze" the word association immediately brings to mind childbirth education for many people. Have you ever considered that Lamaze is the Kleenex®, Coke®, or Post-it-Notes® of the childbirth education world! Including the Lamaze name in your business name is sure fire way to provide added value to your business offerings. If you aren't already doing this, maybe now is the time to consider making that change?

What's in it for the Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator and class families?

Lamaze International provides the following for LCCEs, all uniformly branded with the Lamaze logo and assurance of quality:

• Inside Lamaze Newsletter - Find up-to-date events, opportunities to earn Lamaze Contact Hours, new resources, and important information for childbirth educators with the Inside Lamaze Newsletter.
• Journal of Perinatal Education - The Journal of Perinatal Education (JPE) is the leading peer-reviewed journal specifically for childbirth educators. Through evidence-based articles, the JPE advances the knowledge of aspiring and seasoned educators in any setting - independent or private practice, community, hospital, nursing or midwifery school - and informs educators and other health-care professionals on research that will improve their practice and their efforts to support natural, safe, and healthy birth.
• The Lamaze Toolkit for Childbirth Educators - The Lamaze Toolkit for Childbirth Educators is a curriculum guide developed specifically for Lamaze educators to enhance their own course design and teaching skills. The Lamaze Toolkit covers the Lamaze fundamentals for pregnancy, birth and parenting as well as the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices.
• Marketing Resources - To help childbirth educators market their classes while spreading the Lamaze message, Lamaze offers a variety of free tools and tips, including a social media guide, PSA kit, and business toolkit.
• Printable Handouts - These teaching tips, handouts and aids are in ready-to-print files.These handouts are intended for use only by Lamaze members, and only in the formats available on this website. You can also shop in the Printing Storefront to purchase tear sheets of your favorite handouts.
• Video Library - Looking for videos to enrich your classes or share with parents? Visit our Video Library to view videos promoting a safe and healthy birth, cesarean awareness, and the healthy birth practices.
• Cochrane Library - The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases containing independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Members also have access to a variety of free, quality online courses offered by the US Cochrane Center that can help them learn more about the world of medical research and information. Click here to access these free online courses.
• Pregnancy to Parenting App - This free app is a comprehensive, evidence-based resource that takes families from conception to the first weeks and months of parenting. Share with parents and take advantage of our educator resources,Includes a flyer, a friendly email and PowerPoint slides that can be integrated into your classroom curriculum.

Load the infographics on your website, include them in your welcome emails or the ones you use to follow up with your students. Hearing, seeing, reading the Lamaze message in multiple formats appeals to expectant families and helps secure the fundamental ideas and principles in their minds.

The Lamaze mission and you

Using the Lamaze name and resources freely throughout your classes helps to clarify the mission of Safe and Healthy Birth. As an educator in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Texas, we've labeled our classes, "Lamaze Healthy Birth Class". It makes me proud to offer my curriculum under the name of the most respected childbirth education organization in the field. Using the Lamaze provided tools, handouts and other offerings also provides a cohesive message throughout our 15-hour format: Lamaze healthy pregnancy, healthy birth, healthy postpartum, healthy baby.

Childbirth class programs have grown and transformed since Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze initiated the technique bearing his name in the 1940s. Lamaze is no longer just a technique or method of childbirth education. Today, vast numbers of highly qualified LCCEs all around the world creatively and effectively work to increase confidence in the birth process. LCCEs highlight the innate wisdom of the birthing body and teach a variety of coping and pain relieving practices using evidence based information in each subject that they cover. I don't believe there is any better feeling as an educator than to quietly watch the faces of the families I teach start out stressed, worried or downright scared and transform into smiles, excitement and confidence in their ability to give birth.

If you're proud of your certifying organization, perhaps you might consider rebranding and aligning yourself with the Lamaze brand. As a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator you're never alone. You are a part of a vibrant and skilled group of professionals who stand beside you in community to promote healthy birth and improve outcomes for families and babies.

I encourage you to read the Lamaze International Licensing Program page on how an LCCE or Lamaze International member can use the Lamaze name in their childbirth class offerings and marketing material. Letting everyone know that your programs are affiliated with Lamaze International offers assurance of evidence based information and best practices that promote safe and healthy birth.

What names do you market your childbirth education program under? Do you use the well - recognized Lamaze name in your class titles or marketing materials? If yes, how does that work out for you? If not, why not? Maybe now is the time to consider making a change. Parents look for quality and there may be benefits to you and your business by acknowledging your Lamaze International affiliation.

About Brenda Kirkpatrick

Brenda Kirkpatrick, AIMI, MMCD, LCCE, FACCE is the Educational Director for MotherMe Doulas on Call and MotherMe Doulas in Training. She teaches the Dallas Studio Lamaze Healthy Birth Classes. You can learn more about Brenda and contact her through her website.

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