Hypnobirthing vs Lamaze: which should you teach as a birth instructor?
How to choose between two of the most popular birth educator courses available
If you've been a birth pro for awhile, you probably know most of the "brand names" available for childbirth educator training. Choosing between teaching Lamaze classes or hypnobirthing classes may already be on your radar. We're going to give you a quick overview of some of the strengths of both of these options so you can figure out which one is the better fit for you.
Which option is more popular: Lamaze vs hypnobirthing
At the risk of showing our bias, hypnobirthing classes are probably the more popular option for birthing people in just about every geographical area due to a surge in popularity with certain celebrities (Princess Kate comes to mind) sharing that they birthed using hypnobirthing. However, that's not to say that Lamaze doesn't remain hugely popular. This is largely due to its proximity to healthcare and accessibility as the default option in the realm of childbirth 101. The Lamaze teacher training has stayed relevant since the days when our mothers enrolled. Many hospitals require that non-RNs certify as Lamaze instructors before you can teach in their facility. So if your goal is to teach at a hospital, Lamaze is generally the way to go. Yet as savvy birth pros know, there are advantages to running your own classes outside of the hospital setting.
What do the teacher trainings provide?
Another consideration as you're deciding how to offer either Lamaze classes or hypnobirthing classes in your birth practice is whether the training program provides a curriculum. Lamaze offers a comprehensive seminar to train the trainer followed by a rigorous exam, so you'll have a solid teaching foundation and knowledge base. Lamaze teachers know their stuff. However, you won't actually have a curriculum out-of-the-box. You'll need to figure out how to design and offer your classes. Which could be perfect for someone with creative skills and the desire to put in the work. However, with HelloBirth hypnobirthing, not only will our 4-day instructor training this September teach you how to teach (learning styles, the phases of learning, how to set up your classroom for success, build rapport and keep your students' attention), but you'll also leave with a fully designed hypnosis for birth curriculum. HelloBirth values mean that we also do not put up roadblocks to get you started in your career. That means no final exam and no re-certification required. Just an annual membership renewal to keep you feeling inspired and supported.
Which class is more effective for the student?
Well that all depends on the individual teacher-student relationship, of course. But again showing our bias a little, we are very proud of the skills that our hypnobirthing classes can offer. We don't cater to one type of birth mindset, but instead offer an empowering method for increasing comfort level through the mind-body connection that's easy to learn through simple practice tools, plus loads of tips for self-advocacy to create the most positive experience possible for your students.
Still not sure if you want to offer Lamaze classes or teach hypnobirthing?
We are more than happy to exchange emails or jump on the phone with you! We are so excited to work with our brand-new hypnobirthing instructors this fall and look forward to a very exciting career moving ahead.