Communications and Trainer

Meet Johanna

Based in Canada

Johanna lives in Eastern Ontario with their wife and two children. They weren’t always interested in pregnancy and birth but knew they wanted to support non-gestational parents and families experiencing transitional times in their lives. They started down the path of birth/postpartum support and lactation counseling with eyes set on midwifery training. They are currently interested in exploring anti-fat bias in healthcare alongside the institutional policies and practices that impact how the LGBTQIA2S+ communities access reproductive healthcare services. Through Childbirth International, Johanna identifies their understanding of health and research communication to have grown and evolved through the use of reflective practice and Childbirth International’s continued commitment to producing programs that are focused on evidence-informed best practices. This has prompted a deep passion for advocating for effective, client-focused health and reproductive care for all people. Johanna has been working with LGBTQIA2S+ families and families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, and pregnancy loss since 2011 and works with CBI as a trainer and in communications, connecting with prospective students through our Facebook page and groups. You can often find them in the comments section of our “Becoming a Doula” group or our “Students and Graduates” group!

Teaching Activities

As a CBI student, you’ll have a ready-made curriculum so you can start teaching whenever you feel ready. But you will also have dozens of ideas for different activities, so you can adapt your classes to meet your own teaching style and your client’s needs. You’ll be provided with activity suggestions on knowledge-based topics (e.g., lactation, stages of labor, pain management, interventions), communication topics (e.g., communicating with caregivers, writing birth plans, decision-making), and hands-on parenting skills. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Plan teaching activities for a range of topics
Determine the learning outcomes that the activities address
Determine the learning styles that the activities meet the needs of
Identify ways that the activities can be evaluated for effectiveness

Evaluating Your Teaching

In order to determine whether or not our classes are meeting the needs of our clients, the most effective way is to ask the clients. In this unit, we will explore different methods for evaluating the effectiveness of our classes and explore ways that we could enhance the classes if they are not. We’ll discuss different evaluation form designs and determine the most appropriate time and method for getting evaluations from clients. We’ll also look at how you use evaluations from clients to improve your classes and identify new areas for your own professional development. Finally, we’ll consider how to manage the situation when a client is disappointed with the classes. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Create an evaluation form for use in childbirth classes
Explain the reasons for using evaluation forms
Identify areas that could be improved in your childbirth classes

Using Visual Aids

Visual aids can be used in childbirth classes to help clients grasp a concept visually that otherwise would be very difficult to understand. However, they can also be fraught with difficulties. Videos can frighten clients if they are inappropriate or too graphic, and charts or pictures may not be clear enough to understand. Using a pelvis or doll inappropriately can affect the messages you are sending to your clients. During this unit, we will explore the benefits and disadvantages of visual aids and consider ways that you can use them for maximum impact and effectiveness. We will also consider how you can use real people, for example, parents of a young baby or other health professionals, to add an extra dimension to your classes and help create a more realistic picture for clients. Finally, we will explore ways that you can use visual aids cheaply without necessarily having to purchase a large number of expensive items. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Identify situations where visual aids are appropriate and effective
Explain the birth of a baby using a pelvis and doll
Select appropriate videos for demonstrating different types of births
Recognize concerns clients may have when watching videos
Describe how to manage a class with visitors or guests

Active Teaching Skills

In this unit, you’ll be exploring the differences between traditional teaching methods and active teaching methods, together with the importance of teaching clients skills rather than just knowledge. We’ll also be looking at ways to keep your teaching focused on the group’s needs and how to meet your client’s expectations. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

List the needs of your clients
Identify appropriate icebreakers
Describe the differences between traditional and active teaching methods
Explain the benefits of teaching skills and exploring feelings
Use active teaching skills to engage clients and ensure classes are interactive

Planning & Structuring a Course

Successful childbirth classes start with great planning! You’ll explore the different ways to plan and structure a course, learn about the differences between aims and learning outcomes, how to keep your classes balanced, focused on your client’s needs, and, most importantly, fun. You’ll identify the topics you want to cover in your classes and learn how to choose the right activities for each topic. You’ll also be looking at alternative course formats so you can choose the structure that’s right for you and your clients. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Write aims and learning outcomes for your classes
Design and complete a teaching plan for a full childbirth course
List alternative class formats for teaching
Identify environmental factors for effective teaching

Introduction to Childbirth Education

In the first teaching skills unit, you’ll explore the history of childbirth education and the role of the childbirth educator. You’ll look at the benefits of childbirth education to your clients according to the evidence. You’ll also think about the different formats and types of childbirth education classes and the different options for the timing and length of your classes. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Describe a brief history of childbirth education
Explain the role and responsibilities of a childbirth educator
List the benefits of childbirth education
Describe different formats of childbirth classes

Teaching Adults

Much of our experience of teaching will come from being taught ourselves. During this unit, we’ll consider the learning needs of adults and common problems when working with adult groups. You’ll develop strategies for getting adults to work effectively together in groups and learn how to address the needs of both your clients and their partners or other support people in childbirth classes. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

List common problems when working with adult groups
Identify strategies for making groups work effectively together
List differences between the needs of clients & partners in childbirth classes
Identify teaching situations that could be problematic
List strategies for working with clients with different needs

Working With Clients Postpartum

A birth doula typically provides 1-2 postpartum visits with a client but might be available for telephone or email consultation for the first few weeks after the birth. In this unit, you’ll be looking at how to debrief a birth with a client and also with peers if you need support after a birth, writing a birth story for your client, accessing resources to support a client, supporting other family members, and providing support if your client is experiencing a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder.

Meet Johanna

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