BirthWorks embodies the philosophy of developing a woman’s self-confidence, trust, and faith in her innate ability to give birth. It is our mission to train childbirth educators and doulas who in turn provide evidence-based, current information to birthing families through a unique experiential approach that is based on human values. BirthWorks seeks working relationships with other childbirth related organizations, striving together to help birthing families make more informed and safe choices for birth.
- Women's bodies are designed to give birth. This knowledge already exists inside every woman.
- A woman will labor the best where ever she feels the safest and most secure. For some that may be a hospital. For others it may mean at home or in an alternative birthing center.
- The nutrition of a pregnant woman has a great impact on the health of her baby from its life as a fetus through adulthood.
- Birthing a baby requires integration of the mind, body, and spirit.
- Breastmilk provides optimum nutrition for the newborn baby.
- Birth is one of the greatest challenges life has to offer.
- While a cesarean section may be necessary at times, the current rate is too high.
- In most cases vaginal birth after cesarean is a safer alternative to routine repeat cesareans.
- BirthWorks is a process, not a method.
- BirthWorks seeks to facilitate a woman's or a couple's personal process in childbearing, and not to impart a preconceived method of labor and birth. Each birth is unique.
- A woman in labor deserves an environment in which her privacy, autonomy and emotional security is protected, and her mobility is encouraged.
- Expectant parents should participate in decisions regarding the judicious use of obstetrical medications and procedures.
- A woman's beliefs influence her birth. Exploring beliefs heightens self-awareness.
- The emotions of a birthing woman have profound effects on the birth outcome. Women must be allowed to express all their birth related feelings.
Cathy Daub designed and taught the first BirthWorks classes in New Jersey in 1981.
My first birth was a cesarean for a single footling breech, and then I had a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) without interventions for my second birth. When my husband and I moved from Massachusetts to New Jersey, I found out women were having planned repeat cesareans even though VBAC is a safer option in most cases. As I believe women should be encouraged to birth in the path of least risk, I designed and taught BirthWorks classes to educate and inform women about the safety of VBACs, and also to help prevent the first cesarean. My passion for birth has grown since then, especially because of the research on primal health (the time from conception to the end of the first year of life), knowing that what a baby experiences during that time--including whether or not hormonal behaviors are able to be expressed--is known to have permanent effects into adulthood. Good childbirth education is crucial now more than ever before. Women need to know that the knowledge about how to give birth is already inside of them and childbirth education needs to be directed towards helping them to have more trust and faith in that knowledge.
~ Cathy Daub
BirthWorks joined The International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) in 1982 and Cathy served as chairperson of the education committee for the organization to develop BirthWorks into a certification program. The program was completed in 1988 and the first childbirth educator training workshop was held. In 1994 BirthWorks became incorporated to form its own non-profit organization with a full Board of Directors and Board of Advisors.
Cathy is a physical therapist who has worked with handicapped children over the last 20 years. She serves as president of BirthWorks and continues to bring her many talents together to enhance our learning of the human body and spirit, helping us to have more faith and trust in how it works when giving birth. She is the author of Birthing In The Spirit, A Human Values Approach To Childbirth.She is co-editor and writer for the BirthWorks Manual and is author of Doulas of Love: A Guidebook for Doulas and Expectant Parents, Birthing from the Heart: A Personal Growth Journal For Professional and Expectant Parents, as well as compser of original birthing songs on the CD entitled Believe (available in the Birth Works store). She has been facilitating national/international childbirth educator workshops over the last 17 years and birth doula training workshops over the last six years. She is a founding member of CIMS having represented BirthWorks at the initial coalition meetings. Cathy is a certified Maya Abdominal Massage therapist and is trained in techniques of myofascial release, all of which she incorporates into her workshops. She is also certified in pelvic bodywork. She is the mother of two children.
