This course ethos has grown from a deep respect for women and their decisions during childbearing, as well as an understanding about the physiological, emotional, spiritual, social and political nature of birth.
Details and length of the course
The course will run from June 2016 – November 2017 at the Pregnancy and Parents Centre* in Edinburgh. Full attendance is expected. The course will include 18 Sunday sessions (one per month – dates to be confirmed soon) and a full day of yoga on the Saturday of the first and last weekends of the course. The course content will be diverse and will include a range of facilitators and speakers from the world of birth and yoga. All will be aimed at developing birth knowledge, yoga practice and deepening your facilitation skills.
Yoga and course work commitment
As well as the 20 days of the course there is the expectation that you will attend a series of Yoga for Pregnancy groups during the course, that you will commit to a practice of daily yoga, and that you will complete course work throughout (this will consist of reading material, written assignments and presentations).
Taster/information day and interviews- On Sunday 17th April 2016
This will be a full day together. We will have some short taster sessions and a full outline of the course content. This will give us a chance to meet each other and enable you to decide whether this is the course for you. There will be interviews in the afternoon.
Costs – £1800 for the course. The method of payment must be agreed at the interview and could, for example be in pre-arranged instalments of £100 per month by standing order, or some equivalent. A limited number of concessions may be negotiable.
To recap – What we aim to provide with the course is:
- Access to diverse professional experience
- Excellent speakers and facilitators
- Skilful support and guidance in group facilitation
- A unique approach through experiential group learning and the encouragement of self-awareness
If you are interested, please email us by December 10th including the details below (if you haven’t already sent this)
Your current yoga experience, what you hope to achieve by doing the course and relevant personal details
*The Pregnancy and Parents Centre is a registered charity, known for its unique support for families and its community ethos. The PPC is non-commercial and brings a holistic approach to the birth community, and values all perspectives.
Facilitators of the course
Nessa McHugh
I have been a midwife for over 25 years now, during which time I have worked in a variety of midwifery settings. Currently I teach midwifery and I am a supervisor of midwives. I am passionate about the value of good support for women during their birthing journeys.
I have always been interested and involved in grass roots maternity organisations and when I moved up to Scotland I got in touch with Nadine to see what was happening locally. This turned out to be a great decision and I started to get involved with the PPC. I helped coordinate the last Birth Educators Course, which was a great experience and I am looking forward to the next course and meeting everyone.
Daisy Dinwoodie
I took part in the Birth Educators course in 2006-2008. I became involved in running the homebirth support group at the Pregnancy and Parents Centre in 2007 and later began working as a facilitator at the Pregnancy and Parents Centre in 2010, running yoga for pregnancy groups. I am very happy to join this Birth Educators Course.
I have enjoyed being part of many families’ journeys as they become mothers and fathers; a hugely important time where women and men may learn of their strength, of their vulnerability, and of what is most important to them. I hope that I can, in any small way, support this process and the varied choices of families.
Nadine Edwards
I completed the first Birth Teacher’s Course in London in 1982 and have run pregnancy groups in Edinburgh since 1985 and birth educators courses since 1990
I became involved in childbirth issues while pregnant with my first child and became aware of the need for support and information. Through my work I hope to contribute positively to women’s and families’ physical, emotional and spiritual experience of pregnancy, birth and beyond.
I completed a PhD on women’s experiences of home births in 2002, which was published as a book, ‘Birthing Autonomy: Women’s Experiences of Planning Home Births’. I continue to campaign, research and write about the politics of birth and midwifery.