Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York
CEA/MNY is proud to offer a Teacher Certification Program (TCP), a uniquely well-rounded, nationally-recognized course that produces instructors who are engaged, informed, and passionate about enriching and improving the experiences of birthing individuals and their families.
About the Program
The TCP is a rigorous, part-time program that takes between one and two years to complete. Students work at their own pace with the guidance of a CEA/MNY mentor. Attendance of all CEA/MNY workshops is required for certification—these day-long workshops are held once a month between September and June of each year. You may begin taking CEA/MNY workshops before applying to the program. Any workshops taken in the six months prior to submitting your application will be counted towards certification. Other requirements for certification include touring hospitals and observing births, attending breastfeeding groups and childbirth classes. There is a comprehensive reading list and take-home exam.
Rather than promoting particular methods of giving birth, CEA/MNY instruction provides information on anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, labor and birth, nutrition, obstetric procedures and drugs, as well as breastfeeding and newborn care. CEA/MNY supports childbirth as a normal, natural, physiological process and encourages women to recognize their innate ability to cope with the unique challenges of childbirth.
Upon completion of the program, you will be a Certified Cooperative Childbirth Educator, (CCCE) qualified to work in a variety of settings including education centers, hospitals, birth centers or privately. Some graduates use their certification in conjunction with other advanced degrees, such as midwifery, nutrition, or public health.
Program Requirements
Teacher Certification Program Students are required to:
Attend all 13 TCP workshops.
Read and write reports on each book on the comprehensive required reading list.
Tour and write a report on at least 3 obstetrical facilities in the region.
Attend 3 births and complete a labor observation report for each one.
Attend 2 breastfeeding support groups and complete a breastfeeding support group/La Leche League report.
Audit a complete childbirth education series given by a CEA-certified instructor.
Co-teach a childbirth education series with a CEA-certified instructor.
Volunteer 12 hours for CEA/MNY or other groups within the birthing community.
Complete a take-home final exam.
Write a comprehensive curriculum for a childbirth education, newborn care and breastfeeding series of classes.
Apply
To apply for the Teacher Certification Program, please fill out the application form below. Applications to the TCP are accepted at any time. Many applicants aim to begin the workshops in September, as the final two workshops held in June are only open to those TCP students who have completed all of the other workshops and are close to certification. Once we have received your completed application and recommendations, the Education Committee will review your application and a CEA/MNY member will interview you via phone or in person. Please allow three weeks for your application to be processed. Should you have any questions, please send an email to tcp@ceamny.org.
Please be aware that applications to the Teacher Certification Program must be received within six months of attending your first workshop in order for the workshop(s) to count towards certification.
FAQs
Who can attend workshops?
Workshops* are open to anyone. You do not have to be a CEA member or a part of our Teacher Certification Program (TCP.) If you are thinking of applying to the program, workshops attended up to six months prior to submitting your application count towards certification. Workshops are discounted for CEA/MNY members.
*The final two workshops of the season, “Teaching Techniques” and “Public Speaking,” are only open to those students in the TCP who have already attended all the other workshops and are the final stages of the certification process.
Can I just take one workshop?
Yes. Those in the Teacher Certification Program students must attend all 13 workshops for certification.
How do I join the Teacher Certification Program?
Submit an application along with three personal/professional recommendations.
The TCP Committee will review your application, schedule an interview and then notify you about acceptance.
Can I join any time?
Yes. The series of workshops runs September through June but you can apply and start the program at any time.
How long does certification take?
It is possible for a highly motivated individual to complete the program in one year. Most trainees complete the program within two years. It is possible to request a one year extension but we encourage TCPs to try and complete the requirements within a two-year time frame.
How is the Teacher Certification Program different from other certifying programs?
Please read “What is Cooperative Childbirth” to learn specifically what our philosophy is and how we differ from some of the other programs. One unique aspect of CEA/MNY’s program is that it’s a rigorous, one to two year program that thoroughly prepares graduates to move right into a career in teaching childbirth classes, newborn care and breastfeeding classes. Our program has also been used as a stepping stone or continuing education for individuals pursuing careers in midwifery, public health or the maternal child health field. We are also a regional organization so students are given specific, local career guidance and support.
Can I talk to other people who have done the certification program?
Of course! Please email the TCP coordinators at tcp@ceamny.org and ask to speak with a current TCP or recent graduate of the program. You may also come to one of our workshops and meet students and teachers!
Do I need to find a mentor?
Upon acceptance into the program, the TCP Coordinator will set you up with a mentor. You can request a specific mentor though that person may not be available.
What should I expect out of mentorship in CEA/MNY?
Mentors are available to students for general guidance and to answer questions about the material and the program. Mentors are not paid to mentor students. Students should see their mentors as advisors who are willing and able to support them in their certification process. The program is entirely self-motivated and it is up to the students to direct and manage their own progress.
What is the cost of the program?
There’s not one straight fee for certification. It’s the sum of various costs:
There are thirteen workshops ($100 each for members), a $35 application fee, and a $225 two-year TCP membership fee. You may have to pay a fee in order to audit and co-teach a childbirth series (part of certification), however this is set by the instructor whose course you select. The grand total comes to somewhere in the region of $1,500.
What kind of careers can this certification help me with?
Childbirth education, labor support in any capacity (doula, nurse, midwife, obstetrician) postpartum support, newborn and breastfeeding instruction and education, lactation support. The program is also beneficial to those working in public health especially when pregnancy and family planning is involved and various careers in reproductive health.
What will my credential be, once certified?
Certified Cooperative Childbirth Educator or CCCE.
What if I miss a workshop?
You have to make it up the following year.
Who runs CEA/MNY?
CEA/MNY is a non-profit, volunteer organization made up of teachers, students and advocates. CEA/MNY is operated by a Board of Directors. Board positions are assigned through an election process. Board members are CEA-certified educators. There are several positions open to TCPs and appointed by CEA/MNY board members. If you are interested in participating contact birth@ceamny.org
Scholarships
The Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York (CEA/MNY) is proudly committed to fostering the education of highly-trained, well-rounded and motivated childbirth educators. It is also the belief of CEA/MNY that those who are interested in joining this profession have the opportunity to do so without financial hindrance. It is our hope that brilliant leaders in maternal health, who might be of valuable service to the birthing community and the building of families, reach their full potential. Therefore, CEA/MNY has established two full tuition scholarships to support women in pursuit of becoming certified cooperative childbirth educators (CCCE) through our nationally recognized Teacher Certification Program (TCP): The Doris Haire Leadership Scholarship and The Still I Rise Leadership Scholarship.
The next round of scholarships have been postponed. Please email for more information.
The Doris Haire Leadership Scholarship
The Doris Haire Leadership Scholarship (open to all qualified candidates) is named after Doris Haire, co-founder of CEA/MNY in 1972 and a fiercely passionate and effective consumer and maternal health advocate. Mrs. Haire is the Founder and President of the American Foundation for Maternal and Child Health and is committed to increasing research on the effects of common obstetric drugs and procedures on maternal and infant outcome.
Mrs. Haire is responsible for the passage of the New York Maternity Information Act, which requires every hospital to provide the information and statistics about its childbirth practices and procedures. Mrs. Haire is one of the first true proponents of evidence-based maternity care and it’s because of her tireless efforts that women have access to important information that impacts her choices for childbirth.
The Still I Rise Leadership Scholarship
The Still I Rise Leadership Scholarship (open to all qualified African-American/Black candidates) is named for the Maya Angelou poem which famously and eloquently describes overcoming racism, criticism and sexism. The Still I Rise Leadership Scholarship is specifically aimed to reduce the high disparities in infant mortality that exist in African-American communities.
African Americans had twice the sudden infant death syndrome mortality rate as non-Hispanic whites, in 2009.
African American mothers were 2.3 times more likely than non-Hispanic white mothers to begin prenatal care in the 3rd trimester, or not receive prenatal care at all.
The infant mortality rate for African American mothers with over 13 years of education was almost three times that of non-Hispanic white mothers in 2005.