Pregnant women, along with their partners, should certainly be made aware of the usual problems associated with the birth of a child, and thus remain better prepared for any complication that may arise during labor pains and at the time of delivery.
Some problems related to childbirth can be predicted before a woman experiences labor, but other could come unexpectedly.
The role of a childbirth course is to educate the new parents on what they can anticipate during pregnancy and childbirth, and also during the initial few weeks after the birth of the child.
Such courses need not necessarily require a formal license.
However, various childbirth centers and hospitals may specify their requirements.
It is quite usual for qualified nurses and midwives to work as one.
Even those having the experience of working with expectant parents can be good at this job.
The most usual job of those providing education on childbirth is to conduct childbirth classes for the expectant mothers plus their partners.
The curriculum of such courses include exposure to the experiences of labor pain and techniques for managing the same, the state of the mothers prior to labor, and taking care of the mother and child for the period following child's birth.
Though childbirth courses are usually of general nature, special classes are required for pregnancies with a high level of risks, different types of labor techniques and for the pregnancies of teenagers.
Childbirth educators can also educate on subjects like conception, task especially done by educators who are nurses or midwives.
Conception is a vast subject with a lot of perplexity, concerning the time of the cycle during which a woman may get pregnant.
Such courses are especially helpful in the cases of early pregnancies or first pregnancy, as such women need to learn a lot.
Likewise, women expected to deliver more than one child or facing high risk pregnancies are potential candidates for such especially designed courses.
Those educating on childbirth can also undertake post pregnancy classes.
Such classes are usually conducted towards the end of pregnancy, with the intention of preparing new parents for the advent of a new member in their family.
These teachers educate new mothers on how to take care of infants and breastfeed them.
Educators also hold classes for the benefit of soon to be parents, allowing them to confidently bear the responsibility as parents.
The courses can be conducted once a week for one or two months.
These could also be arranged during the last three months of the pregnancy.
Some may prefer to teach individual expectant mothers.
The job of a childbirth educator is not confined to just teaching.
They also provide counseling to new parents, listen to their apprehensions, and offer logical solutions for them.
Though these educators can't replace a doctor, they are competent in offering valuable advice on matters like labor and delivery, plus taking care of a newly born child.
They are providing very valuable services to society at large, especially pregnant women.