Rewriting the Birth Class For Inclusive, Retention-Based Teaching

As birth workers, we’re always expanding what we offer—whether it’s childbirth education, newborn care, postpartum prep, or community workshops. But knowing what to teach is only part of the equation. How do we teach in a way that truly sticks?

In this 1-hour workshop, we’ll explore what it means to be an effective facilitator and educator—not just a conveyor of information. You'll learn how to design student-centered, inclusive learning experiences using foundational teaching principles like Understanding by Design, how to support neurodivergent learners, and how to teach across diverse audiences. We'll challenge the default "info dump" model of childbirth ed and dig into strategies that help your clients retain what matters most.

We’ll also share how the Birthsmarter Teacher Training Program equips educators to teach with impact—redefining outdated norms like the "stages of labor" and helping you distill what’s essential for today’s birth experiences.

Perfect for doulas, childbirth educators, and anyone ready to level up their teaching game.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ How to move beyond “info dump” and create student-centered, engaging learning experiences✅ The foundations of strong teaching design and how they can be applied✅ Practical strategies for supporting neurodivergent learners and diverse learning styles✅ How to adapt your teaching for different audiences while staying grounded in core content✅ What it looks like to challenge outdated norms and teach what really matters

About Ashley Brichter, founder of Birthsmarter

Ashley Brichter is a life-long educator, birth worker, consultant, Certified Fair Play Facilitator and entrepreneur. In addition to improving maternal health, she is a champion for systemic reforms to improve the lives of families by rebalancing the division of labor at home and funding parental leave, universal health care, and progressive early childhood education. Despite her experience with hundreds of families as a doula, lactation counselor, and birth educator – like so many, her first birth did not “go as planned.” Better for it, she founded Birthsmarter in 2019, which provides unbiased, inclusive, and award-winning practical wisdom and guidance to the next generation of families. Ashley was born and raised in New York City, is a proud Bi-Co graduate, and currently lives in Salt Lake City where she has learned to love camping with her husband and two amazing kids. She is a Forbes Next 1,000 Entrepreneur, Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Alum, Tory Burch Fellow, and she sits on the board of ProNatal Fitness.

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Thank You to Our Sponsors

Your generous support allows us to offer free tickets to events like this, ensuring accessibility and inclusion for our community. Our July sponsors include:

Ancient Art Midwifery Community Birth Schools

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About TEB Classes:

Looking for more educational opportunities? The Educated Birth (TEB) Classes are designed to empower birthworkers with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive. Classes are free for TEB members, and the full 2025 series will include workshops, trainings, and resources to support your journey, including:

📌 2025 Financial Kick-Off: Intro to Budgets + Business in Birth Work📌 Obstetric Racism: What It Is + What We Can Do About It📌 Case Studies in Perinatal Mental Health with Dr. Suzanne Mungalez📌 Sex Ed for Pregnancy & Postpartum📌 Trauma-Informed Care through The L&D Nurse Lens📌 Parental Leave 101: Practical Tools for Supporting Time Off Work📌 And more!

Our classes are free for members. Explore all the benefits of a TEB membership.

Be the first to know when classes open. Sign up for the full 2025 class series waiting list for early access to register for each class.