Birth Boot Camp Regional Trainer in Maryland
Carmen Calvo is our incredible North East Regional trainer for Birth Boot Camp. Carmen will be hosting Birth Boot Camp instructor trainings in Baltimore, Maryland!
We knew Carmen was special when we first met her in Houston a few years ago. She is an awesome resource in her area with a focus on placenta encapsulation and the postpartum experience. She has been teaching Birth Boot Camp classes in Baltimore for several years now and we know she will bring her business acumen and her kind heart to women and future childbirth educators in Baltimore.
Welcome Carmen! If you live on the East Coast of the US, you should totally take a childbirth educator training with her! Check out Carmen’s post about why she wanted to become a Birth Boot Camp Regional Trainer in Maryland.
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At 34 weeks, I sat on the edge of the bed, freshly dressed, and zipped my boots. The zippers, which were met with resistance, were my first sign. Had I really gained that much weight? Was it swelling? I was annoyed more than concerned, but little did I know that my birth plans were about to be derailed.
My husband and I had been planning a beautiful homebirth and were so excited to welcome our baby in the very home he was conceived. We hired a phenomenal midwife, took a highly recommended childbirth class which focused on relaxation and mindfulness, and purchased the necessary supplies.
We were prepared and confident.
A week later at my midwife’s office, my blood pressure was less than ideal. Concerned, my midwife recommended many remedies to help keep it within a normal range, but over the next week, it only got worse.
My blood pressure began to soar and my edema not only progressed, but began to pit significantly. Two days before my 37th week, I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and entered the hospital to begin an induction. With a bishop score of 0, I knew I had an uphill battle in front of me, and frankly, I was terrified and completely distrusting of the process.
My induction, a 3-day ordeal, eventually led to decelerations in my baby’s heart rate. I gave birth to my son as they were preparing to wheel me to the OR.
I narrowly escaped a cesarean.
My husband and I took a relaxation-based childbirth class. I knew that staying relaxed was my best tool to keep my pain down and for helping my labor progress, so we practiced our relaxation exercises just as our birth class had taught us.
My husband and I had prepared so much for the birth we had intended, but we were completely blindsided and unprepared for the road we ended up on.
We had been so focused on having a homebirth, we really had no idea how to navigate hospital policy or the induction process. My husband felt helpless, anxious, and unprepared to support me through Pitocin-induced contractions.
Fortunately, with my second birth, we got the birth we had been hoping for. It was a profound experience, full of love and support, but my husband still struggled with feelings of anxiety as he watched me labor and birth our 10 lb. baby boy.
In hindsight, I regret not taking a more comprehensive childbirth class during our second pregnancy. He really deserved to feel like part of the process; like it was something we were doing together, and I deserved to have a calm, comforting partner.
My contrasting birth experiences ultimately led me to begin a career in birth work. What started out as supporting new mothers through placenta encapsulation services ultimately developed into a full-service birth business.
One year in, I knew that childbirth education was the next step in serving mothers in my community.
I spent the following year researching organizations and pouring over certification requirements, trainings, and curricula.
While I found many childbirth education options interesting and beneficial, I struggled to find something that was up-to-date, comprehensive, AND truly included partners.
Carmen with her family.
I was looking for an all-encompassing curriculum that gives couples the tools they need to stay low risk, includes a relaxation component, but also address common pitfalls that can derail birth plans, such as nutrition, common testing, and hospital policy. Nearly every program I found was really strong in one area or another, but none of them had it all.
Then I found Birth Boot Camp.
Birth Boot Camp students are receiving all of the information they need to make informed decisions and give true informed consent, which I believe over time will change the birth culture in our country and local communities.
Bringing Birth Boot Camp to Baltimore in 2014 has been one of the best business decisions I have made. Partnering with couples as they prepare for their upcoming birth is incredibly fun, but it’s also a huge honor to have an ever so small part of their parenting journey.
Carmen, teaching childbirth classes in Baltimore, Maryland.
I look forward to beginning this new role as the Northeast Regional Trainer for the Birth Boot Camp organization. I wholeheartedly believe this curriculum prepares couples for whatever their birth goals may be, but also for the unexpected. I am thrilled to be a part of bringing this incredible program to cities throughout the Northeast.
Interested in training as a childbirth educator in Maryland or surrounding areas? Find all childbirth educator training dates here.
Photo credit: HeartLovePhotography.com
