BirthWorks International

What BirthWorks International does

BirthWorks International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Medford, New Jersey, that delivers training, certification, and continuing education for birth professionals and childbirth preparation for expectant parents. Its core portfolio includes Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator, and the combined ACED (Accelerated Childbirth Educator and Doula) certifications, plus the differentiated Kangaroula newborn care specialist program, BreastfeedingWorks! professional workshops, and BirthPrep! parent classes. The underlying "technology" is a proprietary human-values-based, holistic methodology that integrates primal health research (Dr. Michel Odent's Primal Health Database), nurture science and the Bergmans' kangaroo mother care research (which influenced 2023 WHO guidelines), optimal pelvic positioning techniques, and neuroscience content — packaged in a comprehensive Childbirth Educator Manual, self-paced online home study, and live virtual/in-person workshops supported by personal mentors.

The organization monetizes through a portfolio of complementary streams: one-time certification fees, annual/multi-year/lifetime membership subscriptions ($75–$499) with built-in retention mechanics, bi-annual recertification fees, workshop and hospital grand rounds pricing ($500–$4,000 per day), sales of teaching tools and merchandise, re-entry/reinstatement fees, and tax-deductible donations supporting scholarships for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and need-based applicants. Distribution combines a self-serve online learning platform, live virtual workshops, regional in-person training (notably in Ohio), an Ambassador Program that pays referral income (10–15% profit share) to certified professionals hosting local events, and a public professional directory. Customers span aspiring and certified birth professionals, expectant parents, and institutional buyers (hospitals and birth centers), with documented certified-practitioner presence in the USA, Indonesia, Germany, New Zealand, and South Africa. Governance is provided by a board including Executive Director Cristin Tighe (also international coordinator) and Founder Cathy Daub, with globally distributed trainers including Dr. Nils Bergman and Jill Bergman (NINO Academy partners) and Tia Pratignyo in Indonesia.

Name

BirthWorks International

Legal name

BirthWorks International

Website

https://birthworks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BirthWorks International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that certifies birth doulas, postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, and Kangaroula newborn care specialists while offering childbirth preparation classes for parents, monetizing through certification fees, memberships, workshops, hospital grand rounds, product sales, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childbirth Education and Doula Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Risk & Medically Complex Newborn Support (Non-Clinical NCS) (HSAAACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Newborn Care Specialist Placement, Matching & Staffing Services (HSAAACAK), Maternal/Newborn & Postpartum Skilled Home Visits (HSABACAK)

Keywords

• Childbirth education
• Doula certification
• Postpartum doula training
• Newborn care specialist
• Birth professional training

Headquarters

HQ city

Medford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Certification Fees: One-time certification fees for birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator, and ACED (accelerated) programs. Includes workshop attendance, online learning, and mentorship components.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees ($75/year) with discounts for multi-year commitments (2-year: $135, 3-year: $199, 5-year: $325, Lifetime: $499). Includes retail discounts, event discounts, access to resources, and professional directory listings.
3. Workshop and Training Fees: Individual workshop fees for specific training programs including Kangaroula workshops ($525 early discount $475, with $150 review fee), breastfeeding workshops ($60-$200), hospital grand rounds ($500-$4,000/day), and various professional training sessions.
4. Product Sales: Sale of educational products including books, childbirth educator manuals, workbooks, teaching tools, KangaCarrier products, blessingway materials, and BWI merchandise through the online shop.
5. Hospital Grand Rounds and Custom Workshops: Customized Kangaroula health professional workshops for hospitals and birth centers, with pricing ranging from $2,000-$4,000 per day depending on number of days and format (in-person or virtual).
6. Donations and Scholarships: Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting scholarships for BIPOC, LGBTQIA*, and need-based individuals. Also supports underserved families and aspiring professionals.
7. Recertification Fees: Bi-annual recertification fees ($125 for single certification, $185 for ACED) required to maintain professional credentials. Includes membership requirement.
8. Re-Entry and Re-Instatement Fees: Fees for professionals returning to complete certification ($250 re-entry fee + $250 mentoring fee) or re-instating credentials ($250 re-instatement fee).
9. Ambassador Program Referral Income: Ambassadors earn referral fees ($25 per parent referred, $100 per professional referred) and profit sharing (10-15%) when organizing workshops and classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

BirthWorks International trains and certifies birth professionals through holistic, evidence-based programs in birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator, accelerated (ACED), and Kangaroula (newborn care specialist) specializations, delivered via self-paced online study, live virtual workshops, and in-person intensives with personal mentorship. It also serves expectant parents through the BirthPrep! online childbirth preparation class and breastfeeding workshops, and partners with hospitals and birth centers for customized Kangaroula grand rounds and staff training. Recertification, membership subscriptions, ambassador and mentor programs, and a retail shop of teaching tools and books support the professional community year-round.

Product overview

BirthWorks International is a training and certification organization offering a portfolio of professional development programs for birth workers. The core offerings include Birth Doula Certification, Postpartum Doula Certification, Childbirth Educator Certification, ACED (Accelerated Childbirth Educator and Doula) dual certification, and Kangaroula (Newborn Care Specialist) Training. Supporting programs include BreastfeedingWorks! professional workshops and BirthPrep! online classes for parents. The organization provides membership, mentor, ambassador, cross-certification, and recertification programs. Teaching tools and books are available as supplementary products. All programs incorporate a holistic, evidence-based approach with human values philosophy, emphasizing birth as an instinctive process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kangaroula: Advanced Newborn Care Specialist training and certification program - speaks for the baby's needs, minimizes stress for a more peaceful transition, and empowers a mother to read the baby's signals
• BreastfeedingWorks!
• BirthPrep!
• ACED

Products and services

• Birth Doula Certification Holistic, values-based birth doula training and certification program teaching emotional, physical, and spiritual support for birthing mothers. Includes online home study, personal mentorship, and interactive live workshops (virtual or in-person). Designed for individuals seeking to become professional birth doulas.
• Postpartum Doula Certification Training program for providing evidence-based postpartum support to new families, focusing on mother-baby bonding, breastfeeding, and emotional support during the fourth trimester. Includes online study, mentorship, and interactive workshops.
• Childbirth Educator Certification Comprehensive certification program training individuals to teach childbirth education classes using BirthWorks' holistic, evidence-based approach with human values philosophy. Includes the Childbirth Educator Manual and teaching tools.
• ACED (Accelerated Childbirth Educator and Doula) Certification Accelerated dual-certification program combining Childbirth Educator and Birth Doula training, allowing professionals to earn two certifications through an integrated workshop and training process. Designed for those who want both credentials efficiently.
• Kangaroula (Newborn Care Specialist) Training Advanced training for newborn care specialists focusing on nurture science, skin-to-skin contact, and advocacy for optimal infant development during the critical first 1000 seconds, minutes, and hours of life. Led by Dr. Nils Bergman and Jill Bergman. Confers international Registered Kangaroula credential via NINO Academy partnership.
• BreastfeedingWorks! Professional Workshop Advanced professional training for birth workers and medical professionals on breastfeeding support, focusing on the first critical minutes, hours, and days of breastfeeding for optimal infant neurodevelopment. Available in-person/virtual combo and other formats.
• BirthPrep! for Parents Online childbirth preparation class for expectant parents offering emotional and academic preparation through interactive discussions, relaxation techniques, and evidence-based birth education. Targets pregnant individuals and their partners.
• BirthWorks Membership Annual and multi-year membership program providing retail and event discounts, access to the Primal Health Research Database, professional directory listings, and exclusive resources for birth professionals and supporters.
• BirthWorks Mentor Program Mentorship opportunity for certified BirthWorks professionals to support and guide aspiring birth workers through their certification journey, with compensation per student mentored.
• BirthWorks Ambassador Program Community advocacy and outreach program enabling certified professionals to promote BirthWorks philosophy, host workshops, and earn referral income and 10–15% profit sharing on registrations.
• Cross-Certification Program Expedited certification pathway for professionals already certified through other birth-work organizations to earn BirthWorks credentials, recognizing prior training and experience with a discounted program fee.
• Recertification and Re-Entry Program Program allowing certified professionals to maintain credentials every two years and supporting those who paused certification to re-enter or be reinstated, including re-entry and re-instatement fee options.
• Teaching Tools (Books, Manuals, Resources) Curated educational materials including the BirthWorks Childbirth Educator Manual, preparation workbooks, teaching aids, the Birthing in the Spirit book, and KangaCarrier products for certified educators and parents.
• Hospital Grand Rounds and Custom Kangaroula Workshops Customized Kangaroula health-professional workshops for hospitals and birth centers, available virtually or on-site. Covers skin-to-skin contact, zero-separation practices, and newborn care protocols. Led by Dr. Nils Bergman and Jill Bergman.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% reduction in infant mortality for premature babies receiving immediate kangaroo mother care
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• NINO Academy (Neuroscience for Improved Neonatal Outcomes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNINO Academy, founded by Dr. Nils Bergman and Jill Bergman, is the certification organization for Kangaroula. BirthWorks partners with NINO Academy to provide internationally-recognized Kangaroula certification. Graduates receive official registration numbers with NINO Academy and must maintain good standing with NINO Birth to keep their status. The partnership provides access to academic journal research database and ongoing updates with new research.
• World Health Organization (WHO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Nils Bergman's research, which is integrated into BirthWorks Kangaroula training, changed WHO guidelines for early infant care in 2023. The research on immediate kangaroo mother care was so significant that a WHO-funded study (with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant) was stopped early due to findings of reduced mortality. This validates the Zero Separation approach taught in BirthWorks programs.
• Primal Health Research (Dr. Michel Odent)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirthWorks provides access to Dr. Michel Odent's Primal Health Research Database - a collection of epidemiological studies exploring correlations between the 'Primal Period' and lifetime health. This database is available to BirthWorks members as part of membership benefits. Dr. Odent is a French surgeon and childbirth specialist who compiled these studies.
• Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los AngelesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKangaroula workshop participants receive access to four hours of online videos from the October 2020 Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles. This provides additional educational content for newborn care and breastfeeding support training.
• Simplified Website DesignminorOthersWebsite design company credited for BirthWorks International website design. Listed as website designer attribution on the site.
• NINO BirthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNINO Birth (Kangaroula) is the certification organization for Kangaroula methodology. BirthWorks graduates must maintain good standing with NINO Birth to keep their Certified Kangaroula status. Mentoring and advanced certification are provided through this partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DONA International: DONA International is the largest and best-known doula certification body, offering birth and postpartum doula training with similar practitioner audiences. BirthWorks competes directly with DONA in aspiring-doula training market and in some respects uses DONA's cross-certification pathway as a funnel.
• CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association): CAPPA certifies birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and childbirth educators using an evidence-based model and serves the same trainee base as BirthWorks. Overlapping program portfolio (CLD, CPD, CCCE) makes it the closest like-for-like competitor on curriculum breadth.
• Lamaze International: Lamaze International is a globally recognized childbirth educator credentialing organization offering LCCE certification and parent classes. BirthWorks' Childbirth Educator Certification program competes in the same educator credential market and overlaps in philosophy of evidence-based, family-centered birth preparation.
• ICEA (International Childbirth Education Association): ICEA certifies childbirth educators and postpartum doulas with a long-established international footprint, comparable to BirthWorks in target audience and program structure. Both organizations emphasize evidence-based birth education and serve educators across multiple regions.
• Birthing From Within: Birthing From Within offers holistic, mentor-led childbirth educator and doula training with a philosophy-driven approach similar to BirthWorks' human values methodology. Both target aspiring birth professionals seeking a non-medical, transformative training experience.
• NINO Academy: NINO Academy, founded by Dr. Nils and Jill Bergman, is the certifying body for the Kangaroula method that BirthWorks delivers under partnership. It is the source-of-truth for Kangaroula curriculum and the most direct functional peer for BWI's signature program.

Broad incumbents

• ProDoula: ProDoula is a broader, commercially scaled doula certification and agency-support organization offering both training and business tools for doulas. It overlaps with BWI on certification but differentiates with a more for-profit, agency-building model.
• Hypnobirthing (HypnoBirthing - The Mongan Method): Hypnobirthing is a long-established childbirth education method with its own practitioner certification and parent classes. It competes with BirthPrep! and Childbirth Educator Certification in the expectant-parent preparation market.

Emerging players

• International Doula Institute: International Doula Institute is a fully online doula training school offering birth, postpartum, and bereavement certifications with a more streamlined digital delivery model. It represents the faster-scaling, lower-cost online competitor to BWI's workshop-driven model.
• The VBAC Link / Know Your Birth Options: The VBAC Link provides childbirth educator and doula training with a niche focus on vaginal birth after cesarean, overlapping partially with BWI's evidence-based parent education. It is a smaller emerging brand targeting a specific slice of the same practitioner base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BirthWorksIntl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCB7zYqRzb6yFy6fVjz1Cmeg
• Facebookfacebook.com/BirthWorksInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birthworks-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BirthWorks International