In December 2015 DONA International announced the first recipients of the Advanced Doula Designation, AdvCD/BDT(DONA). I'm honored to say that I am one of the recipients who have made a major contribution to the promotion and advancement of the mission and purpose of DONA International, the doula profession and in the maternal-child health field. Learn more about this designation and the other recipients here.
About the Trainer
Rae Davies, BSH, LCCE, AdvCD/BDT(DONA)
There is no doubt that my life’s passion is reflected in my 40+ years career focused on motherbaby. It all began when I attended Husband Coached Childbirth Classes (now known as The Bradley Method) for the birth of my first baby. The founders, Marjie and Jay Hathaway, taught my classes and produced the film Childbirth for the Joy of It where my birth experience is featured.
Inspired by my birth, I trained as a Bradley Method childbirth educator, and later became a DONA International Certified Birth Doula and Trainer, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I enjoyed teaching group and private classes along with attending births as a doula and providing breastfeeding support in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
Through these activities more opportunities to support optimal birth practices crossed my path including birth assisting with midwives, creating workshops, teaching, and speaking nationally and internationally. Eventually I expanded into administrative roles that enhanced maternity care services on both the national and international level. I became the first Executive Director for the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), and then joined the first board of directors for the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCO), currently I am the administrative director for the IMBCO. In collaboration with The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics IMBCO has become a founding member of the International Childbirth Initiative (ICI).
While serving in administrative positions I became more involved with the promotion and protection of breastfeeding as a Health Care Practices Co-coordinator for the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and I represented CIMS at the US Breastfeeding Committee. Midwifery has remained close to my heart - I was honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. In addition, I worked with IMBCO on the development of the consensus document, The Respectful Maternity Care Charter.
Ultimately my love for the work of doulas keeps me where I feel I can make the most impact on maternity care through training doulas. Doula workshops inspire me, motivate me, and give me hope for the future. There is so much to learn and experience in this field, and I am continually discovering from doulas that they want to learn more to serve their clients better. This is the reason I created The Birth Company and Online Doula Workshops.
There is no doubt that my life’s passion is reflected in my 40+ years career focused on motherbaby. It all began when I attended Husband Coached Childbirth Classes (now known as The Bradley Method) for the birth of my first baby. The founders, Marjie and Jay Hathaway, taught my classes and produced the film Childbirth for the Joy of It where my birth experience is featured.
Inspired by my birth, I trained as a Bradley Method childbirth educator, and later became a DONA International Certified Birth Doula and Trainer, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I enjoyed teaching group and private classes along with attending births as a doula and providing breastfeeding support in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
Through these activities more opportunities to support optimal birth practices crossed my path including birth assisting with midwives, creating workshops, teaching, and speaking nationally and internationally. Eventually I expanded into administrative roles that enhanced maternity care services on both the national and international level. I became the first Executive Director for the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), and then joined the first board of directors for the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCO), currently I am the administrative director for the IMBCO. In collaboration with The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics IMBCO has become a founding member of the International Childbirth Initiative (ICI).
While serving in administrative positions I became more involved with the promotion and protection of breastfeeding as a Health Care Practices Co-coordinator for the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and I represented CIMS at the US Breastfeeding Committee. Midwifery has remained close to my heart - I was honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. In addition, I worked with IMBCO on the development of the consensus document, The Respectful Maternity Care Charter.
Ultimately my love for the work of doulas keeps me where I feel I can make the most impact on maternity care through training doulas. Doula workshops inspire me, motivate me, and give me hope for the future. There is so much to learn and experience in this field, and I am continually discovering from doulas that they want to learn more to serve their clients better. This is the reason I created The Birth Company and Online Doula Workshops.
