Welcome
We are a non-profit MEAC accredited school for Direct-Entry midwives located in Portland, Oregon. Students may complete either a 3-year midwifery certificate or choose to transfer in an additional year of general education to receive a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (BSM) degree. We also offer training programs for Labor Doulas, Postpartum Doulas, and Childbirth Educators.
Birthingway has developed a new model of caring for women and families during the childbearing year. We refer to this model as biodynamic birth, in which birth is not only a natural part of human life, it is a necessary part, and one that is intimately connected with what it is to be human. The “bio” in biodynamic reflects overarching relationships to life and biological processes, while the “dynamic” describes the natural energy and intention that ensures our model is very woman-centered and individual.
A biodynamic birth will be one with the least amount of intervention, while still protecting the well-being of mother and baby. Intervention takes on different meanings depending upon the type of care provider; therefore, each of our programs develops specific tools for the various types of services our students will be providing.
News
It's that time of year again, where nature adds an extra spice of excitement to our course schedule! You can see our Weather Cancellation policy here. For day classes, we follows the cancellation notices of the Portland Independent School District - you can see if Portland Public Schools (and therefore Birthingway) have cancelled classes at this website, or, to see a variety of information, including street closures and power outages, go here.