Matriz Weavers
Community Birth School
BECAUSE BIRTH BELONGS TO FAMILIES
In Partnership with Ancient Arts Midwifery, founded in 1981. AAM gives us 40+ years of out of hospital training experience within this curriculum and its bonus material
Midwifery Today
The Technocratic model of midwifery (seeing bodies and birth as a machine to manage) has largely left the mark of intuition, relationship, and physiology. We are seeing strict protocols for sake of "avoiding investigations, community backlash, etc." without also being held within the sacred dance along with discernment, intuition, and knowing physiology.
There's been a lot of reacting to past traumas, holding others trauma as gold standard, being reactive instead of proactive in restoring normal mechanisms. We are also seeing a big push in the rejection of midwifery knowledge which does have some overlap with obstetrical skills - it does all relate to the body, and more so we need to remember to focus on the person in front of us, not the chart or textbook to be our driving force.
Courses of action as guidelines and structure allowing the room to pivot wisely is the key - if we don't know our options, we don't have any. In order to make a well educated decision, you have to know all the sides and possibilities, this is the craft of midwifery
"A craft is a disciplined practice rooted in skill, repetition, and transmission." - not regurgitating a textbook. We must strive for ongoing humble education, questioning what we already thought we knew, being open the MYSTERY that pregnancy and birth are. It's sacred, it's the closest you'll ever get to God/The Divine, this is not something to be sterilized, ashamed of, and molded with hierarchy. This does not place it outside of study or skill - it places it within reverence.
MIDWIFERY IS A CRAFT IN SKILL + TRADITION, WOVEN INTO OUR SPIRITS
In Birth as an American rite of passage, Robbie Davis-Floyd describes the different Western birth models, “The industrial model of birth and its successor, the technocratic model, metaphorize and conceptualize the human body as a machine and treat it as such”. In these models, “the female body has long been viewed as an abnormal, unpredictable, and inherently defective machine” and the woman’s reproductive tract is treated like a birthing apparatus that doctors can control and manipulate.
the reclaimation
Across states, across generations, diverse childhoods, differing births, and vastly opposing birth education... we are seeing a new field open... we are seeing women and birth workers discover the gift of viewing tools, skills and education as sacred. Not something to be ashamed of, not to be held and feared, and not to be villainized - this is the craft of midwifery...
We see you hungry for knowledge that grounds your nervous system, education that feeds the fire in your soul and the intuition in your hands from lineages long past
It takes practice to build these muscles of asking the hard questions, doing the soul work into your own trauma and reasons for moving. We are blending the curriculum from AAM with traditional women's wisdom passed down from abuelas, partera's, elders, body workers, lived experience, and knowledge that textbooks forgot
what is a midwife
A midwife walks with women - this is not a term for states to claim, this is woven into our wombs.
Our wombs are the catalyst for a collective remembering.
We are the translators for this forgotten language, spoken through tears, hands that have held mothers and babies as they cross the threshold, hearts that hold and see more than science thinks is possible.
Midwifery is not a license given by a medical board, it is not something to be regulated.
It is something to be given and received, knowledge passed down, a tree to sit under, a well to drink from, something held with the utmost integrity and honesty - it's not for prestige, it's for service.
Birth belongs to families, it's not for midwives to dictate or control - we are invited in by the families. Families have the right to choose their birth support. It is our duty to be well educated and transparent with families about our experiences and ability to serve.
THIS IS FOR THE BIRTH WORKER WHO...
is exploring the balance between normal physiology and the wise use of tools and skills
prioritizes the body and its communications
is seeking a deeper understanding of how & why the body unfolds the way it does
has a community calling them in as Wise One
is ready to step into their role competent + capable to sit in this sacred threshold
DISTANCE LEARNING
Join us online to grow your community service without leaving your community.
ENROLLMENTS OPEN SUMMER 2026. APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN
Commit to a 6-month learning container at $2,000. The program is designed to be completed over 36 months, for a total of $12,000.
Open enrollment, join us when it's your time
Commit to a 6 month learning container, continue as you're ready or pause if life asks you to
Weekly zoom calls with Alisha and other students for topic discussions, case studies, traditional medicine stories, and more.
Once monthly guest teachers, Wise Ones that have impacted how BCM serves families today
All calls recorded and cataloged for easy access
All online project submissions receive feedback from Alisha
TWO COMPLETION PATHWAYS
for distance learning and in person
These learning pathways do not change your tuition. Choose either path at any point along your journey.
The Advanced Weaver
For those dedicating themselves to active apprenticeship alongside their studies and supportive workshops
- Must attend all calls, if you cannot attend live, a document of your thoughts/questions and summary of the call is required to be submitted.
- A minimum of 55 Births, 100 prenatal appointments, 50 postpartum appointments, 40 newborn exams all under a practicing midwife (preceptor credentials non-specific). No number of years or experience makes a midwife, but this is a good start for anyone!
- Complete our competency skills checklist.
- Complete and submit every assignment
- All requirements must be completed during your time in the program, though work completed within three years prior to enrollment may also be accepted.
- At completion students will be ready for their next step of certification/licensure should they choose that.
The Foundational Weaver
For those dedicating themselves to their studies and supportive workshops.
- Must attend all calls, if you cannot attend live, a document of your thoughts/questions and summary of the call is required
- Participate in supportive workshops local to you like NRP, Foundational Concepts for Midwives Intensives, Shoulder Dystocia, or Breech/Twins workshops - all workshop fees are additional
- Complete and submit every assignment
- The Foundational Program is an educational offering and does not give someone the role or title of midwife, we do not endorse presenting oneself as such after having just the knowledge. Midwifery is an art of several mediums - knowledge, skill, and experience.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You Asked, We Answered
Can I enroll if I plan to/not to get a license or get certified?
"Our program will fulfill most of the educational requirements in the NARM Portfolio Evaluation Process application for the CPM. Many students have successfully used AAMidwifery programs to study for the NARM exam and get their CPM credential. It is up to each potential student to check the midwifery laws in their state and determine if pursuing midwifery academic education with AAMidwifery is right for them." -AAM Website
We believe the combination of the AAM curriculum and our high touch mentorship are a well rounded experience in competency and tradition for anyone on their journey to serving their community as Midwife.
How are assignment graded?
All submissions will receive feedback from Alisha
"A standard grading system would be inconsistent with our goals. The course is not set up to teach any method or philosophy, but rather, to encourage you to develop your own." -AAM Website
Do I need prior birth experience or education?
No, AAM's curriculum combined with our high touch mentorship brings you in and walks alongside you as you travel through the educational material and live teachings!
What if I need to take a break from my studies while enrolled in the program?
You may pause your studies at anytime. There are no refunds once you have financially committed to a 6 month learning container. You must request in writing, via email if/when you need to pause our studies and for how long. Receiving your enrollment fee marks the beginning of your 6 month commitment.
What will I learn?
In addition to becoming an expert on almost every imaginable topic concerning birth, our students learn to:
Identify learning objectives
Develop value-specific study strategies
Read critically and objectively
Locate available resources and experts
Initiate relationships with fellow students
File information so that it is retrievable and revisable
Judge academic suppositions against the science and physiology of birth
Cultivate consistent study habits
Organize data for multiple purposes
Set immediate and long-term goals and execute a plan for achieving them
Prioritize multiple tasks
Determine what information necessitates memorization and what information can be filed
Create a customized encyclopedic resource
Conduct independent research
Challenge medical and obstetrical protocol
Distinguish fact from opinion
Evaluate data for academic integrity
Document and appropriately credit all sources
Establish review habits
Develop test-taking skills
Practice meticulous record-keeping
Develop confidence in her ability to handle emergencies
Plan and organize for optimal time and resource management
Integrate ‘head’ knowledge with ‘hands on’ experience
Hone critical thinking and decision making ability
Translate life experiences into the learning process
Fine-tune communication skills
Assess needs of individual clients
Prepare on every level for any possible birthing scenario
Explore related areas of interest toward development of specialties
Establish counseling guidelines and parameters of responsibility
Organize support for parents’ rights
Inspire confidence in birthing couples as competent decision-makers
Develop a comprehensive practice plan
Create and publish original educational material for parents
Assess and improve community resources
Navigate the politics of midwifery
Investigate alternatives to reliance on technology
Stay current with developments and trends in women’s health
Encourage the pursuit of health and wellness in her family, friends, and clients
Prepare for the business aspects of an independent midwifery practice
Create community identity as home birth advocate
Exercise an extreme degree of accountability and professional integrity
Accept the responsibility of the historical legacy of midwifery
Articulate and promote the ‘with woman’ midwifery philosophy
FINANCIALS EXPLAINED
$100 one time New Student Set Up Fee
Your semiannual payments will automatically charge, unless you have communicated via email requesting a pause and we have responded to your request.
If your payment method fails upon renewal, all access to curriculum, group chats, zoom calls, etc. will be revoked until payment is made.
You may pause your studies at anytime. There are no refunds once you have financially committed to a 6 month learning container. You must request in writing, via email if/when you need to pause our studies and for how long. Receiving your enrollment fee marks the beginning of your 6 month commitment.
No Refunds - You pay for and commit to a 6 month learning container
IN PERSON LEARNING
Deepen and broaden your hands on muscle memory skills with in person teaching - real placentas, real bodies, real time feedback, traditional skills at your fingertips
COMING SOON
Open enrollment, join us when it's your time
Commit to a 6 month learning container, continue as you're ready or pause if life asks you to
Four touchpoints each month: one 4-hour in-person skills day, two Zoom calls with Alisha and other students for topic discussions, case studies, and traditional medicine stories, and one call with a guest/Wise One who has influenced BCM’s community service
All calls recorded and cataloged for easy access
All online project submissions receive feedback from Alisha
Once completed, submit with your $25 application fee and we'll schedule your application interview
If enrollment is not possible within a reasonable period after application, your application and fee will be applied to a future enrollment.
Birth Cultivated Ministries is a 501(c)(8) private association. All activities are spiritual, educational, fraternal, and fellowship-based purposes only and is intended for members. We do not offer licensed medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. By accessing this information, you agree to our Terms, Conditions, and Bylaws and take full responsibility for your own choices and outcomes.
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