Tag: Childbirth Education

Childbirth Education Promotes Partnership

A quality childbirth education class can help you have a more symbiotic relationship with your chosen birthing location.

In Finding Nemo, Marlin explains to his son Nemo that rubbing his body on the sea anemone that is their home helps make sure that the anemone won’t sting them when they go in and out of its tentacles. The anemone usually stings its prey before devouring it, but has a symbiotic (friendly) relationship with the clown fish that uses the anemone as their home. The clown fish get protected from other predators and the anemone gets some essential nutrients from the clown fish, all because they come together to change each others’ skin microbiome (read more science-y stuff here). What does this all have to do with learning about giving birth to human babies in childbirth education courses? I’ll tell you three ways!

1. Expectations

Knowing what to expect, especially from something that could sting you, really helps you be more satisfied with the process. Going into birth without knowing what to expect can set you up to get shocked by all the things that can and do happen. No matter where you are planning to give birth, setting your own expectations for how things could go is going to help you be better at going with the flow of birth. Taking a quality childbirth education course helps you and your partner work together better on the big day, and helps you partner with your provider because you anticipate what is coming next. Being knowledgeable about the process eases anxiety for some people too, and that’s a great thing.

2. Needs

The clown fish and anemone each give something needed to each other in their partnership; it benefits them both. Understanding the needs that you will have in labor and how the people around you can help meet them is part of any great childbirth education class. How do you like to be touched during stressful times if at all? How do you communicate your needs to your partner when you can’t speak? What are the needs of your hospital/birth center/birth team when you arrive as far as paperwork, blood work, exams, etc? Knowing before you go or before your team arrives to your house for your delivery, helps everyone be on the same page. The better the understanding of needs for everyone in the room, the better the partnership. An excellent childbirth education course can help everyone get their needs met when it comes to the big day, and even afterwards

3. Learn from Others’ Experience

How do clown fish learn to rub themselves on the anemone to not get stung? They learn from other fishes experience. (Though clearly someone had to be the first fish to figure this out and also first human to give birth, but I think you get what I’m trying to say here.) Certified childbirth educators are experienced not only in teaching childbirth education, but also in adult learning principles and techniques. Having taught both children and adults, I can say that without a doubt, they are NOT the same! Learning from an experienced and independent childbirth educator means that their content is not only evidence-based but they can also teach you about ALL the options, even those that aren’t as common (or even offered) in different birthing locations or with different providers.

When you are expecting a baby, taking a quality childbirth education course is a real must. Taking a childbirth education class promotes a lovely symbiotic relationship & helps you know who to navigate the twists and turns of labor and delivery together. In 2024, the Doula Group of Evansville will be offering in-person childbirth education courses again!! I’ll be announcing dates soon, so be on the lookout!!

3 Ways Doulas Support Partners

Your doula will never know you as well as your partner. Some partners don’t want to hire a doula because they are concerned that we might replace them. That is frankly never the goal of our doulas, though there have been a few times when we’ve had to step in because a partner couldn’t be there for multiple reasons. The truth is that hiring a doula helps support partners too. I’ve supported clients whose partners were in the birth pool squeezing their hips and others whose partners had to hide their eyes during their entire labors because everything medical made them nauseous. I’ve caught dads who passed out at the sight of blood and helped others find better places to stand for camera angles. Here are the top 3 ways that doulas help partners. 

Knowledge

Doulas help partners know what is going on in the birth room and during postpartum. We answer all kinds of questions like: is that normal? Is everything ok? What’s going on? Why are they suggesting that? Where should we go for help? Our doula knowledge helps not only reassure partners, but also help them ask good questions too. We suggest resources specifically for partners to learn if they’re interested. All Doula Group of Evansville packages come with access to Supporting Her (a $69 value) an online class specifically designed with partners in mind, because we know you want to know how to be the best support you can be too! 

Practical Support

Partners need physical support too! I’ve seriously massaged more than one dad’s shoulders during the course of a long labor, and reminded more partners to pee than I can count. We help partners find pillows and towels in the hospital room, or make sure they know when a good time to sneak to the cafeteria to eat would be. We help you know where to press on their back when contractions come and remind you to hydrate too. Postpartum doulas will teach you the best swaddle and bring you a one-handed snack while you’re rocking in the chair with your newborn. Doulas are the extra set of hands that anticipate everyone’s needs! 

Emotional Support 

I’ve waited outside the doors to the operating room with anxious worried partners waiting to be called back. I’ve hugged a sobbing father whose baby was born sleeping, and handed more tissues to silently crying and ecstatic partners. I’ve reassured frustrated partners that yes, they can and should speak up when they’re not getting the answers or care they need. This holding space for partners is a dance that we know and prepare for as doulas. This is one of the reasons we want to meet with you and your partner before birth and postpartum; getting to know you and your wishes helps us help you better. 

Doulas help partners participate and engage however they want and are able to. We never try to step on partner toes, literally or figuratively! We love all kinds of partners and know each family is unique. Having a doula on your team can help you have a better experience too. When you’re ready, we’re here to support your whole family from your wet pregnancy test all the way through the 4th trimester.

A little anecdote for you: pre-COVID, I taught a 3 hour class on natural coping techniques for labor and delivery. I had been talking to this awesome pregnant mom who really wanted to hire me as her birth doula but her husband didn’t want to spend the money, and they came to my class. After 3 hours, her husband was 100% convinced that they definitely needed to hire me as their doula. Unfortunately, I was already booked for their due date, but I know they had an awesome birth anyway. If you’re on the fence about hiring a doula, reach out to set up a FREE consult together. We’d love to chat!

Don’t Worry, Be Picky

Choosing a care provider that fits isn’t always easy.

After the shock of the positive pregnancy test wears off a little bit, one of the first things you will need to decide is WHO you are going to have as your care provider for this pregnancy and birth. If you’re like me, you start by asking your friends who they used for their pregnancies, and then you make an appointment. Other people make an appointment with their usual GYN and leave it at that. Here are a few things you want to think about when you’re choosing a provider:

Does their idea of birth align with yours?

All providers have ideas about birth based on their training and experience (both professional and personal btw). Generally, OBs are watching to make sure nothing goes wrong and midwives are watching to make sure everything goes right. While that may not sound like a huge difference, I urge you to think about what their expectations might be with each of those approaches. OBs are generally looking to DO something to help while midwives are looking to NOT have to do anything to help. This is a really broad generalization, but an important distinction when you’re thinking about the kind of care that you’re looking for, and the same answer isn’t right for everyone. Think about your specific situation and how you’d like to approach birth. Research has shown, that the provider you choose can make a difference in how your baby comes out in case you didn’t know that already. Here are a few things you might want to know your provider’s attitude about:

  1. Weight Gain: What limits do they have for you? When do they get concerned about baby’s weight in utero?
  2. Ultrasound: How many & when? Why?
  3. Induction: When? Why? How?
  4. Questions: When & where can you ask them? How long are usual appointments?
  5. Schedule: How often are you on call? Who do you share call with? Surgery days?

Location AND Provider Matter

Many times your insurance will dictate which hospital or group of providers they will cover. Look at some of the stats for the location where you’re planning to delivery. You won’t be able to look at provider specific data, but you can definitely ask potential providers their cesarean and episiotomy rates by the way. What about their induction rates? All of these things add up to the way that pregnancy and birth are handled at an institutional level. Is birth handled like an emergency no matter what? Is the staff trained in trauma-informed care? What does it look like to arrive in labor and to go through triage? Can you get a tour before the big day? You’ll have plenty of unexpected things to navigate during your pregnancy and birth, but the location and your treatment shouldn’t honestly be one of them. What are their policies about eating and drinking during labor? What kind of pain relief options do they have? Is anesthesia on site at all times? Do they support VBAC?

This can all seem really overwhelming, especially to first time parents that haven’t ever had to deal with any of these questions. Maybe you’re still trying to figure out how YOU feel about these things before you even can have an opinion about how your provider does. That’s ok, seriously. As doulas, we want you to feel ready to make these decisions. We want to give you all the information you might need to figure out how YOU want to approach pregnancy and birth without any bias. This is one of the reasons we highly recommend a quality childbirth education course for everyone by the way.

Not the vibe?

Finally, it needs to be said that if a provider isn’t the right fit for you, then it’s ok to move on and find someone else. You have NO OBLIGATION to stay with a provider just because you’ve established care or even because you’ve been seeing them since you were a teenager for GYN services. Chances are, they’re so busy they may not even realize you’ve stopped coming to them. Also of note: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO SWITCH AT ANY TIME, including during labor. You are under ZERO obligation to be cared for by anyone who is not the right fit. You have the right to fire them on the spot and ask for someone else, yes, seriously…including your nurse btw. While that might sound scary, so is being cared for by someone you don’t trust during labor and delivery! You’re the boss applesauce, and if anyone in your space makes you feel anything other than that, you can make a change at any time!

Choosing a provider doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This is one of the things we cover in our FREE E-Book: Getting Started. We also talk about this stuff with all of our clients. Even if you have a limited pool to choose from, we can talk to you about our experiences with different providers. Yes, we do have a list of providers we won’t work with too, and we’re happy to tell you who they are if you ask! You deserve the best, no matter what your skin color, income, or insurance situation is. Demanding better options and hitting the bad providers in the pocketbook is the only way we’re going to make change here, clearly.

“The Secret Menu”

Have you ever wanted to order something that wasn’t on the menu at a restaurant like they do in Ratatouille the movie? What about finding that ever elusive Unicorn Frappucino? Well, we firmly believe that when it comes to your pregnancy, birth, & postpartum, there should NOT be a secret menu. That’s why we’re here to both demystify some of the evidence based things you could be using/requesting AND to make recommendations for you too. Secret menu items might be all fine and good for fast food restaurants, but we’re not keeping these secrets from you any more!

**Note, some of these links are affiliate links and we may get a small compensation if you use them. We promise this is not how we are getting rich, and we only recommend products we really love!**

Secret Menu for Pregnancy Top 5

Pregnancy can be rough, but we’re here to tell you some of our favorite “secret menu” things that can make it a little bit better. Here are our top 5:

1. Compression Socks–yes they can be tough to get on, but they seriously help with swelling so much. Kindred Bravely has some that don’t even look like your grandma would wear them, & bonus this mom owned company has comfy cozy clothing for every step of your pregnancy to postpartum journey.

2. Slide on shoes–bending over to tie your shoes is overrated, & we’ve been hearing rave reviews of Hey Dude Shoes from lots of our clients.

3. Magnesium lotion is great for helping with restless legs, and our favorite is the lavender sleepy lotion from 8 Sheep Organics.

4. A good support belt will save your lower back as your belly grows & we think the awesome belts that Belly Bandit sells are soooo worth your investment.

5. Finally, our secret menu favorite thing to recommend is to take an independent childbirth education class that fits with your goals. We know of a ton of great online classes to fit every budget (including free), & if you want to try an in-person class, hit us up, because we totally do that!

Lamaze Classes for VBAC, Bringing Home Baby, Breastfeeding Basics, Labor Pain Management, Safe & Healthy Birth in 6 steps, or Labor Confidence (free).

Alice Turner has awesome classes including Supporting Her (specifically for partners), Birth A to Z (free), & FREE live Lamaze classes via her YouTube channel too.

If you’re looking for an awesome class for partners to learn how to help, The Birth Partner’s Ultimate Labor Support Toolkit is an excellent one!

Mandy Irby (The Birth Nurse) has a really great pre-recorded full Lamaze class that I like to recommend as well: Ultimate Guide to Taking Control of Your Childbirth. (Use coupon: BIRTHGEEKS for 15% off)

Secret Menu for Birth Top 5

Not all of these options are available at all facilities, but it never hurts to ask and even asking for these things helps plant a seed that people would like them.

1. Intermittent &/or Telemetry Monitoring can be soo helpful for movement while you are in labor! Intermittent monitoring is typically available if you don’t have any drugs in your system & everything is looking great with you & baby. Times for intermittent monitoring can vary, but typically 15-20 minutes out of every hour used as a metric. Telemetry monitoring is WIRELESS & AMAZING for sooo many reasons including moving, getting up to use the restroom, walking the halls, etc. ASK for these things!

2. Squat Bar–YES, they have them, & no you don’t have to use them to squat if you don’t want to. I like to wrap the center of a sheet around the bar & put the ends in your hands so you can put your feet on the bar and pull the sheet while you’re pushing. It works really well for some people!

3. A Roller Ball Massager is something that you’ll need to bring, but you can grab a cheap one at 5 Below to help with massage and counter pressure on your partner’s sacrum. It is one of my most used tools in my doula bag.

4. Eye Masks are great for both helping you focus internally on how you are feeling & coping with labor AND signaling to the people around you that you want to be left alone to concentrate. Psst, I really like to wear one when I’m trying to sleep during the day and my kids keep coming upstairs to ask me questions too.

5. Alternate Pushing Positions are NOT used enough, & I’m here to say that they need to be, even for people who have epidurals!! As a #birthdoula, I’m a HUGE fan of whatever works for you and your baby, but I hear soo much misinformation about pushing positions, & the constant assumption that flat on your back with your legs in stirrups is just how it is going to be, is frankly annoying and not at all supported by evidence or physiology for the most part. I’m here to say that you CAN push in other positions and you probably SHOULD at least try a few before you figure out what will work for you.

Secret Menu for Postpartum Top 5

Everyone wants to buy stuff for your baby, but all of our “secret menu” things are specifically for YOU!

1. Milk Collectors are awesome for catching that extra liquid gold that might otherwise end up in your bra, but be aware that there are passive collectors like Milkies Milk Saver on-the-go & active ones like the Haakaa silicone pump. If you have a tendency to overproduce, be aware of if you are demanding more or just collecting.

2. The fancy peri-bottle made by Frida Mom is Ah-mazing if you’ve had a vaginal birth. Seriously!

3. #Cesarean or not, a belly binder can be your friend in those first days when your abs & organs are all still rearranging.

4. Clothes that are especially made for nursing your baby and being comfortable are important, & Kindred Bravely has some of our favorite pieces (& you can 10% off by using our link.

5. Our favorite pillows for nursing are from My Brest Friend, and not just because of the awesome pockets, though those are great too.

We truly hope…

We truly hope to keep breaking down the secret menu for our clients and community. If you don’t know to ask for these things, you might not get them. Keep learning and pushing for change, you know we will too.

5 Induction Truths

An induction is discussed with every pregnant person at some point, & these are 5 truths you may not hear anywhere else.

1. Sometimes Induction is Necessary.

High blood pressure, blood sugar control issues, protein in your urine, health concerns for the baby, and more can make it healthier for your baby to be better on the outside than on the inside. These are very valid medical reasons to be induced. Some providers prefer inductions to take place because of suspected big babies, low fluid, getting close or passing your due date, and other reasons. As we know from the evidence, these are NOT medical indications for induction.

2. You CAN Say No.

If everything is fine with you and the baby, then it is perfectly ok to say no to an induction. Even if you are in the hospital for an induction, you are STILL allowed to say no to anything that they offer, and you should be having a true informed consent and refusal discussion for each and every procedure. This includes breaking your water, starting medications, cervical exams, internal monitoring, the type of cervical ripening medication, and ANY TIME someone wants to touch you! Signing up for an induction does not mean you leave your autonomy at the front door. You’re still the boss applesauce!

3. Induction Increases Your Risk of Needing Cesarean Surgery.

Yes, there was ONE study that found that inducing everyone at 39 weeks reduces the cesarean rate, which actually was really problematic. I have discussed this previously along with a BUNCH of other scholars, however there is far more research that says the opposite. I really appreciate Dr. Sara Wickham’s resources on induction for help making informed decisions. This is something that needs to be discussed before you agree to any induction, no matter why it is being advised.

4. Induction Affects More Than Just When the Baby is Born.

Induction is forcing your baby and body to do something before they are ready to do it on their own. Most due dates are an estimate, and none are expiration dates, as babies keep developing even after they are born. Induction interrupts the hormonal physiology of birth, as Dr. Sarah Buckley has published on extensively. Interventions also affect breastfeeding, which can make feeding your baby more challenging after an induction. This needs to be part of the discussion when you are weighing the risks and benefits of whether to choose an induction.

5. Induction Can Take a LONG Time.

Especially for first time parents, induction can take a really long time. Locally most inductions start overnight with a cervical ripening medication and then proceed the next day. Will you be allowed to eat and/or drink during that time? Will you be allowed to take a shower? Will you be on the monitors the entire time? When are you allowed to get an epidural if you want one? Will your provider be there the whole time? What kind of time limits will they put on your progress? Will there be breaks? Can you bring your Fire Stick to keep watching your current favorite binge-worthy show? Ask questions to help yourself make the most informed decisions regarding your care!

The bottom line is this: If your provider is recommending induction, have an open and honest conversation with them using the BRAIN acronym:

  • Benefits–what are the benefits to this?
  • Risks–are there any?
  • Alternatives–what else could we try?
  • Intuition–what does your gut say?
  • Nothing–what happens if we wait?

Only YOU get to decide what is the right choice, and we want to make sure everyone goes into birth and parenting with their eyes wide open from the beginning. Want to do some more digging before making a decision about an induction? Asking for TIME can be the most empowering way to step away from what can be a high pressure feeling power imbalanced situation when you are sitting there with your pants off talking to your provider. We talk to clients about this all the time, so feel free to give us a call for a consult if you want a little help!

Online Learning Options

Evidence-based online courses for learning about childbirth, feeding your baby, and postpartum planning.

Everything might feel upside down right now, but learning what you need to know when you are expecting doesn’t have to be a scramble! In the past few years, there has been a wealth of information for expecting families that has moved online. I know that online learning isn’t everyone’s preferred method, BUT it can be really great, not just for times when we are in the midst of a pandemic. Online learning can be a great way to work around busy schedules. It also allows you to learn about things privately that you might not want to discuss in front of a group of strangers. Learning about what to expect is a great way to mitigate fears.

I have searched the internet and found some great online courses for learning that I am honestly excited to recommend to you. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it will definitely get you started in looking at online courses. (Full disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you click through and buy things.) I am only posting links to evidence-based courses that I am happy to send my clients. I will try to keep updating this list when I find more great online classes too!

Childbirth Education

Lamaze has 6 different online courses for expecting parents:

  • FREE Labor Confidence with Lamaze Course here
  • Safe & Healthy Birth: Six Simple Steps here
  • Labor Pain Management: Techniques for Comfort and Coping here
  • Breastfeeding Basics: From Birth to Back to Work here
  • Bringing Home Baby here
  • Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC): Informed and Ready here

If you are looking for a great overview, you should check out Alice Turner’s FREE class Birth A to Z here. This is filled with videos about all kinds of topics that you might not find in every birth class.

The Birth Nurse has an entire Lamaze course already online, if that is something you have been searching for. She also co-teaches a live class called Fearless Birth, Delivered where you get a fun box of tools in the mail and live instruction. You can save money on both these courses by using the coupon code: BIRTHGEEKS. Mandy’s YouTube Channel is chock full of information too!!

If you are looking for a more comprehensive online learning class with a natural focus, you should check out the Giving Birth Naturally Courses here. I have also had clients rave about Mama Natural’s online childbirth education course that you can find here.

Thinking about trying out hypnosis for labor? Check out this course by the Positive Birth Company here. This class is inexpensive and includes printable content as well as downloadable tracks to listen to in labor.

Supporting Your Partner

Adriana Lozada, of the Birthful Podcast fame, has this great course that promises to take partners from clueless to “I got this!” Check out The Birth Partner’s Ultimate Labor Support Toolkit here.

If you loved Birth A to Z with Alice, you should definitely check out her course just for partners called Supporting Her here. She’s even added a new labor practice module recently due to the pandemic!

Feeding Baby

Bonnie Holt Logsdon is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant that I know in Louisville, & she has some great new online courses to check out here. These include a FREE 2 hour breastfeeding basics class, as well as low cost classes on back to work pumping & starting solids too.

Lactation Link has some great classes too that you can find here on brestfeeding basics, hurdles & how-tos, & pumping and storing breast milk too. You can get 15% off their courses when you use this coupon code: doulagroupofevansville15.

If you want to learn more about feeding your little humans, first of all you should go follow the Feeding Littles pages all over social media, because they are great for information! But if you want to learn more about feeding babies and toddlers the healthy way, check out their online courses here. You can use our coupon code for $10 off the courses too: DOULAGROUPOFEVANSVILLE

Postpartum

Oh yeah, there are courses for that too! Adriana Lozada has a postpartum planning worksheet that you can get just by giving her your email address here. She also has a great class called Thrive With Your Newborn: Postpartum Prep Course that you should check out here.

Online learning options have come so far recently. I hope you will consider checking these things out, especially if your planned class got cancelled recently due to COVID-19. Preparing for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum helped ease my anxiety and take some of the worry out of it all. I hope that these classes will be able to do the same for you.

If these online learning opportunities still leave you wondering how they compare to our local options, I would love to talk to you! As a doula and childbirth educator in Evansville since 2014, I am a professional at helping people navigate the local birthing scene. Happy learning!

Helpful Tools for Birth**

Learning about helpful tools for birth before you get there can mean you know what to ask for and how to use the things available to you! This can improve your confidence and birth experience.

Not all labors and deliveries are the same, but using tools can be a great thing for almost every birth. The same tools don’t work for every situation but learning what is available, when, and how to use them is really helpful! **Don’t worry, none of the tools in the picture are used for labor or delivery.** No matter where you are planning to give birth, there are tools that you can use. These are my top 3 most helpful tools for birth!

The Birth Ball

The birth ball is really just an exercise ball that gets a fancier name in labor and delivery. There are a ton of ways to use the birth ball during pregnancy, labor, & postpartum. These are very versatile and helpful tools for birth. You can use it by sitting and bouncing with less upward pressure while you still have a baby inside. You can lean on it. Kicking it works too. You can do all kinds of things with this ball. (I advise against sit-ups on it while in labor.) The birth ball opens up your pelvis and keeps you out of bed while laboring. Moving your hips in a circular motion keeps you moving too. I’ve had several clients just want to bounce on it in labor. I spent months postpartum bouncing on a ball to keep my firstborn happy. Ask for the ball when you arrive at the hospital! If you are planning a home birth, you should plan to purchase one in the right size for you.

Peanut Ball

Every time I see a yellow peanut ball, I cannot help but think of minions while simultaneously wanting to draw a monocle on them. Peanut balls might look funny, but there is science behind these amazingly helpful tools for birth. Contrary to what some might believe, you can absolutely use a peanut ball if you do not have an epidural! They are great for parents with epidurals too though. Peanut balls help keep your pelvis open while you are resting. There are all kinds of positions for using this ball. Learning about how to use it to shorten your labor before you go is a great thing to do. Seriously, ask for the peanut ball! I will warn you that if you don’t have an epidural, using a peanut ball can be uncomfortable, but it can also be very effective.

Bed + Squat Bar

Staying out of bed is a great thing for while you are laboring, but hospital beds can also be helpful. I love to request the squat bar attachment to the bed for laboring and pushing. I also like to call them Go-Go-Gadget Beds because of how many different positions and options they have. This is why the whole bed plus the squat bar is really a helpful tool for birth. Squatting has all kinds of benefits for birth, but it can be exhausting if you try to do it without breaks or without preparing yourself. You can even use a squatting position for pushing or wrap a sheet around the bar to pull on while you lean back. There are lots of possibilities when you know your options and how to use them.

FYI: If you are planning a home birth, finding places to squat and learning to do a supported squat with your partner or doula are great alternatives to the bed. Looking around your house and finding places to do all the best birth positions is something I always like to do at prenatal visits with home birth clients. Bonus: your midwife might bring along some of the things from my wish list below!

Tool Wishlist:

The bottom line is this: There is no one set of helpful tools for birth that will work for everyone. Having more tools in your tool box and knowing how to use those can give you more options. Practice using these tools if you can, or even just watch some helpful videos. You can bring more tools with you too if you’d like. Heck, even dancing can be a helpful for birth!

If you’d like to come learn more coping techniques, including getting to practice with these balls before labor, we have a class for that! Spend 3 hours on a Saturday morning learning more tools and non-medical coping techniques for labor and delivery. Here are the dates and links to sign up if you are interested:

The Importance of Childbirth Education

Inform yourself and know your options!

An excellent childbirth education class is worth your time and money! Learning about the path that many have trodden before you is a GREAT thing to do. Evidence-based childbirth education classes help parents prepare for labor and birth by teaching pain-management strategies, while also providing information on informed consent for the pre-labor and labor processes. Classes can help instill confidence in parents’ abilities to cope with labor, which is pretty priceless! Childbirth education helps lower fear and anxiety regarding labor and birth, and has been shown to be a critical factor in reducing early elective delivery by induction. Don’t just take my word for it, read the policy brief that my certifying organization wrote. Not all childbirth education classes are the same, which is great because not everyone learns the same way or needs/wants to know the same information.

January 25th-31st is International Childbirth Education Week

2020 is the very first year of celebration for International Childbirth Education Week. I am so very proud to have helped start this movement & to be one of the first endorsers of this important week. Childbirth educators are special people that love to talk about the pelvis and cardinal movements. We love to dispel myths about childbirth and set the record straight when we hear or read people spreading misinformation. My style is more to pull the listener to the side to say, “you know that’s not really how that works,” and then explain what I know, rather than trying to correct someone’s grandma who just told them to rough up their nipples with a towel. (That’s totally not something you need to do BTW!)

I LOVE teaching childbirth education classes!

Those little A-HA moments are priceless. I love helping students know all their options. Helping people grow their resource list for who to ask and where to go is great too. A skeptical student converted when they try a double hip squeeze is awesome! There is nothing like the faces of satisfied students who feel more confident. Their emails with baby pictures and birth stories touch my heart.

Upcoming classes

I am currently only teaching private childbirth education classes that include 6 very full hours of instruction in my office space or your home. A 96 page binder full of information, handouts, & worksheets is included. Relaxation techniques, massage, movement, positions, & how to use tools will of course also be covered. I promise we’ll practice the breathing techniques that everyone seems to expect from Lamaze too. You can find more information on pricing and contact us here if you are interested.

If group classes are more your thing, in 2020 we have 4 group classes scheduled for “Natural Coping Techniques for Labor and Delivery.” This is a 3 hour class where we focus on how to deal with contractions without pain medication. This is not a “tell you what to do” kind of class. This is more of a “give you some ideas” kind of class. Importantly, it also includes snacks & is only $30/couple. Here are the links to sign up if you’d like to join us for a Saturday in 2020:

  • February 8th 9am-noon here (2 weeks from today!)
  • April 4th 9am-noon here
  • July 11th 9am-noon here
  • October 3rd 9am-noon here

Taking a childbirth education class is something that everyone should try. Even if you hate it, at least you and your partner will have something to laugh about on the way home. There are a ton of online options too if in-person isn’t you thing, and FREE ones too. Here is the Lamaze FREE class on increasing labor confidence and here is my friend Alice’s FREE online class Birth A to Z! No matter what kind of childbirth education classes you choose, INFORM YOURSELF!! You will increase your confidence even just to ask more questions, and that’s a good thing!

Childbirth Education Improves Outcomes

A recent study found that taking a childbirth education class improves birth outcomes. People who took a childbirth education class in this study were three times more likely to have a vaginal birth. Taking a childbirth education class helps improve confidence and skills for coping with labor and delivery. Childbirth education is still important, no matter what kind of birth you are planning.

Group & Private Classes Available

Coping with Labor Naturally is a 3 hour group class that covers the basics you need. The next one will be Saturday February 8th, 9am-noon, and you can sign up here. I will also teach this class in April, July, & October in 2020, so stay tuned if you are interested but not quite ready to sign up yet. This is a great class to bring your partner so they can learn ways to help you in labor. You will also learn which tools to bring with you and which to request when you get to the hospital.

If group classes aren’t your thing, maybe a full private childbirth education class would be right for you. Full private childbirth education classes have 6 hours of private instruction in your home or at my office space. I am a Lamaze certified childbirth educator who only uses evidence-based information. Yes, we will talk about the hee-hee-hoo-hoo breathing, but I cover everything from pregnancy nutrition to birthing positions to postpartum healing. I’m also an experienced birth doula, so I know the ins and outs of the local birthing scene too. This 6 hour class comes with a 96 page spiral-bound book of handouts and articles packed full of information for parents too!

I also have the option of a private 3 hour birth planning only session. This class is easy to customize for your needs and specific situation. I’m happy to cover whichever topics you might be interested in learning about, and help you come up with a plan. This is a great option for people who might be shy or have a very specific situation that needs specific information. This is also a great option for those birthing at home, who might want all the comfort techniques and help writing a transfer birth plan. Contact us directly to schedule a class and get more information!

Online Options

Maybe you’re really busy and would prefer an online option? Lamaze has some great online courses that are inexpensive and evidence-based.

  • FREE Labor Confidence with Lamaze Course here
  • Safe & Healthy Birth: Six Simple Steps here
  • Labor Pain Management: Techniques for Comfort and Coping here
  • Breastfeeding Basics: From Birth to Back to Work here
  • Bringing Home Baby here
  • Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC): Informed and Ready here

There are other online courses as well that I like, but I will say that most people benefit from some in-person, hands-on learning too. No matter how you choose to learn, taking the time to prepare for childbirth is a GOOD thing to do. Refreshing your knowledge and skills, even if this isn’t your first birth, are also good uses of your time and energy. I’m always happy to recommend books to read too! Childbirth education is important. Childbirth education is helpful. Childbirth education is worth your time.

2019: Connection & Growth

A year for transition has been excellent for growing and connecting with so many new people.

Every year I pick a focus word, and for 2019 I chose: connection. It has felt like a year for transition for my business for many reasons, and I am looking forward to some exciting new connections and growth in the new year. Before we get there though, I think it is important to look back and recognize what was accomplished in 2019.

I started the connections of 2019 by orchestrating an entire blog series connecting with other great local businesses! This even included 2 giveaways to local businesses, and I am looking forward to hopefully coordinating more in 2020. I taught a new class this year on natural coping techniques for labor and delivery, and it seemed to go over really well with the students. I did not teach any group childbirth classes, but I did teach some private childbirth education courses. I had a few speaking engagements as well at Common Grounds connecting and growing with fellow entrepreneurs and at Central High School with students too!

Making connections and growing with fellow doulas and childbirth professionals was also an important priority for me in 2019. I hosted a certified lactation educator training, a birth doula training, and a TENS training for doulas in 2019. I helped plan a meet the doulas evening where we hosted potential clients who came to ask us all kinds of questions. Some of my favorite conversations happened around my kitchen table at our doula gatherings too, and those connections are always extra special. Additionally, I became a member of the Southwest Indiana Breastfeeding Coalition, and that has been really great way to learn, connect, and grow with all kinds of local lactation professionals too.

I made connections and grew through learning and the wider profession a priority in 2019. I continued serving on the data collection subcommittee of the advocacy committee of DONA International, my certifying organization. I attended and received continuing education at 5 online conferences through GOLD Learning. I presented and attended the Evidence Based Birth Conference in Lexington, KY. I reviewed three books for the Lamaze International blog this year too. I also cultivated connections with the whole wide world through the launch of The Birth Geeks Podcast with my friend and doula mentor Robin Elise Weiss.

All of these connections and growth, local to international, doula to client, brain to information, face to face, they have all been so very special to me. I am proud of the work I have done this year, and I haven’t even started talking about my connections with my amazing clients. (That’s for my next blog post.) 2019 has been a special year as I have stepped whole-heartedly forward and grown with each new connection that I have made. These connections have sometimes been hard won, but I would not trade them for the world. Thank you to every single person whose connections have been invaluable to my amazing year.