Childbirth Preparation Class - 6-week series

Childbirth can be one of the most empowering, life-changing experiences in a woman's life. This course helps parents prepare for childbirth, maintain comfort during labor and make informed decisions around the birth of their child, while respecting that each family's choices and desires are different. In this 15-hour course, which meets once a week for 6 weeks, expectant moms and their partners will prepare for labor, learn what happens during labor physically and emotionally, and how to nourish and comfort yourselves during pregnancy, labor and postpartum recovery. We practice many different techniques for coping with labor, including labor positions, relaxation, guided imagery, theories of Hypnobirthing and Calm Birth, and various comfort measures. The class also includes discussion of Informed Choice, common interventions, pain relief options (pharmacological and non-pharmacological), and hospital birth, birth center birth and home birth.

The course fee includes a copy of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. An informational binder will be provided for the length of the class filled with local resources, Web resources, diagrams, drawings and articles.