You may wonder what my classes offer that will be different than standard childbirth classes offered through the hospital.Since the classes are independent, I can offer a broad spectrum of information about choices that are available to birthing women. My classes are offered in 3 modules, offering 25 hours of instruction time, which is twice as long as most hospital classes. The first module is a 2 session "Nutrition/Exercise/ Relaxation" class that can be taken at any point in pregnancy. The second module is the 6 week "Birth" class that will cover informed decision making and comfort techniques for labor. The final module is a two session class on breastfeeding and newborn care.

We cover topics more in depth than is done in the standard classes, providing expectant parents with information about the pros and cons of various medications and procedures so that they can make informed decisions.

I also offer Christian classes on request.

 

The extended length of the classes also allow for more time to practice labor techniques-parents taking standard classes often forget many of the techniques they learned to handle labor once they are in the midst of labor; but parents taking longer classes usually report feeling much more confident and able to recall what to do to cope. My "Birth" module is limited to 4-8 couples, in contrast to hospital classes where 10-14 couples is not unusual. The class size allows for more individual attention in answering questions, as well as in scheduling classes to meet the needs of the couples involved.