Are you pregnant and uncertain about what you need to know and how you will cope with labour?
Rest assured you have come to the right place and I congratulate you for taking a positive step to ensure you and your partner will feel confident, prepared, and empowered during the birthing process.
Like many expecting parents while you try to prepare for the unknown you have probably wondered:
- How will I cope with the pain of labour?
- How will I deal with a long labour?
- Will I be able to rely on my partner to support me the way I need during labour?
- What will it take for me to recover physically and emotionally from the birth of my child?
- I want to breastfeed, but what if I have problems?
- How will my partner and I maintain our relationship after the baby is born?
You are not alone with your questions and concerns and my specialized Birthing From Within® Prenatal Classes can help.
Birthing From Within® is an invitation to birthing families to uniquely and holistically prepare for the journey of labour and birth. Not only by teaching about the physiology of pregnancy and labour, but through storytelling, art, and experiential activities you will learn to build a pain-coping mindset, to birth in awareness and are empowered to truly prepare for what birth and parenthood means to you individually. These classes are a mental and emotional preparation to childbirth unlike any other!
If you are an experienced Parent and looking for a review class
learn more about my Birthin’ Again Classes
What makes these classes unique?
Parent’s individual needs determine class content. Every class is a continually evolving process in that the classes are not a static structure of techniques but a constant journey of discovery. Through thoughtful discussion and interactive processes some of the topics commonly explored are:
- Birthing Basics: The stages of labour & hormones
- Hands-on: Pain-coping practices & positions for labour & pushing
- Identifying and exploring birth fears
- Exploring beliefs and expectations around labour
- Decision Making: How to choose “The Next Best Thing”
- Interventions: Benefits and risks to Mom and Baby
- Feeding your Baby: Breastfeeding basics and troubleshooting
- Postpartum: Mom & Dad’s expectations, essential information for the first few months of your child’s life, connecting you to community resources
- Special Partner’s Class: Help define his/her role, labour etiquette, how to best support Mom, how to take care of himself/herself during labour
A pain coping mindset is explored and pain coping practices are experienced in every class. The purpose of these practices if for you to readily and quickly be able to access the benefits of them during a very intense and stressful time, thus continued practice at home will allow you to benefit most during labour. I will teach you how to work with your partner so he/she can best support you to cope with pain.
Classes involve a multi-sensory approach, allowing you to access your own innate knowing. To birth your baby you will need to access your right or primal brain. In our society today we are so caught up with what to ‘know’ and what to ‘do’ that we very rarely leave our left/logical brain to listen to that side of ourselves that holds a deeper knowing. We will therefore utilize imagery, visualization, art, videos, role-playing, and more to start to access this valuable part of ourselves.
Fear is a very normal yet very powerful aspect of labour. We will look at the power of these fears being present during labour, conscious or not, and how to cope with any unwished for events and that may come up during labour.
The outcome of a birth cannot be predicted or planned. We will explore how to birth in awareness with your full heart and innate knowing, bringing your full self into each moment, regardless of the events or outcome. Unplanned or unwanted surprises are considered. We learn how to gather information and make informed decisions, opening to the full spectrum of possibility and support available.
Childbirth preparation is also parent preparation. Time and care are given to the passage as well as the practicalities involved in the transition to life after the birth. Becoming a parent affects all aspects of yourself, your relationships, daily life, and the way you experience yourself. You will be offered space to consider what it is like to become a parent, the range of emotions that are often experienced, how to maintain intimacy in your relationship, how to care for a newborn, sleeping and eating, and honouring your instincts.
Partners are encouraged to be an integral part of birth preparation and are invited to enter their own experience and process in connection with the mothers. A special class is set up just for partners led by Nicholas Crooks, Registered Massage Therapist, Certified Infant Massage Instructor, and father of two. During class, partners will have a chance to ask questions and learn tips for giving massage during labour. Nick will also explore birth from the partner's point of view and adds a humorous touch to learning the in's and out's of being a support person at the birth of your baby.
Partners will have a chance to explore:
- What it's really like to be with a woman giving birth.
- What's my line? How to talk to a birthing woman.
- Do's and Don'ts - Etiquette for birth.
- Being “Present”- what every birthing woman wants!
- Increase your endurance (self care).
A Postpartum reunion is held after the birth to reflect, celebrate, and connect. Here we gather to share moments from the birth that shaped you and changed you. Together we welcome the mother’s return, celebrating her as a “birth warrior.” As well Marie Arcand, RMT from Kitsilano Massage Therapy Clinic will come to the reunion to do a demonstration of infant massage.
- Read more Frequently Asked Questions about Birthing From Within®.
- Learn More about Birthin' Again Classes
- Learn more about Birth Doula Services
- Learn more about Postpartum Doula Services
