Two-Weekend Childbirth Class Series
This class is taught by Kate Dewey and is the standard course covering Labor, Delivery, Newborn Care & Breastfeeding. Come and learn while connecting with other parents due around the same time as you!
This class is taught by Kate Dewey and is the standard course covering Labor, Delivery, Newborn Care & Breastfeeding. Come and learn while connecting with other parents due around the same time as you!
2 Week Class Outline
Class 1:
"Co-Creating the Birth Space"
We begin with covering the aspects of what makes a good environment for birth, what hormones are at play, and we discuss our partner's role as co-creator. We talk a lot about what needs to be present for labor to flow.
"Early, Active Labor and Transition"
We learn about the aspects of each stage of the dilation phase of labor, along with coping skills specific to these stages of labor.
"Pushing & Immediate postpartum"
We continue our discussion of the flow of labor how to manage the pushing stage and what happens with the MotherBaby after the birth. There is a great segment on how to help your body heal once you have birthed,
Class 2:
"Interventions, and creating a coping mindset"
We learn about the interventions offered in and out of a hospital. We also go over the mental coping skills we need to birth our babies naturally and incorporate practicing these visualizations in class.
"Breastfeeding and the Newborn"
Here we learn breastfeeding basics, emotional postpartum recovery, newborn procedures and a bit of the "happiest baby on the block" baby soothing skills.
"Labor Simulation"
The class ends with an hour long mock labor simulation. We put all of our coping skills to use as we go through a simulated labor.
"Co-Creating the Birth Space"
We begin with covering the aspects of what makes a good environment for birth, what hormones are at play, and we discuss our partner's role as co-creator. We talk a lot about what needs to be present for labor to flow.
"Early, Active Labor and Transition"
We learn about the aspects of each stage of the dilation phase of labor, along with coping skills specific to these stages of labor.
"Pushing & Immediate postpartum"
We continue our discussion of the flow of labor how to manage the pushing stage and what happens with the MotherBaby after the birth. There is a great segment on how to help your body heal once you have birthed,
Class 2:
"Interventions, and creating a coping mindset"
We learn about the interventions offered in and out of a hospital. We also go over the mental coping skills we need to birth our babies naturally and incorporate practicing these visualizations in class.
"Breastfeeding and the Newborn"
Here we learn breastfeeding basics, emotional postpartum recovery, newborn procedures and a bit of the "happiest baby on the block" baby soothing skills.
"Labor Simulation"
The class ends with an hour long mock labor simulation. We put all of our coping skills to use as we go through a simulated labor.
Class Materials
~ The instructor will provide the class packet
~ Each birthing pair will be asked to sign up for snack duty for one of the classes
~ We ask each birthing person to bring an Exercise or "Birth" Ball to the second and third classes.
~ We strongly recommend purchasing and reading some of the following books:
* "The Essential Homebirth Guide" (2013) by Jane E Drichta and Jodilyn Owen
* "Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn" (4th Edition) by Simkin et all
* "Nursing Mothers Companion" by Kathleen Huggins, RN, MS
* "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp, MD
~ Each birthing pair will be asked to sign up for snack duty for one of the classes
~ We ask each birthing person to bring an Exercise or "Birth" Ball to the second and third classes.
~ We strongly recommend purchasing and reading some of the following books:
* "The Essential Homebirth Guide" (2013) by Jane E Drichta and Jodilyn Owen
* "Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn" (4th Edition) by Simkin et all
* "Nursing Mothers Companion" by Kathleen Huggins, RN, MS
* "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp, MD
Testimonials
Kate
"Kate taught my birth class. I was amazed at her wealth of knowledge, and her easy going personality was exactly what my husband and I needed as we nervously anticipated our first child. Kate's experience with many different birth scenarios allows her to be comfortable talking to women with any birth plan with care and understanding. I watched her reach out to every future mother in our class, from women who were high risk and planned on c-sections, to women who wanted birth center or home births with minimal intervention. She spoke to them all with respect, and from her wealth of knowledge was able to connect and give them all the information they were looking for. I have kept in contact with Kate since leaving her class over 2 years ago, and have loved having her brain to pick whenever I had a birth or breastfeeding related question. I would recommend, without hesitation, Kate as a doula or birth instructor to anyone who asked. In my opinion, she is one of the best doulas I've ever come across, she truly was made for this job."
KC
"We really connected with KC during our classes. We learned so much from her. She helped us set good expectations and prepare for both the birth as well as the postpartum phase. We really appreciated how patient and thorough she was in answering all of the myriad questions we had for her and how she set clear expectations. At the actual birth KC was a pillar of support. She helped me husband I better understand what the doctors and nurses were doing during our labor and was a constant well of confidence we could draw from. My husband especially felt that KC empowered him to actively participate in the labor without becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. KC was well prepared for my specific needs during labor and I felt truly supported physically as well as emotionally. While in the throes of intense contractions the room shrank to just the six inches in front of my face and KC was there. She helped me keep my breathing rhythm, directed me in ways to better cope with the pain and reminded me to use the pauses between contractions to re-center myself. I had some complications during delivery and without KC I think the experience would have been much scarier. KC is down-to-earth, knowledgeable, experienced, cool-under-pressure and most important friendly. My husband and I endorse her without reservation."
"Kate taught my birth class. I was amazed at her wealth of knowledge, and her easy going personality was exactly what my husband and I needed as we nervously anticipated our first child. Kate's experience with many different birth scenarios allows her to be comfortable talking to women with any birth plan with care and understanding. I watched her reach out to every future mother in our class, from women who were high risk and planned on c-sections, to women who wanted birth center or home births with minimal intervention. She spoke to them all with respect, and from her wealth of knowledge was able to connect and give them all the information they were looking for. I have kept in contact with Kate since leaving her class over 2 years ago, and have loved having her brain to pick whenever I had a birth or breastfeeding related question. I would recommend, without hesitation, Kate as a doula or birth instructor to anyone who asked. In my opinion, she is one of the best doulas I've ever come across, she truly was made for this job."
KC
"We really connected with KC during our classes. We learned so much from her. She helped us set good expectations and prepare for both the birth as well as the postpartum phase. We really appreciated how patient and thorough she was in answering all of the myriad questions we had for her and how she set clear expectations. At the actual birth KC was a pillar of support. She helped me husband I better understand what the doctors and nurses were doing during our labor and was a constant well of confidence we could draw from. My husband especially felt that KC empowered him to actively participate in the labor without becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. KC was well prepared for my specific needs during labor and I felt truly supported physically as well as emotionally. While in the throes of intense contractions the room shrank to just the six inches in front of my face and KC was there. She helped me keep my breathing rhythm, directed me in ways to better cope with the pain and reminded me to use the pauses between contractions to re-center myself. I had some complications during delivery and without KC I think the experience would have been much scarier. KC is down-to-earth, knowledgeable, experienced, cool-under-pressure and most important friendly. My husband and I endorse her without reservation."