Natural Childbirth Class

The birth of every child has the potential to be a beautiful, transformative experience.  In this class we will focus on birth as a healthy and normal event, emphasizing natural pain relief methods.  During this class we will discuss anatomy & physiology, the roles of hormones in pregnancy and labor, how to recognize early labor, and the stages of labor and birth. Along with these discussion topics we will practice relaxation techniques, movement and positions for each stage of labor and birth, visualization techniques, and other comfort measures. We will spend some time discussing potential medical interventions and how to best make decisions about if, and, use them.  A short video will be viewed each week, and there will have plenty of time for questions.  We will discuss the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding and how to get off to a good start. Finally, we will end the session with information on newborns and what to expect postpartum. Moms will leave with a deeper trust in their bodies; birth partners will leave more confident in their ability to provide loving and vital support on the big day!

  As a certified childbirth educator through the International Childbirth Education Association (www.icea.org) I firmly believe parents need to feel empowered to make decisions that support their beliefs about the birth of their child. Too often families are lead to believe there is only one way to give birth, or are made to feel that have no power to make decisions during labor. My hope for you is that through my class you will be able to develop both the skills and confidence to labor and birth in a way that supports you during this transforming time in your life.  I’m the mother of one, and have spent many hours observing births at both Beverly Hospital, and the North Shore Medical Center.