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MotherWit Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes focus on preparing you for the labour and birth of your baby/babies, and the early days of parenthood. Traditional childbirth education classes, often held in hospitals or clinics, are the norm for most parents seeking information about what to expect and how to cope.
In most childbirth classes, labour is depicted as an event that is expected to progress in a certain way, outlining things the hospital will do to and provide for the mother and baby. Charting times and numbers (of contractions and dilation) are emphasised as primary ways to figure out how labour is progressing instead of focusing on the mother’s experience. There is often very little hands-on instruction on how to cope with the sensations of labour.
Doulas have a significant wealth of information to share when it comes to labour and birth. We stay with one mother throughout her experience until the baby arrives. Without being clinically responsible for our clients, we are free to observe and provide comfort. In our observations, we have learned a lot of things you may not know about labour, and some things most medical staff members don't have a lot of experience with, such as, for example, the most effective ways of helping a couple get through labour without an epidural. For first time mothers in hospitals, epidurals are taken at a rate of up to 98%. This statistic does not necessarily reflect what couples wanted for |
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| their births. In many instances, a woman chose an epidural because she and her partner did not feel they had the resources to cope with the intense sensations of childbirth, and were not adequately prepared by just reading books. |
We feel our Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes will provide the tools you need to make empowered choices for your big day. Instead of focusing on birth “plans”, we encourage a flexible, balanced attitude in order to cope with whatever surprises your birth decides to bring. We emphasise the importance of observing and tending to the woman, not the clock.
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MotherWit Doulas believe the vast majority of women are capable of giving birth with as little intervention as possible when appropriate. We want to guide you to finding that wisdom within you which has known for a few thousand generations how to give birth. We also address and honour your concerns about birth, and feel the best education outlines your choices, and respects the decisions you make with your primary health care practitioner (doctor or midwife). While we hope to build confidence in women so they feel capable of giving birth naturally if they wish and circumstances favour, we fully support individual choice.
MotherWit Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes are a series of 2.5 hour evening classes, once per week for 6 weeks, or 2 Saturday Intensives taught by experienced birth and postpartum doulas. The class is intended for women and couples, whichever your situation. |
| A mother who is birthing without a partner may bring a support person to class with her if she wishes. Classes are usually given when the expecting mother is around 25 weeks pregnant, give or take a few weeks. These classes are also available to you in condensed format privately if you wish, at your convenience in the comfort of your own home. |
Cost of group class: $250 per couple - 12.5 hours of group training.
Cost of private class: $400 per couple - approx. 8 hours of individual training, either in two intensive sessions, or three sessions.
All MotherWit Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes students are welcome to join us at our MotherWit “meet and greet” gatherings to share birth stories, build community, and learn about parenting resources.
Course Outline:
How Your Body Gives Birth Normally
- How birth today reflects our culture
- Nourishing the pregnant body and mind
- The anatomy and physiology of birth
- Signs of impending labour
- How labour looks, sounds, and feels
- Birthing your baby
- Role of the partner
Making Choices
- What to bring with you to your planned place of birth
- When to go to your planned place of birth
- What happens when you get there
- Common medical routines and interventions in birth: benefits, risks, and choice
- Common challenges in labour and birth
How to Cope With Your Unique Labour
- The pitfalls of not preparing for the reality of pain
- The immense value of normal labour pain
- Managing expectations
- Determining how you personally process discomfort
- Coping with labour pain with breathing, visualization, motion, nutrition, rest, and positions
- Promoting optimal fetal positioning
Coping Continued, Emotional Preparation for Labour, and the Basics of Breastfeeding
- The Gate Theory of Pain Inhibition in Action –Mother Massage
- Inducing Relaxation
- Pregnant Women: Exploring your Concerns Surrounding Birth through Guided Imagery and Artwork
- Partners: What Worries You?
- Role Playing
- Baby-led Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Continued, Postpartum, and Parenting
- Common Breastfeeding Challenges and Troubleshooting
- The Postpartum Family
- Common Newborn Concerns
- Nourishing the Couple
- Nourishing Community
The MotherWit Birth Essentials Prenatal Classes are held at 5726 Sherbrooke W Suite 214
MotherWit requires a non-refundable deposit of $50 to hold your place in the class.
Please contact info@motherwit.ca for further info or to register.
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