Do you HAVE to have Childbirth Education in order to give birth? Will your hospital turn you away if you haven’t had a Birth Class? Obviously No, they will not. It is not an absolutely imperative part of the basic process of birth. If you’ve been around for any length of time you know that I think Childbirth Class is good for everyone, however I do realize that there are many reasons people choose to take a class or not.

If you’re pregnant and have a partner or spouse supporting you then it’s important for them to have the education and resources to support you well in the pregnancy, labor and postpartum. When a new baby is coming to a family it is a family adjustment.

If you’ve been around here for a while you’ve heard me talk about Evidence Based Birth™ as a reputable resource for research and data around birth. But you may not know that they also have amazing classes for pregnant families. There is comprehensive Childbirth Ed as well as smaller workshops to fit the needs of families.

Today we are joined by the powerhouse, Leslie Greene who literally has skills in dozens of different specialties and is ALSO a doula, childbirth educator, etc. Her knowledge and experience is vast and I’m super excited for you to hear from her today.

What are the Benefits of Hypnobirthing? They are many! Today's episode is an interview with HelloBirth Hypnobirthing Co-Founder Lindsey Vick as she shares her depth of knowledge about the use of hypnosis in birth and how HelloBirth prepares students for their birth experiences.

I’m joined this week by my dear friend and colleague, Irene Kim who is a doula and Bradley Method Instructor. She dives into the ins and outs of the Bradley Method. What is it, how it got started, etc. This is a common type of childbirth education so I wanted to be sure to cover it so people have a good understanding of what the philosophy is behind it.

Some birth classes are virtual, some are in person, some are self-paced, but there are also some that are hybrid. There are a few variations of hybrid classes. This episode covers two types: 1. A class that’s virtual and in person but taught live. 2. A class that’s a mixture of self-paced pre-recorded information and virtual, but live classes . What these classes cover varies from one class to the next, but they are usually similar to Birth 101 or Childbirth Express classes.

The next type of childbirth class we’re diving into is a Natural Childbirth Class. That is a class often geared specifically for pregnant people who have the goal of an unmedicated labor. This type of class emphasizes comfort measures and non-medication coping skills in labor.

Childbirth Express or Weekend Birth Classes are common types of Childbirth Education. This episode dives into what those classes usually cover, how they work and how to decide if that’s a good fit for you.

Childbirth Education or a Birth Class is an important step in your preparation for labor and birth. Because of that we are kicking off Season 2 with a whole series on different types of Childbirth Education and are starting off with Virtual Self-Paced Options. Specifically The Birth Prep Blueprint is being highlighted today!

Childbirth Education or a Birth Class is an important step in your preparation for labor and birth. It not only helps a pregnant person understand what’s happening during labor in their body, but also helps them decide what things are important to them or what factors matter for them in the birth and postpartum period. 

Birth is hard; that is a well known fact. So what are some factors that can make it easier? This list is just a start of course, but it is a few things that I believe makes birth easier to mentally, emotionally and physically experience

What Happens With My Hormones after Giving Birth? How will I feel during the postpartum time? I remember asking these questions during pregnancy. These are common questions to have because of the talk about Postpartum Depression and then Postpartum Anxiety.  There is a lot happening with your hormones in the postpartum days and weeks and that is one more reason why rest and patience is so important. 

Nourishment is a vital part of the postpartum time. There are many specific traditions throughout the world on the best ways to nourish a postpartum person. The guest we have today is an expert in Ayurveda and will give us insight into how that medicinal tradition recommends nourishment to look after a birth.

The timeline of healing after a birth is slightly different for everyone. How quickly you heal from a birth depends somewhat on what kind of birth you had. There is a variety of parts of postpartum that impact healing after a birth.

If a person tears during vaginal delivery then the next question is usually how can I heal? Healing vaginal tears is a spectrum, just like anything in birth and postpartum. This episode dives into some tips about how to help that process proceed. 

Tearing during birth is one of the things most of us worry about! I know I did! I also hear many people saying they are trying not to tear without fully understanding how common tearing is and how it happens (in some small way) every time a person gives birth. Today’s question is How Common is a Tear During Vaginal Birth?

The question of when you might lose your mucous plug is a popular one. In part because it often gets associated with the start of labor, but that’s not always the case. While losing your mucous plug (or bits of it!) means your cervix is preparing for labor it does not mean that anything is imminent. This episode dives into when you may lose it.

If an epidural is part of your birth plan you may be wondering when it’s the right time to get one. Now, as in the case of many of the questions I answer, there is more than one answer to this! It depends one what your plan is and how your labor progresses.

Hospital Bags, Birth Center Bags, and Go Bags for a home birth…all are important and all need preparation ahead of time! This episode dives into when the “go bag” should be packed and what to do about things you need to add later!

Choosing the right time to take a Childbirth Class can be a stressful thing! But that’s not necessary. Choose the kind of class you’d like to take and then from there factor in having it completed by the first part of your 3rd trimester. Listen to hear more information about timing!