Childbirth Preparation
Whether this is your first birth, or you've given birth before, we want to help you feel prepared!
Our offerings, separately or in combination with doula services, can increase your knowledge and build self-confidence for birth, breastfeeding, and the early weeks of parenting.
Classes
Classes explain your options, as well as your rights, and teach decision-making skills so you can decide what’s important to YOU. BirthWise class participants enjoy individual attention . Classes are designed to provide you with the tools you need to meet your individual goals-whether that is for minimizing, postponing or avoiding medical interventions.
Current Offerings
The following classes are available as either Zoom or in-person sessions.
Contact Susan Petrus for more information or to schedule.
Birth Prep Essentials: Critical Skills for Better Birth: Let us show you how to begin preparing emotionally and physically for birth, as well as how to choose a care provider and birth location that are supportive.
Instinctive Birth (Birth as Emergence, not as Emergency): The Process of Normal Physiological Birth is truly amazing. Learn how hormones and physiology orchestrate to initiate and move both mother & baby through the stages of labor.
Navigating your Hospital Birth Part I: Basic Skills for Smoother Sailing: From what provisions to take and how to chart the course for smooth labor, to how to avoid unnecessary medical interventions. We'll explore normal hospital procedures, medications, interventions and discuss how to make the best decisions for your family based on medical evidence, available birth options, and your personal values and goals.
Navigating Your Hospital Birth Part II: Advanced Skills for Labor Variations: Births unfold in many ways. "Normal" is a huge range that includes many births that are not "textbook." Learn how to adapt and make decisions if labor does not start on it's own, follows a more meandering timeline, or is a planned or emergent c-section. Great preparation for creating a "Plan B" if the need arises.
Comprehensive Comfort Measures: Practice and preparation: positions, tools, massage techniques and relaxation exercises. Birth rehearsal… putting it all together.
Welcome to Parenting!: What happens AFTER the baby arrives? The nuts and bolts of physical self care after giving birth, newborn behaviors, newborn care, and other practical skills & information to see you through the early weeks postpartum.
Soothe & Sleep: Make sure that everyone thrives during the early weeks and months of parenting. Is everyone sleeping, eating AND getting emotional needs met?Includes information about sleep, swaddling, babywearing, and how to stay connected with your partner during the transition into a family unit.
Birth Prep Coaching
Birth Prep Coaching started as a response to hospital policies during COVID that prevented people from having a doula with them during labor. If you are looking for more individualized preparation either in addition to, or instead of having birth doula support, consider Birth Prep Coaching.
During these one-hour sessions, we help you through the introspective work of birth preparation, including helping you clarify your birth values, understand your options, and hone your decision-making skills. Together we'll find and fill in the gaps of your birth knowledge, and we'll teach your partner techniques and hands-on skills they can use to make your labor and birth more comfortable and supported.
