Contact us (216)633-2828
BirthWorks Childbirth Education Classes
What is BirthWorks?
BirthWorks childbirth education classes are a 6 week series designed to help parents prepare for their births. Certified BirthWorks instructors create an open space for dialogue and discussion, and emphasize the belief that birth is instinctive. These holistic childbirth classes encourage women to gain more trust and faith in their body's ability to give birth, and to honor the transition to motherhood.
· Unique childbirth classes providing academic and emotional preparation for birth
· Empowers parents to take more responsibility for birth
· Develops good decision-making skills
· Offers up-to-date information and research
· Provides support for women planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)
What is special about BirthWorks?
· We believe the knowledge about how to give birth already exists within every woman
· We help you have more trust and faith in your body knowledge
· Builds self-confidence
· Birth Works is a process, not a method
· We encourage you to take classes early in pregnancy
What will you learn?
· Pelvic bodywork to help build confidence to birth
· Explore the mind/body/spirit aspects of pregnancy, labor and birth
· Experience comfort measures for pregnancy, labor and birth
· Explore beliefs and attitudes about birth
· Learn the physiology of birth and its effects on hormones
· Assess risks, benefits & alternatives to medical procedures
· Choose a supportive birth team and write a birth plan
· Heal past emotional pain in preparation for birth
BirthWorks Class Outline
The first class is very successful in opening up the heart and establishing a close feeling among all those present. Couples immediately learn that BirthWorks is very different from other childbirth education programs. It is here that they can begin to have more trust and faith in their body knowledge that already knows how to give birth. They realize that learning will be enhanced through their participation in discussions and in sharing experiences...all led by their trained, experienced BirthWorks facilitator. Pelvic bodywork is introduced each class. Birth films and experiential exercises are interspersed throughout, making classes a place of laughter, joy, learning, and a feeling of what it is like to be in a safe place.
Class One: First Class: Feelings, Breath Awareness, Relaxation, Philosophies of Childbirth
Identifying feelings, expectations, fears and concerns about birth; Birth Works philosophies and how they contrast with the philosophies of the birthing world today.
Class Two: Relaxation, Nutrition/Exercise, Common Medical Procedures, Human Values in Birth
Role of good nutrition, exercise; a discussion of upright positions in labor and birth; discussion of common diagnostic and labor interventions in terms of the risk-benefit ratio and alternatives to routine use of interventions; accepting responsibility and taking an active role in birth; understanding how physicians are trained and the legal pressures that confront everyone. Finding a balance, using interventions only when the benefits outweigh the risks, and most importantly, gain confidence in our ability to birth.
Class Three: Place of Birth/Birth Team, Cultural Beliefs about Birth, Birth Art
The importance of doulas, labor companions, choosing a birth place that feels safe and a birth team that shares a woman’s philosophy of birth; examining and discussing how our culture's beliefs about birth shapes our own beliefs; birth art exercise
Class Four: Discussion of pain, Comfort Measures in Birth, Positive Positions during labor and birth, Optimal Pelvic Positioning
Examining beliefs about pain; discussion of common pain relief during birth, including natural comfort measures; getting to know what positive positioning looks like and how it can benefit both mother and baby, both during pregnancy and during labor/birth.
Class Five: Labor and Birth
Labor process and review of comfort measures; working with contractions; labor sounds; conscious birthing; birth visualization boards; the physiology of birth and role of hormones.
Class Six: Postpartum and Breastfeeding
Postpartum care of mother and baby; decisions concerning newborn in the hospital; discussion of the benefits of breastfeeding; basic beginning breastfeeding information; closing topics.
Woven throughout the classes are topics that include:
· the importance of grieving and healing from past losses
· ways to avoid unnecessary c-sections
· techniques of empowerment
· personal strengths and resources for birth
· positive birth stories/images
· factors that influence the safety of birth
· the safety of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
· writing a birth plan/visualizing a positive birth
· the mind/spirit/body connection
· how our beliefs and emotional states affect our births
· scientific, research-based information
BirthWorks childbirth education classes are a 6 week series designed to help parents prepare for their births. Certified BirthWorks instructors create an open space for dialogue and discussion, and emphasize the belief that birth is instinctive. These holistic childbirth classes encourage women to gain more trust and faith in their body's ability to give birth, and to honor the transition to motherhood.
· Unique childbirth classes providing academic and emotional preparation for birth
· Empowers parents to take more responsibility for birth
· Develops good decision-making skills
· Offers up-to-date information and research
· Provides support for women planning a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean)
What is special about BirthWorks?
· We believe the knowledge about how to give birth already exists within every woman
· We help you have more trust and faith in your body knowledge
· Builds self-confidence
· Birth Works is a process, not a method
· We encourage you to take classes early in pregnancy
What will you learn?
· Pelvic bodywork to help build confidence to birth
· Explore the mind/body/spirit aspects of pregnancy, labor and birth
· Experience comfort measures for pregnancy, labor and birth
· Explore beliefs and attitudes about birth
· Learn the physiology of birth and its effects on hormones
· Assess risks, benefits & alternatives to medical procedures
· Choose a supportive birth team and write a birth plan
· Heal past emotional pain in preparation for birth
BirthWorks Class Outline
The first class is very successful in opening up the heart and establishing a close feeling among all those present. Couples immediately learn that BirthWorks is very different from other childbirth education programs. It is here that they can begin to have more trust and faith in their body knowledge that already knows how to give birth. They realize that learning will be enhanced through their participation in discussions and in sharing experiences...all led by their trained, experienced BirthWorks facilitator. Pelvic bodywork is introduced each class. Birth films and experiential exercises are interspersed throughout, making classes a place of laughter, joy, learning, and a feeling of what it is like to be in a safe place.
Class One: First Class: Feelings, Breath Awareness, Relaxation, Philosophies of Childbirth
Identifying feelings, expectations, fears and concerns about birth; Birth Works philosophies and how they contrast with the philosophies of the birthing world today.
Class Two: Relaxation, Nutrition/Exercise, Common Medical Procedures, Human Values in Birth
Role of good nutrition, exercise; a discussion of upright positions in labor and birth; discussion of common diagnostic and labor interventions in terms of the risk-benefit ratio and alternatives to routine use of interventions; accepting responsibility and taking an active role in birth; understanding how physicians are trained and the legal pressures that confront everyone. Finding a balance, using interventions only when the benefits outweigh the risks, and most importantly, gain confidence in our ability to birth.
Class Three: Place of Birth/Birth Team, Cultural Beliefs about Birth, Birth Art
The importance of doulas, labor companions, choosing a birth place that feels safe and a birth team that shares a woman’s philosophy of birth; examining and discussing how our culture's beliefs about birth shapes our own beliefs; birth art exercise
Class Four: Discussion of pain, Comfort Measures in Birth, Positive Positions during labor and birth, Optimal Pelvic Positioning
Examining beliefs about pain; discussion of common pain relief during birth, including natural comfort measures; getting to know what positive positioning looks like and how it can benefit both mother and baby, both during pregnancy and during labor/birth.
Class Five: Labor and Birth
Labor process and review of comfort measures; working with contractions; labor sounds; conscious birthing; birth visualization boards; the physiology of birth and role of hormones.
Class Six: Postpartum and Breastfeeding
Postpartum care of mother and baby; decisions concerning newborn in the hospital; discussion of the benefits of breastfeeding; basic beginning breastfeeding information; closing topics.
Woven throughout the classes are topics that include:
· the importance of grieving and healing from past losses
· ways to avoid unnecessary c-sections
· techniques of empowerment
· personal strengths and resources for birth
· positive birth stories/images
· factors that influence the safety of birth
· the safety of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
· writing a birth plan/visualizing a positive birth
· the mind/spirit/body connection
· how our beliefs and emotional states affect our births
· scientific, research-based information
I’m so happy we were able to take the Birthworks class with Trisha in such comfortable, therapeutic environment. Trisha is extremely knowledgeable about birth, and she takes an artistic approach to teaching the class. While she covers all the facts involving pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care, she also weaves in an incredible spiritual side to motherhood, which I believe is much more powerful than learning just the facts. I absolutely love her natural, smart approach to childbirth and her confidence that we are all capable of birthing naturally and exactly the way we want. I feel empowered after the class and much more confident in myself about giving birth. This class gives you the tools to learn the facts, learn from and bond with other mommies, and most importantly, it teaches you to believe in yourself. Thanks, Trisha!
