Childbirth Education
I am a certified childbirth educator through International
Childbirth Educators Association teaching in Sonoma and
Marin Counties .
I believe your body knows how to give birth. My class helps  
you to work with your body by understanding how it works
and how to cope with labor. We learn together the
physiology of labor and delivery, positioning for optimizing
labor, comfort techniques, relaxation and breathing
techniques,and birth planning. Also covered is medical
interventions, newborn care, and breastfeeding basics.

I teach private  childbirth classes, infant care classes, and
breastfeeding classes in the comfort of your own home. I
have experience in home birth, hospital birth in all of the
area hospitals,  water birth, and birth center birth, and our
classes are appropriate for all birth settings. I do teach a
group class once a month for those preparing for a for
home birth. This 3 hour class is also helpful for those that
would like more information about laboring actively at home
before going to the hospital. The cost of this class is $60.00
for a group class, or $120.00 privately in Sonoma County.

Email or Call for Class Options and Information

Private Classes in your own home or ours, 3 hours: $120.00

Call to Register (707) 291-4086

Why Take Childbirth Classes?
We have all seen the portrayal of childbirth classes on television and in the movies. There are
naive young couples and a wild eyed educators hee-heeing and hoo-hooing together on the
floor. The couples gasp at horrific birth videos of birthing women. Anyone planning to use a
epidural is selfish and looked down upon. Birth itself is portrayed in the media with a women's
water breaking in public and a wild ride to the hospital after only one contraction.
There she begs for drugs and blames her partner for her agony, until she pushes her baby out
after one or two pushes. Between what we see in the media about childbirth classes, and what
we see about birth, is it any wonder that many couples are not interested in attending six weeks
of classes to learn about childbirth preparation?
More and more couples are choosing to skip childbirth classes because they are choosing
anesthesia or because of economics. Many feel embarrassed to ask personal questions in a
group setting. Often they rely on the visits to a often hurried doctor to give them the information
they need, or stories from friends, family, and anyone that stops to chat at the grocery store. That
is a good way to get some very scary birth stories told to you, often without understanding
themselves what really happened in their own births. What REALLY happens in a childbirth
preparation class and why is it important for you to attend one?
The goal for a good childbirth educator is for you to understand the many choices and options
available to you as parents. Your choices and your ability to communicate with the hospital
personnel can greatly effect your birth outcome. Birth is very hidden in our culture. We really
know very little about it, and yet it is a pivotal experience in our lives that stays with us forever. It
effects our feelings about our mothering, our bodies, and our sexuality. Women remember their
births all their lives
Birth is a natural process. Our bodies know how to give birth. The problem is not our uterus, but
our head. When we get stressed, our bodies produce stress hormones that cause our labors to
be altered or stopped. These stress related alterations of normal labor can cost you in many
unplanned interventions and medical costs. Understanding how the body works helps us to be
less stressed, and lets the uterus do it's job unhindered. A good educator will teach you the way
your body is designed to give birth, and how the body has wonderful hormonal tools for going
through this intense and amazing process.
Learning about both natural relaxation and medical pain relief measures before birth is so
important. Having medical procedures explained in the midst of contractions is distracting,
stressful, and overwhelming. Often when couples ask about medical interventions in labor in
their doctor appointments they are given simple or “lets just wait and see” answers. An example
is a woman that did not want to have her labor artificially induced. Her doctor told her that she
needed to have the baby and to just go to the hospital for a “little pill that would start labor
naturally” The nurse explained that the “little pill” was a cervical ripening agent and she would be
on monitors and an I.V. and the next morning they would start the medicine in the I.V. to “induce”
her labor. The mother was very upset and confused. Many women go to the doctor and say they
want “the shot” for labor, meaning the epidural. They really do not understand what an epidural
is or how it works. Many couples have no idea that you may not get an epidural even if that was
your plan for pain management until you are 4 centimeters dilated, which may be easily 8 to 10
hours into your labor. There are times when you may not be able to get an epidural for hours
due to the anesthesiologist being in surgery, or that she has to come from home to give it to you.
You may birth rapidly and not have time to get the epidural in place. I have attended two births as
a doula where the epidural did not provide complete pain relief. Every mother needs plan B.
Parents need to understand the pros and cons of all medical procedures as you are making
important decisions that effect you and your baby's health. What are the potential side effects
you should know about, what can help to minimize the side effects, and when can medical
intervention actually help you from getting major surgery? These are all subjects covered in a
good childbirth class that can also help you in making good decisions for your birth.
There are positions to learn that absolutely can help prevent a cesarean. These positions can
help rotate a baby from a posterior position that causes back labor and prolongs the labor. As a
doula I can honestly tell you that many women end up with surgery because they do not know to
simply turn over, or to change their position to aid the baby in turning through the pelvis. A good
educator is going to help you understand what you can do in many situations that a busy
nursing staff may or may not have time to tell you.
Partners have their own concerns surrounding birth. We often sit them on a chair in the birth
room for hours at a time. No one feeds them, and they don’t get sleep while they support you. To
top it off we call them “coach” for a game they have never played! Many of my best evaluations on
my childbirth classes have come from fathers and other support family. They have said to me
without a class they would have had no idea of what to expect, or how to ask questions of a
medical provider. Understanding what birth looks like, how the body works, and the normal
noises birthing women make can really help your partner to have more confidence and to know
you are really ok. One father told me if he didn’t know about the very normal trembling many
women experience in later labor he would have been terrified something was very wrong. He
stated that learning about birth helped him to become more fully involved in the birth experience
and feel he could offer his partner more hands on support and care.
You are making decisions the minute the baby is born about his/her newborn care and
treatment. These decisions may effect breast-feeding outcomes, as well as how your baby is
cared for after birth. The nursing staff have a series of routine newborn testing and procedures.
You may want to learn the pros and cons of these procedures and the benefits of delaying them
until after the first breast-feeding.
So what about the hee-heeing and hoo-hooing? Yes, some childbirth teachers teach breathing
and relaxation techniques that can be amazing tools for helping women through birth. Simple
breathing techniques can minimize tension , give you a focus, and oxygenate the uterus and the
baby throughout the labor.
There are many forms of childbirth education. The most commonly recognized is Lamaze and
Bradley. These both encourage the active participation of a healthy mother in the birth and
partner support. Bradley is very partner oriented.
You can look up these and other  certifying agencies online.Often mothers simply sign up for
classes at the local hospital or birth center. It is a good idea to speak with any educator you are
considering to find out her philosophies around birth. You want to find out if she is certified, and
if she has supported women or at least observed birth herself. Some educators are Registered
Nurses. A good educator will want to give you a balanced view on birth, that teaches you all of
your options. If an educator is limited to what a hospital says she can teach you may not learn all
your choices. You want to know what the class size is. ( 10 couples is usually a good size). You
need to know the cost and whether your insurance will cover the cost. Do you participate in the
class, or is it all lecture? You want to know if the class is a welcoming environment whether you
have a partner, or another friend or family member as your support person. Ask friends that
actually took the class for their opinions, or ask the educator if she can give you references.
There are teachers that teach in home private childbirth class as well. While you do not have the
benefit of sharing with other couples, I feel you still benefit greatly
from the information and knowing your options.
Another great part about childbirth class is meeting other couples that are in the same life
changing stage of life you are in. Many couples find themselves feeling isolated during
pregnancy and birth if they do not have friends that also have small children. You can make
connections at a childbirth class that can last forever Get to know some couples if you do not
have family or friends that have babies. Ask them over to your house, or at least exchange phone
numbers. No one is going to understand how you feel after only 3 hours sleep with a newborn
like someone else going through the same thing. These friends will be your lifeline and your
resource specialists. They often help you to learn of helpful hints, resources, great books, and
mom’s groups in your area. Some couples in my classes have made play groups that have
lasted over 10 years. That kind of support and friendship during parenting is priceless. So
whether or not you can imagine yourself hee-heeing, I hope you will consider investing in a
childbirth class. If money is an issue you may consider asking for class sponsorship as a baby
shower gift. Some classes are paid for by medi-cal as well. Some private teachers may arrange
a payment schedule with you. It is a great investment in your birth experience and in learning to
work together as a couple to bring your baby into the world. After all, they don’t come with
instructions.

How to choose a childbirth class

http://www.injoyvideos.
com/mothersadvocate/pdf/ma_hbyw-
ChoosingCBClass.pdf
The Doula Connection Free Childbirth Class
Come meet local Doulas in a fun and informal setting and enjoy a free
childbirth education class at the same time. My Baby News at 3011 A Santa
Rosa Avenue is hosting monthly a Doula Connection where you can a explore
the idea of having doula support at your birth or postpartum. The next Doula
Connection evening  is August 11 at 6:30 p.m. There will be a free class  
followed by a meet and greet with local doulas and refreshments .. You can
also shop in the most complete baby store in Sonoma County! There is no
charge for this fun and informational evening.  and the  Call Debbie at
(707)291-4086 if you need more information.

http://www.mybabynews.com/
Offering Doula Services to Birthing Families  in Sonoma, Marin, Mendocino, and Lake
Counties