  “We have a secret in our culture… it’s not that labor is painful, it’s that women are strong.” Laura Stavoe-Harm Your classes will focus on ways to help labor progress in a normal, natural way. I believe that pregnancy and birth are alternate normal states for women and that when we treat our bodies with the belief that they do know what they are doing, and not interfere with the natural process, our births will be healthy. You’ll learn the risks and benefits of the various interventions you may encounter during birth, for by knowing and understanding your options you’ll be able to make choices for yourself. This class is for families who seek a natural birth AND for families who aren’t planning a natural birth. Top
All childbirth preparation classes include handbook and snack/break time. Lessons taught in your home, in Clifton Springs, or other quiet locations such as library or church meeting room. All classes are private lessons at this time. E-mail or call to arrange lessons. Packages: 1-on-2: If you have a friend who is looking for classes as well you can take classes together for $15 off per couple. Class plus doula service: $20 off classes if you hire me as your birth doula. ($10 off for clients using the sliding scale.) What will you experience in your classes? No more patterned breathing, that’s for sure! But I will teach you how to use your breath to your advantage. I incorporate:
A 2 1/2 hour class to bring the basics of breastfeeding know-how into your hands. We will cover positon and latch, how to tell if baby is getting enough, when to get help, understanding milk production, benefits of breastfeeding, how to avoid early weaning. This class currently being taught 1-on-1 or 1-on-2. Women or couples. $50.00 Please email or call to arrange for lesson. The Making of a Childbirth Educator
I knew there was more to learn and I made many, many trips to the library reading about Michel Odent and water birth, Frederick Leboyer and his ideas about birthing babies gently and kindly while being sensitive to their needs, I read Sheila Kitzsinger and all she knew about pregnancy, natural birth and ways to handle labor, and Dr. Bradley and his ideas about what he learned from laboring mothers in the animal kingdom, how support and encouragement help, and that by allowing a woman’s body to complete its pregnancy and begin labor on its own we can keep birth normal and healthy. I read about midwifery and also learned about medical ways to relieve pain. I knew what my options were. I had a natural birth with Elizabeth; it was “hard but do-able”. What did my childbirth classes teach me the most? By using my breath I could help myself keep a rhythm going that I could focus on and that would help me with my contractions. I still use rhythmic breathing and focus on breathing to help me with pain, discomfort and fear, it became a life skill. And that’s how my education in birth began.
Then I took my training in Lamaze Childbirth Education in 2006 so I could learn to share all the knowledge I have with you in a fun and interesting way! I sat in on Lamaze classes and took my seminar. Over several months I prepared my course design and had it approved and taught a lovely group of 5 couples who were very pleased with my teaching and found that the classes did help them with labor and their choices in birth. It's been an exciting journey! This journey will continue with Birthing From Within training...Can't wait! “If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any.” – Korte & Scaer
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When I first began to learn about birth I was pregnant with my first daughter, I couldn’t afford to take really good childbirth classes and was too shy to ask for a scholarship so, I settled for classes at the hospital. Back in 1992 Lamaze was still all about breathing in strange patterns which I knew I’d never remember and aside from 1 video of childbirth, that was about all they taught the parents about how to handle labor pain. 
I continued learning over the years. Fast forward to baby #2, I learned more about birth with birth videos my midwife loaned me. I read books on post partum health, breastfeeding, fertility awareness, and took a Bradley class. With birth #3, I read Pam England’s Birthing From Within, processing and healing from my first births, I sat in a women’s circle preparing to have my baby at home, and I read Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin which opened my eyes even more to the beauty of birth, the importance of our birth memories, and the empowerment that can come with taking an active informed role in our births.
I started helping women with breastfeeding via the WIC program and became certified in lactation counseling. Then I became a doula, sitting in on a complete series of Bradley classes, reading more books about birth, pregnancy and helping women birth. I continue to study, read and learn about birth as I maintain my certifications. With my last baby, guess what? I read several more books! 
