Childbirth, Newborn Care, Breastfeeding and Parenting Education Classes
Photography on this page by MPR Photography.
Childbirth Education:
I offer engaging, dynamic evidence-based childbirth education classes in multiple formats.
These classes are appropriate for people planning hospital, home, or birth center births, natural births, and births with pain medications. There will be an emphasis on the physiology of birth and recovery, coping techniques, tools for support people and partners, and empowered decision making throughout birth. Classes are inclusive and welcome all gender expressions, family structures, and birthing preferences.
Class options:
All day Saturday intensive classes (8 hour intensive) $200
Sunday afternoon series (2 4-hour sessions, 8 hours total) $200
Weeknight classes (4 3-hour classes, 12 hours total) $280
The longer series will provide more detail and depth, and offer more opportunity for practicing positions and labor coping techniques.
Register
Newborn Care Classes:
Newborn care classes are a fun and hands-on introduction to caring for babies. We practice swaddling techniques, diapering and bathing, extensively discuss optimizing sleep during the newborn period, infant health and safety, and postpartum planning.
Class options:
Weeknight class (3 hours) $55
Sunday afternoon class (4 hours - Includes one hour on vaccinations from a pediatrician at Boost Oregon. The pediatrican will answer questions about safety, efficacy, and whatever else parents have on their minds when making important decisions about their children’s vaccinations.
For more info on Boost’s mission see their website: http://www.boostoregon.org/) $75
Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding Classes:
Prenatal breastfeeding classes increase the likelihood of breastfeeding success by about 70%. We will cover normal nursing mechanics, anatomy and physiology of lactation, troubleshooting minor issues, how to know your baby is getting enough milk etc.
Class options:
Weeknight class (3 hours) $55
Sunday afternoon class (4 hours, will cover pumping and bottle feeding as well) $75
Understanding research and informed decision-making for parents:
Parenting is full of difficult decisions. Many thoughtful parents want to make decisions based on the best evidence available but how do we find it? How do we trust it? Should we just follow the experts? What happens when a new study comes out and contradicts what the experts say? How do we know who’s right? Stephanie has extensive experience in academic and medical research, and is a graduate student in epidemiology. Her passion is bringing research to the people and helping parents contextualize and understand risk. This class will help parents understand how to interpret medical and parenting research, how to identify legitimate sources, how to understand and assess risk, and to make informed decisions that are right for their families based on the best available research.
Class options:
Weeknight class (3 hours) $45
Register
VBAC Class:
This class is for people who gave birth by cesarean previously and wish to pursue or are considering a vaginal birth for their subsequent births. This class will cover the risks/benefits of VBAC versus cesarean, safety concerns, optimizing VBAC success, and emotionally processing previous birth experiences.
Class options:
Weeknight class (2.5 hours) $60
Class not yet available. Stay tuned for announcement!
Private classes:
Introverts, fear not! I offer private classes catered to your needs. Private classes may also be appropriate for specific birth plans, high risk pregnancies/deliveries, those expecting multiples or other special circumstances. Private classes are significantly more expensive but can be catered to your needs and delivered in your home. If your home is not available for the classes an additional fee will be applied.
childbirth, breastfeeding and newborn care classes will be offered in series. priority will be given to those taking the entire series if classes get full. discounts will be applied where families take courses in series.
Packages:
6 week weeknight series of 4 childbirth, breastfeeding and newborn care (18 hours total instruction time) $350
Sunday 4 week series, 2 childbirth, breastfeeding and newborn care (16 hours total instruction time) $315
4 weeknight childbirth classes, Sunday breastfeeding and newborn care (20 hours total instruction time) $380
Discounts can be arranged for families on Oregon Health Plan and for vulnerable and marginalized populations at risk of adverse outcomes due to discrimination, including but not limited to black and indigenous women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.