Prenatal Classes
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Birthing From Within | HypnoBirthing® | Childbirth Preparation for LGBTQ Families | Birthing Again | Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes | Life with Baby Prep Classes
Birthing From Within®
BIRTHING FROM WITHIN® prenatal classes offer a soulful and holistic approach to birth and parenting preparation that integrate experiential exercises, hands on learning and focused discussion. Moms and dads-to-be discover and learn about their strengths and how to use them as coping practices in birth and parenting, whether that be as planned or when something unexpected takes the journey on a detour.
From these classes you will:
- understand the anatomy and physiology of birth - what to expect at each stage of labour (physically and emotionally)
- build confidence in yourself to birth your way
- build confidence as a birth partner being an effective support partner each stage of labour
- learn about your options for a faster, easier birth
- learn how to get information and make decisions in labour
- develop pain coping practices for labour including mindfulness, breath awareness, visualization and hypnosis, use of positions, and other advanced comfort measures
- understand when it is compassionate to use drugs and epidurals
- learn how fear affects childbirth, how to identify, tame and work with your fears
- understand the recovery and planning for the postpartum period for an easier, smoother transition to parenthood
- learn how to care for and feed your newborn
- establish community resources
- experience birth as a rite of passage
Class sizes are kept to 5-6 couples to build rapport and encourage insightful discussion. Private classes are also available upon request. Register early as these classes are in high demand and draw families from Guelph, Kitchener, Oakville, Mississauga, Milton, Burlington, Toronto, Peel & Halton Regions.
Group classes $295 per couple + HST
Upcoming Classes:
MILTON
- Saturday and Sunday January 6 & 7, 2018: 9am - 3pm
- Saturdays February 4 & 11, 2018: 9am - 3pm
- Saturday & Sunday April 14 & 15, 2018: 9am - 3pm
- Saturday & Sunday June 9 & 10, 2018: 9am - 3pm
Private Sessions:
Private classes are offered at a 6 hour package for $299 or $60/hour (3 hour minimum). This is a great opportunity for couples to customize their learning experience. Sessions are offered in three hour blocks weekend mornings, in your home.
Contact The WOMB to schedule your private session.
HypnoBirthing®
HypnoBirthing® is a comprehensive childbirth preparation course designed to prepare you fully and completely for the birth of your child. You will learn relaxation and self hypnosis techniques aimed to eliminate the fear and tension that contribute to long and painful labours, replacing your experience with confidence, calm, and comfort. HypnoBirthing® is a comprehensive childbirth preparation course designed to prepare you fully and completely for the birth of your child. You will learn relaxation and self hypnosis techniques aimed to eliminate the fear and tension that contribute to long and painful labours, replacing your experience with confidence, calm, and comfort.
You will understand and appreciate the changes taking place in your body as your body moves through your birthing process. You will become familiar with common interven-tions and the alternatives, while gaining complete confidence in the birthing experience. The vast majority of women feel so prepared and empowered by HypnoBirthing® that they have fully natural, un-medicated births.
You will also learn:
• Other techniques to produce a shorter, more comfortable labour
• The creation and control of the body’s own natural anaesthesia
• How the mother’s body is designed to work in neuro-muscular harmony with na-ture throughout labour
• How to be in deep relaxation during and between uterine surges
• The importance of prenatal and perinatal bonding
• The HypnoBirthing® Advantage: eliminating the Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome before, during and after birthing
• Techniques that reduce the need for chemical painkillers
• How to shorten the first stage of labour by several hours
• Eliminate the risk of hyperventilation from “shallow” breathing methods
• How to promote special bonding of mother, baby and birthing companion
• To return birthing to the beautiful, peaceful experience nature intended
• How to create a more integral role for the birthing companion
Group Classes: $345 per couple + HST
Includes: Official Course Book (HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method), Relaxation Partner Scripts, Birth Preferences Templates, 1 meditation CD, 1 MP3 downloadable audio card
Upcoming Classes:
BURLINGTON
- Tuesdays September 4 - October 2, 2018: 7:00 - 9:30pm
- Tuesdays October 9 - November 6, 2018: 7:00 - 9:30pm
- Tuesdays November 13 - December 11, 2018: 7:00 - 9:30pm
REGISTER HERE
Private Sessions:
Private classes are offered in your home or on site at The WOMB. This is a great opportunity for couples to customize their learning experience.
Contact The WOMB to schedule your private session.
Childbirth Preparation for LGBTQ Families
The WOMB is excited to be offering a new childbirth preparation series specifically created for the LBGTQ members of our community. Samantha (Sam) Leeson, CBEd., has had the opportunity to teach prenatal classes to more than 10,000 couples over the last two decades and now she has designed a class to address the excitement, care and concerns of the LGBTQ community. Sam and her partner, Brenda, have three children between them ranging in age from 12-20 years. It is important to Sam that her classes be fun and relaxed!! This is an exciting time in your life and she wants to make sure that the focus is on making the learning process both lively and engaging so that you enjoy yourself but, perhaps more importantly, so that you remember the things she has talked about.
Outline for the full series classes:
- Anatomy and Physiology of Pregnancy and Labour
What is happening within the birthing parent’s body and why do things feel the way they do?
- Signs and Symptoms of Labour
How do you know if this is “it” or not? What to watch for and what to ignore … or ignore for as long as possible.
- Stages and Phases of Labour
What is a “normal” labour process and how will it continue to change? When to go to the hospital and/or page your midwife.
- Interventions and Medications in Labour
What are interventions, why are they used, can you do anything to avoid them, and what does it all mean after the baby is born?
- Coping Strategies
Using touch massage, distraction, breathing, music, acupressure, and conditioned relaxation exercises you’ll learn how to handle the “birth-day” of your baby! We will also spend time discussing the pharmacologic pain management options available to the birthing parent.
- Life postpartum
What do new babies look and act like? What can the birthing parent expect in terms of the way the body looks and reacts after the birth? How does a new family adjust? How do you diaper and bathe this small wonder?
- Breastfeeding
How do you do it? Does it really hurt? Why is it important? How do you prevent problems? Have your questions answered and learn some fun tips as well!
Upcoming Classes:
BURLINGTON:
- Friday September 7, 6:30 - 9pm and Saturday September 8, 9:30am - 4:00pm
Group Classes: $250 + HST per couple
REGISTER HERE
Birthing Again Prenatal Classes
This 8 hour workshop is designed as a refresher class for parents who are expecting their 2nd, 3rd, 4th or more babies. Whether you have experienced BIRTHING FROM WITHIN® philosophy previously or not, this workshop will open your eyes to new possibilities. In this workshop you can expect to:
- connect with your new baby in the midst of a very busy family life
- learn how to prepare siblings for the new arrival
- review of anatomy and physiology of birth
- review and learn new coping practices
- identify new and past fears and learn how to work through them
- process your previous birth experience
Classes sizes are kept to 5-6 couples to build rapport and encourage insightful discussion. Private classes are also available upon request.
Upcoming class: Please inquire!
Group classes $185
REGISTER HERE
Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes
Each mother and her baby have innate connection response that make for their ideal breastfeeding "technique".
Facilitated by certified lactation consultants, this prenatal breastfeeding class will help you understand your baby's biological needs right from birth and how meeting those needs will facilitate increased breastfeeding success and parenting confidence.
What to expect to learn:
- how to establish a connection to your baby right from the beginning
- how skin to skin contact helps establish breastfeeding
- where does breastmilk come from and how to ensure a great supply
- the essentials of knowing how to express breastmilk
- what is 'normal' newborn breastfeeding behaviour
- establishing a latch and positioning your baby at the breast
- understanding the relationship between happy babies and full tummies
- what the role of partners in the breastfeeding relationship what to do in special situations (jaundice, hypoglycemia, weight loss)
- where to get support
- ask questions and get answers!
Women who are supported by their partners are more successful with breastfeeding, so we encourage parents to attend the class together.
Classes are offered both private and group setting. Group class: $75, Private In Home Class: $150
UPCOMING CLASSES:
MILTON
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018: 7:00-9:00PM
WEDNESDAY MARCH 7, 2018: 7:00-9:00PM
WEDNESDAY MAY 9, 2018: 7:00-9:00PM
REGISTER HERE
Life with Baby Preparation Classes
Often the majority of our energy and focus during pregnancy, especially during the 3rd trimester, is focussed on birthing. But what happens after baby comes home? The journey continues..... Offered through a Birthing From Within(R) lens, Life With Baby is an engaging and interactive 6 hour workshop designed to guide the transition from couple to family with real hands on practice, thought-provoking questionnaires, activities, worksheets, and discussion. Parents-to-be will leave feeling much more confident of what is to come once they "bring baby home" (or their midwives/doulas leave!!).
Drawing on innate nurturing skills, parents-to-be will explore the topics of:
~ family and couple adjustment
~ early parenting
~ getting to know your newborn
~ breastfeeding
~ the "fourth-trimester" & the first 40 days
~ soothing baby
~ newborn care
~ getting sleep
~ and bonding as a family
Facilitated by a professional birth and postpartum doula, Karen McWilliam, BA, CD(DONA), HBCE, BFWM, LE(CAPPA) has over 13 years birth and teaching experience, having attended over 300 births. She is a Birthing From Within Mentor, HypnoBirthing(R) Practitioner and Lactation Educator.
UPCOMING CLASSES:
BURLINGTON
- SUNDAY APRIL 22, 2018: 11:00AM - 4:00PM
- SUNDAY MAY 20, 2018: 11:00AM - 4:00PM
- SUNDAY JUNE 24, 2018: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
- SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2018: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
- SUNDAY OCTOBER 21, 2018: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
- SUNDAY DECEMBER 2, 2018: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
- SUNDAY JANUARY 13, 2019: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
INVESTMENT: $170 + HST
REGISTER HERE