Cincinnati & Dayton Childbirth Classes

Your Pregnant Body Keeps Changing

Before your due date, your body will "go to work" getting itself ready for childbirth. It will prepare your body through three stages of labor: effacement (when the cervix thins out), dilation (when the cervix opens), and finally, the most intense part, when the baby descends into the birth canal.   

We will teach you how to listen to your body so you are aware of the changes going on as you prepare for the big day!

Lets get through this, step by step...

We will guide you through the four stages of labor - early labor as your body makes the final prepartions, active labor which is the hardest part of labor and delivery, the third stage which is when you deliver the placenta and the fourth stage which is recovery.

You CAN write YOUR Birth Story!

Birth options are plentiful, and they can be confusing for people who are unfamiliar with what's available. We will discuss all of your options with you, whether you prefer a natural birth (or medicated) at a hospital or a home birth.  Want to have your baby in water, let's talk - this is not an option at all hospitals.  Interested in delayed cord clamping or other natural-delivery methods, we will review your options and how to go about each one.  

Relaxation in Birth is KEY!

Being nervous is perfectly normal. But there are ways to manage stress and relax in your labor. We offer a variety of relaxation techniques that you can use throughout your labor and delivery. You can create the environment that you want to deliver in, without the possibility of stress prolonging labor or leading to interventions.

Drugs or no Drugs?

At the end of the day, preparing for your child's arrival is an intensely personal decision. What may work for one family may not be right for another. If you're not sure whether to try a natural birth or opt for pain medication, this class will discuss some of the differences between a natural childbirth and a medicated birth — as well as what types of drugs are used in each case.

The choice is YOURS!

There are so many different positions you can try for birth, but the standard method of lying down on your back in a hospital bed isn't typically the best for you or your baby. In this class, we will teach you about different positions including side positions, being on your hands and knees, kneeling, standing, sitting down, and more.

How Do You Want to Deliver?

There is more than one way to deliver a baby - whether there is a position that makes you more comfortable or a location.

We will review all your options to make sure that both the location of your birth and your position is up to you.  

Your first choices as parents...

When you're staying at the hospital with your newborn, it can be difficult to make decisions for your baby — especially on the fly. As a new parent, you may find yourself overwhelmed by all of the new information and responsibilities that come with a new addition to the family. We will review what your experience will be like in the hospital as well as all the options you have for your baby and items that you will want to plan out ahead of time cause once you are there, you are going to be overwhelmed to make some decisions on the spot. 

Breast or bottle?   Do whats right for YOU!

We have done both; Tamara bottle-fed her first three kids, then breastfed the next two. She even went back to bottle feeding for her twins.  We will be the first to say that breastfeeding can be an amazing bonding expierence, it was for some of our children.  But we will also be the first to say that it can be difficult and overwhelming, espeically if you are suffering from postpartum depression, as it was for Tamara with one of her daughters. 

As experienced moms, we can help you make an informed choice and walk you through all the steps without judgement — from feeding your baby to finding support in your local community.  

The beautiful roller coaster begins now!

Postpartum is a complex period of your life. It can be a beautilful time of bonding with the baby you have waited so long for. It can also be a trying time and diffuclt to now what to expect as so much is changing at one time both in your life but also internally.

When you're feeling the lowest and thinking that you'll never get your life or yourself back, it's important to remember that everything will get better in time. The important thing is to always take care of yourself before anything else — get the sleep and nutrition that you need, and don't feel guilty for taking care of yourself and your baby.

While many don't discuss it out of fear of being labeled a "bad mom," we discuss first hand the both the difficulties and joys of postpartum.  We discuss the things to prepare for now to be ready for it and give you the ugly truth about how bad it is for some, including me once, and to use your resources if it gets bad for you.  You are NOT alone!