On this page: Childbirth Classes | Doula Care | Financial Assistance
Childbirth Classes
What if you don’t have a class listed during the time I want to take one?
Contact us and we may be able to put one on the schedule at a time that works for you! We work our class schedule around the estimated due dates of folks who are interested in taking our classes.
When is the best time to take a childbirth class?
Any time during your pregnancy can work but ideally, somewhere around 6-8 months. This is close enough to your estimated due date that the information you learn and the discoveries you make in class will still be fresh when you give birth. But it also allows for enough time to practice and integrate the pain-coping practices from class and hopefully to complete the class series before your baby arrives.
But because Birthing From Within classes are specially-tailored to the specific needs of the group and class sizes are kept small and intimate to facilitate individual learning, no matter when you take a class series the content will be relevant and the discoveries will be meaningful for you.
I’ve heard that you do art in Birthing From Within classes. What’s that about? What if I don’t feel comfortable doing art?
In Birthing From Within classes, we do something called “birth art.” These are casual, short exercises. They’re not about making art that looks pretty; they’re about getting out of our heads and into our emotions to discover how we feel about something on a deeper level than what the mind can understand. The point is to be able to reflect on the process that we went through in making the art in order to learn more about ourselves. The class places no emphasis on the product that you make but rather the process that you went through.
If you feel nervous about making art or feel like you’re “not an artist,” that’s all the better! Birth, like art, is often about learning what to do when you don’t know what to do. Coming with a beginner’s mind is encouraged.
What do I need to bring to class?
Just yourself, some snacks in case you need to eat often, and an open mind. You may also want to bring a journal or notebook to jot down a few things but this is totally optional. There will be a plentiful supply of pillows, cushions, yoga mats, backjacks, etc. to ensure that you’re comfortable.
What do I need to prepare for class?
You may want to read Birthing From Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation by Pam England and Rob Horowitz, although it’s not required. While Birthing From Within classes are based on this book, there’s a lot that the book doesn’t cover that the classes will, so you’ll get a lot out of the class either way.
If you would like to order the book, you can order it on Amazon or here from the Birthing From Within website. We will also have copies available for you to borrow during the class series. We also highly recommend Pam England’s newest publication, Labyrinth of Birth: Creating Maps, Meditations & Rituals for Your Childbearing Year. You can purchase it here from Birthing From Within.
What kind of time commitment does the class entail?
The class time is 2 1/2 hours. You will typically have about 30 minutes of homework per week outside of class, although you have the option of going deeper into certain assignments if they’re really speaking to you. The secret to the pain-coping techniques is practice, practice, practice! So the more you practice, the more deeply you’ll integrate them.
Do I have to have a partner to attend your class?
No. You can attend by yourself. You may also want to attend the class with a friend or doula whom you’re planning to have with you in labor. This can be very beneficial because you’ll both learn the pain-coping techniques and have a similar understanding about certain terms and approaches from having taken the class together.
Are you GLBTQ friendly?
Yes! We welcome couples of any sexual orientation or family structure.
Doula Care
What is a doula?
The word “doula” comes from a Greek word meaning “woman who serves.” As such, a birth doula is someone who provides constant, non-medical support to a woman and her partner during labor. This support can be physical, emotional, informational, or spiritual.
For most of history, laboring women were supported by other women during their childbearing year. These women were sometimes midwives or other healers, and often family members such as mothers, sisters, aunts, or cousins who had given birth themselves and knew how to nurture and care for a woman as she gave birth. While modern medicine has greatly improved many aspects of maternal and infant health during childbirth, labor in contemporary society can often be an isolating, confusing experience in which women find themselves without adequate support. A doula fills the gap by providing this support.
Do you attend home births and hospital births?
We attend births no matter where they happen, providing care that is completely non-judgmental. We are deeply committed to bridging the divide between the home birth/natural childbirth movement and the mainstream medical community because we believe that each has something positive to offer. By working to bring these perspectives together and harmonizing the dialogue between them, we believe that we as birth professionals can offer the best possible care and support to birthing parents.
What’s the difference between a labor doula and a postpartum doula?
A postpartum doula provides support similar to the type of support that a labor doula provides. The difference is that she supports a woman, her partner, and their new baby during the postpartum period, helping the new mother to heal and recover from labor and establish breastfeeding, as well as assisting with newborn care, housework, daily tasks, running errands, etc. This ensures that new parents receive plenty of rest and ample time to enjoy and bond with their new baby.
What’s the difference between a doula and a father or partner?
The difference is huge. A doula can never replace the connection between a mother and her partner, nor would she try to! The doula’s role is to support both the laboring woman and her partner, who is also going through his own experience of becoming a parent for which he also needs support. While fathers and partners may feel awkward at the thought of having a doula, they usually experience relief and gratitude for her presence during and after the birth; a doula takes a lot of the pressure off of the birth partner in terms of knowing what to do or try next, or needing to handle comfort measures or logistical details. By allowing the doula to take care of these things and to provide information, encouragement, and physical aid, the partner is freed up to be in “laborland” with the laboring mother, rest, eat, and take care of himself as needed, and more fully relax into and enjoy the experience of his child’s birth.
As Birthing From Within doulas, we also see it as our role to witness, mirror, and validate your incredible rite of passage into parenthood. This piece is often sadly missing in our culture. It’s important to have someone who recognizes and nurtures the gestating parent within you and the beautiful evolution that you’re going through. As someone who has gone before you in this journey, we can reassure you during your moments of fear and doubt and celebrate your moments of grace and trust.
Why should I hire a doula?
Studies have overwhelmingly shown that women who labor with the support of a doula tend to have shorter labors with less complications. They are less likely to need medical interventions such as pitocin (a drug used to induce labor), vacuum or forceps extraction, or cesarean sections. Women are also less likely to request pain medication or to have negative feelings about their childbirth experience. They also tend to feel more self-confident, secure, and cared for, more adaptable to changes in their family, experience less postpartum depression and have greater success with breastfeeding.
But aside from the tangible statistics that clearly show why hiring a doula can be immensely beneficial, what a doula provides is something that you deserve. There is a concept in doula care called “mothering the new mother” and this is literally the case. New mothers need almost as much love and care as newborn babies. Women deserve to have continuous, loving support from those with whom she has a deep bond during the intense, profound experience of labor and recovery.
Financial Assistance
Do you offer financial assistance or sliding scale fees?
Yes. We understand that there can be many additional expenses associated with having a baby. Financial assistance is available for those that need it. We’re committed to providing classes and doula care to anyone interested in this extraordinary approach, regardless of their financial situation. Please don’t hesitate to talk with us if you’re interested in our services but concerned about being able to pay our fees.
Do you offer discounts or packages?
Yes! Check out our Fees page here for more info.
