8 Reasons to Enroll in Childbirth Education.

1. Reduce Fear, Create Trust.

Childbirth classes reduce fear. During class, you learn about childbirth. How does the body change and adjust during labor? What hormones are released that reduce pain and provide energy? What can be done to help baby traverse the birth canal with greater ease? Navigating through the ins and outs of anatomy and how the body works to birth your baby, de-mystifies the entire process, allowing for more understanding of the process!

2. Create Community

This is your first “parent-child playgroup” in a sense. Parents who are at the same stage gather together and support one another. Learning together, sharing insights and light-bulb moments creates a wonderful network of support that can last well into parenting. When both mamas are awake at night with a crying baby, you’ll have someone to call. When you need some adult conversation and a stroller-stride, you can make a call to a parent in your childbirth class!

3. Become Informed

Independent childbirth classes are about becoming informed as to how natural birth unfolds. Choosing to take a hospital class might sound appealing to you, but consider taking a class with an independent teacher (not affiliated with the hospital.) Why? Many birth professionals believe that hospitals teach women how to be good patients. The classes can often instill more fear in couples by making mothers feel like patients who are ill and dependent upon the hospital and its caregivers to rescue them. Independent classes are about empowering couples to make the choices that their family needs. As Dr. Marsden Wagner points out in his book “Creating Your Birth Plan”:

First you need information about everything that could happen. Second, you need information about the different ways to handle what happens. Third, you need to make decisions about your preferences in case things happen. And finally, you need to communicate or express those preferences.

An independent childbirth class does all these things!

4. Bond with Your Partner

Most independent childbirth classes have many opportunities to bond with your partner. Partners practice providing physical relaxation with touch, movement and vocalization. Partners will discuss their individual desires for birth and parenting and create more understanding of one another and feel more supported by one another.

5. Tell Your Baby You Care

Like any birthday, the recipient feels your love and care when you spend time preparing for the celebration. While you may buy balloons, flowers and cake for this Birth Day, you also create a strong connection with your child by understanding and learning about the “womb” experience. Taking a few hours during your week becoming educated about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting brings greater awareness to the changes that both Mama and baby are making each week and baby feels your attention.

6. Feel Ready to Parent

Independent childbirth classes often create space for learning how to care for your newborn, how to breastfeed, how to create a calm and happy baby! When your little one arrives, you will know what to expect and have a plan for how to soothe and care for your sweet one. Because you have nourished yourself and taken the time to mindfully slow down you can feel more prepared for those first few days and weeks with  your new baby.

7. Slow down and prepare “Mindfully!”

This is an opportunity to slow down, breathe and mindfully acknowledge that you have created new life within you and soon this new life will be in your arms and actively in your life. Honor your changing body, your changing relationship with yourself and your partner. Celebrate and enjoy this precious phase.

8. It’s fun!

This is a funny story. A few years back in a childbirth class that I was teaching, we were talking about breastfeeding and how to ensure a good milk supply for baby. One of the students shared that she had heard that if Mama drinks a glass of beer, her milk supply will be increased. One of the Papas asked, “I wonder if she drinks milk, we’ll get beer from her!” Of course, the jokes continued on after this. Childbirth classes are so fun! Parents are excited and love to participate. It’s a blast! [Note: To learn more about drinking alcohol and breastfeeding, visit HERE.]

Helene educates parents in Boulder, Colorado in “The Art of Conscious Birthing.”

The Art of Conscious Birthing Classes™ are a childbirth series for today’s mindful parent. Classes incorporate the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. Let us bring great awareness and with consciousness learn how birth really can unfold in love! Create a satisfying & conscious pregnancy, birth, and parenting experience! Allow yourself space to learn how to create beauty in birth by connecting with your Inner Guidance, your child, your partner, and birthing wisdom.

These creative classes incorporate energy techniques to maintain baby’s life force, journalling, videos, discussions, art, and meditation as well as give you the education you desire to understand the impact of your choices. Classes meet 8 times for 2 hours each.

The next series begins Monday March 7, 2011 at 7pm in Boulder, Colorado.