The Birth Village Class

03/26/2025

Birth class. Where families:
🩵Connect with others starting the new-parent journey
🩵Get prepared and maybe even excited for birth
🩵Learn tricks to help you rock the postpartum months
🩵Learn about how awesome our bodies are (looking at you lactation!)
🩵Learn through stories and statistics with seasoned doulas
🩵Share laughs with your new friends along the way

It takes a village, y'all. Hope to meet you soon!!

I’m so excited to prepare another set of families at with Laura ! Less than two weeks to go!

10/08/2024

Pregnancy and birth are just the beginning of your parenting experience! That's why it's important to learn about what happens AFTER your baby is born! Classes 4 and 5 of the Birth Village Class are specifically about the immediate postpartum, caring for your newborn, and feeding! Experienced parents: what were the best parts of having a newborn? What parts were the most challenging?
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10/01/2024

When it comes to your birth, who is in charge? Being the pilot doesn't mean that you don't listen to expert advice from people like doctors and midwives. It means that the final decision rests with you, without being bullied or coerced. Is your provider comfortable with you in the pilot's seat? The time to find out is well before labor begins.
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In class 3 of the Birth Villages Class, we talk about exploring your healthcare options, about communicating effectively with your healthcare team, and about how to hold onto the power that is already yours!
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09/30/2024

It can be tempting to schedule your baby's birth to fit your calendar, or even your doctor's, but most of the time letting your baby arrive on his or her own time line is best.
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Did you know that the median day for first-time Moms to go into labor spontaneously is at 41 weeks 3 days? If this is your first baby, there's a VERY good chance your labor won't start until well after your "due" date.
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There are legitimate reasons to schedule your baby's birth, and YOU are the decider. But if it's possible to let labor begin on it's own, the process tends to go more smoothly. Your body is ready to give birth...your hormones are more likely to work as they should.
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09/20/2024

Because of research done in this topic (which is limited), most organizations recommend that expectant mothers limit caffeine intake to 200 mg or less per day. This is roughly the amount you'd get in a 12 oz coffee. So if you are a coffee drinker, you don't have to give up your daily brew...just try to limit your intake.
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09/19/2024

Being the mother of a new baby is HARD. Your body has been through drastic changes and you have this new little person who needs your help and attention around the clock. It can take a long time before you feel like yourself again, and you may not ever feel exactly like the same person you did before you had a baby, but that's ok! You're NOT the same person you were before! Go easy on yourself. Try to have realistic expectations about what you can get done in a day ... Taking care of an infant is a full time job by itself! Prioritize rest. And be gentle with yourself. You are doing great!
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09/18/2024

Two parents, being separate individuals, will have differences in how they care for and parent their new baby. There are some areas in which it will be important to be on the same page for your child's safety and well being. But in many aspects of parenting, one way is as good as another. Don't be too quick to jump in and "correct" your other half when they are doing something differently than you would. You don't want to discourage their involvement, and it can be good for your children to experience your different styles and approaches.
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09/17/2024

Remember, the person giving birth, has the legal and ethical right to make their own decisions about their care. Of COURSE we are so thankful to have doctors, midwives, nurses, etc., to help birth be as safe as possible. We go to them for their skills and expertise. But at the end of the day, the patient is the one with the power, the right to say yes or no.
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09/16/2024

Birth is unpredictable, and it can take many twists and turns. But when you're well prepared, you can feel ready for whatever comes your way!

Our next childbirth class series starts Monday, September 23rd, and we still have a couple of places open. Enroll now to secure your spot! The link to register is in our profile! ☝️
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09/13/2024

When you are stressed or sick or in pain, what do you turn to for comfort? What things can other people do that you find helpful? It is likely that the same kinds of things that comfort you in other circumstances will also be helpful during the stresses and discomforts of labor. On the other hand, be prepared to be flexible about what kind of support you might need. Sometimes a mama who ordinarily likes to be massaged may find she does not want to be touched during labor. Likewise, a mama who normally finds loving words helpful may prefer quiet in the birthing room. In other words, identify your comfort style ahead of time, but be open to how you feel in the moment as well.
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09/12/2024

Ok, so this picture is about ...four years old? We haven't taken a picture together in a while! But here you go:
Meet Laura (left) and Sarah (right) the two local doulas who teach the Birth Village Class!
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The nice thing about having a class taught by two local doulas is that we haven't just studied about birth, we've seen a lot of births and helped support a lot of families through birth. So we have some real-life experience to share!
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The nice thing about having a class taught by LOCAL doulas is that those hours of birth experience have been spent in the homes and hospitals in OUR community...we know how things roll in the local childbirth units and with the local homebirth midwives.
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There's still time to register for the last Birth Villages Class of 2024! Our classes meet at the Harris Center in Auburn (hosted by ) and the link to register is in our bio!
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09/11/2024

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, or Vitamin B-9, which is found in foods like oranges and spinach. Many people have heard how important it is to get enough folate or folic acid in early pregnancy and even before pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. But did you know that between 40% and 60% of the population has a genetic variant that can makes it more difficult for their bodies to convert folic acid unto its usable form, L-methylfolate? Most women are not tested for this genetic factor (known as MTHFR), so, you may want to choose a prenatal vitamin that contains folate instead of folic acid, just to be on the safe side!
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