Lamaze International

09/16/2026

🎉We’re excited to launch our new DID YOU KNOW? Series! These quick, engaging videos are designed to inform, educate and celebrate new and expecting parents.

Each video will share helpful insights, practical guidance and evidence-based information to support families throughout pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Stay tuned.....there’s always something new to discover!

Did you know that nausea during pregnancy isn't always triggered by...

09/15/2026

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲’𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥? 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐭!👶✨

Whether you’re a new or expecting parent mapping out your path to birth, or a childbirth educator looking for trusted materials for your classes, these two Lamaze tools make the journey smoother, clearer, and a whole lot of fun:

📖 𝟏. 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐞 "𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 & 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡" 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤
Created in partnership with Plumtree Baby, this evidence-based guide walks parents through every milestone with confidence.

▶ Evidence-Based & Practical: Packed with clear guidance on pregnancy, labor stages, comfort measures, and birth planning.

▶ Interactive Extras: Includes a free downloadable companion workbook (accessed via QR code) to help craft birth preferences.

▶ Great for Classes: Educators can easily incorporate this into their curriculum (and take advantage of bulk ordering discounts!).

🧸 𝟐. 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐲𝐬
Designed with child development experts, Lamaze sensory toys support baby’s key developmental milestones right from day one.

▶ Sensory Engagement: Bright high-contrast colors, varied textures, and fun sounds spark curiosity and visual focus.

▶ Fine Motor Skills: Easy-to-grab shapes promote hand-eye coordination, bonding, and cause-and-effect learning during play.

▶ Parent & Educator Approved: Loved in early childhood spaces and ideal for registry recommendations!

Looking to feel more prepared for birth or add expert-backed toys to your nursery? Explore both resources below! 👇

🔗 Get the Guidebook: https://www.plumtreebaby.com/products/lamaze-parent-guidebook
🔗 Shop Developmental Toys: https://www.amazon.com/stores/LamazeToys/page/A09D64B0-0D24-4050-8852-814A8C330FA2?ref_=ast_bln

09/10/2026

🍌 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬?

Labor is physically demanding, and adequate hydration and nutrition may help support energy, endurance and comfort. Yet hospital policies vary, making it important for childbirth educators to help families understand their options before labor begins.

This article explores several intriguing topics educators may want to discuss:

• Simple, stomach-friendly foods for early labor
• Current guidance on oral hydration during labor
• Protein shakes as a potential source of calories and fluids
• Emerging, but limited, research involving yogurt and sodium bicarbonate
• Chewing gum as a possible aid to bowel recovery following a cesarean birth

The educator takeaway? Present the evidence with appropriate context, avoid portraying emerging findings as established recommendations and encourage families to discuss individual health considerations with their care team.

Read “Food for Thought in Early Labor and Beyond” and consider how nutrition and hydration fit into your childbirth curriculum:
https://lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/food-for-thought-in-early-labor-and-beyond

💬 What guidance about eating and drinking during labor do you currently share with your students?

09/08/2026

📣 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞.

Moaning, breathing, crying or even roaring can be natural ways to cope with the physical and emotional intensity of labor. Rather than feeling embarrassed, give yourself permission to make the sounds that help you release tension and work through each contraction.

You may find yourself:

• Using low, deep moans to stay relaxed
• Taking long breaths or panting as labor progresses
• Repeating a reassuring word or phrase
• Grunting or growling as your baby moves closer to birth
• Crying as you release pain, fear or emotion

There is no single “right” way to sound during labor. Your care team has heard it all and they are there to support you, not judge you. 💜

Learn more about the different sounds of labor and what they may mean:
https://lamaze.org/Giving-Birth-with-Confidence/GBWC-Post/making-noise-in-labor-and-birth

💬 If you’ve given birth, were you surprised by the sounds you made during labor?

09/03/2026

❓ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠?

The evidence offers a more nuanced answer than a simple yes or no.

Research suggests prenatal perineal massage may help:

• Reduce the likelihood of episiotomy for people planning their first vaginal birth
• Reduce perineal trauma requiring stitches among first-time vaginal births
• Reduce ongoing perineal pain postpartum for some people who have previously given birth vaginally

🧠 The educator takeaway: Present perineal massage as an informed option, not a guarantee or a requirement. Help families understand both its potential benefits and the limits of the research, while encouraging them to discuss individualized care with their provider.

Read the evidence review from Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN:
https://lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/what-is-the-evidence-for-perineal-massage-during-pregnancy-to-prevent-tearing

💬 How do you approach this topic in your childbirth classes?

09/01/2026

🍎 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫?

Labor takes energy, and for most labors, staying hydrated and maintaining your energy with food and fluids can be beneficial. Think of labor as an endurance event: your body needs fuel to keep going.

Here are 10 foods and drinks to consider for your labor-day plan, including:

💧 Water 🥥 Coconut water🥤 Fruit juice or smoothies🍯 Honey sticks 🥣 Broth 🥖 Simple carbohydrates 🧊 Popsicles 🍎 Fresh fruit or applesauce 🍬 Hard candy ⚡ Energy gels

What you want and what you can tolerate may change throughout labor, so having a few easy options available can help.

Expecting a baby? Add snacks and hydration to your birth-preparation checklist. And talk with your care team about eating and drinking during labor, since individual circumstances and hospital policies may vary.

Read the full list right HERE: https://lamaze.org/Giving-Birth-with-Confidence/GBWC-Post/top-10-things-to-eat-drink-during-labor?utm_source=chatgpt.com

08/29/2026

🎉Happy from Wendy Budin, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, LCCE, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) with over 50 years of experience.

Wendy is also Editor-in-Chief of “The Journal of Perinatal Education,” a leading peer-reviewed journal for childbirth educators.

Learn how Lamaze certification makes a difference for the families and childbirth educators she serves.

To learn more about becoming an LCCE, visit https://lamaze.org/Lamaze-Certification/About-Lamaze-Certification

08/27/2026

🎉Happy from Meghan Hebert, MSN-CNM, LCCE!

Meghan is the founder of Bloom Learning has been a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) for nearly 10 years.

Learn about what childbirth education and being an LCCE means to Meghan and the families she serves.

To learn more about becoming an LCCE, visit https://lamaze.org/Lamaze-Certification/About-Lamaze-Certification

08/27/2026

𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬?

For childbirth educators, preparing families for the pushing stage can be about much more than simply telling them to “push.” Understanding how the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor work together can help students approach this stage of labor with greater knowledge, confidence, and body awareness.

In this article, perinatal fitness educator Kathleen Donahoe shares five practical steps for teaching the physiology of pushing, including:

🔹 Understanding what efficient pushing involves
🔹 Teaching the role of the abdominal muscles
🔹 Helping students recognize—and relax—the pelvic floor
🔹 Practicing belly breathing
🔹 Bringing it all together through “coordinated pushing”

The goal? Give families an opportunity to learn, understand and practice before labor begins—rather than trying to absorb brand-new information in the delivery room.

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐈𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬?

Read “Five Steps to Teaching Students How to Push Out Their Babies” from Lamaze International: https://lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/Post/five-steps-to-teaching-students-how-to-push-out-their-babies

08/26/2026

🎉Happy from Rachelle Oseran, LCCE, FACCE, a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) with 42 years of experience.

Learn what drives her passion for childbirth education and why she considers being an LCCE “the greatest job in the world.”

To learn more about becoming an LCCE, visit https://lamaze.org/Lamaze-Certification/About-Lamaze-Certification