By Heather Delaney, co-owner, labor and postpartum doula, childbirth educator
Yep. You heard me.
Time waster.
Lengthy investment.
Who has time for that? With work, family commitments, the busy social calendar of fall and the upcoming holidays, the answer for many is “not me.”
Often when planning for baby, the childbirth class is pushed to the side for ‘if we have time’ or a speedy online read and YouTube videos (yep, you read that right) to fill in the blanks. It’s not that you don’t want to prepare for your birth. Maybe you don’t know what methodology your birth plan fits into. Maybe you’d like the option of an epidural or pain management in the hospital setting. Maybe you are interested in natural pain methods, but you just don’t have the funds or the time to invest in a 10-12 week course series while you’re also attending your own baby showers, building your registry and trying to decide what color to paint the nursery. Many times, the courses recommended by the hospital or by other providers fall short of preparing you for every scenario, or only give information on one type of birth.
At Annapolis Area Doulas, we understand that life is busy and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your preparation for birth to a full course load.
We’ve designed, trained, and proudly teach the ProDoula Childbirth Education curriculum for those who wish to have all the information possible to make their decisions about the type of birth they are planning for in the smallest possible commitment of time.
Our full day childbirth preparation, How, When & Why, is perfect for any couple who wishes to have every single possibility discussed. From pregnancy discomforts through the welcoming hour, we describe in depth how to time your contractions, signs labor is near, the different stages and phases of labor, and what to do at home to remain comfortable. We’ll teach you the anatomy of your baby and body so you understand what is going on inside your labor process, baby’s position and how important it can be for a long or short labor. If you’re open to medical pain relief, all of your options (not just an epidural!) will be discussed, and interventions if your plans take a turn and you need an induction will be laid out thoroughly, so you’re not scrambling in the moment.
We also teach a quick, one evening express class for those even shorter on time, and have a 2-Hour Comfort Measures Class that’s perfect for partners and communication during that period of time before heading to your birthing site.
Sometimes, you’re sure of the method you’d like to explore for your birth. Without sacrificing a ton of time, our amazing HypnoBirthing class series will prepare you for a calm, peaceful birth in the Marie Mongan method of hypnosis.
We believe strongly that the best start to your experience is a full depth of knowledge and preparation, for any kind of birth plan. In a small, low commitment package, we’ll help you feel at ease with your experience to come as we help you build your birth plan and design the type of birth that feels right to you, as well as prepare you for any deviations from that preference.
Annapolis Area Doulas childbirth education is as close to an easy button for labor as they come!
Our classes are offered every two months for ease of scheduling. Check out our class list and see what dates work best for you to begin your planning for birth!