Erin Aileen offers a complete childbirth education series as outlined by the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE), with whom she is currently certifying. Classes are offered once a week on either Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday and last about 2 hours each. Sunday classes run from 3pm-5pm, weeknight classes run from 7pm-9pm. Snacks and beverages are provided. There are no more than five moms/couples per class to ensure you get the attention you deserve.

The Childbirth education series follows this format, with additional discussion time and flexibility to address specific needs that come up in class.

· Class One: Birth Today explores the threads of socio-anthropological influences that will be woven throughout the series, with insights offered from such eminent birth commentators as Nancy Wainer Cohen, Sheila Kitzinger and Robbie Davis-Floyd. We emphasize the midwifery model and consumer activism.

· Class Two: Pregnancy--Growth and Decision Making emphasizes parent responsibility and making informed choices, including the birth setting, midwife or doctor care, birth assistants, and natural childbirth. We explore the transformative aspects of pregnancy, focusing on emotional as well as physical changes.

· Class Three: The Process of Birth focuses on how the baby is born and how the mother and her birth team can work with the process for an easier labor and delivery. We teach about birth as a mother/baby centered process, with tools for all members of the birth team, including breathing and relaxation, variation in birth position, vocalization, and sensitive support.

· Class Four: Creating Your Birth helps parents learn what they must do to have the birth they want. We discuss standard hospital and home routines, including the "domino theory" of interventions. We educate about routine hospital interventions such as episiotomies, epidurals, electronic fetal monitoring and the "management" of labor. Parents will create their own birth plans based on values clarification exercises.

· Class Five: When Giving Birth is Difficult brings to light the "scary" aspects of birth, including fear of pain and death. We contrast "variations of normal" with true medical crises. Parents learn useful problem-solving tools to overcome fear-based biases. We explore avoiding the complications that might beset a pregnant woman who has suffered past personal trauma.

· Class Six: The Newborn, Postpartum, & the Family explores the psychological, emotional and physical concerns of the postpartum period and new parenthood. We discuss the baby's experience of labor and birth, the newborn exam, breastfeeding, circumcision and other babycare decisions.

· Class Seven: Potluck and Community Building. Students in the current class provide the evening's meal for students from the previous class, who return to tell their own recent birth stories and help build a true community of birthing women and families. Current students also meet an hour early to review material and bring up any questions.

ALACE Childbirth Education

Cost:       $200 (discounts avail. for moms w/o support)

                 Payment Plan Available