These courses are for expectant mothers to attend either on her own, or with whomever she chooses to be her birth supporter (partner, husband, sister, mother, friend) to educate themselves about the labour and birth process.  The emphasis is on understanding the birth process and the choices available, and on a range of ideas for birth partners to help the labouring mother thereby taking more responsibility for the birth of your baby.   My aim is to cover important detailed information which will empower you to make informed choices about labour and birth.

I teach only private one-to-one sessions and therefore can cover whatever you would like, but I would recommend covering the following:

The stages of labour, including the weeks leading up to labour, pre-labour, first stage, transition, second and third stage.   In each stage we will talk about:  the normal physiology, how the mother feels as she enters each stage, what she can do for herself,  what her birth partner(s) can specifically do to help her, and what the midwife/hospital routines are at each stage.

Within this framework, we would normally also look at the following:

–  induction   (routine hospital procedures for induction, the pro’s and con’s of routine  induction, and many alternative ideas for trying natural induction)

–  monitoring   (what it is, why & how it is done, choices of monitoring and alternative ways for it to be done)

–  pain  (what the pain is, why we sometimes fear the pain of labour, and alternative ways of approaching the pain of labour)

–  pain relief   (routine pain relief as offered to you by the midwife and many ideas for alternatives to using drugs)

– birth plans  (why they are useful and guidance on what you may want to include in them)

We shall also practice breathing, meditation and visualization, relaxation, massage, acupressure points, movement for labour and positions for birth.

I have DVD tapes for you to borrow if you would like them showing births both at home and in hospital,  and I use visual aids for teaching including drawings, photographs and a plastic pelvis and doll.   There will be handouts for you to keep including a booklet on acupressure points for use in labour.

Finally, in any course I teach, I do not have a ‘method’ to teach you or an ideal way for you to give birth.  I do not advise you as to ‘how to do it’.  Attending my courses will not be a ticket to a ‘natural’ or a particular type of birth.  What I hope you will gain from our time together is enough information to help you to make INFORMED DECISIONS as the need arises, before, during and after the labour and birth, enabling you to work in partnership with your chosen obstetric team.