Part 2- Pregnancy: Nutrition and Exercise

Childbirth Class Syllabus

One Gentle Beginning www.onegentlebeginning.com

Class 1 Part 1- Birth As We Know It Part 2- Pregnancy: Nutrition and Exercise

Introductions; Personal views of birth and how these views have been shaped by culture & the media; 2 models of maternity care; Birth in America, Cesarean rate and ways to lower risk of Cesareans; Nutrition and prenatal exercises

Hw: Relax, 20 minutes/day Read chapters 1-3 in Part II (Essentials of Birth) (Ina May) Read: http://www.ican-online.org/education/home http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10168 Log everything you eat for 3 days and total up protein for each day Protein counter: www.innerbirth.net/upload/pprotein.doc Suggested film: The Business of Being Born

Class 2- The Process of Birth

The stages of labor, emotional signposts of labor, laboring positions, pushing positions, giving birth without drugs, avoiding unnecessary pain in labor, breath awareness

Hw: Relax, 20 minutes/day Read chapters 4-6 (Ina May) Emotional Signposts article http://www.angelfire.com/nb/doulaamanda/Labor.html

Class 3- The Psychology of Birth

Adrenaline/Oxytocin in labor, comfort measures, Laborland, partner’s role and encouragement during labor, birth art, relaxation exercises

Hw: Relax, 20 minutes/day Read chapters 7-10 (Ina May) What will your labor project be?

Class 4- Routine Procedures, Interventions and Your Birth Preferences

Choices of care providers and birth settings, common hospital procedures, possible interventions

Hw: Relax, 20 minutes/day Read chapters 11-14 (Ina May) List your birth wishes (rough draft)

Class 5- Feeding, Nurturing and Postpartum Care

Postpartum care for mother and baby, breastfeeding, realizing expectations

Hw: Relax, 20 minutes/day Read Birth Stories in Part I (ina May) Read the following articles: http://www.notmilk.com/101.html http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing/ http://kellymom.com/pregnancy/bf-prep/milkproduction/ http://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/bf-basics/hunger-cues/ http://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/bf-basics/latch-resources/

Proper Latch videos: http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=13

Class 6: Review, questions, discussion, guest speaker