Babies n Mii

My pregnancy was one of the most beautiful journeys I will always remember. As weeks passed by my anxiety and curiosity around the birthing process, preparing for labor and delivery, and life after my baby (postpartum) grew. The doctor’s office informed me to check with the hospital if they were offering any prenatal classes. For those of you who are first-time moms-to-be, these classes are like a crash course where they talk/teach about pregnancy on topics such as developing healthy eating habits, things to watch out for as your pregnancy progresses; labor and delivery topics such as labor positions, preparing for labor, etc. As advised, I check with my hospital only to find out that they were no longer offering prenatal classes but instead directed me to check with the community centres in my area if they offered these classes. 

I did find a community centre which was about 25 minutes by bus from my place. The class was offered once a week for an hour but were only offered in the mornings. I was excited. I enrolled and attended probably 3-4 classes. It became a challenge as I had to travel a bit and the weather was getting cold and I did not feel very comfortable traveling. I stopped, disappointed. Had there been options such as online classes or birthing courses, I would have loved to take one and be prepared. I did do my research and watched a lot of Youtube videos, but I am a visual learner and love reading materials and hearing first hand. 

This blog is about an amazing online birthing class that I recently watched and fell in love with instantly! No.. I am not expecting! A couple of weeks ago I was approached by Sylvia Otvos from Rock The Cradle Doula services to discuss all the toddler activities I do! During the conversation I got to know Sylvia more about what she does. Sylvia is a birth doula herself and has this exclusive online course which has the content of about 5.5 hours that gives first-time parents-to-be a deeper insight in preparing for their big day. The course is delivered by Sylvia in lesson format. Each lesson consists of videos which are short and varies from 2 – 45 minutes in duration. Throughout the videos along with her narration, she uses accessories such as a baby doll, a water bag (symbolizing the uterus), and the best part there are real parents and babies to make the classes lively. That is not all; there is a 46-page workbook with pages for you to complete as you go through the lessons and help you better prepare for your birthing experience. 

The topics range from pregnancy, preparing for labor, actual labor, delivery, postpartum, breastfeeding, and caring for the baby after delivery. Each class focuses on one topic and discusses in-depth about the topic. For example, in the class on “Massage-how to relax your partner”, real parents-to-be featured in the video. The class shows techniques on how your partner can massage you during labor. It was very effective to watch and remember as the real parents-to-be were actually trying those things on screen and you could follow along as you watch the class.

Another class from these lessons that I found interesting was about “Coping with Labor”. This offered some great tips and techniques to help moms cope up with pain during labor. Some amazing things I remember from this class such as water could be your best friend in the sense to relive the pain – take baths or shower. Massage by your partner or support person could help you cope with pain. Think happy thoughts to get you through the pain and contractions. 

In all, the course covers all the topics which would answer questions for first time parents-to-be from how to prepare for your labor? Best birthing positions. What happens during childbirth? What interventions may happen during childbirth (forceps delivery, vacuum birth, c-section, etc.)? Post-delivery care for mom and baby. Importance of Skin-to-skin with the baby, breastfeeding your baby as well as newborn care in the first 6 weeks i.e. bathing, grooming, caring for the umbilical cord, etc.

Had I known about this course while I was expecting my son four years ago, I would have been the happiest client on earth! Even though I did not have the benefit of this fulsome course at that time, it is a resource that is available to all of you right now. In these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a real blessing. The course is a click away and you can learn, educate yourself and your partner, and prepare for a positive birth experience from the comfort of your own home. 

Sylvia has kindly offered a personalized promo code to share with all my readers. So if you purchase the Rockstar Edition of the course, you can get $25 off by using the promo code BabiesnMii25.

For more information on the course and to make the purchase  visit https://rockthecradle.ca/online-prenatal-classes/.

I hope this course helps you prepare better for one of the most memorable experiences in your lifetime. Happy birthing!