No. This class is not specific to any type of birth. Whether you are planning to birth at home or in hospital, go unmedicated or fully medicated, low intervention or high intervention, or even a cesarean birth - this class is still for you. While it is suitable for any kind of birth, the emphasis is on informed choice and having a birth that you feel powerful in.

We know that you have a lot of choice in who to take prenatal classes from and that is great. Our classes have been reviewed and recommended by Clinical Counsellors, Nurses, Registered Midwives, Doulas, Chiropractors, Registered Massage Therapists, and other health care professionals.

You do want to consider is what the background of the person you are learning from is. While it may sound like a good idea to learn from a labour and delivery nurse for example, it is important to look at what type of births they typically attended and what kind of information they have and compare that to the kind of birth you are planning.

Our team of educators have attended an extensive variety of births, from highly managed with health conditions, to homebirth, straightforward births, to those who experience loss or unexpected turns. Our knowledge base is broad and this means we can easily adapt the information to suit the class needs.

Beyond that, we work for you! We do not work for any hospitals or need to work under any policies or procedures. This gives us the freedom to share options and information in which others are simply not allowed to tell you. We teach you how to explore the system that we are experts at navigating.

No. After years of intimately working with birthing families, we know these things:

1. Four hours is not enough time to cover everything you need to know
2. Trying to shove all that information in such a short time frame will leave you overwhelmed and confused
3. Being able to take a break and sit with the information will lead to a better understanding of what makes sense for your unique need

We know you probably have read some birth books, you have joined a baby group, and already follow Bad Ass Mother Birther on Instagram and maybe you are already feeling information overload. We get it. There is almost too much information out there. One thing we really like to focus on is unlearning some of those lifelong stories that have built your perception of birth so that you can really tap in to what is important to you through this momentous journey.

So much of the information out there is just focused on fear and control of birthing parents. That is not what we are about. We want you to feel confident in your power and one of the ways to do this is by getting valuable information that will make a positive difference for your pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
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Another aspect in the group classes that we love is the ability for you to find other like minded birthing families to connect with and share this journey.

Our classes are designed for both the birthing person AND their chosen birth partner. You and your partner are a team, and it is important to do this class together. Every class will have important information for your partner to know PLUS we also included a special dedicated section that is totally focused on their role!

Doulas are awesome resources for information - we know - we are doulas ourselves! But your prenatal appointments with your doulas shouldn't be a replacement for a prenatal class for a few reasons.
1. Most prenatal meetings with your doula is about 2 hours long and most doulas offer 2 prenatals - that means you only get 4 hours together. 4 hours does not begin to cover everything that our prenatal class can cover. You might be able to get the basics, but it is unlikely to be able to go over every topic that we do in the detail that we do.
2. It can feel overwhelming getting a flood of information all at once. This can often lead to that information not being properly downloaded into your brain.
3. Your doula needs time to get to know you! If you spend all your time together with your doula doing all the talking, that means there is no time for you to share about yourself, your needs and your desires. The doula-birthing family relationship is so special and a big part of what makes it so special is being able to get to know each other deeply.
4. We love doulas so much, we even invite them in some of our classes.

While this would be ideal, and informed choice conversations should be happening, the truth is, it is actually harder to come by than you may think. There are many reasons why your care provider may not give you all the information that you need - lack of time, policy restrictions, preference to particular styles, not knowing. There's a saying - if you don't know your options then you don't have any. In other words, get informed yourself, then you will be better equipped to face whatever comes your way.

Look, we know that birth is unpredictable and we totally understand that pull to "go with the flow" but it is important to consider whose flow you are going with. Are you going with the real flow that you birth is supposed to go down, the flow of your body and your baby working together or are you going with the flow of your care providers preferences or the flow of the hospital policies? In order to go with the flow, it is vital to first get informed and to understand what matters most to you.

At My Powerful Birth, we abide by a clear no-refund policy, as outlined in our Terms and Conditions. By registering for our classes or services, you agree that all fees paid are non-refundable. While we are unable to issue refunds, we understand that unexpected situations can arise. If you are unable to attend a class, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible to explore alternative options subject to availability and approval. In the rare instance that My Powerful Birth cancels a class or session, we will work with you to reschedule or provide a refund. By completing your registration, you acknowledge and accept these terms. For any further questions or assistance, please contact us at [email protected]