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"A strong intention, a relaxed body and an open mind are the main ingredients for an active birth"

Janet Balakas

Are you thinking:

What if instead you felt:

  • Informed about what might happen during your birth experience
  • Confident in your ability to give birth and care for your baby
  • Prepared with a tool kit of hands on stratergies you've practiced for coping with the pain of labor
  • Ready to advocate for yourself and your partner to get the information you need for informed decision making
  • Supported by a group of your peers all experiencing similar life changes
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My Clients Say...

 

Rachael

 "Emma asked questions which inspired us to consider our opinions about labor and delivery and helped us get to the bottom of our dreams and desires for our delivery.

She presented us with current, comprehensive information on the labor process from start to finish and was able to explain to us the various possible medical interventions that could occur in a hospital birth (she even showed us a few medical devices). She made it clear that she was there to support our decisions and I felt that, should I opt for an epidural, she would remain non-judgmental."

A week by week look inside our program 

Week 01.

Getting Ready

What's happening in your body in late pregnancy and how to manage some of the aches and pains

***

Pre-term labor concerns and warning signs to look for

***

How to know you might be in labor and what to do next if you are

***

When to go to your birthplace so you don't get there to soon and you don't have a baby in the car!

***

Your water broke! What now?

***

Practice - Breathing and relaxation techniques for labor

And more...

Week 02.

What to Expect in Labor

What to expect both physically and emotionally at each stage of labor.

***

The hormones of labor and how to work with them

***

Setting up your birthing environment (yes, even in a hospital)

***

Assembling your birth team - everyone needs a good support team. From doctors, midwives, nurses & doulas to your partner, friends, family. We'll explore who does what and how you can get your support needs met.

***

Practical tips to help your baby get into a good position before labor

***

Trusted methods you can employ to keep your labor progressing well and set yourselves up for success

***

Practice - Comfort Measures you and your partner can use to help you cope during labor. 

And more...

Week 03.

All the Comfort Measures

What to expect in active labor - what does it feel like, how long is it, what is happening to your body and most importantly what you can do while you're in it. 

***

Positions that you can use in all stages of labor

***

Transition - what it looks like and how your partner can support you through it

***

Pushing - how to push  effectively and different positions to use both with, and without an epidural

***

Your amazing placenta

***

Practice - Comfort Measures

***

Practice - Positions - so many positions!

And more...

A week by week look inside our program 

Week 01.

Getting Ready

  • What's happening in your body in late pregnancy and how to manage some of the aches and pains
  • Pre-term labor concerns and warning signs to look for
  • How to know you might be in labor and what to do next if you are
  • When to go to your birthplace so you don't get there to soon and you don't have a baby in the car!
  • Your water broke! What now?
  • Practice - Breathing and relaxation techniques for labor
  • And more...

Week 02.

What to Expect in Labor

  • What to expect both physically and emotionally at each stage of labor.
  • The hormones of labor and how to work with them
  • Setting up your birthing environment (yes, even in a hospital)
  • Assembling your birth team - everyone needs a good support team. From doctors, midwives, nurses & doulas to your partner, friends, family. We'll explore who does what and how you can get your support needs met.
  • Practical tips to help your baby get into a good position before labor
  • Trusted methods you can employ to keep your labor progressing well and set yourselves up for success
  • Practice - Comfort Measures you and your partner can use to help you cope during labor. 
  • And more...

Week 03.

All the Comfort Measures

  • What to expect in active labor - what does it feel like, how long is it, what is happening to your body and most importantly what you can do while you're in it. 
  • Positions that you can use in all stages of labor
  • Transition - what it looks like and how your partner can support you through it
  • Pushing - how to push  effectively and different positions to use both with, and without an epidural
  • Your amazing placenta
  • Practice - Comfort Measures
  • Practice - Positions - so many positions!
  • And more...

Week 04.

Variations of Labor

  • Explore your options for pain relief. What they are, the pros and cons, what to expect and when the best time is to get them if you choose them. 
  • Tips and tricks to deal with back labor, labors that stop and start and other labor variations
  • Inductions - when they might be indicated, what to expect if you have one, and how to talk with your doctor about them
  • How to advocate for yourself (and how your partner can advocate for you), during pregnancy and labor. 
  • Practice - Breathing and relaxation for labor
  • And more...

Week05.

Birth Plans & Decision Making

  • Cesareans. When one might be needed either before labor starts or during.
  • What to expect if you have a cesarean both during and as you recover afterwards. 
  • Decision making during birth - how to communicate effectively with your doctor and nurses to get the answers you need to make  the choices that make sense for your family. 
  • Birth plans - how to write one and what to include. How to talk with your doctor or midwife about your preferences
  • Practice - Labor scenarios and practice! We'll put together all the comfort measures, breathing techniques and positions you've learned and do some practice contractions together to really get you prepared for birth. 
  • And more...

Week 06.

Postpartum 

  • What to expect in the first couple of hours after birth, from the first feed, to common newborn procedures, to bonding with your baby
  • Postpartum warning signs - what to look for and who to call for help
  • What to expect for your recovery from your birth
  • What life with a newborn actually looks like. Managing roles and expectations
  • Sleep - what that looks like for a newborn and how to optimize sleep for you and your partner. 
  • And more.....

Week 07.

Breastfeeding & Newborn Care

  • Breastfeeding - What to expect in the first few days and weeks of your baby's life
  • How to know your baby is getting enough to eat
  • Breastfeeding positions
  • Common breastfeeding challenges and what to do about them
  • Diapering and bathing your baby
  •  Introducing your baby to pets and siblings
  • Soothing techniques
  • And more.....

Week 04.

Variations of Labor

Explore your options for pain relief. What they are, the pros and cons, what to expect and when the best time is to get them if you choose them. 

***

Tips and tricks to deal with back labor, labors that stop and start and other labor variations

***

Inductions - when they might be indicated, what to expect if you have one, and how to talk with your doctor about them

***

How to advocate for yourself (and how your partner can advocate for you), during pregnancy and labor. 

***

Practice - Breathing and relaxation for labor

And more...

Week05.

Birth Plans & Decision Making

Cesareans. When one might be needed either before labor starts or during.

***

What to expect if you have a cesarean both during and as your recover afterwards. 

***

Decision making during birth - how to communicate effectively with your doctor and nurses to get the answers you need to make  the choices that make sense for your family. 

***

Birth plans - how to write one and what to include. How to talk with your doctor or midwife about your preferences

***

Practice - Labor scenarios and practice! We'll put together all the comfort measures, breathing techniques and positions you've learned and do some practice contractions together to really get you prepared for birth. 

And more...

Week 06.

Postpartum 

What to expect in the first couple of hours after birth from the first feed to common newborn procedures to bonding with your baby

***

Postpartum warning signs - what to look for and who to call for help

***

What to expect for your recovery from your birth

***

What life with a newborn actually looks like. Managing roles and expectations

***

Sleep - what that looks like for a newborn and how to optimize sleep for you and your partner. 

And more.....

Week 07.

Breastfeeding & Newborn Care

Breastfeeding - What to expect in the first few days and weeks of your baby's life

***

How to know your baby is getting enough to eat

***

Breastfeeding positions

***

Common breastfeeding challenges and and what to do about them

***

Diapering and bathing your baby

***

 Introducing your baby to pets and siblings

***

Soothing techniques

And more.....

Upcoming Classes

All classes are from 6.30pm to 9pm PT. It's recommended that you are no more than 38 weeks pregnant at the end of class. 
Thurs Oct 6 - Nov 17 2022
Wed Jan 4 - Feb 15 2023
Wed April 12 - May 4th

FAQ's

Your Program Investment

$300

Spaces Limited

  • 7 weeks of live interactive evidence based content that will prepare you for your birth
  • Bi-weekly coffee hour with Emma where you can ask any questions you may have that didn't get answered in class or come and chat about anything baby / birth related. (Saturdays at 9am). 
  • Access to a resource library for obtaining more information on subjects such as how to hire a doula, what to pack in your birth bag, how to build a birth plan,  and more. 
  • Membership in an exclusive WhatsApp group just for your class where you can stay in touch with your classmates throughout your pregnancies and beyond. 
SAVE MY SPOT

Nice to meet you!

Hi! I'm Emma. I look forward to meeting you in of our classes....


I've worked in the pregnancy and  childbirth field for over 14 years now, as a prenatal and postpartum massage therapist, birth doula and postpartum doula. I've attended over 250 births and given almost 1000 prenatal massages in that time. That's a lot of birth and babies! My prenatal clients talk to me about their concerns and wishes for their births and out of those conversations, these classes were born. I do hope you'll consider joining us...

My Clients Say...  

My husband and I were so grateful to have Emma as our birth doula! We felt so well supported from the moment we signed up with her. She is deeply familiar with labor and delivery practices across Seattle hospitals and was able to prepare us for what to expect and how L&D were being managed during Covid. We had two virtual meetings prior to delivery; the first to talk about our birth preferences, plan and learn about the process and discuss ways that we feel supported; the second was a postpartum / newborn preparation session. Both were incredibly helpful and gave us a safe space to ask all our questions (big and small), that we had going into delivery and postpartum as first time parents. She linked us to great evidence based resources, suggested different ways to prepare for birth, helped us to think through our birth plan, (and then prioritize when labor went in a completely different direction), and to identify questions to ask our OB before, during and after labor. 

During labor, she struck the right balance of providing physical / emotional support and giving space when needed. When we got to critical decision points, she helped us feel empowered to ask questions, request time for decision making and think through our next steps. She supported us both through our unexpected c-section by telling us what to expect form start to finish. 

Postpartum, she checked in regularly to answer questions, see how we were doing as a family and connect us to resources. 

We are so grateful to Emma for her support and cannot recommend her highly enough. 

Elizabeth - Birth Doula Client

Your Program Investment

$300

  • 7 weeks of live interactive evidence based content that will prepare you for your birth
  • Bi-weekly coffee hour with Emma where you can ask any questions you may have that didn't get answered in class or come and chat about anything baby / birth related. (Saturdays at 9am). 
  • Access to a resource library for obtaining more information on subjects such as how to hire a doula, what to pack in your birth bag, how to build a birth plan,  and more. 
  • Membership in an exclusive WhatsApp group just for your class where you can stay in touch with your classmates throughout your pregnancies and beyond. 
Reserve my place