Childbirth Education Class Summary

v      WEEK 1

Ø       Introductions

Ø       THE BASICS:

§         Anatomy; Definitions; Birth place options; Nutrition in Pregnancy

v      WEEK 2

Ø       CHILDBIRTH

§         Overview - Cardinal Movements

§         Fight or Flight

§         Autonomic nervous system, instinct, becoming primal

§         Stages of labor: Early labor - Active labor - Transition 

v      WEEK 3

Ø       COPING WITH LABOR

§         Review fight or flight

§         Gate control theory

§         Review primal laboring

§         Climb the Ladder 

v      WEEK 4

Ø       PUSHING AND BIRTH

§         The "rest and be thankful" stage

§         Second Stage: Pushing

§         BIRTH!

v      WEEK 5

Ø       AFTER THE BIRTH

§         Third Stage:

§         Postpartum

v      WEEK 6

Ø       INTERVENTIONS DURING CHILDBIRTH 

v      WEEK 7

Ø       BABY CARE BASICS

Ø       Immediately After Birth; Feeding; Jaundice; Holding; Swaddling; Colic;  The controversies: vaccinations, circumcision, bottles/pacifiers; Diapering; Bathing; Cord care; Burping; Nighttime Parenting; co-sleeping; sleep positions; sleeping through the night = mom or baby

v      WEEK 8

Ø       BREASTFEEDING

§         Why Breastfeed? - AAP guidelines, WHO guidelines

§         The Basics

§         Scheduled feedings -vs- On Request feedings; Hunger Signs; IS BABY EATING ENOUGH?; Growth Spurts; Challenges; Pumping / Storing; Going back to work; Formula Feeding; Weaning