Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this the right class for me?
- When should I take a class?
- What information do you cover?
- Is the weekend immersion class the same as the one month series?
- What kind of pain-coping practices do you teach?
- Is this a “natural birth” class?
- Can I attend a prenatal class on my own?
- I have read the book Birthing From Within. How is this different?
- Why are you called Dancing Star Birth?
- How can I learn more?
Is this the right class for me?
In a Birthing From Within prenatal class you will find a unique group of expectant parents, planning for home and hospital births, getting care with doctors and midwives, and with diverse professions and interests....
A Birthing From Within Class is ideal for parents who are seeking a class which will meet both their need for practical knowledge about birth and babies, and support them in exploration of the emotional aspects of birth and parenting so that they can approach the changes to come without fear or anxiety.
When should I take a class?
While you may be eager to start classes as soon as possible, we find the optimal time to take classes to be in your second or third trimester. If possible you should select a class that will finish within a 3 - 8 week window of your due date. If you have medical or personal concerns that suggest a need to take classes earlier, we are happy to accomodate you.
Ideally you will finish a class with a nice window of time for reading and integrating all of the ideas we share in the class, but also close enough to your due date that your upcoming birth feels "real".
What information do you cover?
Birthing From Within prenatal classes provide you with all of the core information you need to know to have a healthy birth in any setting. You will learn the stages and hormones of labour, extensive pain-coping practices (including epidurals and other medications), support secrets for partners, cesarean birth, and of course baby care basics and how to have a healthy first few months with baby. Also included is a separate session just for birth partners.
In addition, a Birthing From Within class helps you build trust in birth, your body, each other, and in your capacity to work with whatever challenges birth and parenting may present to you. We explore how to create a supportive birth environment in the hospital or home, fears about birth and parenting, and dig below the surface to discover what it is we Really need to know to give birth.
Birthing From Within Philosophy- We view childbirth as a profound rite of passage, not a medical event (even when medical care is part of the birth)
- We balance traditional information with introspective, multi-sensory experiences.
- We prepare expectant mothers and their partners to give birth in awareness—not to achieve a specific birth outcome.
- We acknowledge that pregnancy, labour, and birth outcomes are influenced by a variety of factors, some of which cannot be controlled by prior planning.
- We support parents in choosing any birth option which might be right for them.
- We accept pain as an inevitable part of childbirth for most women, but offer many techniques which can be used by women and/or their partners to ease suffering.
- We teach parents a wide variety of proven pain-coping practices which can be integrated into daily life.
- We strive to empower women and their partners to find their own unique strengths and coping skills.
- We understand that fathers or partners may be more comfortable in the role of “birth guardian” or “companion” than that of “coach”.
Is the weekend immersion class the same as the one month series?
Weekend immersion and one month series have all of the same content and activities. Each class has no more than 6-9 couples, allowing for extensive dialogue between participants rather than a lecture format, and individualized attention.
What kind of pain-coping practices do you teach?
Pain-coping practices include breath awareness, non-focused awareness, centering and spiraling, positions for labour and birth, massage, aromatherapy, visualization, vocalization, epidurals & other pain medications. Many of these “pain-coping” practices are also excellent tools beyond birth when coping with the stresses of parenthood.
Is this a “natural birth” class?
Birthing From Within classes offer you a deep understanding of the natural birth process, trust in your body and birth, working with pain, and practical ideas to support you in working towards your vision for labour and birth.
However, classes also offer a balanced perspective on how to work with a birth experience that may be different from your original vision. Epidurals are discussed from the framework of “wise and compassionate use,” and we discuss how to stay connected to your birth and baby should you need an epidural or give birth by cesarean. There is a strong emphasis on meeting the unknowns of birth without fear, anxiety or self-judgment so that you can give birth in awareness no matter what challenges your birth should bring.
Can I attend a prenatal class on my own?
Absolutely! While most women attend with a partner, there are single mothers, and women whose partners' work schedules don't match the class schedule, who come on their own. If you will be attending on your own, we encourage you to consider inviting a friend to join you through the series—in the past, women have brought along doulas, friends, sisters, and mothers. One brave father attend the class on his own when his wife had the flu that weekend!
I have read the book Birthing From Within. How is this different?
Reading Birthing From Within, by Pam England, is wonderful preparation for birth, and an excellent complement to the classes. While the classes are based on the book, the activities and ideas presented in class go far beyond the book, and include our unique perspective as a mothers and birth professionals.
Why Dancing Star Birth?
Chaos is a frightening concept as we move through pregnancy to birth and beyond. As our bellies grow, a deeper change also begins—filled with unknowns, unexpected turns and discoveries. You may wonder, “Am I strong enough for labour?”, or “Can I give enough to this child?”
At Dancing Star Birth we validate, motivate, educate, initiate, and celebrate new families. As you journey through the unknown of pregnancy, birth and parenthood we support you in embracing the whole of your experience, finding trust within yourself and with each other.
How can I learn more?
If you have further questions regarding Birthing From Within, Birthing Again, or Mama Renew Groups, please feel free to contact us.
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