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Why 12 Weeks

Girl Hiking in Mountains

Are You Ready?

Dr. Bradley liked to say childbirth was like an athletic event. Childbirth is very much like running a marathon, or climbing a tall mountain. When my husband ran the New York City Marathon, he trained for months to achieve his goal. Having hiked up to Yosemite Falls (as well as giving birth, twice!), I can also affirm this is a great analogy for birth.

 

Preparation makes the climb achievable, and a lot more pleasant. Not preparing -- just winging it -- leaves you vulnerable and less likely to achieve your goal. Not preparing can lead to you or your baby suffering unnecessarily. So, it is wise to get ready physically, mentally, and emotionally for the upcoming birth of your child.

 

Giving birth to your child is not an everyday event - it is an extremely important life experience for both mother and baby - a transformative and impactful event for the whole family.

 

You can do it!

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You can read the official Bradley Method® reasons for why they created a 12 week course here

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"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Why This Class Is the One for You, Your Partner, and Your Baby

 

Stack the Cards in Your Favor: You are preparing physically, mentally and emotionally to have the healthiest and safest birth. Being informed and making decisions that are right for your family are paramount to having a positive and healthy start for your new baby. Gaining knowledge and skills takes time, that's why Bradley® classes meet for 12 weeks.

The 12 weeks are an evidence-based approach based on neuroscience supporting the time it takes to establish new thought patterns and to feel confident and ready for your birth and parenting experience on a deep level - which is:

90 days = three months = 12 weeks.

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Build Confidence: By having a strong foundation of knowledge about pregnancy, labor and birth, the mother and her partner can feel fully confident in her ability to give birth and trust in the natural processes. By having basic breastfeeding knowledge and understanding normal newborn behavior, families can set themselves up for breastfeeding success and a smoother transition to family life.

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Give Your Baby A Healthy Start: Pregnancy matters. Birth matters. Breastfeeding matters. These experiences affect your baby's health and well-being for a life-time. Having a birth with no or minimal interventions/medications helps your baby to have the best start possible. When interventions or a cesarean are necessary, understanding what to advocate for to help your baby get the best start possible and a smooth transition to life outside the womb is invaluable.

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Empower Mother with a Good Birth Experience: Birth is a profound rite of passage that affects the new mother physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. A Bradley® class is a safe space for the mother to explore her feelings about her upcoming birth and develop a deep sense of trust in her body, her baby, and the process of birth.

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Provide Partners with Power Tools: Bradley Method® classes are unparalleled in helping new fathers/co-parents know exactly what to do for their partners during pregnancy, labor and birth, and postpartum. Dads/co-parents who know how to support their partners feel more involved and confident. The special focus on fathers/co-parents helps them to know exactly how important their role really is. Note: If you are a same sex couple (or other variation) you are most welcome! Same concepts apply - your partner and baby need you to be prepared and involved. For more on how I view partners and other support people, please read this article)

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Be in Charge: This is your birth and your baby. Many of my couples seek to have a natural birth and to minimize interventions;  most are able to have the birth they desire. Sometimes a couple has a labor and birth that requires medical intervention for the health and well-being of the mother/baby. Couples taking my classes have felt that the course prepared them with the necessary understanding, skills, and terminology to dialog with their medical caregivers and to make informed decisions to navigate unexpected curve balls and to have the very best birth possible.

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Create Community: Class is a terrific place to meet other like-minded parents who have similar goals to yours. In class we share, discuss, question, and support one another on this unique and wonderful journey. There are opportunities to connect online and in person. We have a Zoom reunion for each group series to meet all the babies and local families can gather at Park Days. Many of my class couples continue to get together long after the series ends.

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Benefit from the Power of Personal Attention: Classes are intentionally small and intimate in order for each couple/team to receive the attention and support they need during this special time in their lives. Birth and parenting are all about relationships. So, having a positive, nurturing, and real relationship with their instructor helps give expectant parents the support and confidence they need as they transition to life as a new family.

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**Special Note: I understand that sometimes couples travel, are out-of-town, or miss class because they are ill. Missed classes are recorded so you can watch it later and keep up with the series. So, you don't need to stress or worry. 

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"The baby is between two worlds.

On a threshold. Do not hurry.
Do not rush. Allow your baby to enter.
What an extraordinary thing this little creature no longer a fetus, a newborn baby.

An ephemeral moment…let time pass, slowly"
—Frederick LeBoyer, Birth Without Violence

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