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Online Childbirth + Newborn Education

Includes:
How to Choose a Class
How to Register
Individual Class Info
Series Dates
Testimonials 
Teacher
Pricing
Registration + Cancellation Policies

©Lisa Gendron | Agroterra Birth

CHOOSE FROM THREE OPTIONS:

  • 9-week comprehensive series (in-person or live-virtual)
  • 7-week series (in-person or live-virtual)
       * with supplemental pre-recorded videos
  • Choose any individual classes from the 9-week series

Curious about whether our classes are right for you? Take a peek at our video discussing what our classes are known for and explore parent testimonials. Classes are structured to support all types of birth, including home, unmedicated, medicated, medically complex and cesarean. 

Preparing for an unmedicated birth?
Classes 1-3 provide especially important strategies + coping tools.

“My husband and I took your childbirth series in preparation for the birth of our son. I can’t tell you how much it helped us gain strength + confidence in going through the end stages of pregnancy, labor, + childbirth. I ended up having a long 4-day induction but thanks to you (and our team of doulas – who we also wouldn’t have thought to enlist if not for the classes) we were able to make informed decisions about interventions + ultimately managed to have a successful vaginal delivery.”

B.K. Providence

Open Circle offers prenatal massage as well as postpartum massage with baby in Providence, Rhode Island

Pregnancy, birth, and parenting require a leap of faith into the unknown. How can we surrender control, but still have tools to support our safety in birth and ability to stay connected to ourselves, no matter where our birth journey takes us?

Join other expecting families in dynamic classes or series to prepare for birth and early parenting. Build internal tools to connect to the wisdom of your bodies, hearts, minds, maintain strong relationships, and practical tools to feel empowered in your choices and capacity. Each class provides a mix of informational learning, community discussion and experiential exercises (including mindfulness, breath and movement practices).

Discover what families and maternity care professionals have to say about our programs. Listen to some of our birth meditations and instructional videos on youtube. And don’t hesitate to reach out or call if we can answer any questions!

UPCOMING SERIES DATES

IN-PERSON:
*vaccination and masking required

Sun Jan 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 19, 26, Mar 4
9-week series + Sat 2/4 (2b) Thurs 2/9 (4b) 

Sun June 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23
9-week series + Sat 6/24 (2b) Thurs 7/8 (4b) 

Sun Aug 6, 13, 20, 27, *Sept 10, *24, Oct 1
9-week series + Sat 8/19 (2b) Thurs (online) 9/28 (4b) 

ONLINE: 

Mon Jan 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20, 27
9-week series adds Sat 2/4 (2b) Thurs 2/9 (4b) 

Tues June 20, 27, *July 11, 18, 25, Aug 1, 8
9-week series + Thurs 7/6 (2b) Thurs 7/20 (4b) 

Tues Aug 15, 22, 29, *Sept 19, *Oct 3, 10, 17
9-week series + 8/24 (2b) 9/28 (4b) 

Classes included in 7 Week Series:
1, 2a, 3, 4a, 5, 6, 7
9-week series adds 2b + 4b
* signifies day changes or week/s off
Pl
ease check the schedule carefully.

7-Week Series: $325 per couple/birth team
9-Week Series: $395 per couple/birth team
Single Workshop: $75 per couple/birth team
Reduced Rate Pricing information to the left.

Many HSA’s and FSA’s cover childbirth and breastfeeding education. We can provide an itemized receipt, but encourage you to contact your HSA/FSA to confirm coverage. 

 

We offer Income and Resource-Based pricing to support access for families with lower income or fewer resources. To apply, please complete the application and call or email us to register.  

Income-based series pricing ranges from $75-$295
Income-based single workshop prices range from $25-$50. See our fee chart.

We are happy to provide an invoice for your to submit to your insurance company.We do not bill insurance directly for our educational courses.

Some families have had success in being reimbursed for classes. You will want to check if your insurance covers: birth, breastfeeding and/or parenting education. 

 

1. From In to Out: Understanding Birth

Traveling to the “land of birth” is like parachuting into an unknown universe. It can be the adventure of a lifetime, or can be overwhelming and frightening. Often, it is a combination of many different things. Understanding how birth works is important part of working toward a healthy and empowered experience.

Join other couples and learn how your baby will travel from inside to out. Discover the key forces impacting their birth and key personal guides for making decisions. Finally,  explore the special roles of the baby, birth parent and support person, and how you can all work together to support the birth process.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

2. Labor of Love: Movement + Partner Support for Birth

Does kneeling really open the pelvis wider than lying down? How on earth does a baby fit out of there? Can you stand while pushing the baby out? How can you use movement if you’ve had an epidural? And how can support people know how to be helpful and engaged in birth?

Join other families to practice movement, touch and breath practices that support laboring and birth. Birth partners will practice offering physical + emotional support and learning to read unspoken signals. Birthing partners will explore how to stay connected as they learn to breath and move together.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

2b. Labor of Love: Massage, Hands on Support, Acupressure (part 2)

In part 2 of the Labor of Love class,* dive more deeply into labor support tools. Be guided to practice hands-on techniques including counter pressure, acupressure, and labor massage. Further explore the second stage of labor (pushing and birth) and practice effective pushing positions and awareness.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

*may only be taken in combination with Labor of Love part 1

3. Power + Pain: Learning to Work WITH the Sensations of Birth

How do we cope with birth?  However we experience it, whether unmedicated,* medicated or cesarean, the sensations and emotions are immense and intense!

Using unique experiential exercises and group discussions, this workshop explores what it means work WITH intensity, instead of trying to push it away. This intensity is the power that brings your baby to you, and discovering your capacity to stay engaged will support you however you birth!

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

4a. Informed Choices: Advocating for Our Families

Most US families don’t realize the choices or rights they have in birth, or how much engaging in choice-making can impact the health of their births and adjustment to parenthood.

We cannot fully control the maternity care systems we birth in, or the physical of our own and our baby’s bodies, but WE CAN learn to make and advocate for choices that support our bodies and respect our values.

Families taking the individual classes and the 7-week series will receive two supplementary videos discussing Common Interventions + Procedures and Cesarean Sections.

More details and dates. . .

4b. Informed Choices (part 2): Understanding Interventions

In part 2 of the Informed Choices Class* learn about Common Interventions + Procedures in birth.

In addition, take time to role play informed decision making and explore reducing experiences of trauma in birth.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

*may only be taken in combination with Informed Choices part 1

5. A Brave New World: Preparing for a Newborn Family

Birth is a profound process. It is also a doorway into an even bigger life change. We often prepare for pregnancy + birth, but not for what happens after.

How does the birth parent’s body change in the weeks and months after birth? What helps a birthing parent make a health mental and emotional adjustment? What is the lived experience of partners? Siblings? How will identities + relationships will shift and change? How does sexuality shift after birth and  with a baby in the home? How do we set boundaries with family, friends and work?  Who outside the immediate family will we rely on for help?

Spend an afternoon with your support person and engage in exercises to make the adjustment into parenthood less stressful, healthier + more joyful. Begin to create your 4th Trimester plan to support the whole family’s transition.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates. . .

This class uses a flipped classroom model, providing participants with a pre-class video to watch before engaging in in-class exercises.

6. A Baby Now What?! Understanding Newborns

Newborns can seem like tiny, strange creatures from another planet. They may not look or act the way we expected, and often seem a confusing mash-up of softness, wiggles, cries, jerks, staring, sleeping odd noises, and suckling.

Who are these little people? And what do they need from us? Join other families as we explore these amazing, sweet, and resilient little beings and our own readiness to care for them.

Using videos + exercises we will explore their appearances, behaviors and communication, and learn how to meet their essential needs for sleep, growth, cognitive development, physical comfort and bonding.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

7. The Nursling: Breastfeeding + Bonding

What is breastfeeding all about, and how do we do it?

Breastfeeding is “natural” to all mammals, including the human ones. In the US, families have different amounts of familiarity with the process. Some feel excited to begin. Others feel anxious at the thought, or pressured to try. Some expect it to be an easy process, and others fear challenge + discomfort.

In this class you will learn about breastfeeding in the early months after birth. We will explore the benefits, joys and potential challenges, and focus on getting off to a good start – supporting comfort, milk production and a well-nourished baby.

Detailed Syllabus and Dates

Links to resources for accessing support, addressing challenges, pumping, formula feeding and going back to work will be provided.

©Lisa Gendron | Agroterra Birth

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Kaeli Sutton has has worked with over 3000 mothers and families over the past 19 years. Trained in multiple pregnancy and postpartum health and support modalities (read more here), her most significant learning has come through her experience as a woman and mother, as well as what she has learned from the thousands of parents and infants that she has had the honor to work with. With a background in mindfulness based traditions, anatomy, kinesiology, bodywork and exercise, as well as human development, Kaeli has developed a curriculum geared toward the health of the entire family — physically, mentally, emotionally and in relationship.