All too often, unnecessary interventions derail a perfectly normal birth. On the other hand, necessary interventions given at the right time, can help turn a difficult situation into a successful and natural childbirth. The commonsense step-by-step procedure you will learn in this class will help you to better discern which situation you and your birth might face.
BIRTH Sense
how to keep birth technologies in their proper place
(Birth Matters Course, Session 5)
If there is one area that divides parents and professionals in the birth world, it is the topic of interventions! Some may over-use technology, which may benefit a few, but will actually interfere with and hinder the natural birthing process of many. Others may cling so tightly to the dream of a completely "natural childbirth" that they may refuse an intervention that could be of genuine assistance in the case of birth that veers off course. In this class, we give parents a step-by-step process for identifying when interventions may be helpful so that, should interventions prove necessary, you will feel confident that you and your health care provider made the right decision.
- Review in brief the process of a normal, natural childbirth, and why it is important for you and your baby, both in the short-term and the long-term
- Discuss situations in which interventions may be helpful to return a particular birth to a more normal course
- List natural alternatives to common interventions so that you will have plenty of tricks to try before deciding to go forward with a medical intervention
- Understand common procedures and interventions that are used during childbirth, including their potential benefits and possible risks, with plenty of time for YOUR questions!
- Discuss unexpected outcomes that may occur and get resources you can use should you face an unexpected outcome
- Leave feeling confident that you can discern why and when interventions may be helpful to keep your birth as normal and natural as possible
About this Class
Instructor: Christelle J. K. Hagen, BfNAEC, ICI, SBD. Christelle is an experienced childbirth educator (Apple Tree Family Ministries/Childbirth without Fear method) and certified birth and perinatal loss doula. Christelle has given birth seven times. The step-by-step, middle-of-the-ground approach she teaches in this class has been informed by her seven very different birth experiences. Three of her births were completely normal and natural. Her other four births (her first, fifth, sixth and seventh) included medical interventions, yet she was still able to have as normal and natural a childbirth as possible, despite abnormal birthing situations. Previous students have commented that they appreciated learning from an instructor who has had such a variety of personal birthing experiences as they are better able to understand what these different choices and birth paths may be like. Learn more about Christelle.