Birth Your Way

Birth Your Way is an original 8 week curriculum created by Angela Garvin, a Bradley educator, and Stacie Walker, a Lamaze educator. Birth Your Way classes focus on options in childbirth, including natural childbirth as well as choices in pain management during labor and birth. Parents will learn about the importance of becoming an informed healthcare consumer not only for their birth experience, but for their newborn baby's care as well. The physiology of pain during labor, how partners can support the mother with comfort measures and the realities of life with a newborn are covered in this class. In addition to their roles as childbirth educators, Angela and Stacie are birth doulas and bring those experiences coupled with the latest evidence based research in maternity care to create a series of classes that are original, dynamic and interactive.

The next 8 week series of Birth Your Way classes will begin on January 6th and will end on February 24th. The class will meet from 6:45--8:45 PM at Shine.

The cost for the eight week series is $168, including all materials and a comprehensive course binder containing over 50 articles from organizations such as The Green Journal, Cochrane Reviews, March of Dimes and the American College of OB/GYNs. The binder is a collection of the latest information on evidence based maternity care in the United States.

To register, download a registration form here and mail it to us with a $50 deposit to hold your spot.

Topics covered in class include:

• Understanding your options in childbirth, including choices in pain management
  
• Becoming an informed healthcare consumer
  
• Complications and interventions that can alter your birth plan
  
• Staying healthy and low-risk during and after pregnancy
  
• How to talk to your care providers (and your baby's) to make fully informed decisions
  
• How to write a birth plan
  
• The physiology and purpose of pain during labor
  
• Practicing partner support and comfort measures
  
• Deciding which tests and procedures are appropriate for your baby
  
• The realities of life with a newborn
  
• Breastfeeding basics, and when to seek help
  
• Your postpartum body and emotions
  

Bios:

Angela Garvin, MAT, is a Bradley Certified Childbirth Educator and Birth Doula. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Birth Care Network and a professional subscriber with International Cesarean Awareness Network of Louisville. As an instructor, Angela believes in the importance of professional development. To that end, she has participated in numerous continuing education courses related to pregnancy and birth since she entered the birth field in 2006. Her special interests include VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), optimal fetal positioning and homebirth advocacy. Angela is a former elementary school teacher with Jefferson County Public Schools and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in elementary education. Angela lives in Northeast Louisville with her husband Brad and their two sons, Liam, 5 and Beckett, 2. She has experienced natural childbirth twice, giving birth in the hospital and at home. She is an active volunteer at Friends School, where her children attend kindergarten and preschool.

Stacie Walker, MA, LMT, NCMT, is a nationally-certified and state-licensed massage therapist. She is trained in traditional Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and injury massage. In addition, Stacie has completed specialized continuing education in fertility, prenatal, and postpartum massage; newborn massage instruction; and Reiki. She particularly enjoys working with pregnant and postpartum moms. Along with her work as a massage therapist, Stacie works with new and expectant parents as a DONA-trained birth doula. Stacie also shares her passion for pregnancy and birth through her work as a Lamaze-trained childbirth educator. Before deciding to become a professional “birth junkie,” Stacie worked in higher education. She completed her undergraduate degree at Transylvania University and her graduate education at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Most recently, Stacie held an academic administration position at a private university in Louisville, and before that, she taught college theatre and English courses at a variety of institutions. She brings her experience with adult education into her work as a childbirth educator and is thrilled to have the opportunity to combine her love of teaching with her passion for pregnancy and birth.