Childbirth education is an important part of the birth preparation process. In childbirth, knowledge is power and the more you know about your body, your choices, and the wide spectrum of normal that is birth, the better prepared you will be for your birth. Childbirth education offers access to evidence based information, movement, mindfulness and comfort strategies for birth, and in-depth discussions of the physiology of birth to help expectant parents make educated and consensual choices at all levels of care. Many options exist for in-person birth classes, virtual birth classes, and educational resources designed to inform and empower expectant families. These are some of our most trusted recommendations.
Birth Classes
- Blossoming Bellies: Offering evidence based and holistically-centered inclusive birth services to families of all walks of life in the Philadelphia area and virtual services to those in the greater community.
- Mindfulbirth Philadelphia: Mindfulness based childbirth education supporting the birth and parenting journey.
- Phoenix Rising Birth Works: Healing centered support & trauma conscious education for pregnancy, birth & beyond.
- The Journey: The Journey is a healing space and trauma conscious workshop for those who have experienced traumatic cesarean and/or who are planning an upcoming birth after a previous cesarean. Partners are welcomed and strongly encouraged to participate as they deserve healing too!
Online Birth Education Resources
- https://www.hypnobabies.com/
- FREYA: A Hypnobabies birthing app
- https://spinningbabies.com/ : Resources for movement to facilitate ideal fetal positioning in pregnancy and birth
- Motherboard Birth : An app and virtual birth education resource
- The Educated Birth: Designed for birth workers, but offers incredible visual education tools and handouts that offer information about all aspects of birth and birth preparation
Book Recommendations
- The Birth Partner by Penny Simpkin
- When Survivors Give Birth by Penny Simpkin
- The First 40 Days by Heng Ou
- Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth Ed. by by Julia Oparah & Alicia Bonaparte
Virtual Reading Materials
- https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ : Evidence based articles synthesizing current research on all aspects of the childbearing year.
- A Black Mama’s Guide to Living and Thriving
- http://www.childbirthconnection.org/: Educational resources that promote safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and serves as a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families.
- https://globalhealthmedia.org/ : Beautiful educational videos designed train health care workers that illustrate and bring to life basic health care information known to improve birth outcomes and save lives.
- https://www.ancientsongdoulaservices.com
- The Miles Circuit: http://www.milescircuit.com/
- Black Birthing Bill of Rights: https://thenaabb.org/index.php/black-birthing-bill-of-rights/