ACTIVE BIRTH WORKSHOPS (Connected Birth)
Interactive practical workshops for couples
- Length: 4 hours
- Location: Southside Physio, Tuggeranong
- Fees: $180 includes course notes and On-line programme for home practise (including videos of massage/acupressure plus relaxations and hypnosis tracks)
Prepare together for this amazing experience
A recent study considered the influence of birth partners on birth outcomes and concluded that partners were often not prepared enough both in physical support and emotional support skills. When they were outcomes improved as well as a woman’s satisfaction. There is simply not enough time in hospital classes to practice all the different ways to make a significant difference during this special and, usually intense time.
This workshop fills that gap! Partners will learn and practice hands on skills both for pregnancy and throughout labour, as well as suggestions of ways to help women feel safe and loved , thus releasing high levels of oxytocin – imperative to keep labour progressing and women to surrender to the experience.
Partners will be equipped with a range of skills and knowledge and understand the essential factors that will help labour to progress. Together you face the birth of your baby deeply connected and ready to parent as a team.
“My husband and I attended the birth support class with Julia and thank goodness we did. It was a fantastic way to prepare us both for the impending birth of our daughter. The massage pressure points on my lower back worked wonders. The course was so fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone. My husband found it so helpful – before the class, he had no idea what to expect and how he may be able to help but after the course, he felt confident and ready to be a wonderful and useful birth support partner, which he was!“
– Simone
Programme content
This workshop will address:
- The art of providing loving and effective support and how it positively influences labour and birth of your baby
- Creating a relaxed, safe, calm, supportive and loving atmosphere so essential birth hormones flow
- Trusting the birth process and avoiding the Fear/Tension/Pain cycle
- Working with contractions to interrupt pain signals including acupressure, massage, mindfulness, deep relaxation, hypnosis, visualisations, loving words and more!
- How to support and encourage active birth positions and movement to help labour progress and be more manageable
- Making informed choices and being an advocate
- Breathing, mindfulness and relaxation skills to help you both to cope with labour and new parenting
- The opportunity to connect with other couples preparing for birth
- How to be the best birth support ever!
Course material includes:
- A copy of Preparing for Birth (Birth International) – a beautifully designed and up to date publication for further ideas and explanations
- Course notes
- Recordings of deep relaxation/hypnosis tracks to prepare mentally for birth
- Access to the online programme with videos of massage techniques, active birth positions, meditations, relaxations and more
“”Before coming to your workshop, I was starting to feel a little nervous about the birth and Thomas was too. After we left your workshop, we felt a lot more comfortable, confident, knowledgeable and Thomas felt like he knew how he could help and support me during the birth. I really didn’t expect my birth to be such a positive experience but attending the workshop really helped. We will be forever grateful for what we learnt during the workshop and recommend for anyone to attend if they would like to learn more about birth, techniques to help and assist during labour, for the dad to learn ways to support mum, how to work together as a team, and stay in a positive mindset.”
– Renee & Thomas
Testimonials
I know that without your workshop, I would have given in to the pain and the fear very early. My husband knew his role in my labour so clearly from the workshop, that there was no way he would let me forget how strong I am. He maintains to this day that it was a mind blowing, amazing experience.
So thank you.. A million times thank you. You helped me to have the birth that I wanted. I will never underestimate the power of the mind again. And massage… Massage is the best thing in the world!
The Active Birth workshop was definitely one of the best things my husband and I did to prepare us for the birth of our son. Being able to practise and familiarise ourselves with different labour and pain management skills beforehand was so helpful to keep us working as a team throughout my whole labour. My husband had a range of different things to use when helping me through the contractions and his confidence helped me to feel supported and as relaxed as possible.
The Birth workshop taught us different techniques of massage & relaxation exercises that my partner & I could use during each stage of labour. Knowing these techniques gave me the confidence & knowledge to stay calm during labour and helped me to provide a relaxing and natural birthing environment for my partner
I just wanted to tell you that the strategies we learned that day, allowed me to give birth using only gas for the last couple of hours. I was in early labour for a day and a half before I finally hit the real thing. After that point, it was roughly 1cm dilation per hour. I’m proud to say that I only had meltdowns due to sleep deprivation and when active labour really got going, I was SO focused. Thanks to my amazing husband!! Anyway, I just wanted to share and say thank you! We referred to the positions suggested by you both, many times. And the massage was my saviour! Thanks again and keep up the good work.
Thank you for holding the birth workshop on Sunday. It was the most practical and inspiring workshop I have attended. I loved how you taught the partners how to really feel part of the process and support us. I also loved that the techniques taught were so simple and easy to do. My partner really enjoyed the workshop and said that he wishes I could have brought him to something like this for our first birth. We both feel really ready and excited to practice our skills on the big day and I think having all these wonderful tools to use has taken my mind of any anxieties I initially had. Thank you so much!
Although I feel more knowledgeable about what I can do to support Clare during labour, I now also understand that there will times that all I need to do is be there. I was worried about being a bit useless but you have given me the understanding that my positivity and strength will be a big support on their own. The tips about our birthing plan were greatly appreciated and the practicalities of what we might take to the hospital have got us thinking.
Matt and I want to thank you for everything we learnt in the workshop. For me, it was great to learn, test out, and understand different techniques that will help me relax and stay calm. I am also reassured that Matt will be a great support during labour and we both feel confident to labour at home for longer before heading to the hospital.
My husband and I attended the birth support class with Julia and thank goodness we did. It was a fantastic way to prepare us both for the impending birth of our daughter. The massage pressure points on my lower back worked wonders. The course was so fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone. My husband found it so helpful – before the class, he had no idea what to expect and how he may be able to help but after the course, he felt confident and ready to be a wonderful and useful birth support partner, which he was!
In the end, we used many of Julia’s massage techniques during labour, I don’t know what we would have done without them.
If you find that a class is full, you can pop yourself on the waiting list through this link, and you’ll be contacted if a spot becomes available.
If a term has already started and you would like to join, please email me at juliaw@netspeed.com.au
Please contact Julia if you are experiencing any financial difficulty and require a reduced fee to be able to attend.