Once Off Private Birth Day Workshop- R750
I offer individual, once off, private Doula led labour and birth preparation & information session in the comfort of your own home (Cape Town Southern Suburbs & CBD areas- additional charges apply for outlying areas.) This is intended to be an intense deep dive, content heavy workshop primarily focused at preparing mothers & partners for the actual labour and birth itself and the various avenues, options and considerations that may present itself on the big day and during the immediate postpartum period.
I draw on my experience of support in various settings to customize the session to contain useful information and tips that are relative to the facility that you are choosing to birth in, be it a home birth, MOU, maternity home or hospital birth. I also offer this class online -via skype or zoom, this can be especially helpful for people who do not have ante natal classes in their area or people who may be coming from elsewhere to birth in South Africa. This is great for anyone looking to complement their formal antenatal education or for busy individuals who require a stand-alone, once off intense crash course to get all the essential info. It is highly recommended that you do this class as early on in your pregnancy as possible, especially if you have not yet decided on where to birth or which care provider you would like to support you. This interactive 3-4 hour class covers:
Understanding the physiology of pregnancy-A Snapshot look at the human physiology during pregnancy & understanding one of the strongest living ligatures in the human body – the uterus.
The last weeks of pregnancy -We will explore what the last few weeks of pregnancy may look like as you draw nearer to the birth of your baby. Hormonal, emotional, mental and physical shifts, changes & preparations.
Signs & the stages of labour & birth– Demystifying labour, vaginal birth & cesarean birth. Understanding the wisdom behind contractions & visually understanding their effect on the uterus & cervix. Recognizing the different stage of labour & biological cues associated with them, what to expect from your care providers in labour, the medical jargon, potential medical checks, advocacy & consent. Medical reasons for c- sections and recovery.
Natural coping tools & techniques for labour -Includes hands on exercises, breathing, positions etc
Medical pain management options-A factual look at the spectrum of medical pain relief options offered in your chosen setting along with their pros & cons- how they work & effects on both the labouring mother & baby along with what to expect with regard to common side effects, potential impacts on breastfeeding or hospital duration stay and the potential cascade of interventions.
Birth Doulas and Postpartum Care explained -Exploring what Doulas actually do, if the option is for you, their presence in the birth space, packages, prices and the ever-mounting scientific research about the positive impact Doulas make in all birth spaces. We will touch on Professional Postpartum Care Providers, their role & the three decades worth of research around the impact it makes to have one in your home after birth.
Useful Resources
Questions & Answers
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIRTH DAY CLASS SESSION
-I am based in Cape Town & I would like to have a session in my home but I do not live in an area that you cover, can we make a plan?
We can certainly discuss setting up a session if you live in another area of Cape Town . There will be an additional fee for me to travel to you which I can calculate when you inform me about which area you live in. These specially arranged sessions will most likely have to take place on a Saturday or Sunday. Contact me ASAP to check for availability.
-Is it possible to purchase this as a gift for someone else ?
Yes of course ! This would make a meaningful gift, please get in contact with me with the details of the recipient of the gift to arrange this.
-Friends/family members/people in my life are also pregnant and we would like to do the session together, is this possible and what are the charges?
This is definitely possible when booked in advance. More people makes for a longer session and it can be really fun when the participants all know each other and are journeying together. The standard fee of R650 still applies which includes the booking for 2 people. Thereafter a charge an extra R90 per person/ couple (i.e it doesn’t matter whether it’s a single person attending by themselves or a couple attending the price remains R90).
Additional charges will apply if it falls to me to arrange a venue for the group, venue will be in the southern suburbs & subject to availability.
I work with a maximum group size of 8 people. This can be 4 couples, 8 individuals or any combination of couples and individuals as long as the maximum number of participants is not exceeded.