All you need to know about birth basics

Generally, first time moms go their entire pregnancy going with the flow. They tend to not dote too much about getting information aside from answers to the questions they pose to their provider. Then after going through labor and delivering their beautiful baby, there is something about which they express, “Why didn’t anyone tell me about x, y, or z?” Kathryn knows she did.

She would joke during her first pregnancy that she was going to back up into the hospital like a big truck beeping and pointing to the general area an epidural would go. She had no information. No statistics. No insight aside from the opinions and stories of, “labor is awful, it’s painful, don’t be a hero, get the epidural.” However her own experience would humble her and change her entire approach to her own future labors. Hindsight led her to wish she had known about CNY Doula Connection’s Birth Basics meetings. 

CNY Doula Connection’s monthly Birth Basics is a great place to fill in the blanks in regard to various topics pertaining to pregnancy, labor, birth, and all things postpartum. This should be prefaced that these are by no means a comprehensive childbirth education class. We encourage everyone giving birth to attend childbirth education classes. Most hospitals provide a childbirth education class, however we recommend a private childbirth education class as it can cover various things other than those of the hospitals, which includes all the choises you have during your labor and immediate postpartum period. Feel free to reach out to CNY Doula Connection for more information on the classes we offer! 

Join Us! Birth Basics are monthly classes held on the second Monday of each month from 6:00-7:30 PM at CNY Fertility Center in Syracuse. We cover topics such as tips for a low intervention birth, getting off to a good start breastfeeding, infant sleep, natural pain management techniques, postpartum mental health, postpartum physical health, and even a doula speed dating for those interested in hiring a doula but are not sure where to start. These classes are great because they are short, to the point, and full of information that you will not typically get from a provider. Frequently, at the end of a prenatal appointment, your care provider will ask you if you have any questions. Sometimes, it is hard to have specific questions about any of the given topics when put on the spot. It is nice to be able to attend and simply listen and absorb the information that may be answering questions you don’t even realize you have. The classes give a different array of information. We often hear from clients that they feel as though they were taught by the hospital/provider how to be a good patient with few of their true questions answered. These short meetings are an opportunity to ask those questions that apply, and receive a well-rounded answer. It’s also an opportunity to meet other families, possibly in the same stage as you, to relate with. Pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum can feel so isolating. Yet you know you aren’t the only one to experience. But each experience is incredibly unique, it is nice to have a small group to bounce ideas off of, get opinions on something, or simply acknowledge the understanding of the flow of this stage of life. As a bonus: these meetings are FREE!

CNY Doula Connection’s monthly Birth Basics gives you the opportunity to have that much more information on any given topic so families can make informed decisions on what is right for them from pregnancy straight through the postpartum period. They provide families with the peace of mind that come with feeling empowered and knowledgeable in their decisions surrounding their birth. Come check us out! We look forward to meeting you!

Sign up to attend our next meeting!

Kathryn Garceau

Birth and postpartum doula