A natural childbirth class is a class that focuses on preparing you for a vaginal childbirth without medications or unnecessary interventions such as labor induction. MamaBaby Birthing classes focus on keeping you healthy throughout pregnancy, which means your body is ready for labor and your baby is strong and healthy. The classes build on this solid foundation with information about labor and birth, how it progresses, and how your body opens. The class covers solid techniques for keeping labor moving, what to do about labor pain, and how to have a safe birth for your baby. Bonding, overcoming anxieties, good baby positioning, trusting your body, and more are also covered in our online natural birthing classes.

Choosing a midwife is a great first step towards natural birth. I used a midwife for all of my babies – and I had them all at home! I’m a believer in natural birth, no matter where you give birth. Having said that, there’s a big difference between prepared natural birth and just having labor start and hoping for the best. When you prepare for birth you clear away issues that could come up during birthing (and even stall your labor). You truly understand your body, so you’re free to trust it and your baby. And you have a whole host of birth skills (techniques) that have become natural, instinctive, and easy to use when you need them. Your midwife and home birth are perfect compliments for your beauty and power as a prepared birthing woman.

Enrollment for my classes is always open because this is a self-paced online childbirth class. I recommend you plan to begin MamaBaby Birthing around the beginning of your third trimester, but many of my students want to start much earlier! Since classes are self-paced and membership is unlimited, you may repeat any lessons you want to as you get closer to your due date. If you’re already near your due date just let me know and I’ll point you to the MamaBaby Birthing Crash Course materials ;)

Classes are self-paced, so you can go through at the rate that feels right for you. There are homework assignments with some of the lessons, such as keeping a food diary. These assignments are not mandatory, but completing them helps you become more aware of your body, and they help you build a healthy baby and prepare for a safe birth. I hold live, weekly tele-classes (you can listen streaming online, too). These are not mandatory and you’ll receive a recording of each class if you can’t attend live.

MamaBaby Birthing classes are a custom-designed natural birthing class. I created them based on my own experience birthing 8 babies naturally, working with mamas and families as a childbirth educator for the last 15 years, assisting at more than two dozen births, and with continuous feedback from students in my classes. My classes focus on healthy and enjoyable pregnancy, healthy babies, and conscious, aware birthing.

You receive full access to the private MamaBaby Birthing course website, which contains all class audio, video, and written material in digital format. Additionally, you can download all class materials to store on your computer, and to listen to or read on your phone, iPad, or tablet. You also get access to group calls, and if you choose MamaBaby Complete Support, you get unlimited voice chat access to Kristen for personalized support.

You and your partner choose how to work through the classes together. You can both listen to the class sessions, or just have your partner listen to certain sessions. MamaBaby Birthing classes do cover partner involvement in-depth; there’s a nice balance of lessons that offer practical information for your partner and classes that are designed specifically for you as the birthing mother.

Though many hospital instructors are dedicated to providing great information on labor and birth, their classes are not geared to families planning a natural birth experience. MamaBaby Birthing students make a wide variety of choices and give birth at home, in birth centers, and at the hospital. Hospital classes give a few tips on breathing and relaxation and then cover all the medications you can use when “natural” techniques don’t work. My classes focus first on the health of you and your baby, because healthy mothers and babies have great natural births. Then my classes teach you not only what happens during labor and birth, but how to keep labor moving, how to understand what your baby needs you do to be born… and exactly what to do if labor does feel overwhelming at a given point – without drugs.

This is one of the most common questions I get :) YES! You can start preparing for a healthy pregnancy now, and the information on pregnancy in my classes will get you started. Your MamaBaby Birthing membership is a lifetime membership, so you can go through the classes now and come back to them at any point in your pregnancy.  If you choose MamaBaby Complete Support, I'll support you as you TTC and through your pregnancy.

Yes! The classes come with a complimentary copy of my 7 Steps to a Successful VBAC eBook and I have a detailed lesson for VBAC mamas. I have found that moms planning a VBAC often take advantage of class calls and email consultation to help prepare themselves mentally and emotionally. Processing your past birth experience (or experiences) is usually important for VBAC moms and between my lessons on emotional preparation and my personal help, VBAC moms feel prepared and ready for great births (and I love getting the VBAC birth stories!)

I hold live group calls each month and you’re welcome to ask any questions you have live on the call. If you’re listening in via online streaming you can type in your question for me to answer live on the call. If you know you can't make it live, you can email me your question ahead of time!  If you choose MamaBaby Complete, you have access to the group calls - AND you get unlimited voice chat access to me for personal support throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Both have advantages. If you have an independent natural childbirth instructor in your area, live classes can offer you the chance to meet like-minded parents and interact with an instructor face-to-face. Online classes give you the option of a self-paced class that fits into your busy schedule. Additionally, my online birth course offers monthly group calls, so you can interact with me, get answers to your questions, and get in-depth information on topics important to pregnancy, birth, and parenting.  If you choose MamaBaby Complete support, I personally answer all your questions when you have them (and as often as you have them). I’m also happy to help you compile evidence-based research to facilitate informed, respectful discussion with your doctor, midwife, or hospital team.

Natural childbirth can be intense and even painful at times. MamaBaby Birthing classes are respectful of how you want to think about birth – lessons generally use language that does not focus birth being “painful” but rather a process you work through with your baby. Having said that, I believe that moms (and partners) need practical techniques to work through labor and all that comes with it, so there are plenty of strategies to help you handle all the feelings of giving birth, and even techniques for getting back in control when you feel like you’re “losing it.” I’ve given birth eight times and believe in giving practical information that works so mothers and babies have a safe, satisfying natural birth.