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Jan
25

Childbirth Class Week Four

Week Four Childbirth Class – Postpartum Health, Expectations, and Breastfeeding

Comfort Postpartum
Sexuality and Family Relationships

**Exercise – Beliefs Quiz for Each Person

**Video of Breastfeeding Latch with Mothers

Breastfeeding
~Guest Father Speaker with Dads
Relaxation Practice: Visualization/Guided Imagery
Birth Plan/Birth Options

**Handout – Birth Plan Options, each person highlights important portions to them

**Video - Full Birth Video

Labor Rehearsal – Stations with Scenario Cards
Newborn Babies – What to Expect

Jan
25

Childbirth Class Outline Week Three

Week Three Childbirth Class – Unexpected Labor Challenges, Common Interventions in Oklahoma area hospitals, and Relaxation Techniques

Discussion of Interventions and Childbirth Choices
Introduction Exercise – Terminology and Definitions Matching Game

Inductions

EFM

Epidural

Other Drug Options

Relaxation: Massage Demonstration

IV’s – 5 minutes

Episiotomy

*Demonstration – Cloth Fabric
Cesarean Birth/VBAC discussion
Unexpected Outcomes/Cascade of Interventions
~Exercise – Dad tied with yarn and ribbon

**Video – HillRom Video

Challenges of Labor
Relaxation: Words of Affirmation and Vocalization
~Exercise – Contraction Stretch Exercise and Discussion

Jan
25

Childbirth Class Two Outline – Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Week Two Childbirth Class – Pregnancy Nutrition and Healthy Eating, Normal Labor Progression, and Commonly Helpful Comfort Measures

Opening Icebreaker – Nutrition Crossword Puzzle
Nutrition During Pregnancy

** Handouts – Nutrition, Eating for Two

Sneaky Ways to Add Protein

Keeping Track Bradley Worksheets (or Article Printout)

**Video – Healthy Journey Nutrition Portion

~Exercise – Have each mother write out foods she especially likes from each food group.
~Exercise – Daddy Belly Bag – Average Weight Gain.
Discussion of First Stage Labor
Teaching How to Time a Contraction
Relaxation – Breathing During Labor
~Practice Side-Lying Relaxation and Tense/Release
Discussion of Second Stage Labor and Pushing

** Video - Easy Birth Video

** Group Exercises – Three Scenarios and Questions

** Labor Stations – Each station has a card with position for laboring in. Each station has a card for partner to do to help her. One contraction at each station – 1 minute long and then switch.

Relaxation – Touch and Progressive Relaxation

Jan
25

Learning Pregnancy Basics and Comfort in Childbirth Class

Week One Class Outline – Pregnancy Exercises, Comfort Positions During Pregnancy, Basic Pregnancy Anatomy and Pregnancy Affirmations

Introduction and Class Overview

Alphabet Icebreaker
Exercise During Pregnancy
Basic Exercises During Pregnancy
Fun and Fast – 5 minute activity – Stretching series
Positioning During Pregnancy

Handout – Optimal Fetal Positioning

Other Pregnancy Changes

Video Healthy Journey – Fetal Development and Three Trimesters
Handout – Fetal Senses and Development, Article by Angela England
Handout – Sex During Pregnancy, Article by Angela England

Overview of Labor w/Pregnancy Anatomy
Visual – Baby Demo Doll – Pelvis and Knit Uterus

Labor Pain Discussion – pg 32-33 – 20 minutes

Handouts – What Initiates Labor

Hormones Driving Labor and Birth
How Stress Impacts Birthing Outcomes

Your Beautiful Uterus!
Sources of Pain During Labor

Discussing Gate Control and Fear-Tension-Pain
Basic Comfort Measures and Positions

Handouts – Positions for Labor and Birth
Love Languages During Labor

Birth Partner Checklist – All Methods of Relaxation and Coping
Exercise – Men and Women Do Separately – Love Languages
Discuss importance of birth partner support
Discuss Positive Attitude

Handout – Affirmations List

Jan
25

What Will I Learn in Childbirth Preparation Class?

Many students wonder what they will learn during a childbirth class series. Here is a copy of the four-week class series outline so you can see all of the subjects covered by the lessons. You’ll see a wide mix of discussion, hands-on activities, videos and practice time making it easy for any learning style to participate.

Childbirth Classes in Southeast Oklahoma

  • Week One Childbirth Class Outline – Icebreakers, exercise during pregnancy, fetal development, basic comfort measures and communication with your partner.
  • Week Two Childbirth Class Outline – Pregnancy nutrition and healthy foods, first stage labor, timing contractions, second stage labor introduction, and relaxation practice.
  • Week Three Childbirth Class Outline – Discussion of common interventions in McAlester, Durant and Ada Oklahoma hospitals; unexpected outcomes, cascade of intervention, words of affirmation and active labor positions
  • Week Four Childbirth Class Outline – Postpartum comfort, family relationships, guest father speaker and breastfeeding discussion.

I also offer a more in-depth six week class series centrally located in Atoka, OK. Private class sessions are available and if you want to gather a group of your own I will travel to Durant, Ada, McAlester and other surrounding areas to teach a group of classes for you and your friends!

Jan
24

Do Gerbils Make Good Pets for Children?

Gerbils do make excellent pocket pets for young children. While I do not recommend that any child under age 7 or so be the primary care-giver for any animal, young children can care for gerbils with adult supervision.

Our four year old and two year old enjoy feeding the gerbils each day, and since gerbils naturally forage for their food, it doesn’t matter whether the kids get the food in the food bowls or not. Our gerbils enjoy the hunt regardless!

Gerbils are quick, however, so it would be difficult for a small child to hold a gerbil by themselves. We let our kids sit on the bed and hold their hands open in their laps. The gerbils, naturally inquisitive, are only too happy to walk across their open palms, “tickling” their arms. The children have been taught to hold still while the gerbils walk on their hands and arms, so the gerbils do not get accidentally squished by an overanxious child.

Older children can tend to a gerbils basic needs of food and water with ease. Changing the bedding only needs to happen once or twice a month for many gerbils, since the rodents are desert natives and produce little urine.

See additional resources for gerbils and children on Amazon.