ABOUT ME
Over the last eight years I have worked as a labor and delivery nurse. I have supported hundreds of women through their labour and have seen firsthand how strong women can be. In that time I had three children of my own, with three very different labors. Those experiences gave me a different perspective on the impact and influence of people involved in the care of women during pregnancy and birth. Being able to help women become mothers is an honor. One of the things I love about my job is being witness to those moments just after delivery. The look of amazement and wonder in a couple’s eyes, the feeling of accomplishment, having just brought a life into the world. It is remarkable.
What would you need to know in order to be sure that you could do it, that you could bring a life into the world? I believe with all my heart that having a solid prenatal education is the best step to knowing that you can do it. That is what inspired me to create these classes. I want to give couples the knowledge to move through the final trimester of their pregnancy and transition into parenthood with confidence. I want to empower women and their partners to be active participants in their own care instead of passive. I hope to prepare couples to weigh the options, to ask the questions, and to make the decisions for themselves.
- Danielle Krawiec RN, CCCE
WHY INVEST IN A PRENATAL CLASS?
A SAFE PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS
Classes offer a safe place to answer questions you may have about pregnancy, labor and delivery. Every pregnant mother-to-be has a ton of questions about what is happening inside their bodies and what will happen when they go into labor. It is completely normal, especially if you haven’t done it before. Sure, there are lots of books out there on pregnancy, but being able to actually ask the questions and seeing that there are other people who share your same concerns can put your mind at ease a whole lot faster.
Finding a qualified and experienced prenatal instructor with whom you feel comfortable asking questions can make the whole experience much smoother.
UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY
Labor is a natural process – I’m sure that we have all heard that at some point or another. But does natural mean we should just instinctively know what to do?
Well, just the same as you need to practice skills to play a new sport or train by jogging before running a 10K race, you need to learn how to work with your body to prepare it for labor (which can be like a marathon). Understanding how your body works will not only help you reduce the duration of your labor and help you heal faster afterwards, but it will give you a whole new respect for what your body can do!
REDUCE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
The first time we do anything new, like delivering a baby, there is bound to be a certain amount of fear that builds in our heads because it is unknown.
Unfortunately, this fear can hinder our labor progress by producing hormones that will slow labor down. Learning about labor and birth is an easy way to ready ourselves for the experience. When we know what is normal, it is much easier to relax and allow our body to do what it needs to do. Reducing the amount of fear we feel during labor also happens to reduce the amount of pain we feel. Talk about a bonus!
PREPARE FOR BABY
So you just birthed a baby – maybe at home or maybe in a hospital – and you are officially a parent... Now what?
A good prenatal class will give you an idea of what to expect in the first couple weeks after your baby is born. New parents worry about almost everything. Most of all, they worry about doing things wrong or not doing what is best for their babies. Having an idea of what to expect before the baby arrives can help ease the transition into parenthood. A comprehensive prenatal class can increase your confidence in caring for your new bundle of joy.
BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
The most important reason to take a prenatal class is to allow yourself to take an active role in your own care. When you have an idea of what could happen and have heard the terminology a few times, you are more likely to ask the right questions and make decisions that are based in fact instead of fear. Staying involved results in a superior experience, no matter the end result.
