Preparing for birth is about more than learning what to expect. It's about understanding your options, building confidence and gaining practical skills to navigate pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum period.

This comprehensive, evidence-based childbirth education series is designed to prepare expecting families for labor, birth and the transition into parenthood. Through interactive discussions, demonstrations and hands-on practice, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how labor works, learn techniques to support comfort and labor progress, explore pain management options and common medical interventions and develop the confidence to make informed decisions throughout your birth.

We keep class sizes small to foster a more private, intimate space where birthing families feel comfortable to ask questions, share experiences and build community over the three weeks.

This series takes a balanced, inclusive approach to childbirth education, recognizing that every birth experience is unique. Whether you're planning an unmedicated birth, considering an epidural, preparing for a scheduled induction or cesarean, or simply want to understand your options, you will leave feeling informed and ready to approach your birth with confidence.

Designed for birthing people and their support partners, this series emphasizes practical preparation, evidence-based information, shared decision making, and hands-on skills you can use throughout labor, birth and the transition into parenthood.

Topics Covered Include:
• Understanding the stages and physiology of labor
• Physical, emotional and hormonal changes during birth
• Signs of labor and when to go to the hospital or birth center
• Comfort measures, movement, positioning and breathing techniques
• Partner support and hands-on labor techniques
• Pain management options including epidurals
• Common medical procedures and interventions
• Induction of labor and informed decision making
• Creating flexible birth preferences
• Packing your birth bag and preparing for labor
• Immediate newborn procedures and newborn care
• Postpartum planning and recovery

Location: 

• August 16 and 23: G106 The Jeff Center for Families
• August 30: G103 The Gershwin Room

Meet the Instructor

Michelle is a certified birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator and placenta specialist, serving San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.

She has always been fascinated with birth and babies and considered a career as a labor and delivery nurse in her 20s; instead, by accident, she found herself working as a systems administrator. She enjoyed that work for 15 years but knew it was not the job she was intended for.

In 2005, she became pregnant with her first child. She remembers her family was anxious as they tried to support her during the birth; she was scared and had no one to ground her. After that, she learned about doulas and began to research all she could about who they were and what they did, and it struck a chord with her. Not long after that, her best friend asked her to support her during her baby's birth. The experience was amazing; she was hooked and started down the path of becoming a doula.

In 2013–2014, she trained with Cornerstone Doula Training and received her birth and postpartum certifications. In 2017, she received her childbirth educator certification.

Michelle can't think of a better job than helping babies being born and experiencing how incredible the birth of a child can be. A parent never forgets the birth of their children, and she feels honored to support, encourage and be there for the beginning of a new life.

www.cradleoflovedoula.com/

Future Series:

• October 11, 18 and 25
• December 6, 13 and 20