Excellent, comprehensive childbirth education prepares you to undergo the extraordinary transformation of your childbearing year. Jacque's warmth and compassion and her personable teaching style coupled with evidence-based information and comprehensive resources creates a fun, informative, comprehensive and personally transformational childbirth class experience. Blissful Birth classes are designed to fully prepare mothers and fathers/ partners for a healthy, happy pregnancy and birth as well as the powerful life transformation from woman to mother, from a couple to parents. 

Blissful Birth is an independent source of evidence-based, consumer-driven information, not affiliated with any provider or hospital, empowering you to make the choices that are right for you and your baby. 

What is covered in a Blissful Birth Class?

Blissful Birth classes are a richly textured, independent class, unique and original, and at the same time grounded in a variety of classic natural birth preparation methods from Birth Works, Birthing From Within and Bradley and inspired by the groundbreaking work of Ina May Gaskin CPM, Barbara Harper CNM, Michel Odent MD and many more. Blissful Birth classes combine a holistic understanding of health and wellness and a multidisciplinary approach to teaching.

Blissful Birth Childbirth Preparation Series Classes include in-depth exploration of many topics, including:

~ Health and wellness during pregnancy- keeping yourself healthy, happy and low-risk;

~ Nutrition- Nourishing your body throughout your pregnancy is nourishing your baby; all you need to know about how nutrition during pregnancy can keep you and baby healthy, improve your labor and birth experience, ease your postpartum recovery and impact your baby's lifelong health. Practical and realistic nutrition tools to get you on the right track;

~ Birth choices- from choosing your provider and birth team to choosing your place of birth, we establish the groundwork for consumerism, empowering you to decide for yourself what is right for you and to make the choices that are best for you and your baby;

~Trusting your body, trusting birth- refreame cultural and social expectations of birth, understand the seamless biological perfection of the natural process of birth and trust the wisdom of your body to know how to give birth;

~Exploring emotions and confronting fears about birth- including emotional recovery for couples with previous birth trauma and emotionally intense issues including fertility difficulties, miscarriage, perinatal loss, cesarean section and traumatic birth experiences. Using a number of different tools, we work through fears, grieve when necessary, and heal, to lay the groundwork for a joyful, fulfilling, empowering birth;

~ Your pregnant body and your developing baby- your pregnancy, your developing baby, prenatal testing, prenatal care;

~ First stage of labor- provides an overview of first stage. Learn how to tell if you're "really" in labor, anatomy and physiology of first stage, love hormones and sexuality of labor,  progression of normal labor, variations of normal, emotional signposts of labor, needs of the laboring woman, effectively supporting your laboring partner and working with your baby during labor and birth;

~Gentle Birth- exploring the concept of gentle birth, the value of gentle birth, gentle birth choices that you can make to improve the birth experience for you, your partner and your baby; 

~ Comfort measures-important for couples planning natural childbirth or for those planning to consider pain medications, learn about and practice physical techniques to work with your labor and keep labor pain managable, exploring the issue of labor pain and discomfort, doula tricks and tips for natural childbirth and techniques to reduce discomfort; 

~ Relaxation and visualization techniques- relaxation is key to helping you tune in to and work with your labor, relaxation practice so it becomes second nature- physical, intellectual and emotional relaxation, creating a relaxing environment at your place of birth;

~Second stage of labor-understanding the "pushing stage," active birth, positions for pushing, protecting your pelvic floor;

~ Understanding variations of normal birth, challenges and complications. Learn about labor complications, how doctors, hospitals and midwives treat different complications. Explores obstetic interventions, cesarean section surgery and gives you tools to work with your provider to step outside of routine practices and collaboratively create care that is tailored to meet your needs and your baby's needs; 

~ Constructive collaboration with your birth team- writing a birth plan that works- tools to write an effective birth plan that reflects your needs and expectations, presenting your birth plan diplomatically and working collaboratively with your provider;

~Third Stage of Birth and Postpartum Wellness-with a precious new baby in arms, sometimes it's easy to forget that you're not quite finished yet ;) , learn about 3rd stage, your placeta, common newborn procedures and immediate postpartum care options for mother and baby; 

~Breastfeeding and Caring for your Newborn- learn the basic how-tos of breastfeeding, how partners can effectively support breastfeeding, caring for your new baby, nurturing your relationship during early parenthood.

Blissful Birth Classes and Workshops are held in Chicago and in Grayslake, in Chicago's northern suburbs.

In Grayslake, we meet at Prairie Sunshine Yoga Studio , a beautiful, comfortable, eco-conscious yoga studio. Check out Prairie Sunshine's Prenatal Yoga on Saturdays- visit their website at http://www.psyogastudio.com for more information.

Blissful Birth classes are appropriate for any stage of pregnancy. We encourage you to schedule your class early in pregnancy.

Blissful Birth Childbirth Preparation Series Classes

Intensive Weekend Class

For couples with looming due dates and challenging schedules who simply can not commit to a weekly class, we offer our Blissful Birth Weekend Intensive Childbirth Preparation Class.  It's a full Blissful Birth series in a weekend long- or two Sundays- crash course. E-mail Jacque at jacque(at)blissfulbirth(dot)com for more information and a current schedule.

Blissful Birth Childbirth Preparation

Join us for this comprehensive, intimate 8 week childbirth preparation series. Using fun activities, evidence-based information and compelling resources, Blissful Birth classes prepare you and your birth partner physically, intellectually and emotionally for the birth of your baby. Geared toward mothers and couples seeking conscious birthing, Blissful Birth is especially appropriate for those seeking a natural childbirth experience planning either homebirth or hospital birth.  In class, we will practice physical techniques, explore current, relevant, accurate information and delve into the emotional and spiritual aspects of conscious birthing. Blissful Birth classes are $300 a couple and include all materials. Please call Jacque at 708.305.3114 to reserve your space in class today! 

Blissful Birth Refresher Course

Blissful Birth Refresher Course is designed for parents who have given birth before. Reconnect with your partner and focus time to celebrate this pregnancy. Explore your previous pregnancy, birth and postpartum experiences and work through and fully process those experiences, grieving and healing, celebrating and anticipating your next birth. Practice physical techniques, comfort measures and relaxation exercises. Explore the unique needs of a second or subsequent pregnancy. Not a rerun- it's a whole new experience building on what you already know and preparing you for your new journey ahead. Ask about our Sibling Preparation for Birth Workshops for your children planning to attend the birth. 

Holistic Homebirth Preparation Series Classes

Intensive-Full series in 2 Sundays

April 11 and 18, 2010 10am-5pm (Chicago)

August 8 and 15, 2010 10am-5pm (Chicago)

Offered in Chicago at Mother Me, this course coveres the full breadth and depth of the full series course, but honed specifically to meet the needs of homebirth families. Holistic Homebirth Preparation Class is $300- full fee is due to reserve your space in class. Register online at https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=6494  to reserve your space today! :)

Individual Private Childbirth Classes

Contact Jacque to create a customized childbirth class honed to meet your individual needs. Private Childbirth Classes or workshops are an excellent option for couples with challenging schedules, unique situations or specific needs that require extra focus and attention. 

Blissful Birth-Embrace Your Birthright