An independent provider of Lamaze® Childbirth Education in the North Hills of Pittsburgh
2009/2010 Schedule
How time flies!
It seems like Julie's twins were born only yesterday...but they celebrated their first birthday last October! Remember, moms of multiples are always welcome in our classes and can look forward to learning from someone who knows what they're going through!
When choosing your classes, aim to attend between your 5th and 8th months of pregnancy. Prices given apply to group classes with three or more couples.
Childbirth Essentials
4 Classes per Session
EARLY SPRING SESSION 2010
March 3, 10, 17, 24
(Wednesdays, 7:00-9:15pm)
LATE SPRING SESSION 2010
May 6, 13, 20, 27
(Thursdays, 7:00-9:15pm)
Cost: $95/ couple (includes "Prepared Childbirth the Family Way," an excellent 100-page workbook and resource for expectant parents)
Considering a Doula?
Learn how having a trained personal assistant at your side throughout labor can make all the difference! Visit www.birthdoulasofpittsburgh.com for the full scoop!
Enhance Childbirth Preparation with Pre-natal Yoga!
If you're searching for a yoga program that specializes in the needs of new mothers before and after birth, we recommend Yoga Matrika, located in Squirrel Hill. For more information, please call Sharon at 412-855-5692 or visit www.yogamatrika.com!
Your Instructors
Julie Zizan and Edie Swihart are both Lamaze-Certified Childbirth Educators, trained through the Lamaze Childbirth Educator Program at Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Contact Information
Have questions? Please click here to send an email, or call 412-215-1098. Our mailing address is North Hills Childbirth, 535 Woodland Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Classes are currently being held at a private residence in Allison Park. To download a registration form, click here. We look forward to hearing from you!
It seems like Julie's twins were born only yesterday...but they celebrated their first birthday last October! Remember, moms of multiples are always welcome in our classes and can look forward to learning from someone who knows what they're going through!
When choosing your classes, aim to attend between your 5th and 8th months of pregnancy. Prices given apply to group classes with three or more couples.
Childbirth Essentials
4 Classes per Session
EARLY SPRING SESSION 2010
March 3, 10, 17, 24
(Wednesdays, 7:00-9:15pm)
LATE SPRING SESSION 2010
May 6, 13, 20, 27
(Thursdays, 7:00-9:15pm)
Cost: $95/ couple (includes "Prepared Childbirth the Family Way," an excellent 100-page workbook and resource for expectant parents)
Considering a Doula?
Learn how having a trained personal assistant at your side throughout labor can make all the difference! Visit www.birthdoulasofpittsburgh.com for the full scoop!
Enhance Childbirth Preparation with Pre-natal Yoga!
If you're searching for a yoga program that specializes in the needs of new mothers before and after birth, we recommend Yoga Matrika, located in Squirrel Hill. For more information, please call Sharon at 412-855-5692 or visit www.yogamatrika.com!
Your Instructors
Julie Zizan and Edie Swihart are both Lamaze-Certified Childbirth Educators, trained through the Lamaze Childbirth Educator Program at Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Contact Information
Have questions? Please click here to send an email, or call 412-215-1098. Our mailing address is North Hills Childbirth, 535 Woodland Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Classes are currently being held at a private residence in Allison Park. To download a registration form, click here. We look forward to hearing from you!
Childbirth is a normal, natural, and healthy experience—and one that is sure to be one of the most remembered and treasured events of every parent's life. Being prepared for the decisions that will face you during your child's birth is one of the single most important factors in making that experience a maximally positive, rewarding, and safe one!
At North Hills Childbirth, we don't make decisions for expectant parents; we educate them as to all their options, and support them in their decisions. As two moms who have "been there, done that" and who are not affiliated with any particular hospital or birthplace, we strive to put our student's concerns first, which is why we can always be counted on to "tell it like it is!"
Because we know that your time is valuable, our course has been carefully honed and tailored to provide the most critical information you need to know, without duplicating that which can be easily found in books or seen on parenting videos. Our classes are small, our discussions are informal, and questions are highly encouraged!
Our first two sessions cover the essentials of birth for parents-to-be, walking them through the process step-by-step. From how to time contractions through the cutting of the cord, this reality-based overview shows what normal birth is all about, in a relaxed setting... and with just a little bit of humor. Nobody has to do any "exercises" they don't want to, and the only people making fools out of themselves with funny breathing noises will be us.
Our second two sessions focus on complications that might arise, medical interventions that might be suggested, and strategies for how best to make your baby's birth the experience you want it to be. During labor and delivery, you will be faced with numerous decisions about your and your baby's care, and 6cm of cervical dilation is probably NOT the best time to make critical judgments on issues you have never heard of before! But you can prepare yourself in advance by hearing the latest evidence-based information on maternity care, understanding your options, and learning how to communicate effectively with your caregivers—from the first contraction on.
There are few experiences more life-altering than giving birth, and virtually none more empowering than birthing a baby with all of one's mental, hormonal, and emotional faculties intact and in natural harmony. Although giving birth with minimal medical intervention may not be possible or practical for every woman and every birth, we are delighted to offer extra support to those who choose to strive for it.
North Hills Childbirth provides expectant mothers and their partners in the North Hills of Pittsburgh with fun, entertaining, and informative childbirth education courses taught conveniently close to home. Because these classes are offered independent of any particular hospital or birth center, we are able to provide valuable unbiased and comparative information on local birthplaces and policies of care. No matter where you take your childbirth class, however, be sure to sign up for a tour of your birthplace before the big event!
To meet the curriculum guidelines of Lamaze® International, which require a minimum of 12 hours of instruction, we recommend that in addition to the four-session (10 hour) "Childbirth Essentials" course, parents-to-be also consider enrolling in a separate baby care and/or breastfeeding class (readily available through all local maternity hospitals). Hiring a doula is also highly encouraged!
For contact information, or to check out our currently available courses and rates, see our schedule box, above left. We hope to see you soon!
Lamaze® is a registered trademark of Lamaze International, Inc.
Find out more about normal birth! http://www.lamaze.org
For information about breastfeeding, please visit www.breastfeeding.com.
For contact information, or to check out our currently available courses and rates, see our schedule box, above left. We hope to see you soon!
Lamaze® is a registered trademark of Lamaze International, Inc.
Find out more about normal birth! http://www.lamaze.org
For information about breastfeeding, please visit www.breastfeeding.com.
Because you don't know
what you need to know...
until you need to know it!
what you need to know...
until you need to know it!
How will I know when I'm in labor? What happens when I get to the hospital? What options do I have for pain relief? What does that machine do?
I keep hearing horror stories about women in labor having all sorts of things done to them that they didn't want. I'd like to know enough beforehand to make good decisions for myself...but if anyone tries to guilt-trip me about the epidural, I'm walking!
My husband doesn't want to go to any childbirth classes. He thinks they'll make us get on the floor and huff and puff and breathe funny. Is all that really necessary?
I'm scared to death of labor. I just want to get the epidural and get it over with. Do I still need classes?
We would really like to keep our birth as normal and natural as possible, but the hospital classes don't seem geared toward that. We need more help!