Illuminate your classes with the soft, flickering light of LED candles. Perfect for teaching relaxation techniques, these candles help create a tranquil environment where parents can practice coping with labor pains through meditation and breathing exercises.
Aromatherapy can play a crucial role in labor and delivery. An essential oil diffuser allows you to introduce scents that relax or energize, demonstrating how different aromas can influence mood and pain perception during childbirth. Be sure discuss allergies, sensitivities or scent likes/dislikes with your class before using aromatherapy.
Music and soothing soundtracks can significantly impact the birth experience. Use a Bluetooth speaker to show how music can be a calming influence during labor, encouraging parents to consider packing one in their hospital bag. Using a speaker during your relaxation sessions will further drive this point home.
Help your clients achieve a calm and confident mindset as they prepare to give birth. Reading affirmations aloud or sharing a few cards with clients can be an excellent way to start or end a class or pair affirmations while practicing other relaxation techniques.
Whether you're highlighting key points, drawing diagrams, or jotting down questions, a portable whiteboard is an indispensable tool for engaging and interactive teaching. Its versatility and portability make it a must-have for educators on the go.
These Amazon finds are more than just gadgets and tools; they enhance your teaching and provide a richer, more engaging class experience. Explore these options to see how they can fit into your curriculum and help expectant parents feel more prepared and connected to their birth journey.
Stay tuned for more installments in our series. If you've discovered any great products that could benefit childbirth educators and their students, we'd love to hear about them!
Note: Shopping through our links supports our Community Support Program, aiding in uplifting disadvantaged communities. Thank you for being so supportive!
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
When childbirth doesn’t go as planned or goals are not met, this does not equate to failure in any way. However, having a labor and birth experience that doesn’t match expectations can be difficult for new mothers to process.
A new study out of Australia, published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, found that it’s common for women to experience a “mismatch” between their expectations about childbirth and what actually happens during their births. When this happens, many women experience a kind of dissonance—or inner conflict and turmoil—which the study researchers call “birth dissonance.”
“We suggest that birth dissonance arises when women experience a fundamental disparity between what they had expected of birth and their body, and what actually occurs,” the study researchers explain. This can result in a kind of birth trauma, where mothers may feel disempowered and distressed. Some even begin to develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their experience of birth dissonance, according to the study researchers.
Birth dissonance is primarily caused by a disconnect between expectations of what birth will be like and what actually happens, but various factors can add to the sense of dissonance and disempowerment. Some likely causes of birth dissonance include:
Here’s the good news: birth dissonance can be avoided—or at least reduced—with some simple adjustments. The study researchers outline four main ways to avoid birth dissonance.
The authors advocate for mothers to get a fuller and more realistic picture of what pain during labor might be like. The reality of labor pain shouldn’t be sugar coated, nor should it be presented as impossible to cope with it. This education should emphasize that all mothers experience pain differently, all births are different, and all women cope differently with pain.
A less biased way of presenting pain relief options during labor can help with birth dissonance, the study authors contend. This should include detailed information about medicated pain relief during labor, including risks/benefits, different types, and various uses. It should also include a comprehensive guide to non-medical forms of pain relief.
Health care providers need to listen more intently to women during labor, the study researchers contend. Whenever possible, they should leave their biases about pain relief during labor out of the decision about whether or not to give a mother pain medication.
Finally, the study researchers advocate strongly for women to be given pain relief when they ask for it during labor. This should happen at the time these mothers ask for the pain relief, without complicated negotiations or delays.
Having a positive childbirth experience isn’t just about a healthy mom and baby at the end, nor is it about whether or not pain medication is used. Women remember how they were treated, if they were heard, and if they were respected during birth. This is such an important—and often neglected—aspect of childbirth. If an expectant mother is encouraged to focus her birth expectations on this area (being respected, heard and treated well), rather than the use or absence of medication, she can have a positive experience no matter how the specific details unfold.
Our book, Birth Choices, emphasizes the importance of mothers having an affirming, empowering childbirth experience above all else. Our four steps to achieving this are:
Birth Choices provides educators and health care professionals an excellent tool to serve as a “starter guide” for expectant parents and set mothers up for success in achieving a healthy and positive birth. Preorder our new second edition Birth Choices book coming this spring!
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
These days, there is an abundance of videos available online, often for free. Still, there are several factors to consider before you hit play.
What makes video helpful when it comes to educating students about birthing and breastfeeding? Unlike the written word or even a vivid photograph, videos can give students audio cues, show the depth of certain facial expressions, and can give students a more realistic sense of what it might be like to experience the intense, life-altering moments that take place during childbirth and postpartum.
For example, videos can depict:
Video viewing should enhance and integrate with your instruction and not become a substitute for teaching. If you rely too heavily on videos, you will be doing less interacting directly with your students. Allowing students to have personal interactions with instructors—and with each other—is one of the most impactful aspects of childbirth education classes, and you shouldn’t let that go by the wayside. That being said, there is certainly a place for using videos in your class, and most students will benefit from video viewing as one element of a childbirth education class.
Before selecting a video to share with your student, it can be helpful to ask yourself a few questions:
According to research, the average adult attention span limit is about 15–20 minutes—that’s how long an adult will typically focus on an activity before their mind wanders off. If you add video to your instruction, consider using shorter clips within your instruction. If you use longer video, it is helpful to take breaks to debrief or engage in class discussion, journaling, or other activities. Fortunately, many of Plumtree Baby's PowerPoint presentations include integrated, easy-to-digest video clips that highlight key information in just a few minutes.
Students come from different backgrounds and have different psychological make-ups. A video that is appropriate for one person may not feel appropriate for someone else. For example, in some cultures, it may not feel appropriate to view a woman who is unclothed, even in the context of a childbirth or breastfeeding video. Other students may find graphic childbirth videos triggering because of their personalities or personal histories.
You can’t always please everyone, but try to select videos that are sensitive to individual differences. If you use video that could be received negatively, you might consider a disclaimer before showing the material, preferably in the class before the video will be aired so sensitive students can prepare and if desired, excuse themselves for the video portion.
Sometimes a video is important and informative, but it isn’t necessarily essential that class time be used to show it. Additionally, videos with graphic content might be something you can make optional so that students can decide whether or not to view the video outside of class. Try to only include videos in class that seem essential, appropriate, and that will be used to generate in-class discussions.
Before sharing the video in class, preview the entire video at home. Make sure the quality of the video remains sound throughout. Also make sure that any equipment you will be using to share the video, such as computers, tablets, and smart screens are fully charged and in good working condition.
Using video in your classes can be a wonderful and empowering way to support your students. Here are some ways to maximize the success of incorporating video into your classes:
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Source: Hotelling BA. Considerations when using videos in lamaze classes. J Perinat Educ. 2012 Summer;21(3):189-92. doi: 10.1891/1058-1243.21.3.189. PMID: 23730131; PMCID: PMC3392602
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
Before we discuss what to teach new parents, let’s address how you can teach these concepts.
Although the idea of caring for their babies might seem light years away, you can always start by asking students to share what their questions and concerns are about newborns. They can write their questions anonymously on pieces of paper, share questions with the class that you record down for them on a white board, or share questions in small groups.
Show parents videos of newborns and common newborn behaviors—pictures and videos are worth a thousand words. Live demonstration is helpful, although less predictable than pictures or video. If possible, arrange to have a new parent come to class with their newborn to demonstrate some of these baby behaviors.
Provide new parents with resource lists for future use—this way, when their baby is crying in the middle of the night, parents will have reputable sources for information and support. If you are teaching childbirth education, consider providing parents with a complementary copy of Newborn Care as a supplement to their education.
There are four main areas that you’ll want to cover when it comes to teaching parents about newborn communication: newborn reflexes, newborn feeding cues, newborn sleep cues, and newborn crying. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Newborns are born with a set of reflexes, which are involuntary reactions and movements. Many of these go away within a few weeks or months. Even though they are reflexes, some of them are a newborn’s way of communicating with their parents, including showing signs of hunger. New parents may be perplexed or worried about some of these reflexes if they do not understand them, so normalizing them is helpful.
Common newborn reflexes include:
The Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents practice “responsive feeding,” which is when parents feed their baby based on their cues, rather than following a strict feeding schedule. Responsive feeding teaches babies to eat when they are hungry and stop when they’re full. It also teaches parents to become more in tune with their baby’s needs and communication styles.
To this end, it’s very helpful for parents to get a sense of what their baby’s feeding cues are. Usually, babies give subtle clues when they first become hungry, and it’s best to feed them as soon as they show these signs. Crying is a late feeding cue.
Baby feeding cues might look like one or more of these behaviors:
Parents of newborns are often exhausted. They want to know when their baby will start sleeping longer stretches and when they can establish some kind of sleep schedule. Parents should know that newborn sleep is different from sleep in older babies. Night and day are the same to newborns, who tend to sleep on and off in a disorganized pattern.
By about three months, babies start to develop a circadian rhythm, where they sleep more at night and less during the day, though sleeping through the night will likely come much later. At this point, parents can begin to recognize their baby’s sleep cues, and start to put their baby down for sleep once they see signs of tiredness. As with feeding, it’s best to soothe a baby to sleep before they get too worked up and crying, so recognizing early sleep signs is helpful.
Typical infant sleep cues include:
Crying is a baby’s way of communicating that something is wrong. Sometimes it means they are hungry, that their diaper needs changing, or that they are too hot or too cold. Babies cry when they are overstimulated or simply because they are … well, being a baby. Sometimes parents can’t figure out why their baby is crying, and that can be very frustrating.
It's essential that parents understand that baby crying is normal, and that it’s also normal to feel frustrated, especially if they have a baby who cries a lot or is colicky. Parents must be taught that it’s never okay to shake a baby when they cry, or hurt a baby in any way.
Giving your students a “cheat sheet” for what to do when a baby cries will be helpful down the road, such as the “Soothing Checklist” page in Newborn Care.
This may include rocking, walking, shushing, feeding, etc. It may also include putting their baby down safely and briefly while they take a moment to calm down and regroup. If a newborn cries excessively, parents should reach out to their baby’s health care provider to rule out medical issues. Parents of colicky babies should be encouraged to ask for help from friends and family so that they can have much-needed breaks.
Teaching newborn behavior may not be on the top of your list of teaching goals. But setting your students up with knowledge and resources about life with their baby is vital. Even if your students run into challenges as they learn to care for their baby, knowing what to expect and where to go for further help will be hugely beneficial for them.
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
Labor is a profound, transformative experience. Can a series of smiley faces and simple line drawings capture its essence? There's a concern that cartoons might downplay the reality, leaving new parents somewhat unprepared for the actual experience. When the going gets tough, will these illustrations have done enough to brace mothers and fathers for the journey ahead?
Incorporating cartoons and illustrations into educational materials that are dated or poor quality might inadvertently create a disconnect for modern parents. When visuals resemble a bygone era, some couples may perceive the information as irrelevant to their current circumstances, even though the essence of childbirth remains unchanged.
Certainly, there are instances where illustrations are preferred over graphic photos or videos—like when explaining sensitive procedures such as episiotomies. However, for topics such as labor stages, newborn care and breastfeeding, exposure to more contemporary photos and videos could potentially better equip parents for what lies ahead. Familiarity with the real experiences might normalize these processes, making them less daunting.
Striking a balance between various media types—real photos, quality illustrations, and expert guidance—could be the most effective approach. This blend allows couples to gain awareness without becoming overwhelmed. By receiving diverse forms of information and support, they can better align their expectations with the actual labor and postpartum experiences.
For those seeking resources that strike this balance between real photos and illustrations, here are some favorites:
Childbirth Education Poster Set:
Preparing for Birth PowerPoint:
These materials offer a thoughtful combination of visuals and guidance, providing a comprehensive approach to childbirth education without neglecting the importance of realistic depictions.
Amber Canaan, Copywriter & Marketing Consultant, R.N.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2024 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
If you’ve gone into teaching, it’s because you have many ideas and pearls of wisdom you want to share with your students. But teaching isn’t just about spilling your ideas and knowledge out and hoping your students take away something valuable. Teaching is an art, and requires planning and structure.
Whether you’re planning a one-day workshop, or teaching a full curriculum to be delivered over the course of several sessions, each time you meet with your students, you will need a plan. A lesson plan helps you zero in on the goals of what will be taught and ensures that you will execute your lesson in a measured and impactful manner.
Some of the benefits of lesson planning include:
While not all lesson plans look the same, and can be tweaked to meet your needs, there are some basic components that most lesson plans have. Here are some things that are beneficial to include.
Before you begin your lesson plan, you need to be clear on what topic you are covering. If you have a curriculum already, you can pick a topic that is part of your curriculum. You want to pick a topic that is not too broad, but also not too narrow.
This is where you will come up with a goal for your lesson. This goal is not only to help you decide what to cover in your lesson plan, but what knowledge you want your students to come away with after the lesson.
To refine your objective, ask yourself questions like:
This is where you get into the “nuts and bolts'' of the lesson. You will decide which parts of your lesson will be discussion-based, which may include activities, small group work, brainstorming, journaling, or Q&A.
Most lesson plans have a combination of both lecture and interactive activities. It can be helpful to have hands-on activities as well as activities with visual cues. This way, the topic can appeal to people with various learning styles.
Once you know the time frame for your class, you can then break down each portion, with goals for what might happen at each point in the class, and instructions for yourself about how to execute each activity.
For example, if you are teaching an hour long class, you might break it up as follows:
After you’ve written down the steps to your lesson plan, you’ll have a better idea of what materials you’ll need to execute the lesson. In your lesson plan, you can list the needed materials so that you can acquire them before teaching the lesson. You may also need to ask or remind students to bring in materials, such as notebooks, textbooks, and writing instruments.
Some possible materials you may need include:
All lessons should end with some type of assessment. This helps ensure that both you and your students have met learning goals, and it leaves students with a “takeaway” from the lesson that they can think about before the next lesson.
A learning assessment can be in the form of a test or a quiz to evaluate student knowledge. But it can also be an evaluation form, a journal reflection, or a discussion that allows for follow-up questions.
Lesson planning can be challenging, especially when you are building your lessons from scratch, and gathering materials from multiple sources. At Plumtree Baby, our teaching curriculums include lesson plans that correspond to our parent materials and PowerPoints. Our ready-to-go materials make it easy to teach without having to prepare lessons from the ground up.
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2024 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
This year we published a range of updated resources to support you and your clients. These contemporary tools are designed to enhance knowledge, promote informed decision-making, and empower parents throughout the childbirth journey. Let's take a closer look at some of the exciting additions Plumtree Baby has introduced in 2023.
Preparing for the arrival of a baby can be overwhelming, especially for first-time parents. Our third edition Preparing for Birth book was redesigned, making it even easier to provide expectant parents with the knowledge and tools they need to confidently navigate their birth experience.
From understanding the stages of labor to learning about comfort measures options, this book covers it all. It offers practical advice, tips, and techniques to help parents make informed decisions and feel prepared for the incredible experience of bringing a new life into the world. See all of the updates here.
We didn't stop there! We also just published the Spanish edition of Preparing for Birth, ensuring that every parent has access to the knowledge they need for a positive birth experience in their familiar language! And we released a new Finding Comfort edition. This is chapter two of Preparing for Birth, available as a stand alone booklet for comfort measures classes.
Browse all of our books here.
Plumtree Baby published an update to our one-of-a-kind Childbirth Curriculum that equips educators with the knowledge and materials needed to deliver high-quality classes. This curriculum includes flexile lesson plans to help you teach a wide range of topics, including labor and birth, medical interventions, comfort measures, postpartum care and basic newborn care. With a focus on promoting informed decision-making and evidence-based practices, this curriculum ensures that parents receive accurate and up-to-date information.
The Childbirth Curriculum aligns with the new Preparing for Birth book, ensuring that your clients' class resources perfectly match your curriculum. It also includes printable resources to supplement your classes and encourage group discussions and client engagement.
Transform your childbirth classes with our updated PowerPoint slides! These redesigned, engaging presentations are designed to complement the content found in the corresponding parent books. With new captivating visuals and user-friendly content, these customizable tools will elevate your classes to new heights.
Redesigned and reimagined! With this new PowerPoint, you can teach a complete childbirth course covering all crucial topics like labor, comfort measures, postpartum, newborn care and basic breastfeeding. This teaching aid matches the Preparing for Birth parent book and Childbirth Curriculum, making it a comprehensive, versatile resource. Our visually stunning slides are designed to stimulate discussion and enhance learning, featuring modern photos and graphics that are sure to captivate your audience.
Our new Birth Choices PowerPoint edition is a stand-alone resource for a birth planning workshop or it can be combined with the Preparing for Birth PowerPoint to teach a comprehensive childbirth class. This teaching tool comes with a free Teaching Guide, complete with lesson plans! Engage your students with interactive class slides that cover all aspects of birth choices, from setting goals and communicating preferences to making thoughtful decisions and creating birth plans. Corresponds with the Birth Choices parent books.
This PowerPoint presentation offers a wealth of information on maintaining a healthy pregnancy. With informative slides and visual aids covering topics such as nutrition, fitness, and prenatal healthcare, it is a valuable resource for any stage of pregnancy. Whether used for a workshop or added to the Preparing for Birth PowerPoint, it also comes with a free Teaching Guide with lesson plans. Corresponds with the Healthy Pregnancy parent books.
Experience the ultimate childbirth education with this complete package! Designed to save you time and money, it includes our top-rated resources such as the comprehensive Childbirth Curriculum, an interactive PowerPoint presentation, and copies of our highly informative parent books. Get ready to plan, teach, and inspire with confidence!
These new resources from Plumtree Baby are designed to help you elevate your classes and stay current with the latest in innovative and engaging education tools. Browse our entire collection of New and Notable resources here.
If you're still browsing resources to use in the next year, you'll want to check out our 2024 product catalog. It's filled with exciting new products and resources that will help you engage and educate your clients on a variety of perinatal topics. Whether you're a educator, lactation consultant or clinic manager our catalog has a variety of reading levels and price points to meet your needs.
You can easily flip through the online version of our catalog, immersing yourself in the vibrant images and detailed descriptions of our products. It's like taking a virtual tour of our store, right from the comfort of your home or office. And if you prefer a more traditional approach, you can download a PDF version of the catalog and have it at your fingertips whenever you need it.
For those who love the feel of a physical catalog in their hands, we have printed catalogs in stock! There's something special about flipping through the pages, seeing the products come to life, and getting inspired by the possibilities.
You can request a copy by mail using this link. We'll be more than happy to send one your way, so you can start planning your classes and preparing for the upcoming year.
Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore our 2024 product catalog and get a head start on your education goals. Embrace the opportunities that a new year brings and immerse yourself in the advantages Plumtree Baby's resources offer. Count on our unwavering support throughout your journey!
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Two resources that have been game-changers: our Newborn Care Booklet and the Preparing for Birth booklet, now lovingly translated into Spanish.
This little booklet is packed with everything parents need to know about caring for their newest family member, from those first health checks to understanding all the coos and cries. In Spanish, it's a beacon of support, ensuring no question goes unanswered, no matter the native tongue.
The journey to childbirth is beautiful, but let's be honest, it can also be overwhelming. The Preparing for Birth booklet in Spanish guides your clients through every contraction and calm moment. It's a roadmap to a positive birth experience, now accessible to more parents than ever.
Our Spanish resources are a treasure trove of information for new parents. Together, they create a toolkit that can support every step of the prenatal and postnatal journey:
Browse the entire Spanish Language Collection here.
Picture this: Your client walks into a clinic or classroom, and there on the table lies a resource in your native language. Instantly, they feel seen and valued. Our Spanish resources are doing that for families across the country—they're sending a message that says, "We see you, we welcome you, and we're here for you."
We're not just publishing some new products but celebrating a milestone in inclusive education. Dive into our Spanish Collection page and see what resources you can uncover for the families you work with. It's time to ensure that every parent steps into parenthood with confidence and joy, no matter their background.
Amber Canaan, Copywriter & Marketing Consultant, R.N.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2024 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>Still, bonding and breastfeeding is a bit of a complicated topic, especially if you don’t bond with your baby right away, or if breastfeeding doesn’t work out for you. That’s why it’s important to tackle this topic with sensitivity and compassion.
Here are some ideas for how to teach new parents about the impact of breastfeeding on bonding.
Mothers tend to come into breastfeeding with many personal feelings, biases, concerns, and “baggage.” Maybe they’ve heard that breastfeeding is too hard, and that issues like sore nipples and low milk supply are inevitable. Maybe their own mother didn’t breastfeed and they are worried they will follow the same path. Maybe they have a history of sexual abuse and the idea of breastfeeding is triggering. Maybe they are excited to breastfeed but are anxious that it might not work out and they’d then be a “bad mom.” Or maybe they have nothing but positive feelings about breastfeeding and are raring to go.
It's normal for mothers to have a myriad of feelings about breastfeeding, and one of the best things you can do is emphasize that your class is judgment-free zone—meaning that it’s okay to be honest about your feelings, that each mother’s perspective is valuable, and that there are no “stupid” questions when it comes to breastfeeding.
With the above point in mind, it can be helpful to start a session on breastfeeding and bonding with a brainstorm session. You can ask participants to write down a list of words that come to mind when you say “breastfeeding and bonding” and then have them share these words. You can also pair them off, or place them in small groups, and ask them to brainstorm. Either way, starting with a brainstorm can allow participants to air out their feelings and share any concerns.
In the same way that there is solid evidence about how breastfeeding protects the health and well being of both moms and babies, there is evidence-based information about how breastfeeding promotes bonding. You can share this with your students.
Here are a few pieces of information you might consider sharing, with links to studies:
In and of itself, breastfeeding can promote bonding in moms and babies. Breastfeeding requires close contact, frequent touch and holding, and is a symbiotic relationship where mom’s bodies respond to their babies needs and cries. You can share funny and endearing stories of how moms will literally leak milk when their babies cry or when it’s feeding time!
Still, there are things that moms can do to strengthen this bond further. These tips also help to promote breastfeeding and ensure its success:
Many mothers think that as soon as their baby is placed in their arms, they will automatically fall in love with their baby. This certainly happens often, but sometimes bonding is more of a process. Some mothers take a few weeks to bond and fall in love with their babies, especially if they had a difficult birth or experienced initial breastfeeding challenges. Normalizing that bonding is different for everyone and that it’s ok if it takes time to bond, can be enormously helpful to mothers who don’t bond with their babies right away.
As we all know, sometimes breastfeeding doesn’t work out. While you can emphasize how important getting early and prompt help for breastfeeding is—and provide mothers with local recommendations for help and support—sometimes breastfeeding simply doesn’t work. This may be because of an underlying medical condition in a mom or baby, lack of family support, or a rapid return to work that made it difficult to establish or maintain breastfeeding.
Whatever the case, when breastfeeding doesn’t work, one major source of guilt for moms is that they think not breastfeeding means that they won’t properly bond with their babies. In your class, you should certainly emphasize the ways that breastfeeding promotes bonding, but it can be helpful to note that breastfeeding isn’t the only way to promote bonding. If bottle feeding becomes necessary—either part time or full-time—mothers can still bond with their babies by holding their babies frequently, doing skin-to-skin, feeding on demand/in response to feeding cues, and being emotionally present with their babies while feeding.
End the class on a positive note, reviewing the ways that breastfeeding can promote bonding and tips for deepening your bond with your baby during breastfeeding. You might want to circle back to the first exercise you did where you asked participants to share their thoughts and feelings about what breastfeeding and bonding means to them. You can ask them to share new thoughts on this, after having reflected and learned more about the topic.
Be sure to check out Plumtree Baby's breastfeeding resources for teaching guides and parent handouts to support your clients on their breastfeeding journeys.
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>There are many factors that influence a mother’s ability to meet her breastfeeding goals, but one of the most impactful ones is the support and education she gets. As a educator, you can have an impactful role to play in setting your clients up for success. After all, for many mothers, your class will be their first introduction to breastfeeding.
There are many areas to cover when teaching about breastfeeding. These are five key lessons that all expectant parents should learn to ensure success.
There are many important points to emphasize when it comes to teaching latching and recognizing when a baby has a good latch. The basic principles to cover include:
When it comes to latching and positioning, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. Many women have not seen babies breastfeed. Showing them up close what a deep latch looks like and pointing out how the baby is positioned to achieve this can be extremely helpful. It can also be helpful to show pictures of what a poor latch looks like, to compare the two. Videos are also helpful, as they can depict the process of latching, and how babies look and act during the process of latching.
Additionally, teaching breastfeeding should be a tactile, sensory experience. Having each student practice with a doll can be valuable. You can practice different breastfeeding positions and holds. It’s important to emphasize that babies need to be snug and close to your body in order to latch well.
Besides latching and positioning, many mothers feel unsure about whether their babies are getting enough, and having the perception that their baby isn’t being properly fed is one of the main reasons why mothers offer their babies formula or end up giving up on breastfeeding. After all, when it comes to breastfeeding, a mother can’t see how many ounces her baby is taking, and feeding formula—and seeing the precise number of ounces consumed—may feel more reassuring to her.
This is why it’s so important to teach the basics of how to know if your baby is getting enough. This includes:
Providing a handout with this information can be useful so that parents have a reminder at their fingertips in those early, sleep-deprived days.
One other area that new breastfeeding mothers often struggle with is understanding newborn feeding behaviors and how they impact breastfeeding.
For example, it can be helpful to share with parents that:
Again, visual aids are super useful here. Showing parents what normal baby behavior looks like and sounds like can help normalize it for them.
Maybe the most important thing you can teach expectant parents about breastfeeding is when and how to get help—and that it’s completely normal and expected that new parents need help with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not something that always comes naturally, and throughout human history, it was customary for women to receive support from other women in their communities.
There’s a saying in the lactation community that goes like this: “Pick up the phone before you pick up a bottle.” Any mother who is having breastfeeding challenges of any kind shouldn’t hesitate to reach out for help. You can emphasize this to your students! We all need support when we first start out.
Parents should be encouraged to reach out for help anytime they have breastfeeding questions. That said, there are certain breastfeeding issues that require immediate support and usually require in-person help. These are:
If possible, try to compile an up-to-date list of breastfeeding support in your local area. That may include:
Leaving parents with a list like this can be a total lifesaver. Suggest that your students keep this list handy—and emphasize again that needing breastfeeding support is normal, and that doing so will help ensure breastfeeding success.
Breastfeeding education often focuses on what can go wrong with breastfeeding, but it’s important for mothers to leave the session feeling empowered. You can share how normal it is for new parents to feel uncertain about how breastfeeding will go, but simply showing up to a breastfeeding class and having the desire to breastfeed is a huge step in the right direction.
You can also emphasize that breastfeeding is something that you figure out as you go along—both you and your baby will be new at this! Finally, you can underscore again how vital it is that new mothers seek support if they run into any challenges, big or small.
Be sure to check out Plumtree Baby's breastfeeding resources for teaching guides and parent handouts to support your clients on their breastfeeding journeys.
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>When teaching or working with clients, following the four steps outlined serve as a valuable framework to help parents understand their priorities and take action on the birth plans.
Before diving into details, exploring broader feelings and visions about birth is pivotal. It is essential to establish a safe, open environment for parents to discuss their aspirations and fears. Guiding parents through reflective inquiries helps them understand their emotions and formulate their birth vision.
Here are a few questions you can use to engage your clients in this process:
Ensure that discussions around birth are framed within the context of evidence-based decision-making, enlightening parents on how medical interventions can, in some scenarios, mitigate risks, yet in others, they may pose additional risks, particularly if administered inappropriately.
In this step, clarifying the distinctive paths one can take during labor is essential. There are fundamentally two choices: a natural, minimally intervened birth and a medically managed one. To illuminate these options in class, using practical examples and narratives can be exceptionally enlightening.
Following this, facilitate a discussion to aid parents in identifying the approach most aligned with their preferences:
The next step is creating the ideal birthing environment! Connecting with a supportive team facilitates a positive and healthy birth experience.
Explore Relevant Resources
Direct parents to informative blogs or articles about assembling a supportive birth team and creating an optimal birthing environment. The correct information can empower them to make well-informed decisions.
Create a Supportive Environment
A supportive environment is pivotal. Help parents reflect on their current choices and whether these align with their aspirations and needs. Facilitate discussions around the following points:
Reevaluate if Necessary
If the situation doesn't feel right, encourage parents to explore other options. Prompt them to interview other providers and even offer referrals to healthcare providers who may align better with their birth goals. Adjustments at this stage can significantly impact the birth experience, making it more harmonious with their desires and expectations.
Remember, it’s about helping parents in their journey to have the most comfortable and reassuring birthing experience possible! Keep conversations open, engaging, and supportive to empower them in their choices.
Turning visions into action is pivotal when approaching birth. Open, clear, and direct communication with the birth team is vital. It's important to guide parents in crystallizing their birth visions and articulating their preferences effectively.
Promote Proactive Communication
Encourage parents to voice their goals, questions, and preferences during prenatal visits. Whether they prefer writing them in a birth plan or creating visual reminders like photos or artwork to display in the birthing room, it’s all about what makes them feel empowered and heard.
Role Play Scenarios
Initiate role plays for a few scenarios where parents can practice positive and assertive communication. This helps in building their confidence to express their needs and wishes effectively.
Remind Parents to:
Acknowledge the Unpredictability of Birth
Remind parents that birth is inherently unpredictable, and no amount of planning can ensure things will go exactly as planned. However, being well-prepared, possessing effective communication skills, and having a supportive birth team can make any experience significantly more positive.
For those keen on learning more, our Birth Choices workbook offers an engaging and interactive journey. Paired with the Birth Choices PowerPoint slides and included teaching guide, you can easily incorporate this essential topic into your classes.
Let's empower parents to be active participants in their birth journey, making informed and conscious choices every step of the way!
Amber Canaan, Copywriter & Marketing Consultant, R.N.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>As educators, it's essential to ensure your clients understand what to expect and have everything they need for their recovery from childbirth. When discussing postpartum recovery in class, it is a good idea to have demos of each of the products listed here. You can also share this blog with your students, ensuring they can easily find recommended items to help them have the smoothest recovery after their little one arrives.
A Sitz bath can be incredibly soothing for postpartum recovery. This simple yet effective tool can aid in easing discomfort, reducing swelling, and promoting healing.
For an on-the-go relief option, the Sitz spray can provide immediate comfort. It's a convenient, natural way to soothe and revitalize sensitive areas.
Labor and Delivery Nursing Gown
Comfort is critical during labor and postpartum recovery. A specialized labor and delivery nursing gown ensures mothers can move freely, feel relaxed, and easily access any medical components like monitors or IVs without hassle. Plus, it provides easy access for nursing a newborn.
Postpartum healing can be a tad uncomfortable, to say the least. But with a cold pack combined with a pad, mothers can find instant relief, reducing inflammation and providing gentle cushioning.
Slippery hospital floors are no match for grip socks. Not only do they keep feet cozy, but they also ensure mamas remain steady on their feet during labor and while caring for their newborn.
Practicality and comfort merge in these lightweight, breathable mesh underwear. They're perfect for accommodating postpartum pads and provide gentle support without constriction.
Ensuring your clients are well-equipped and comfortable is paramount. Share these finds with your students and contribute a little extra to their birthing experience.
If you missed the previous posts in this series, you can find them here.
Please stay on the lookout for our upcoming installments in this series. If you've stumbled upon any fabulous products that could benefit the childbirth community, we'd love to hear about them! Let's make every birth a bit smoother.
At Plumtree Baby, we receive a tiny affiliate commission for any purchase at Amazon.com made via these links. Every cent of this commission supports our Community Support Program. Your shopping not only helps you and your students but also aids in uplifting disadvantaged communities. Heartfelt thanks for shopping with us!
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
Building trust and connection with your students is more than giving them accurate and clear information. It is about building relationships that will last long after classes end. Although your responsibility will always be to provide current and vital information to equip them for their journey through childbirth and beyond, you may find that some of the most impactful moments you have happen outside of a curriculum. Here are some suggestions for building connections:
Whether you host classes virtually or in person, use the time before and after your classes to foster relationships with your students. Make sure your students know you will be there 10 minutes early just to chat. Use that time to answer questions or simply to get to know your students. Ask them about their families, work, or hobbies and interests.
After your lesson ends, stay a few minutes after to be available to make connections with your students. By showing a genuine interest in their lives, they will know that you care about them. Oftentimes, when we think back on our own favorite teachers, they were those that showed interest in more than just the topic at hand.
Are you connecting with your students during your classes? Or is the information pathway a one-way street? As educators, it’s easy to assume that the education you are giving your students is the most important part of instruction. But remember that everyone learns a little differently, and if you aren’t meeting a student’s learning styles, they may feel disconnected.
Provide opportunities in your classes for your students to have the floor. Facilitate discussions where they can share their ideas and help one another out if you have group classes. Allowing expectant parents to discuss and share the material will help foster deeper comprehension.
Although we said some of the most impactful moments you have will be outside of your curriculum, the heart of your classes will always be the information you are teaching. Your curriculum should be accurate and up-to-date with the latest research and best practices. Without an accurate curriculum, all your other efforts to connect and build trust with your students will fall flat.
Plumtree Baby makes this easy with our comprehensive and accurate resources that aid your childbirth education classes. With so many teaching curriculums to choose from, you can rely on our products to provide the best in childbirth education so you can focus on building relationships with your students. Or, if you want to write your own curriculum, check out this article to make sure you are covering all your bases.
It may be unrealistic to maintain a close relationship with every student after your classes end, but it is more than possible to maintain a connection for months, and even years later. Build time for relationships into your schedule by setting reminders to follow up with your students several times after their class ends:
Through all this communication, don’t forget to ask questions about them and listen to their stories and concerns.
Another option is to start a private Facebook group just for graduates of your childbirth classes. Make this a space where they can ask questions, get feedback from other parents, and help others who are in need. You can maintain connections with your students by posting regular tips, hosting discussions, and sharing articles to help them wherever they are in their journey.
Building long-lasting relationships with your students will always pay off as you get to witness the impact a genuine relationship can have on an expectant parent’s life. Let us know your thoughts or your favorite ways to foster connection in the comments!
Hannah Olsen, Freelance Writer
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
]]>Not only that, but “pain” during labor doesn’t account for other aspects of the labor experience such as how long each contraction is, how long the breaks are between contractions, and how many hours the woman has been in labor. Furthermore, how we cope with our feelings of pain influences how we experience it and how we might rate its intensity.
As such, when we talk about coping with the pain of childbirth with our childbirth education students, it can be helpful to introduce the idea of pain in a more holistic way. This is where the “Coping With Labor Algorithm” can come in handy.
According to the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, the coping with labor algorithm was developed by nurses and midwives at the University of Utah Hospital. It evolved in response to the implementation of the Numeric Rating Scale at the hospital, which asked patients to rate their labor pain on a scale of zero to 10.
When the Numeric Rating Scale was used, women in labor felt a mixture of confusion and annoyance about how to respond. Thus, the coping with labor algorithm was developed as an alternative to help these women discuss and rate their experience of labor pain.
There are two aspects that the coping with labor algorithm evaluates:
After implementing the coping with labor algorithm for a two week trial period, followed by a 6 month trial period, the algorithm was implemented at the hospital and eventually became the primary way that nurses and midwives evaluate pain among their patients. The coping with labor algorithm has been in use at University of Utah Hospital since 2006.
As noted in the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, the coping with labor algorithm allows a birthing woman to shift focus from calculating her labor pain, and instead focus on how she is coping with it.
It also teaches women that the experience of pain is influenced by multiple aspects, including:
Teaching your students that pain is more multifaceted than simply an uncomfortable and challenging physical sensation is a powerful lesson. In labor, increasing sensations of pain are indications that labor is moving forward, which is positive. Moreover, focusing strictly on pain can often make the pain worse. Finally, doing so can decrease your ability to cope with the pain.
The coping with labor algorithm is a tool that parents and labor support people can use to assess how well the birthing mom is coping during labor. It can also help them understand when new coping techniques are needed or when it may be time to ask for extra support from providers.
Discussing the idea of coping in labor vs. pain in labor can even be helpful with moms who are hoping to use pain medication during labor, as this concept can help them decide when in labor to ask for pain medication. Likewise, it can be helpful to mention that even moms who are experiencing low levels of pain because of pain relief medication can still experience distress, and learning to recognize and cope with that distress is vital during labor, whatever pain relief choices you make.
Our Labor Coping Scale poster is a wonderful asset to use with your students. It offers visual cues, numerical quantification, and descriptive language to help students understand and share how they are coping with labor in any given moment. We've also included the coping scale in our newest Preparing for Birth books, providing partners with a guide they can use during labor.
Wendy Wisner, Freelance Writer and Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Carvalho, Brendan MBBCh, FRCA*; Mhyre, Jill M. MD†. Moving Beyond the 0–10 Scale for Labor Pain Measurement. Anesthesia & Analgesia 123(6):p 1351-1353, December 2016. | DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000001641
Horn G, D'Angelo D. Does the Coping Assessment for Laboring Moms (CALM) Scale Enhance Perception of Nursing Presence?. Nurs Womens Health. 2017;21(5):360-371. doi:10.1016/j.nwh.2017.07.002
Roberts L, Gulliver B, Fisher J, Cloyes KG. The coping with labor algorithm: an alternate pain assessment tool for the laboring woman. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2010;55(2):107-116. doi:10.1016/j.jmwh.2009.11.002
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
The Companion Workbook features questions and fill-ins that relate to corresponding pages in the Preparing for Birth book.
]]>The Companion Workbook helps reinforce learning and can serve as a review tool or an in-class quiz. This fantastic resource includes key topics for birth, comfort measures and postpartum/newborn care. It also includes the birth preferences and labor cheat sheets found in the back of the Preparing for Birth book.
Each digital or print version of Preparing for Birth includes a QR code and link to download the Companion Workbook for free. Encourage your clients to use this link!
Alternately, educators can print one copy per client or share this link to the Companion Workbook with clients who receive a Preparing for Birth book. [For the Spanish Companion Workbook, click here.]
The workbook can be filled out electronically or printed for personal use.*
We hope you and your clients enjoy this updated tool. Leave a comment below to let us know what you think!
*Preparing for Birth and Preparing for Birth Companion Workbook are copyrighted materials owned by Plumtree Baby, LLC with all rights reserved. Printing and copying of any Plumtree Baby material is limited to pages specifically marked with the text "Permission to print is granted for personal use with the purchase of Preparing for Birth from Plumtree Baby." Pages not containing this text may not be copied, printed or reproduced. Permission to print and copy this content is for personal use only. Resale and commercial distribution are strictly prohibited under copyright law.
]]>If you missed either of the previous posts in this series, you can find Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.
Keeping time during discussions or activities is crucial to maintaining the flow and schedule of your lessons. One of our customers, Jessica P., recommends a particular classroom timer she discovered.
Jessica's verdict: "This classroom timer is a MUST HAVE. I love it for small group discussions and for keeping me on track during appointments."
This timer's user-friendly design can help ensure your sessions run smoothly and efficiently.
Refresh your teaching style with a deck of 52 mindfulness and meditation exercises. These cards offer diverse ways to incorporate mindfulness into your classes, either as opening or closing exercises or incorporated into group activities.
Spark interesting discussions and help parents connect with these conversation starter cards. They offer an easy and fun way to get to know one another, share experiences, and discuss a variety of topics.
Since most childbirth classrooms lack traditional desks, dry-erase clipboards offer a practical solution for parents to fill out handouts and manage paperwork. These versatile clipboards double as whiteboards, perfect for engaging games and quizzes or for tactile learners who prefer to draw or doodle during class.
Large Post-it pads are a practical addition to any childbirth educator's toolkit, perfect for jotting down class goals, capturing the fruits of brainstorming sessions, or saving questions for later discussions.
Variety is the spice of life and applies to seating options, too. This is especially important if you host classes in unconventional settings like clinics or yoga studios. Providing portable and comfortable seating options will make your classes more accommodating and pleasant for expectant parents.
These highly rated, portable chairs are a great option for comfort during class while also encouraging flexibility. They can be purchased in bulk for a discount!
Birth balls are an excellent seating option, offering comfort while aiding with posture and movement. We found these convenient covers equipped with a carrying handle to enhance their portability and handling.
Stay tuned for our next installment in the series. Let us know if you've discovered any must-have tools or products that help make your childbirth classes more engaging and efficient! We're always looking for great finds to share with our community.
*Plumtree Baby receives a small affiliate commission for any purchase at Amazon.com made using these links. This commission is used to support our Community Support Program. Thank you for shopping with us and helping us support disadvantaged communities.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
As childbirth educators, we have the privilege of preparing our clients for this journey. We get to equip them with more than just knowledge – we can help them foster a resilient mindset that will serve them long after their babies are born.
]]>As childbirth educators, we have the privilege of preparing our clients for this journey. We get to equip them with more than just knowledge – we can help them foster a resilient mindset that will serve them long after their babies are born.
Maintaining this open dialogue about fears and challenges is crucial for managing expectations and building resilience. Through understanding our fears, we can begin to address them and by sharing, parents often realize that their worries are not unique to them - this can be incredibly reassuring.
1. Encourage your clients to ponder and share:
2. Assign them the “Dispelling Fears” exercise for homework. Found in the Comfort Measures chapter in the Preparing for Birth book, this exercise can help parents find clarity and peace as their birth approaches.
Remember, as an educator, your role is to guide this discussion with empathy and understanding, providing reassurance and validation while gently challenging any misconceptions.
Encourage a culture of positivity and inspiration to extend beyond the classroom by creating an ongoing shared space, perhaps a virtual message board or social media group, where parents can continue to post their questions, worries and inspirational finds. This shared journey and inspiration from their peers can be uplifting and foster a sense of community among the parents, reminding them that they're not alone on this journey. It also serves as a rich resource of varied perspectives and coping mechanisms they can draw upon when facing their own challenges.
Ask parents to share quotes, images, and stories that have inspired them. Here are a few examples to spark conversation:
"There is power that comes to women when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them. Accumulates like clouds on the horizon and passes through, carrying the child with it." -Sheryl Feldman
"There is a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong." -Laura Stavoe Harm
"Just as a woman's heart knows how to pump, her lungs know how to inhale, and her hands to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth." -Virginia DiOrio
"Overcoming what frightens you the most strengthens you the most." -Matshona Dhliwayo
The power of collective wisdom and shared experiences can often provide comfort and courage to face the hard things that lie ahead in the parenting journey.
One of the most powerful tools we can offer parents is the concept of positive self-talk. The mind is a powerful ally, and how we speak to ourselves can greatly impact our experience and perception of events.
Positive self-talk can be a beacon of strength and resilience during labor and the early days of parenthood. It's not just about glossing over the tough parts but about acknowledging the challenge and asserting one's ability to overcome it.
For example, consider these affirmations:
"This is hard, but I can do it." This affirmation acknowledges the challenge but also asserts the speaker's ability to tackle it.
"I will take one contraction at a time." This statement encourages focusing on the present moment, preventing feelings of being overwhelmed by what's to come.
"I’m the only one who can do this. I am doing this." This affirmation instills a sense of purpose and reminds parents of their unique role in their child's life.
"My body can do this." A powerful reminder that their body is designed to give birth and is capable of doing so.
But the real power of affirmations comes when parents create their own - words that resonate deeply with their personal experiences, beliefs, and aspirations.
Encourage parents to think about what kind of messages they want to hear during challenging times. Do they need words of encouragement? Reassurance? Reminders of their strength or capability?
When it comes to birth or parenting, there is a lot to learn and it is easy to become overwhelmed by it all. However, parents do not need to know or be masters of everything all at once. Encourage parents to consider the topics or tasks that are most important to them and set daily micro goals to improve their current circumstances. For example:
1. Daily relaxation practice - if parents are concerned about managing labor pain or feeling ready for their experience, setting aside 10 minutes a day to unwind and build relaxion skills is a great idea.
2. Doing one load of laundry - when caring for a newborn, household chores can feel overwhelming. Completing one small chore per day at first is normal and realistic. As baby grows, they can add on to their daily chore list.
Ultimately, our role as educators is to prepare parents for birth and help them embrace parenthood's unpredictable, challenging, and beautiful journey. By fostering open conversations, inspiring positivity, promoting positive self-talk, and guiding goal-setting, we can empower parents to trust themselves and their ability to do hard things. Together, let's help parents welcome challenges as opportunities to learn, grow, and become the best parents they can be.
]]>As with any book, ensuring that the content is up-to-date and relevant is vital. With that in mind, we are excited to announce our third edition Preparing for Birth book will be published in late July and is available for preorder.*
]]>As with any book, ensuring that the content is up-to-date and relevant is vital. With that in mind, we are excited to announce our third edition Preparing for Birth book was published in July and is now in stock.*
We know that any changes made to this book can cause disruptions to your lesson plans. Therefore, we want to highlight these changes to help you prepare for this new edition so you're ready when the latest book releases. In addition to the summary below, you can download the table of contents here.
The first update you'll notice is the new Welcome page (pictured below) at the beginning of the book. This page highlights four keys for a positive birth experience. By starting the book with these keys, expectant parents will clearly understand what they can expect from the book and what they need to focus on to have a positive experience during their birth.
The content for Stage of Labor has been overhauled. The layout has been improved and expanded, and the organization has been made more user-friendly. In addition, the content is now organized by page according to each stage and phase of labor, making it easier for readers to navigate. (Don't worry, we've kept the popular two page "Your Labor Guide" in the new book.)
Medical interventions can be overwhelming if parents are not prepared for the various options and informed about the influence that interventions can have on the birth experience. The third edition Preparing for Birth has expanded content and easier to read text covering most common medical interventions. This means that expectant parents will have a comprehensive understanding of their medical options, and have the knowledge and tools needed to ask questions and make informed decisions for their medical care.
In addition to the content updates, Preparing for Birth now includes preference worksheets for labor, comfort measures and newborn care practices. These worksheets are similar to the comfort preferences in the previous edition, and they will help expectant parents to plan for and communicate during their entire birth experience.
Our Comfort Measures chapter remains one of the shining stars of this book. To make it shine a little brighter, we added the labor coping scale, expanded our tips and tools section and updated some of our labor positions photos. By having a variety of comfort measures to choose from, expectant parents can practice and find the techniques that work best for them.
The postpartum and newborn content (third chapter) had the biggest transformation. We recognize that preparing for postpartum is just as important as preparing for birth and our new edition introduces key postpartum topics to prepare parents for this time. However, we streamlined the content to not overwhelming parents or duplicating much of the content that they may learn in a newborn care, breastfeeding, or comprehensive postpartum class.
The updated version of Preparing for Birth includes many new features beyond those described above while still maintaining the comprehensive content you've trusted over the years. This book serves a comprehensive guide for expectant parents, from the Welcome page to the preferences tools section at the end. We hope these updates will make Preparing for Birth an even more valuable resource for your business and your clients.
If you need more time to make the transition to the new edition, you can still stock up on our second edition books while supplies last. Feel free to leave a comment or contact us if you have questions or comments.
We hope you love this new edition!
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>
This popular Baby-Friendly resource is in stock and ready for your clients.
]]>We are pleased to share that the Breastfeeding Your Baby book has just been updated to version 2.4. There are some minor changes from the previous version (see below) that improve the flow of topics and ensure these books are up-to-date on the latest practice recommendations.
This popular Baby-Friendly resource is in stock and ready for your clients!
1. To improve the flow of information, the "When to Feed" and "Bringing Baby to Breast" sections were moved to follow "Hunger Cues" (page 8).
2. "Latching and Feeding" was moved to follow "Milk Transfer" (page 9).
3. We added information on managing leaking breast milk (page 14).
4. "Lip Tie" information has been edited to reflect recent research (page 15).
5. We added information on burping your baby (page 16).
6. We added mental health information for breastfeeding mothers (page 20).
The latest Breastfeeding PowerPoint (v4.1) and Curriculum (v2.3) already include these updates, so there is no need to make changes to your lesson plans or PowerPoints if you're using these editions.
If you have questions or need additional information on these updates, feel free to contact us.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
With so much online information, finding the right resources to enhance your teaching style can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Amazon offers a wealth of affordable products that can benefit your business.
Today, we'll highlight more of our favorite Amazon finds that can help you keep your students engaged in class.
]]>With so much online information, finding the right resources to enhance your teaching style can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Amazon offers a wealth of affordable products that can benefit your business.
Today, we'll highlight more of our favorite Amazon finds that can help you keep your students engaged in class.
For some learning styles, taking notes dramatically helps retain spoken information. While blank paper or fill-in worksheets are helpful for some, many students need more space and organization for their note-taking. Rather than asking them to bring their own notebook from home, providing one for them to use is a lot less hassle. This 40-pack of Kraft-lined notebooks for less than $1 each is a great solution!
One of the essential aspects of a childbirth education class is understanding the anatomy of the pelvis and how it relates to giving birth. But explaining what a pelvis looks like or relying on an image is a challenge. However, seeing a real-life model of a pelvis can be incredibly helpful. You can use the model (along with a baby doll) to help your students visualize the process of childbirth and understand how their baby will move through the pelvis during labor. It can also help connect the dots on why some labor positions are more helpful than others.
Often, childbirth classrooms are lacking desks or tables, so instead of trying to write on paper balanced on their knees, provide clipboards to your students instead. Clipboards are convenient for note-taking and keep paperwork organized. These clipboards have the added feature of doubling as dry erase boards (don't forget to grab some markers, too). Students can use their white boards for games and quizzes or draw and doodle during class. Then, they can return the boards to you once class is done, so they can be reused over and over again.
No matter the time of day, having a high-protein snack helps set the stage for better learning and classroom engagement. If your class falls at the end of the workday, your students might not have time to grab dinner. Having high-protein snacks ready like these protein bars or trail mix can help tide them over and keep their minds engaged in class.
If you regularly have large classes, having enough birth balls for everyone can be a challenge. However, we recommend that each student bring their own birth ball with them to class and we recommend these for their strength and durability. While we're all familiar that birth balls can benefit core strength, fetal position, and hip flexibility, they also provide a comfortable sitting option with movement that promotes attention. So encourage parents to move, bounce or sway (especially those that look like they are nodding off)!
Are there any items that you absolutely LOVE using in your classes that we haven't mentioned? Please send us an email here and let us know! We'll include it in our next article.
*Plumtree Baby receives a small affiliate commission for any purchase at Amazon.com made using these links. This commission is used to support our Community Support Program. Thank you for shopping with us and helping us support disadvantaged communities.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
Tracking Outcomes is the solution! This can look different for each educator or teaching situation, and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. Read on for tips.
]]>We recently had an email conversation with one of our customers, Amy Haas, BCCE. Amy has worked as a Bradley Method instructor for the past 27 years. She initially contacted us after reading this email (which you should definitely check out), which spoke about the power of simplifying your classes and not overwhelming your students. Amy’s initial question was this:
“I'm curious as to whether the outcomes of her students were better? The same? Or worse?” after simplifying.
To answer her question, we must first determine how to track outcomes. Following your students and tracking them can be a challenge. The first place you want to start is to determine how you gauge the success of your classes. This can look different for each educator or teaching situation, and there is no right or wrong way to go about it.
Here are a few ways that we’ve seen our customers track the outcomes of their classes. We’ve used some of these ourselves in our work as childbirth educators:
1. Track enrollment numbers
Word of mouth and referrals are powerful tools in your business. You know you're on the right track as your enrollment numbers increase.
2. Questionnaires
Tracking your student's knowledge and comfort level at the beginning and end of each class can help you judge the class's success in many ways.
3. Birth statistics
This can be one of the most challenging methods of tracking success because new parents have a lot going on and may need to remember to follow up with you or complete a post-birth questionnaire.
Although tracking comments and feedback in questionnaires may provide more anecdotal evidence, consider the power of client satisfaction in determining the success and outcomes of your classes.
When your students have a great experience in your class, they are more likely to search out providers that align with their beliefs and goals for their upcoming birth. This can decrease interventions, lead to fewer c-sections and make whatever type of birth they have a more positive experience.
“I like to tell my students that my goals for my classes are: healthy baby, healthy mom, and a positive birth experience,” Amy explains. At the end of the day, this is what we all want!
When you look at your classes and what you can do to improve your outcomes (whatever you may determine success to be), we recommend simplifying. In education, more is not always better.
As a educator, remember to leave your students with a manageable amount of information. It is vital to provide your students with the necessary information to make informed decisions about childbirth and parenting, but avoid the temptation to give them more than they need. Too much information can lead to confusion and frustration. It can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and unable to make decisions.
A few ways achieve balance are to:
1. Find the right schedule.
Schedule a class series for an appropriate amount of time to meet your student's goals and cover the content in your lesson plans without rushing. The more comprehensive your class is, the longer it should be. For example, Bradley classes are 12 weeks long and focused on natural childbirth. As Amy points out, 12 weeks is “how long it takes a human to assimilate a new thought pattern/behavioral changes.”
When teaching a long series is not possible, then the amount of information you cover should be reduced to the most essential and helpful content. We recommend a six or eight hour class to cover all of the important content for a childbirth class (and our Childbirth Curriculum includes lesson plans you can customize to fit your needs). If you don't have that much time, you'll need to get creative with what and how you teach.
2. Choose your resources carefully.
Avoid using too many resources or pulling information from multiple books or curriculums. This creates a disjointed approach, appears haphazard, and may even introduce conflicting information if you're not careful.
Choose curriculum that is tested and aligns with the principles needed to provide the right information without the overwhelm. Plumtree Baby's Childbirth Curriculum not only incorporates vital health literacy principles so your students can process, understand, and retain the information you teach them, but it also aligns to Lamaze standards as well!
Try to be aware of your student's learning styles and tailor their instruction accordingly. For example, some students may need visual aids to understand the material. In contrast, others may need more of a hands-on approach. Understanding your students' learning styles will help you to provide them with the best possible instruction.
We were particularly attentive to this area when we created our starter packs. With a PowerPoint, videos, handouts, and activities, we covered multiple learning styles to ensure that your students have the best learning experience.
Childbirth is a complex and highly personal experience. However, as a childbirth educator, it is your job to not overwhelm them with too much information. Instead, give them the information they need to make informed decisions and provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions and practice what they have learned. This will help ensure your students feel confident and leads to greater class success.
Remember that it’s ok to re-evaluate your methods and materials as you go. Use your feedback to make positive changes to your classes. Education is dynamic and fluid. You should always look for ways to improve and make a bigger impact!
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
]]>She's passionate about ensuring that new moms and dads have the information they need to feel confident and secure in their parenting journeys.
]]>She's passionate about ensuring that new moms and dads have the information they need to feel confident and secure in their parenting journeys.
Spending time with her is transformational: I always walk away inspired and so do her clients.
We were chatting about our experiences as childbirth educators and she credited her success to her dedication to simplicity.
In a world with unlimited information at our fingertips, she believes the SIMPLICITY of her classes has helped her better connect with each family.
But what did she mean by SIMPLICITY? I asked her to explain.
Early in her career, Courtney told me that she found herself sucked into the trap of trying to teach parents everything she knew.
She expanded her lesson plans, added more handouts, started recommending dozens of books…
Sometimes more is better, but not for her clients, she said.
She quickly found that parents were overwhelmed and frustrated with the amount of information and materials she gave them.
Having a baby is already daunting, but pile technical information and lengthy books on top of it, and parents started to tune out.
After a few years of teaching, she found her groove and pared-down her lesson plans and materials to just the basics.
Her clients responded by feeling at ease in each class instead of on edge and worried they'd miss something, or anxious about their "homework."
And her enrollment increased to the point that she had to create waiting lists!
I walked away from our meeting with the understanding that we can all learn from Courtney's story and save ourselves and our clients from the struggle of being overwhelmed.
Over the past few months, our team at Plumtree Baby has worked hard to infuse Courtney's approach into the materials we were developing.
Our latest resources reduce the complexity and volume of information about postpartum topics into one neat, hassle-free package.
We recently published our brand new Postpartum and Baby Care Starter Package. This is your all-in-one solution to providing your clients with just the right amount of information without feeling overwhelmed.
The package provides a complete curriculum, including flexible lesson plans, the matching PowerPoint, and all the visual aids you'll need, including 10 copies of the best-selling Settling In With Baby parent book.
Simply open the box (and files), take a little time to familiarize yourself with each lesson, and you're off and running.
There's no need to chase down additional handouts, books, or other resources.
We've done it all for you because we believe you deserve easy-to-use, high quality materials that will make a lasting difference in the lives of the families you serve.
Whether you're brand new to teaching, or a seasoned pro like Courtney, if you're looking for the very best in postpartum and newborn care curriculum, this is for you.
*This blog post was modified from an email we sent out in December, 2023, but we felt like it was too good not to share on our blog. It spurred a fascinating email conversation with one of our customers, which resulted in a blog post of it’s own. You can read that here.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AGOG), engaging in exercise during pregnancy results in fewer complications like gestational diabetes or C-section births. Clients who exercise are also more likely to have a smoother postpartum recovery, and may be less prone to postpartum depression.
Walking, swimming, yoga, riding an exercise bike, light aerobics, and Pilates are some exercises that work well during pregnancy. Exercises may need to be modified during pregnancy. For example, clients should avoid exercises that require lying on their back for extended periods of time, and should make sure to stay well hydrated.
Exercises to avoid in pregnancy include:
Still, most low risk clients can engage in exercise throughout their pregnancies, and it’s highly recommended by OB-GYNs and midwives. You can encourage your clients to experiment with different types of exercise until they find one that works best for them.
Here are some ideas for incorporating pregnancy fitness into your classes:
Bookmarking your classes with yoga poses is a fantastic way to get your clients engaged, relaxed, and grounded. Focusing on a few familiar yoga poses each class will help your clients remember the poses. This can come in handy during labor: your clients will be experts at these poses and will have them at their disposal.
Some pregnancy and labor-friendly yoga poses to consider:
Child’s pose: In this pose, you kneel and sit down flat on your heels. Then, you gently stretch forward over your legs and extend your arms in front of you, breathing deeply. Pregnant women will need to widen their legs as their belly grows. Child’s pose is a wonderful way to length the muscles surrounding your pelvic floor and to release tension.
Deep squatting: In this pose, you stand with your feet wider than your hips and then slowly squat down, only going down as far as is comfortable. This pose strengthens your pelvic floor, opens up your hips, and can help stretch the perineum.
Cat-cow pose: To do this pose, you get down on your hands and knees. First, you exhale, rounding your back and looking down at the floor. Next, you inhale, extend your back and look up at the ceiling. This pose can help stretch your back muscles and strengthen your abdominal muscles.
Often, the idea of fitting in exercise into a busy life can feel overwhelming. Consider having your clients break into small groups to brainstorm ways that exercise can be a part of their pregnancy. Hearing how others fit exercise into their lives can be inspiring, and knowing that this may be a struggle for others can make your clients feel less alone.
Everyone loves free stuff. Consider reaching out to local exercise centers or teachers who would like to offer free class vouchers or demonstrations to your students. You may want to consider having a teacher come into class and share some pregnancy-friendly exercises with your students. This can be a good promotional opportunity for the teacher, and can provide hands-on education for your students.
The idea of exercise can elicit lots of feelings in expectant parents. They may feel scared that certain exercises will harm their baby, they may feel too exhausted to add exercise into their days, or they may feel that they have no time for exercise. Clients who have been avid exercisers may feel unhappy about having to modify their routines during pregnancy.
As you discuss exercise during pregnancy, remember that everyone has different experiences and perspectives. Offer evidence-based information about the benefits of exercise and modifications needed, but be open to the unique feelings that your clients may have.
Finally, keep the mood positive. Exercise during pregnancy isn’t about perfection and looks different for each person. The bottom line is that exercise is about joyfully moving your body in a way that fits your vibe and lifestyle.
For more resources on pregnancy fitness, health and labor preparation, view our Healthy Pregnancy collection.
Wendy Wisner, Writer & Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
It is normal to feel a little awkward at the start of class, but there are many things you can do to feel less nervous, improve your first impression with your clients and help your clients feel more comfortable.
You’ve heard the line “put your oxygen mask on first, before assisting others.” When you’re teaching, you set the tone for the entire group, so you need to be calm and confident in order for clients to feel the same way. Here are some tips that can help:
When you have a clear plan for your class and you’re comfortable with the material, you’ll feel more confident teaching. Review your lesson plans and consider doing a trial run of the class with your family or friends filling in as students, then ask them for feedback.
Arrive early for class in order to have plenty of time to set up your materials, chairs, charts, etc. If time allows, review your lesson plans and notes while you wait for students to arrive. This will allow you to give your students your full attention and you can greet them feeling completely prepared.
In your class preparation time (and before students arrive), schedule a few minutes to do a quick relaxation, meditation or breathing exercise to help you be calm and focused right from the start. You can even give yourself a little pep talk like “This class will be fun and informative and my clients will have a better birth experience because of it.”
While teaching, if you’re feeling stressed or think the class has gone off course, guide the entire class through an impromptu relaxation or meditation exercise. You and your clients will benefit from the reset.
Even if you feel nervous, unsure or unprepared, act like you don’t! Project confidence and composure on the outside and soon you’ll start to feel that way on the inside, too. Try not to rely on your notes or lesson plans too much and do your best to focus on interacting with your class. It is often better to let the topics and conversation flow organically than try to follow your lesson plans word for word.
If you encounter a topic or question you’re unfamiliar with, simply admit it and let clients know you’ll look into it further and get back to them. With experience, you’ll start to feel more confident and you’ll be able to teach without frequently referring to detailed lesson plans.
Give clients something to do while waiting for class to begin. This will prevent the uncomfortable silence that can fill the room otherwise. If you are able, greet each client individually and help them get settled. Provide a questionnaire to complete or use some other activity to keep clients occupied while they wait for classmates to arrive.
As soon as possible, start to build rapport and help everyone get to know one another. A group icebreaker or other interactive activity that gets your clients talking is a great way to start class.
Ask questions that encourage clients to talk about themselves. Comfortable topics may include sharing about family, occupation, recreational activities or dreams/goals for their birth or new baby. Ask open-ended questions that require more than a one word response. Instead of "When is your baby due?" ask them "What is something unique about your family?" Or ask a random, unexpected question like "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?"
Some people find large groups intimidating, so it can be helpful to break up into smaller groups for ice breaker activities if the class is large.
Speaking in front of people can cause anxiety in everyone at times. These tips can help you overcome the occasional nerves and make an excellent first impression with each class.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
Do you scroll through Instagram and envy those super-organized influencers who seem to have everything together?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, we’re here to help!
]]>Do you need six more arms to carry everything into each class?
Do you scroll through Instagram and envy those super-organized influencers who seem to have everything together?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, we’re here to help!
You don’t NEED these items to be a great educator. If money is tight, you can skip these. We include a variety of price points to try to accommodate all budgets. Consider adding one new item at a time as your budget allows.
You’ll be amazed at how much more streamlined your classes will become when you add tools that make your life easier!
When you’re prepping for a class, you’re likely to have a variety of materials to keep up with. There are books, handouts, flyers, activities, and more. Check out these zippered mesh pouches if you’re ready to upgrade from the standard manilla folder system. They come in a 30-piece set and various colors, so you can use different colored bags for different types of items.
Another idea is to use one pouch for each student to have a handy storage solution to keep all their class materials in one place.
Not anymore. Consider using an expanding accordion file folder like this one from Amazon. Label each pocket with the corresponding class name, insert the appropriate handouts, and you’ll be ready to go. You can also keep class rosters, contracts, and payments organized in one place.
PowerPoint presentations and videos are great tools, especially for visual learners. But to use them, you'll need access to a television or large computer monitor, which may not be available in all locations you teach. You can solve that problem by using this digital projector. All you need is an empty wall, and you’ll be ready to go. At under $100, this is a budget-friendly solution that will easily fit into your bag.
Transporting your materials can be challenging. You need a bag that fits everything you need while being sturdy and easy to use. There’s nothing worse than fighting to get into a bag when trying to pack up quickly at the end of class or rummaging around to find supplies in an unorganized “black pit” that some bags become. If you don’t have too much to carry and don’t mind carrying the bag with your hands, this striped tote stands up on its own, will stay open, and fits a lot!
If you need something more back-and-shoulder friendly, you’ll want a rolling organizer bag like this one. While it is marketed as a “craft tote,” with multiple pockets, a wide top opening, and a price point below $70, it is perfect for packing all of your materials without causing added back or shoulder strain.
There’s a reason why game shows were once so popular. Everyone, no matter their age, loves a good game with prizes and some friendly competition. In addition, games help to reinforce concepts you teach in your classes. Using buzzers like these is a fun way to introduce fun into your lessons.
We all like receiving a little gift now and again. So whether it’s thanking your students for choosing your class or serving as a prize after a classroom game, here are a few economical ideas that you can pick up right on Amazon:
Are there any items that you love that we should have included on this list? If so, please send us an email here, and we’ll include it in our next update!
Up next, check out our blog on practical storage solutions for posters or check out more Amazon finds in our next post.
*Plumtree Baby receives a small affiliate commission for any purchase at Amazon.com made using these links. This commission is used to support our Community Support Program. Thank you for shopping with us and helping us support disadvantaged communities.
Disclaimer: All content provided is for educational and informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and no alterations in exercise should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Consult your physician on any topics regarding your health and fitness. Plumtree Baby, LLC does not assume any liability for the information contained herein, be it direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages.
Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved
Plumtree Baby, LLC
This is actually a question we get a lot, and we understand how it can be a tad confusing. So, we’ve put together this FAQ to help you navigate the intersection between Lamaze and Plumtree Baby because they do, in fact, fit together beautifully!
Our materials were designed to be compatible with the guidelines and Essential Content required by Lamaze International. Plumtree Baby's founder, Julie Olson, is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE). In 2021, Lamaze recognized Julie's distinguished contributions to the field of childbirth education as a member of Lamaze International and she was inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of Certified Childbirth Educators (FACCE). For nearly two decades, Julie has taught a wide variety of Lamaze childbirth classes and understands the needs of Lamaze educators and students intimately.
While Lamaze has some educator resources, they are lacking comprehensive parent materials. This means that educators are left searching for materials that meet their needs and follow Lamaze's Six Health Birth Practices. From our founding, Plumtree Baby has recognized this issue and specifically developed our parent materials to fill this gap. All of our materials are also fully-integrated with each other. This means that your teaching curriculum, presentation slides and parent workbooks all include the same content and are cross-referenced for ease of use.
Plumtree Baby's Childbirth Education Curriculum includes all of the Essential Content, including all of the Six Healthy Birth Practices used in Lamaze classes. These include:
You will find all our resources, from curriculum to posters and everything in between, have these practices integrated. As a result, you can seamlessly teach your students using Lamaze guidelines, supported by the most up-to-date educational resources.
No! Plumtree Baby has always been very mindful of the popularity and success of Lamaze when it comes to supporting families through childbirth. However, we do not require our customers to certify with a specific organization and we do not restrict or dictate what our customers teach or how they teach it.* This means, you can use our resources to teach any type of class you desire.
We recognized long ago that ALL educators needed high-quality, modern, and engaging educational materials, and we set out to produce them.
*We do have licensing and copyright requirements that you must follow.We are here for you; no question is too big or too small. Please email our customer service department here if you have specific questions about how Plumtree Baby and Lamaze work together.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
This month, we'd like to introduce you to The Womb Room, a Perinatal Wellness Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
]]>This month, we'd like to introduce you to The Womb Room, a Perinatal Wellness Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
First, can you tell us about The Womb Room and what you do?
The Womb Room supports growing families around our cities AND around the globe online. Everyone needs a community and a village, and that's precisely what The Womb Room provides. From fertility through parenthood, we offer a safe haven for those navigating the unknowns of planning, carrying, birthing, and raising babies.
The Womb Room started in 2015 as a small Prenatal Yoga community. Over the years, it's grown into an epic ecosystem of services, including Prenatal, Postnatal, and Baby & Me Yoga classes. We also provide Mental Health Support, Childbirth Education, Birth & Postpartum Doula Services, Lactation Support, and more.
We offer flexible packages, memberships, and free and insurance-covered services. Visiting the Womb Room is the best way to ease your transition to parenthood while making friends and life-long connections along the way.
What is your biggest struggle in operating your business?
Each of our services and programs has so many different moving parts, unique needs, and challenges. It can be a lot to manage when you put everything together.
You recently ordered custom books from Plumtree Baby. Why did you decide to try custom branding?
We ordered Preparing for Birth and Newborn Care books branded with our logo to use in our childbirth education classes.
We wanted to portray a professional look to our clients and give them a product they felt like they could trust. Being able to add our logo, contact information, and photos in the book definitely accomplished that!
What is your favorite element of your custom design?
We love being able to add our own contact information right there in the book. The information in the books is very high quality and the entire branding process was very easy.
How have your custom-branded items changed your business?
Custom branding improved our education program. It helped us to provide a quality workbook that accompanies our teaching with our logo showing we approve of the content and stand by the information. Our hope is that if the workbook is trusted by our clients, they will spend more time referring back to it and will therefore feel more supported in their birth. An added benefit is that the book becomes a great marketing tool for our education program if our clients end up showing it to others.
Overall, how would you rank your custom branding experience with Plumtree Baby?
I would give it a 10 out of 10, and we will recommend it to colleagues.
Custom branding is a simple way to take your business to the next level. Discover more about how you can customize your own books and packets, just like Karen, by visiting Plumtree Baby.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
While it is important to know your material well, writing your own curriculum can be a daunting task, especially when also trying to create and market a new business or find a teaching position.
For new educators, it is much easier to use a professional curriculum than to create your own from scratch. Consider:
A curriculum can be very long due to the many topics and details that need to be included. Even if you only plan to teach a basic childbirth class, your list of topics will likely include:
If you write your own curriculum, you'll need to do research for each topic, then write detailed notes and organize the information into a logical flow with your lesson plans.
When you create your own curriculum, the structure, topics and other details are completely custom to you. For a niche class, this is helpful. However, most childbirth classes encompass the same basic content. It is the instructor's personality, experience and passion that make the class unique.
Regardless of which type of curriculum you use, it is important to find creative ways to teach and get parents to engage with the content. If writing your own curriculum, this means creating your own activities and handouts and searching for visual aids and props that integrate with your lesson plans.
Creating your own curriculum is a process that can take months or years. For most educators to be successful in this task, they must have:
For many of us, time is our most limited resource. If you are an independent educator, finding students, identifying a teaching location and networking with other birth professionals are important for creating a successful business. These business growth activities may be pushed aside while you devote your time to curriculum writing. In the end, you'll have a curriculum, but you won't have any students to take your class!
It is important to weigh all of this information, consider your budget and choose the best approach for your situation.
For the most ambitious, especially those with the skills, time and experience to tackle writing their own curriculum, we have outlined the steps and provide helpful tips in this blog post.
For more information on the professional curriculums we offer, check out the options available here. Note that we also offer corresponding PowerPoints and parent education books that integrate with our teaching curriculums. Learn more here.
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Plumtree Baby, LLC
While you can never plan ahead for every situation, there are things you can do to anticipate and make managing unexpected events a little easier.
]]>While you can never plan ahead for every situation, there are things you can do to anticipate and make managing unexpected events a little easier.
Getting to know other birth professionals in your area can be beneficial for many reasons, but especially when you are in need of support or when you might need a substitute for your classes. When forming backup arrangements, it is best to be as clear and open as possible in advance. Have conversations with potential backups/subs that include:
The more you get to know other birth professionals, the easier it will be to turn to them for help. Schedule monthly or quarterly meet-ups and/or make an effort to keep in touch regularly though text or social media.
It is important for your backup to be able to follow a general plan for the class that they will be teaching. Having a clear outline of the topics, activities and other important details makes it easy for others to fill in (and helps you when you’re teaching the class as well).
We recently spoke with a customer whose story inspired this article (and who gave us permission to share her story). A few months ago, Tiffany’s husband was hospitalized from a car accident. She was supposed to teach her childbirth class that evening and turned to her backup, Annie, for help. Annie was available and willing to fill in, but Tiffany quickly realized that she didn’t have access to her lesson plans to share with Annie. Her class materials were in a binder 30 minutes away.
Even if she could leave the hospital to retrieve them, her lesson plans probably wouldn’t make a lot of sense for Annie as they were filled with scribbled notes and reminders. The information and flow of topics had changed a lot since she wrote her outline as a new educator three years prior.
She quickly texted a few suggestions to Annie and recommended filling most of the class by showing a few videos (rather than the engaging and interactive format she usually followed in her classes).
This experience made Tiffany realize that her current approach to teaching wasn’t ideal for herself or anyone she might need to rely on for help.
She didn’t have the time or energy to spend hours writing new lesson plans so she reached out to us for help. We discussed her needs and made some suggestions for resources that could be beneficial. She decided to purchase the Childbirth Education Curriculum because it included lesson plans and activities that fit perfectly with her three-week class.
She emailed us a few weeks later and shared that the first time she used our lesson plans, she saved two hours over her normal prep time and felt so much more confident and prepared for her class! There were no awkward pauses where she tried to read her scribbles and her class was the most engaged group she had ever taught.
Bottom line, aim for lesson plans that are:
If you need to cancel a class or service, it can be a source of stress for both you and your clients. When you have clear policies in place, you can eliminate some of the uncertainty. To create policies, start by writing down how you would handle the following situations:
Unexpected class cancellation
When students miss a class
Once you have thought about these questions, draft a policy statement that you can make public that includes details regarding how these situations are handled. It is a good idea to include your policies on your website so that parents can be aware of them prior to enrolling in your class. Then, if a question or situation arises, you have information ready to go.
With a little forethought and planning, unexpected situations can be a little less daunting. Do you have a store or suggestion to share? Leave a comment below or contact us!
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Plumtree Baby, LLC