Childbirth Education Articles and Resources

New Breastfeeding Pocket Guides!

A picture is worth a thousand words and when it comes to breastfeeding, having high-quality and helpful photos can make it easier for parents to learn.

Our new Breastfeeding Pocket Guides (5th edition) have been expanded and

Posted on February 20, 2020

Updates to the Finding Comfort Booklet

The Finding Comfort booklet is a popular resource for comfort measures workshops! It provides practical and detailed information on popular and useful relaxation techniques, along with productive positions for labor and birth. Parents routinely use it as a guide during labor, when they need fresh ideas to help them cope.

Posted on July 16, 2019

7 Rules to Have a Happy Birth

In birth, as in all of life, there are no guarantees. Unexpected events and circumstances can and do happen, but there are several steps that you can take in advance to maximize your likelihood of achieving a happy, joyful birth, even if it does not go exactly according to plan.

Posted on March 13, 2019

ACOG Encouraging Limited Interventions: Updated

This is such important information for women to have, and we have GREAT news! Birth Choices, the brand new book from Plumtree Baby, includes these recommendations, as well as a reference to the full text Committee Opinion for families who want to go into even more depth. Birth Choices can be used to teach a class on planning and communicating for birth, or it can simply be given to expectant parents as an at-home, interactive guide to simplify and inform their goals and plans for birth. Anyone who works with pregnant women can now inform and empower them using Birth Choices. Take a look at a full preview and see for yourself!

Posted on January 18, 2019

Planning Your VBAC (Part 2 of 2)

In Part I of Planning Your VBAC, we introduced the background information for a vaginal birth after a cesarean section (VBAC). Now, we’re ready to share some concrete steps you can take to prepare your body, mind and support system for a trial of labor after a c-section (TOLAC) and VBAC.

Posted on March 29, 2018

How to Get Evidence-Based Maternity Care

Every mother wants the best for herself and her child, so of course she wants to make sure they both receive the best care during pregnancy, labor and birth. How can she make sure this happens? First, it’s important to understand what evidence-based care is and how it compares to routine care; then, we’ll outline three steps to ensure the most appropriate and safest care for you and your baby.

Posted on November 02, 2016

When Breastfeeding is a Struggle

Breastfeeding is natural, yes, but what happens if it doesn’t come naturally to you or your baby? You aren’t alone and there are solutions to the most common breastfeeding problems. Remember: Every mother and her baby have a unique breastfeeding relationship. Your journey doesn’t have to look or be like anyone else’s in order to be successful, rewarding, and healthy for both you and your baby.

Posted on October 25, 2016

Best Foods to Fuel Your Labor

Gone are the days of mothers crunching on ice chips during labor. Evidence-based practice supports (and even encourages!) mothers to eat during labor. Why? Because your car won’t run well on an empty tank, and neither will you!

Even the American Society of Anesthesiologists, just last year, said that

Posted on October 18, 2016

Talking Risk: Counsel and Coercion

It is well know that our experiences influence our beliefs and philosophies. These same beliefs, in turn, influence our behaviors and choices. It follows that in birth, as in any area of life, women often have established a set of ideas and beliefs based on their unique experiences. Sometimes this may be called a “birth worldview” or “birth philosophy.”

Posted on October 04, 2016

What to Wear for Birth

As with every step of planning for and going through your birthing journey, you want to be true to yourself when choosing what to wear. There are no hard and fast rules, but there are some tried-and-true pieces of advice to help make you comfortable from early labor until the moment you’re cradling your newborn in your arms. Here are our suggestions:

Posted on September 28, 2016

Quote - Van Gogh

The beauty and power of nature is undeniable, but the wonder, hope and possibilities in the eyes of a newborn contain an element that cannot seem to be found anywhere else.

Posted on August 17, 2016

Quote - Life's Journey

In any journey in life, look back and recognize the progress you have made and look forward to plan the direction you wish to go. But most of all remember, this IS your life, happening right now. You do not get to redo it, so make the best of every moment.

Posted on July 06, 2016

Articles / parents