Safe & Healthy Birth

Childbirth education courses with Yael

Courses are geared toward Jewish couples who are interested in learning about the body during pregnancy, labor, and after birth, and what the research says about choices they'll have along the way. Wherever you are in your journey, I have a course for you because there is no "right way" to birth—only what's right for you!

Online Lamaze course

Week 1: Late pregnancy and early labor

Anatomy of the woman and baby as they develop throughout the pregnancy, birth, and after birth
Prenatal testing, nutrition, and comfort measures
Your support person's role and toolkit
Choosing a place to give birth and thinking about a birth plan
Jewish traditions related to the 9th month
Signs of preterm labor and what to do if you see them
Signs of early labor, comfort measures, and when to go to the hospital (if that's where you've chosen to give birth)
Role of hormones in your body preparing for and experiencing labor, birth, and bonding with your baby
Shared decision making and communication techniques to empower you to be an active participant in making decisions during childbirth

Week 2: Active labor and transition

Recognizing the states of active labor and transition
Non-medical techniques for coping with pain
Medical interventions
Role of the support team, whether that includes a partner, doula, midwife, doctor, other, or combination of the above
Jewish traditions and law related to labor
Managing if your birth does not go according to plan

Week 3: Birth

What to expect at the birth itself
Vaginal birth, Cesarean birth, and VBAC
Jewish traditions and law related to childbirth
Cutting the cord and birthing the placenta
Skin-to skin contact after birth
Baby after birth, mom right after birth, your choices about what happens next

Week 4: The fourth trimester (after birth)

Breastfeeding and other options
Co-sleeping options
Welcoming your baby into the community
Diapering
Setting up a support system
Postpartum care, postpartum depression and baby blues
Processing your experience and communicating with your partner
Jewish traditions and law related to the period after birth

Every week we will learn new material, look at original sources, engage in interactive learning, group discussion, and have plenty of time for questions! I hope you'll stay in touch after the course with any questions that come up leading up to your birth and to share your birth story, if you'd like :)

In-person Lamaze course (Israel)

The course follows the same outline as the online version, with the added benefits of:

Help with the paperwork to get reimbursed for pregnancy-related expenses
Understanding your national benefits
Discounts for reservists
Meeting and bonding with new couples in the community
...and snacks!

Crash course

Sometimes the time just gets away from you and you find yourself getting closer to your due date and you never took a course! That's OK. This crash course will catch you up in no time.

Signs of preterm labor and what to do if you see them
Signs of early labor, comfort measures, and when to go to the hospital (if that's where you've chosen to give birth)
Role of hormones in your body preparing for and experiencing labor, birth, and bonding with your baby
Shared decision making and communication techniques to empower you to be an active participant in making decisions during childbirth
Recognizing the states of active labor and transition
Non-medical techniques for coping with pain
Medical interventions
Role of the support team, whether that includes a partner, doula, midwife, doctor, other, or combination of the above
Jewish traditions and law related to labor
Managing if your birth does not go according to plan
What to expect at the birth itself
Vaginal birth, Cesarean birth, and VBAC
Jewish traditions and law related to childbirth
Cutting the cord and birthing the placenta
Skin-to skin contact after birth
Baby after birth, mom right after birth, your choices about what happens next
Breastfeeding and other options
Co-sleeping options
Welcoming your baby into the community
Diapering
Setting up a support system
Postpartum care, postpartum depression and baby blues
Processing your experience and communicating with your partner
Jewish traditions and law related to the period after birth

Refresher course

Regardless of whether you took a course during a previous pregnancy, this one is perfect during a second pregnancy or beyond.

Embrace the mindfulness principle of Beginner's Mind; after all, it's this baby's first time being born and you are a different person than before.
Process what worked for you and what you'd like to go differently this time.
Get tools for helping older siblings adjust.
Revisit tools for pain management.