Preparing for Birth Course
A 10- hr evidence-based, comprehensive Childbirth Education and Perinatal Mental Health Prevention & Education Course + E-book created by a certified birth & postpartum doula/midwife in training and a certified perinatal mental health professional psychotherapist.
What’s inside
Module 1: Anatomy & Physiology of Pregnancy, birth & Postpartum
Anatomy of Pregnancy
Function of the Placenta
Understanding Due Dates
Perinatal Hormones
Biochemical Impacts
Birth as a nervous system function
Module 2: Stages of labor
Cervical Change
Stages of Labor
Signs of labor
Pelvic movement
VBAC
Pain & Coping
Module 3: Tools, Interventions, Advocacy, & comfort measures
The difference between birth settings and OBs and Midwives
Common interventions
Comfort measures and tools
Practical tips for partners
Induction
C-Section
Advocacy tools for empowered births
Module 4: Basics of Feeding
Breaking down societal pressures
Breast/chest feeding
Formula and Donor milk
Bottle feeding
Lactation Consultants
Common challenges
Module 5: Perinatal Mental Health Prevention & Education
Overview of Postpartum Depression, postaprtum anxiety & OCD, & postpartum psychosis
Misconceptions, stereotypes & media representations
PMADs in partners
Why PMADs happen
Risk Factors
Warning Signs
Prevention
Module 6: Considerations, Recovery, & support
Cultural Considerations
Loss
Physical recovery
Social/ Community support
Nutrition
Rest/ Movement
Professional Support
Building a birth plan
K.G., April, 2023
"This was such a helpful class. I am having such a different postpartum experience this time and I think the class is a big part of the reason why it's so much better! So thank you for all the information you shared. It was such an empowering experience to learn from you two!"
SIGN UP NOW TO ACCESS
SIGN UP NOW TO ACCESS
Meet your Instructors
Maggie is a perinatal-specialized psychotherapist licensed in the state of Colorado. Maggie has training from Postpartum Support International and the Seleni Institute in reproductive and perinatal mental health. She also has training from the Society for the Protection and Care of Children in Infant and Early Child Mental Health. She’s trained in EMDR and Somatic Experiencing.
Cali is a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula and midwife assistant located in Philadelphia, PA. She has a BA in holistic health and psychology and is trained in Fertility Awareness and hypno-birthing. She also has a 200-hour Yoga Teacher certification and is trained in Pelvic Dynamics. She is the owner of Ovum Doula Care, and actively takes birth clients in all settings. She is also a childbirth educator for Lifecycle Womancare, one of the oldest still operating birth centers in the United States. In 2024, Cali started midwifery school and began the journey to becoming a midwife.
With a combined 14+ years of experience, training, and service, Cali and Maggie’s mission is to encourage body autonomy, body literacy, and educated consent in all birth settings and to provide people with the support they need to to have empowered birth and postpartum experiences.
Why take this course?
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Reduce fear & anxiety about childbirth and postpartum.
Learn about your body’s innate systems, functions, and capabilities that aid in childbirth and support wellness in postpartum.
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9% of people experience PTSD symptoms following childbirth (Beck C. et al., 2011) Research shows that this has much less to do with what interventions took place and much more to do with how you felt during it (in control, listened to, and cared for)
Learn about birth settings, interventions, and your choices available to you so you feel educated and empowered to feel in the driver’s seat during your birthing experience.
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Know what to do:
Learn how to identify signs of labor and stages of labor, your options during each stage of labor, comfort measures and tools, and how partners can support birthing people.
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More than 1 in 5 people struggle with perinatal depression or anxiety- in fact depression and anxiety are the number one obstetric complication (Wisner et al., 2010).
Learn about warning signs, contributing factors, prevention, and what to do if you are struggling.
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Feel prepared- build a birth plan with the support of a certified doula.
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This is the only childbirth ed class that includes and combines knowledge from a doula & midwife with knowledge from a specialized therapist and includes an opportunity for individualized consultation with both of them.
What you’ll get
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10 hours of video instruction from Maggie Saltel, LCSW, PMHC and Cali Machen, CD
Watch at your own pace and convenience, rewatch whenever you need!
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165+ page e-book with all the information and research: your one-stop-shop & first line of defense for preparing for birth.
Full of helpful printouts of charts, tips, exercises, resources, and journal prompts, as well as reading lists for where to turn next for more in depth reading on each topic.
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Customizable Birth and Postpartum plan:
Taking everything you’ll learn in the course and applying it to your birth with a written up plan you can share with your providers
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Email support and one free 30 minute consultation with Cali Machen, CD about your childbirth plan or questions and one free 30 minute consultation with Maggie Saltiel, LCSW, PMHC about mental health concerns and questions.
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Professional & Community Resource list:
Build your support network with ease before you need it- know where to start to find professional upport and social connection