Great Starts™ - Classes & Registration

Classes

For schedule, locations, fees and online registration, click here or call (206) 789-0883

Other Classes

Pregnancy & Birth

Great Starts Birth and Parenting Preparation Series

The Great Starts series is our most recommended class for families expecting their first baby. It is appropriate for women planning to birth in hospitals, birth centers, or home birth. The comprehensive series includes all of the information you need about pregnancy, labor, birth, breastfeeding, and newborn care. The class time allows for lecture, videos, group discussion, and plenty of time for practicing skills for coping with labor pain. The series also allows you to meet other expectant parents so you can socialize, support each other, and find future playmates for your baby.

More details below, including: class topics; information about reunion; schedule, locations, and registration; Penny Simkin's series, other classes of interest, and resources.

Class Topics. The classes include the following information

Preparing for Labor & Birth:

· Help for common discomforts of pregnancy

· Stages of Labor: What to Expect

o How you will know labor is starting

o How you will know when to go to birthplace (or call midwife to attend you at home)

o What labor and birth will be like

· Pain-Coping practices for labor. You'll learn and practice:

o Breathing Techniques, Relaxation Skills, Positions and Movement, Massage, Emotional Support, etc.

· Pain Medication Options

· Typical Hospital Routines and Procedures

· Variations and Possible Interventions, including Cesarean

Preparing for Breastfeeding:

· Why breastfeed: The Benefits

· How to breastfeed: Positioning and Latch

· How often to feed, how to know baby is getting plenty

· Predicting, preventing, and coping with common challenges

· Pumping, storing, and bottle-feeding

· How partners can support breastfeeding moms

Preparing to Care for your Newborn:

· What newborn babies are like

o Appearance, Senses, Capabilities, Temperament

· What babies need, and how they communicate it:

o Infant Cues; Crying and calming

· Daily care

o Sleeping and sleep safety

o Bathing and diapering

o Feeding

o Health

Postpartum Reunion Class:

Approximately one to two months after all the babies are born, the students from the class and their babies gather together to share birth stories and parenting experiences, ask their instructor about questions that have arisen since the birth, and re-connect to other new parents.

Schedule, fees, locations, and registration:

Schedule: This 14 hour series meets weekly, either for seven 2-hour sessions on weekday evenings, or for four 3.5-hour sessions on Saturday mornings. Plan to take a class series that will end about 2 - 4 weeks before your due date.

Class fee covers mom and support person, and includes a copy of our book.

Locations: Our series are offered at several locations in Seattle, in Edmonds, Redmond, Burien, and on Bainbridge Island.* Maps & directions.

Registration: For schedule, fees, locations, and online registration, click here to register or call (206) 789-0883.

Special note for classes at Stevens Hospital in Edmonds: you must contact them to register, at (425)640-4066 or register online for Stevens. Schedule of Stevens classes.

Penny Simkin's Birth & Parenting Preparation . Great Starts is pleased to offer an 8 week version of the birth & parenting series taught by Penny Simkin, author of numerous books on pregnancy, birth, and labor support. Penny is a world-renowned expert in the field, and one of the founding mothers of the doula movement. Register now!

Other classes of interest: Students may also be interested in our Babysafe class, which covers developmental milestones, safety-proofing, injury prevention, and treatment.

If you are planning to birth without pain medication, or if you have a high degree of anxiety about pain in labor, you may consider taking our Working with Labor Pain class to add even more skills to your “toolbox” for coping with labor.

Resources: Students may also find these resource lists helpful: resources for pregnancy, resources for early parenting.

* Special note on Bainbridge classes: classes on Bainbridge Island are scheduled according to the needs of students on the island. If you are interested in a class, call or email us as early in your pregnancy as possible, and we will put you on the interest list for classes. When we have a large enough group, we put together a class schedule that will meet your needs.

Other expectant parents had this to say about their childbirth classes:

"The birth classes were great. Being a first-time mom, I was a little bit nervous about the whole birthing process. These classes put my mind at ease..." Andrea

"After the first night of class, I felt an amazing connectedness to all of the other parents, and I couldn't wait to go back the next week." Kevin

"You have to know all of your options. Great Starts was able to cover all those monkey wrenches no one thinks will happen." Lara

"Taking the class at Great Starts gave us the knowledge and confidence to get through our labor and birth all natural!" Kathy and Mark.

"You could do the research on your own, but it was very helpful to be around expectant couples and an instructor who was wise and enthusiastic. It helped to remove yourself from day to day tasks and spend some time focusing on your baby."

"It helps to interact with others. It raises questions you might not think about."

"Hearing the info in person more than doubles the impact and the retention of reading it."

"Our instructor really listened to everyone's concerns and questions, addressed them immediately. Very calming and comforting."

"The instructor taught us to be advocates for our own health and the birth we want. She encouraged us to do it our way even if it wasn't what she would recommend."

"Definitely helpful - the interaction, videos, ability to ask questions: so much better than just relying on books, hearsay."

"Feeling like you understand medical terminology and childbirth options can help decrease anxiety about labor, delivery, and early parenting."

"Definitely take the classes, so you know what to expect - don't just listen to your friends and your parents."

"We've been surprised to hear from friends that haven't taken a class - should be required!"

"I learned so much in every class. I thought I knew a lot already, as I deliver babies and care for newborns. I didn't realize hoe much I didn't know."