Childbirth Classes

Each childbirth class is a bit different from the previous one or the one to come. In teaching Birthing in Awareness classes, the curriculum is different due to making the class individualized to meet the needs of the individual students who are attending the series. Teresa teaches the group classes on Saturday mornings and Pam teaches Sundays, early in the evening. Their classes are over 4 weeks. Guina teaches a two weekend immersion class over 4 days. We all cover the same material in the same number of hours.

Please check our calendar for the upcoming classes and don't hesitate to register early as these classes fill quickly. Teresa will send you a class agreement via email for you to see costs of the varied classes and register.

The purpose for our childbirth preparation classes is to help the couple become closer and communicative about their desires not only for labor and birth but for parenting and to learn to listen to their instinctive voice, and to allow their fears to be resolved prior to labor beginning. This release of fears enables a couple to enter their labor capable, confident, aware, prepared and informed. The class is not specific to one way of birthing or method of childbirth as we believe births unfold in an unexpected and unplanned way many times, and it is important to be able to make the "next best thing" decisions along the way. Instead of teaching one method we teach you at least twenty pain coping skills and practices that you may find useful. We offer the option of incorporating some guided imagery (hypnosis) for birth situations, some active birth postures and information on non-medical pain relief as well as medical. We try to impart a different way of thinking about your labor and birth- one without fear and with an enhancement of knowledge that helps to build communication skills not only between you as a couple but as well as with your care provider. You develop a team mentality instead of a "them and us" thinking.

We make our classes fun! We do some active learning through role playing, hands on teaching and practice. We have videos to watch, homework assignments that are fun and unique and we encourage students to ask questions and involve themselves fully in the process. Our curriculum includes learning a pain coping mindset and the techniques to help with pain in labor. We include some birth art and listening to birth stories as well as some hands on practice of positions that may facilitate a faster labor. You will learn about the mind body connection and its effect on labor, your birth place preparation- whether home or hospital, effective postures for birth and pushing, the companion's role (we offer an additional class for dads), practice labor stations, informed consent and making decisions, playing the "Doing the Next Best Thing" game, postpartum adjustment, breastfeeding and care of the newborn and welcoming your newest addition to your family. We want you to leave our class talking throughout the week about the things you learned. We encourage you to explore ideas you may not have ever explored, deepening your awareness about your body, birth in general and your relationship. We want you to leave as an informed consumer, actively involved in the decisions that surround your birth.

We have many years of exposure to different teachings and experiences. We have read tons of books on childbirth methods, parenting ideas and more including our favorite authors who include Ina May Gaskins, Michel Odent, Janet Balaskas, Pam England, Shelia Kitzinger, William Sears, Jay Gordon and others. There is not just one specific type of training that goes into our classes.

Our Team of Childbirth Educators - The Ladies of the Labyrinth

• Teresa Howard has had experience personally with both the Bradley and Lamaze methods of childbirth when giving birth to her children. She has done extensive training over the 16 years of teaching in many areas that enhance her skills as an educator. She is a retired La Leche League leader after ten years of being an active leader and is also a certified lactation educator (CLE) and previous lactation educator trainer for CAPPA. She is also a previous postpartum doula trainer for CAPPA and is certified as a postpartum doula (CPD). Her training specific to being a childbirth educator has been with Pam England who pioneered the method based on Birthing From Within (www.birthingfromwithin.com), with additional Lamaze training, her labor doula training with DONA (CD) and CAPPA (CLD) as well as with Gail Tully in learning about optimal fetal positioning techniques (www.spinningbabies.com). She is a certified childbirth educator for CAPPA (CCCE), completed two levels of training with Birthing From Within as well as being a Happiest Baby on the Block certified instructor (CHBE). Her most recent certifications include Dancing for Birth and FEAR to FREEDOM. She keeps current with new research and attends continuing education annually. Here is a link to a local primetime television show that Teresa was a part of. You can see a short stint around 20 minutes into the video you will hear a bit from her. Labor of Love Induction Risks Show


• Pam Roe has had experience personally with Bradley and Lamaze. She is a retired La Leche league leader after ten years as an active leader and is a certified labor doula with both CAPPA (CLD) and DONA (CD). She is a Birthing from Within Mentor and a certified childbirth educator (CCCE) with CAPPA. She is also certified as a Happiest Baby on the Block instructor (CHBE). She has extensive experience supporting mothers and babies through breastfeeding. She too keeps current with new research and attends continuing education annually.


• Guina Bixler has had experience personally with the Lamaze method of childbirth while giving birth to her children. She also has personal experience of a cesarean birth as well as a VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean). She is a certified labor doula with CAPPA (CLD) She has completed her training as a lactation educator, childbirth educator and postpartum doula. She has been trained by Gail Tully in learning about optimal fetal positioning techniques (www.spinningbabies.com). And she is currently a Birthing From Within Eagle mentor.  

All of these experiences come together in the classes we offer. Please contact Teresa at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to hear more information about the classes and offerings on our upcoming schedule. Please visit our calendar to see when these classes are being offered.

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FEAR to FREEDOM Intensive Birth Circles for Women

Playwright, Birth Activist, and Community Organizer, Karen Brody one of today’s most innovative leaders in the transformation of birth has developed a truly extraordinary approach for women to prepare for their births. She felt most mothers no longer see a role for themselves in their own births. Often not even aware of it, women often felt made to comply and felt forced to obey their care providers,  they did not realize that  the key to freedom during pregnancy is always right there within them to make decisions that were right for them.

Charlotte Scott and Teresa Howard are FEAR to FREEDOM Birth Facilitators and are actually part of the first 21 of the innagural facilitators of this new approach to childbirth education.We offer a weekend intensive workshop for mothers to discover how to find the key to their birth freedom within themselves. 

Karen says, " Once they discover it’s there, it takes a while to find the courage to try the lock. But as they find their voice and connect with their body a natural urge to take action takes over. Once women have the key in their hand, they become accountable for their own happiness in their pregnancy and start to look inside, rather than out, for the guarantees and assurances they need to face the challenge of labor. Of course, as they decide to break free and put the key in the hole, they drop it at least a dozen times. They will need guidance to stay connected until the time when they will put the key in the hole, and it will turn “just right” and the door opens! RELIEF! For many women, freedom and joy during pregnancy seems out of reach because of their fear around labor but it doesn’t have to be that way."

Charlotte and Teresa want to work with women to help them overcome that fear. Many times women are not even identifying their anticipation and concern as fear. The weekend intensive will include finding courage within their bodies, finding their voices and putting that action into their birth outcomes. It will be a for women only class that can be taken anytime during their pregnancy but will be most effective taken earlier than later. We hope to offer a postpartum component for women who are processing their previous births as well later on.

We  incorporate the introduction to Dancing for Birth into this intensive workshop and will offer the ongoing series of Dancing for Birth classes that are woven with motherlore wisdom that will help to reenforce the ideas taught in the intensive FEAR to FREEDOM workshop for those wanting more.

This is not a comprehensive childbirth class, meaning it is not a couples preparation for childbirth class like our Birthing From Within/Birthing in Awareness series of classes. It can be a good companion class to any comprehensive class the way a good prenatal yoga class, Line Up Your Baby class or other class may be. You will benefit from this class regardless of your other childbirth preparation.

 For upcoming classes click on our calendar link or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  .

Private Classes  Although we believe that the group interaction is something that helps not only solidify the information, but also makes our classes more fun, we offer private classes in our childbirth class locations or your home for those whose schedules don't allow a group interactive class setting. We offer these classes in our childbirth class spaces- Lawrenceville, Marietta/Smyrna and Roswell areas. We do this so we have full access to our teaching materials but also so you will not be distracted in your home environment. There are four modules that last about 2.5- 3 hours each that can be selected ala carte to tailor them to your specific needs. For a full class you would need to take all four modules. Each module can be individually priced or the set of four modules are available at a discount.

For more information on classes or events call Teresa at 770-241-2078 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Birthing Again  These classes are for those who have birthed previously. It is only 9 hours of classes over a Friday evening time with just the moms and two Saturdays for the couples . This is not to be taken as an initial class- you must have taken a childbirth class with your previous pregnancy. Teresa Howard teaches this series. The series includes:

• Review and learn more pain coping techniques- you will review the things that worked last time and learn new ideas for pain coping that may be new and some old ones revisited.
• How to push effectively and with less perineal trauma- often times there are some ideas you did not know about that will help this time around.
• Sibling integration- how to make this transition an easier one for the whole family.
• Birth trauma resolution and self discovery- preparing a second time or third time often brings up memories that need to be visited and healed from before beginning a new journey.
• Partner reminders and resolutions
• Baby care and breastfeeding review
• 
  

Please visit our calendar to see when our next classes will be held.  For more information on classes or events call Teresa at 770-241-2078 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Additional Classes

Breastfeeding Couple Class, taught by Teresa Howard and Pam Roe, is to prepare you prior to the birth of your baby in understanding the whys, hows and whens to breastfeeding to insure success. This is a unique class with new approaches to learning positions and latching techniques.

Infant and Child CPR Class, taught by Natalie Coleman who is certified with the American Heart Association. Know what to do in an emergency situation to save your child's life.

Infant Massage Introductory Class  taught by Teresa Howard. Learn how to sooth your baby with some basic techniques that you may find invaluable. Come with your baby to have some fun! Better digestion, happier baby, longer sleep and great bonding times!

Line Up your Baby for Labor! Optimal fetal positioning techniques to avoid back labor taught by Guina Bixler based on her training with Gail Tulley.

There's a Big Baby in the House: Parenting your Toddler beyond babyhood, now what do you do? Taught by Pam Roe. Having a toddler can be very challenging at time- this class will help you navigate new ground.

VBAC/CBAC- what is right for me? - taught by Pam Roe & Guina Bixler. Explore the options for a safe and satisfying birth experience after a previous surgical birth.

Growing Green Families: A Smaller Carbon Footprint- taught by Renee Wymer. This a class on being more reflective of chemicals we are exposing our children to and how you can recycle and use products that are more baby friendly.Many new families are looking for ways to reduce exposure to everyday toxins and soften their impact on the earth.  You'll leave this workshop with lots of ideas for simple changes that will make your life healthier and greener.

Cloth Diapering Workshops- taught by Renee Wymer. Ever wonder how to get started with cloth diapering? Renee is a great guide to this money saving and environmentally more friendly way to diaper your baby!

Dancing for Birth- taught by Teresa Howard, Charlotte Scott, Renee Wymer and Salena Donnelly. These classes are great prenatal and postpartum fitness classes with a touch of birth and mothering wisdom flavoring the class. Postpartum moms come wearing their babies in slings and carriers! This class is taught in Roswell, Lawrenceville and Sugar Hill.

Birth Art Class - You will create an image which can help you to process the powerful emotions that accompany the birthing year.  The class will help you tap into an inner knowing about childbirth, the pre and post partum and parenting journeys.  Art supplies included.  The class can be attended by one or both parents.  No art experience or 'talent' necessary.  There will be discussion following the guided art session.

Baby Sign Language WeeHands taught by Persis Bristol Dodson. Communicate more effectively! Babies are more content when conveying a need is not a constant struggle. Learn preverbal communication and teach your baby the ability to express his or her needs and thoughts. Baby sign language will benefit babies from ages 4 months to 36 months.

Fathering in Awareness class for dads by dads. The dads share tips on partner skills for labor and birth as well as parenting skills.

Happiest Families- Happiest Baby on the Block, CALMS/ HUGS parenting and soothing your baby classes.This class is multifaceted. We offer the techniques of Harvey Karp of the Happiest Baby on the Block along with the CALMS techniques for soothing your baby based on Drs. Contey and Takikawa in combination with the HUGS techniques by Jan Tedder. We also offer parenting skills that are tried and true regarding getting sleep as new parents, beginning lasting family rituals, budgeting with a new addition and much more!

Dr. Karp's 5 soothing techniques to prevent colic and help to calm your baby will be accompanied by a take home DVD with the techniques as well as a white noise CD that has a retail value of $40+. Plus, we include the ideas of CALMS which teach five ways to interact with your baby to keep you and your baby calmer, along with Tedder's techniques to learn to understand the amazing language of your newborn and help to regulate your baby- therefore having a baby that cries less in the first year and is more independent in the 2nd year of life.

These are essential tools to equip every parent. This is a couples class and it is strongly recommended that both the mom and partner attend to get the full benefit of the  class. This class is facilitated by Teresa Howard &Pam Roe.

For more information on classes or events call Teresa at 770-241-2078 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please visit our calendar  to see when our next classes will be held.

Dancing For Birth™                                                                Feel Great and Prepare for Your Birth! - Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness

     Instructors: Teresa Howard and Charlotte Scott

Stephanie Larson came to Atlanta in August 2010 and we joined in her training to learn how to bring this technique to our area!

A moratorium has been declared on the back-lying, lithotomy position of birthing by Stephanie Larson, DFB, CD(DONA), CBE, BFA, Founder of Dancing For Birth TM, whose vision is for women world-wide to have the enjoyment of dancing their babies into the world.  Larson says women can learn how to harness gravity and move their bodies during labor for more satisfying births.  

“Women’s bodies are not designed for birthing on our backs,  which prevents the pelvis from opening fully and gravity from helping the birth process” says Larson, who feels that the norms (such as back-lying) and routine interventions which characterize many hospital births are not evidence-based and are hindering instead of helping birthing women. “We are mammals after all.  Can you imagine trying to coax an elephant, horse or monkey to give birth on her back with her legs up in the air?  Our maternal instincts tell us to move during labor and plant our feet on the floor when it’s time to push. One way to improve women’s birth experiences is to shift the paradigm from horizontal to vertical birth positions” says Larson.  Clearly, change is needed, as reported in ‘Evidence-Based Maternity Care’ by Sakala and Corry (Milbank Memorial Fund, 2008) “… many other nations are doing a better job with measures such as perinatal, neonatal, and maternal mortality, low birth weight, and cesarean rates. Nonetheless, per capita health expenditures for the United States far exceed those of all other nations.”  The report includes the use of upright birthing positions as a proven, cost-effective, low intervention practice that is widely underused.

Dancing For Birth TM prenatal/postpartum dance classes teach a “language of movement” specially geared for pregnant women and postpartum women wearing their babies in soft slings or wraps. Though the movements are inspired by ancient dance forms like Belly dance (created by/for birthing women) and African dance, the 90-minute weekly classes, which combine dance and fitness with little-known childbirth preparation skills such as optimal fetal positioning, are the wave of the future of birth and resonate with women. “Modern day women want to celebrate birth and be transformed by it!” says Larson.  “They have innate wisdom of how to give birth with ease and lovingly mother their children, and Dancing For Birth TM classes help awaken their abilities.” Women often come to class simply for fun and fitness, and find that they gain more than they expected to.  “This class was fun and informative.  I love dancing and I was excited to learn a little bit of how to incorporate it into this whole [pregnancy and birth] experience.  I gained great moves to help me feel good, and birthing positions and knowledge of what I can do to help me through labor”, said Melanie Eng, who is expecting her first baby this year. 

“The first step to a satisfying birth,” says Larson, “is to listen to your baby via your body—and move accordingly.  For many women this means laboring and birthing actively, in a forward-leaning vertical position, out of bed.” By moving instinctively, using gravity and positioning to their advantage, women can temporarily enlarge the dimensions of their pelvis for the baby's passage, help their babies rotate and descend, avoid unnecessary interventions and enjoy natural pain relief.  “You can be sure that you will gain a lot from Dancing For Birth TM classes no matter what type of birth you are planning,” says Larson, “the benefits include improved grace, strength, agility, endurance, knowledge, empowerment, confidence, and a circle of great new friends for both you and your baby.” Stereotypes lead women to believe that they should take to the bed when they become pregnant, but according to ‘Exercising Through Your Pregnancy’ by J.F. Clapp III, for healthy women, exercising during pregnancy is safe and has many benefits for mom and baby too, “At five years old, the offspring of the women who exercised during pregnancy scored much higher on tests of general intelligence and oral language skills”. 

We offer these classes- beginning with a free trial class offered quarterly and a four week series that allows for drop ins as well. Teresa and Charlotte teach together in Lawrenceville and in Midtown. Grab your hip scarfs and come join our classes, whether pregnant or with a baby in tow!