FAQ

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There is no specific time that is ideal. Typcially, couples tend to sign up for a class that coincides with the last trimester of pregnancy. The last trimester of pregnancy seems to help couples remember their relaxation techniques and stick with their nutritional programs better. However, often, couples learn information that leads them to change things about their pregnancy, including care provider and birth location, that may be beneficial and easier if it occurs sooner. Esali Birth suggests taking classes whenever you feel comfortable and confident that you can put forth time and energy into learning the information and practicing relaxation techniques. We discuss some of the important options like care providers and birth location during the first part of the series to give students as much time as possible to change these aspects of their pregnancy. The sooner you take classes, the more information can be taken to stay healthy and low risk, and have adequate time to change care providers and birth locations.
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Each couple should bring two medium-large pillows for relaxation (size that you would use on your bed). We sit on the floor during class to practice exercises/posture that will prepare you for labor, so if you would be more comfortable on a blanket or yoga mat, bring those (or they can be provided at your request). There are chairs available if couples get uncomfortable. Water/Snacks will be available, but couples may want to bring dinner or eat prior to class.
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The standard Esali Birth classes are 10 weeks (1 day a week) and each class lasts 2 hours. They are typically scheduled from 6-8pm on Thursday evenings.  2 locations available (depending on student needs): Ravenswood Senior Center in Ravenswood, WV or City Soul Ministries in Vienna, WV. However, we understand that everyone has a different schedule and will work with you to find a class that fits. Weekend seminars and refresher courses are available. We are also in the process of developing an online course for couples that cannot attend a local class, and need a self-paced environment.  The online course will also be available to standard-class students.
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We highly encourage partners to attend; however, you are welcome to attend classes alone – we want every mother to have as much education as she can to improve your labor and birth outcome. Additionally, we offer Single-mother discounts (even if you’re bringing a partner). If your partner is not available, we do recommend that you bring someone who will be available for assistance during labor and postpartum – even if only for a few classes. This not only helps to give you added support during labor, but enhances your motivation for this wonderful experience.
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Esali Birth focuses on positive, natural, childbirth, with breastfeeding and natural parenting completing the experience, but does not focus on any one particular “method.”  A childbirth “method” is simply a form of relaxation, and the other content in any “method” (if in the form of an independent childbirth class) is the same.  Lamaze use to teach breathing patterns (which can be very unhealthy for the mother and baby), and has now expanded to multiple forms of relaxation, but they are somewhat more “lenient” on interventions and medications during labor.  Bradley teaches side lying with visualizations and imagery for relaxation with a very strong view against any form of intervention or medication during the perinatal period.  Hypnobabies teaches self-hypnosis for relaxation.  Hypnobirthing teaches hypnosis for relaxation.  They are all forms of relaxation (most of which are actually “self-hypnosis,” if you want to label the form); however, NO relaxation method will work (to its full potential) if the mother (and, in many cases, the birth partner) cannot commit to about 30 minutes each day of focused relaxation practice.
Esali Birth does not believe that anyone should be limited to one form of relaxation, so each week we practice a new form, allowing the mother to discover which form of relaxation works best for the mother.  Every birth is different, and every mother needs a variety of tools to utilize during every stage of labor.  In addition to opening up students to a variety of relaxation techniques, we also teach that being in-tune with your body, listening to the signals you receive during labor, affect your labor and how the baby moves through the canal will affect the intensity of any sensations.  We focus on all scenarios that will remove any unnecessary intervention during the perinatal period so that each mother can have the birth she needs, while having the knowledge for any turns in the road as labor progresses.  We teach all methods that promote a positive childbirth view and create a healthy mother, healthy baby, and healthy overall birth experience while touching on all the aspects that physically affect birth including prenatal health and nutrition, perinatal choices, responsible informed decisions, and focusing on education, including the fear-tension-pain cycle, and dispelling childbirth myths created by today’s society.  We believe that your care provider and birth location will have the largest impact on the overall experience, and encourage support in the form of a birth partner, a doula if available, and the involvement of the mother’s family and friends in a positive way.  We provide a lending library for students to have a variety of “methods” and information at their fingertips for further researching outside of class.  There is no one method that is the best; there are only fundamentals that should be used in any labor and birth, starting with the prenatal period and continuing through postpartum.
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With adequate education and support, you enhance your psychological view of birth, thus increasing your outcome of a pleasant experience.  Many aspects affecting labor include overall health, perinatal choices, care provider and birth location, and the amount of time you can commit to practicing relaxation techniques each day; though, labor cannot be guaranteed to be pain-free.  However, by learning about normal, positive, childbirth and various methods for relaxation, you amplify the endorphins your body creates, which naturally reduce your perception of pain. The more relaxed a mother can become, the less pain she will feel.  Many women are able to achieve states of relaxation that allow pain-free labor & birth, feeling only sensations and pressure.  At Esali Birth we teach about the Fear-Tension-Pain cycle, and help to eliminate this event.  Eliminating your fear of labor and birth, and practicing various relaxation techniques will enable you to achieve a comfortable and enjoyable experience.  Your body is made for this, and at Esali Birth we help you realize this so you can have an enjoyable labor and birth.
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It is very true that your body knows exactly how to birth; however, your brain needs a little training to effectively assist your body and help you have the best birth possible. Even in cultures where birth is a significant part of society, education is passed down through the wise women of the group and new parents are much more informed on the process before, during, and after birth. Your perinatal choices are also vital to a positive, and healthy, experience – and most care providers do not adequately educate their clients on healthy choices or natural alternatives.  Many hospitals, especially in the MOV area, are not mother-baby friendly, which can make it very difficult for an uneducated mother, and birth partner, to have a positive, and healthy, experience.  In addition, childbirth classes discuss many things besides birth including how to stay healthy for you and the development of your baby. We discuss support, birth options, routines, and postpartum care. We help you to become a confident birther and develop a relationship with your new family before the new baby completely comes in to your life.
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Childbirth education is not only for those seeking natural childbirth; this education is a vital part of your experience as a parent. Parents choosing medicated births need just as much guidance in the choices they have and the events that will unfold. They should become knowledgeable on their medication options – including the risks and benefits that these can have.  They need to understand how one intervention can be a starting point for a cascade of other interventions, and how medications affect their ability to birth as well as the short and long term affects the medications will have on themselves and their baby. We want to be sure that every couple is able to choose options with true informed consent and confidence that they are making the best decision for themselves and their family. However, given the correct guidance, most mothers who are planning a medicated birth will build the confidence they need to know their body is made for natural childbirth, and decide to only use medications if their situation requires its assistance.  In addition to labor and birth education, Esali Birth classes are a complete prenatal course educating parents on staying low risk during the prenatal period, and guidance through the postpartum weeks.
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I am a childbirth educator currently certifying through CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) and continuously expanding my knowledge through self learning. I have a beautiful daughter born naturally at a home birth with a Certified Nurse-Midwife using many forms of research, including the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth. I am very confident in my abilities and research many methods and information that I come across.
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“Esali” can be translated from Italian to mean “exhale,” and a form of the verb esalen. Esalen is also a type of massage very similar to Swedish massage; however, with esalen massage, the focus is total mind-body therapy based with a background in Gestalt psychotherapy. At Esali, we focus on the entire mind-body connection for labor and birth and understand the importance of relaxation and focus on the most basic functions needed for a beautiful birth – just labor.just birth.just breathe
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