"Just as a woman's heart knows how and when to pump,
her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire,
so she knows when and how to give birth." 
                                                              ~Virginia Di Orio

 

Hello midwifery clients,

 

My name is Gina Merlin and I am a certified doula and childbirth educator in the Leeds-Grenville area. Due to popular demand for childbirth classes that focus on normal physiological and emotional aspects of birth, I am pleased to offer “Empowered Childbirth” in Brockville! This six-class series is unlike any other childbirth class in the area. Designed by a midwife for midwifery clients, our format includes not only informative “teaching” about what to expect in labour, but also creative, interactive and peer-based methods to explore our understanding of birth, wade through myths and misconceptions and arrive at a realistic understanding of childbirth that is not fear-based. Our classes address the individual learning styles of the participants and active involvement is encouraged throughout.

 

Classes will run on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 pm beginning on April 1 in the spacious new offices of Leeds-Grenville Midwives’ at 51 King St. East. The cost will be $150 per couple for the full 6 sessions.

 

 

The basic outline of topics includes:
 

·         Creative exercises to explore birth ideas and ideals

·         What's going on, What you perceive, What you can do about it

·         The role of hormones in labour

·         Listening to our bodies & Communicating with our babies

·         Steps and Stages: Early Labour... Active Labour … Transition

·         Sources of Pain... How we control reduce/amplify pain sensation

·         Comfort Measures: Tools & Techniques…
(Vocalizations, Visualization and Relaxation Exercises)

·         Understand birth from labouring mother's perspective

·         Understanding Birth from Baby's perspective

·         Interventions & How to Avoid them... Emergency Birth

·         Steps and Stages: Birth & 3rd Stage … Positions for Pushing

·         How your perineum is designed to let baby pass through

·         The Placenta, Cutting the Umbilical Cord & Lotus Birth

·         Falling in Love, 3-way imprinting: Mother-Father-Child Bonding

·         Breastfeeding: First Latch & Techniques… Supply-Demand

·         Recognizing baby’s cues & Signs that Baby is Feeding Well

·         Fourth Trimester: Mimicking the Womb Environment

·         Postpartum Recovery... Preparation for Parenthood

·         Listening to Your Body... Responding to Baby's Cues 

·         Help When You Need it: Peer Support & Community Resources.

·         Informed Choice & Birth plans

 

If you'd like to reserve your spot in the class, please contact Gina at gina.merlin@sympatico.ca,
or sign up at the Leeds Grenville Midwives’ office.

 

 

Yours truly,

 

 

Gina Merlin, CLD, CPD

Certified Labour & Postpartum Doula

Independent Childbirth Educator

 

Email: gina.merlin@sympatico.ca

Telephone: (613) 989-3841

 

 

"We have a secret in our culture,
it's not that birth is painful, 
it's that women are strong."

                    ~ Laura Stavoe Harm