Classes
CUSTOMIZED FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Childbirth & Newborn Classes
YOU WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR YOUR BIRTH & POSTPARTUM TIME NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
WE’VE GOT THE CLASS FOR YOU!
PLEASE NOTE: Most of our group classes are now held in-person at our classroom at 1994 Gallatin Rd N, Ste. 102, Madison, TN 37115
It will be noted on the registration form if the class is being taught elsewhere.
Our Private Classes are usually taught in-person, but can also be taught via ZOOM.
Research shows that taking a comprehensive, out-of-hospital birthing class:
increases your confidence
reduces fears
paves the way for a more empowered birth
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE EAST NASHVILLE DOULAS BIRTH CLASS:
Laid-Back & Interactive Learning: We know that everyone responds best to different learning strategies, so we include a mix of interactive, group, & partner work in class. This is not a boring lecture class! Let’s have fun together while we learn. All of our classes come with a supplemental workbook for you to review at home after class.
Evidence-based & Up-to-Date Information: Our educators stay current on the latest birth research and best practices. They can steer you to great resources that will give you the answers you need. All of our educators also attend births regularly, so they can tell you what to expect in your birthing place based on first-hand knowledge.
Know Your Options: You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it, right? Our job is to present all of the options to you in a nonjudgmental way so that you can sort through what’s most important to you & your family. Since we aren’t affiliated with a particular hospital or practice (though we work closely with all of them), we can give you a comprehensive overview of all the choices.
Comfort Measure Tools for Your Toolbox: You will leave class with many different coping methods and comfort measures for labor! Even if you are leaning towards medication for your birth, these tools will help you manage through the early parts of your labor. From relaxation methods, visualization, breathing techniques, positions—we will talk about what works best for you and when/how to use them. And you will get to practice them as well!
Birth Partner Prep: Helping partners and support people know what to do when is one of our most favorite things! Your birth partner will be such an invaluable help to you on your big day, and we want to make sure that they are prepped and ready. Partners will leave our classes feeling confident and with lots of tools to support you on your big day. This is class is just as much about them as you!
Informed Decision-making: We will give you tools throughout class to help you have the birth you want. But we know that birth plans can change and big decisions might need to be made. That’s why we give you concrete, specific tools to help you sort through those options when birth doesn’t go according to plan. We will help you ask the right questions to get the answers you need so that your choices are informed and reflective of your intentions for this birth.
Community with Other Families: One of the best parts of taking a childbirth class is being with other families who are going through this same transition with you. We’ve had great friendships start in our classes, and we couldn’t be happier about that! Finding community that will help you long after the last class is one of the big plusses of taking a group class. You’ll hear more perspectives and learn from each other, too.
Safe & Comfortable: Our group classes are back in person again! We know that this option is popular, and we are so happy to bring it back while doing everything we can to keep all families safe. If you’d like an in-home or virtual option, we are happy to help you out with a private class.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE EAST NASHVILLE DOULAS NEWBORN CARE CLASS:
This class is for new parents, but also for other loved ones who are excited to meet and care for the new baby in their lives but perhaps have little experience with infants and will cover the following topics:
Diapering & Dressing
Bathing, Grooming, & Common Skin Care Complaints
Basic Breast/Chestfeeding Information & Techniques
Bottle Feeding Techniques
CDC Guidelines for Safe Dishwashing Practices
Swaddling & Soothing
Basics of Safe Sleep
Common Baby Gear & how to use it
Local Resources for: CPR/first aid training, comprehensive lactation education, certified babywearing and car seat safety specialists, infant sleep specialists, lactation consultants, and other specialists.
Meet our Childbirth Educators
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“Hello! I am Natasha Hilton and I am a Lamaze trained childbirth educator and a DONA certified birth doula. I have been working alongside birthing families since 2019 and I am excited to support even more families through childbirth education. Helping families feel informed in their birth decisions, safe in their birth environment, and confident in their birthing bodies is my passion. I am so excited to have another opportunity to engage with and empower birthing families in Nashville through childbirth education.”
Natasha teaches our 6 week childbirth class
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“Hi, y’all! I’m Tessa Bryant (she/her), a childbirth and newborn care educator! In addition to my training through Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, I draw on my experience as a full-spectrum doula, college professor, and early childhood educator to create an evidence-based, enjoyable, memorable childbirth education space.
My goal for my childbirth and newborn care education students is to not only give them information, but to empower them to use their own instincts, seek out further information, and advocate for themselves. I’m particularly passionate about working with queer, trans, and plus size clients and helping them navigate the unique challenges they may face during gestation, birth, and postpartum.”
Tessa teaches our Express class, private classes & newborn care class
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“Hi! I’m Amanda Dowd and I’m a Lamaze-certified childbirth educator and a DONA-certified birth doula. I spent a lot of time working in research before I started birth work, so I’m a huge proponent of providing evidence-based information. I’m also a firm believer that there is no such a thing as a “right” or “wrong” birth preference. My number one goal is always to give my clients the tools and information to make the decision that feels right for them and their family.
Birth can be wild, beautiful, and unpredictable, and knowing all of your options means you have options. I hope that my students finish their classes feeling informed, empowered, and excited about what’s to come!”
Amanda teaches our Express class & private classes
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"Hey there! I'm Courtney, a certified postpartum doula (DONA) and newborn care educator! My goal as an educator is to empower new parents with up-to-date, evidence-based information, equipping them with the essential tools and knowledge needed to confidently care for their newborns. I strongly believe in the inherent wisdom of caregivers and aim to nurture trust in that intuition! I'm so excited for the opportunity to collaborate with expectant parents, and my hope is that students leave class with realistic expectations of themselves and their baby, feeling both prepared and excited to embark on their journey into parenthood!”
Courtney teaches our newborn care classes (private and group).
2024 - 2025 CLASSES
REGISTRATION OPEN NOW!
Ready to sign up?
OUR CLASSES OFTEN FILL UP EARLY, SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIGN UP AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
Newborn Care Class limited to 8 families
$150 per couple (birthing person + one support person)
All held in our classroom in Madison/Rivergate from 2-5pm
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Saturday, March 22, 2205
Sunday, April 13, 2025
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Saturday, June 14, 2025
EXPRESS CHILDBIRTH CLASSES
Can’t commit to a 6-week class? Need a last-minute class?
No worries! We’ve got fantastic options for you!
Taught on weekends, 9am-4pm, in Madison unless otherwise noted
$300/couple (birthing person + one support person)
Limited to 8 families
Saturday, September 28, 2024 (only 1 more spot left!)
(perfect for late Oct, Nov, early Dec due dates)
Saturday, October 19, 2024 (perfect for Nov/Dec due dates)
Sunday, December 8, 2024 (perfect for Jan/Feb due dates)
Saturday, January 11, 2025 (perfect for Feb/March due dates)
Saturday, February 8, 2025 (perfect for March/April due dates)
Saturday, March 8, 2025 (perfect for April/May due dates)
Saturday, March 23, 2025 (perfect for late April/May due dates)
Saturday, April 5, 2025 (perfect for May/June due dates)
Saturday, May 10, 2025 (perfect for June/July due dates)
Sunday, May 18, 2025 (perfect for late June/July due dates)
Saturday, June 7, 2025 (perfect for July/August due dates)
6-WEEK CHILDBIRTH CLASS
Limited to 8 families
$400/couple (birthing person + one support person)
All classes held from 6-8pm and taught in our Madison classroom.
Can’t make these dates work? The class you want is closed? Check out our private classes.
Thursdays: Nov. 7 - December 19, 2024**skipping Nov. 28
(perfect for January & February due dates)
Tuesdays: Jan. 7 - Feb. 11
(perfect for March & April due dates)
Tuesdays: March 4 - April 8
(perfect for May & June due dates)
Tuesdays: May 6 - June 10
(perfect for July & August due dates)
We took childbirth classes and found our amazing doula through East Nashville Doulas.
Having our doula with us during labor and birth was indispensable, she was calm, caring, and super helpful, asking all the right questions and offering her expert advice. She had great tips and tricks for making labor more comfortable, and gave great massages during my 40+ hours of labor! Andrea is an incredible teacher and her class was super informative. All the knowledge we learned helped us feel more confident making what felt like an endless number of decisions, and we’re so glad we found East Nashville Doulas to be with us for this whole process.