CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION CLASS

WHAT IS SPINNING BABIES®?

Spinning Babies® is an approach to childbirth that helps you get more comfort in pregnancy and ease in birth. The Spinning Babies® Parent Class highlights your baby’s active role in birth. During labor, your baby needs to pass through three levels of the pelvis. Learn techniques to help your pelvis and its muscles to support your pelvic levels. Together, you and your birth support person or partner can use these techniques before and during labor to help “make room for your baby.” Spinning Babies® reveals how baby can find optimal positions for labor, and make birth less painful, and even pleasurable! Learn more at www.SpinningBabies.com.

(Notes: This class is for expectant parents. Birth professionals are referred to the Spinning Babies® Workshop. Please note that the Spinning Babies® Parent Class is not a comprehensive childbirth education class. You are recommended to take one if you can.)

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR

Catherine Allen (she/her/hers), Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator (SpBCPE), Prenatal Yoga Teacher of 20 years, and Certified Doula, offers Spinning Babies® Parent Classes in Houston, Texas and live online. Catherine used the Spinning Babies® approach in her own pregnancy and labor and believes in its revolutionary philosophy for childbirth. It is an approach that encourages the birthing person to make informed birth choices and helps strengthen the bond between parents and baby. She offers semi-private and private classes.

WHAT IS A SPINNING BABIES® PARENT CLASS LIKE?

IN-PERSON CLASS:

Each Parent Class is a fun and interactive 3-hour experiential class. You’ll be guided through a light and accessible prenatal yoga class to help you balance your body. Then you’ll learn additional body balancing practices, such as the Three Sisters of Balance, that are to be done with your partner or birth support person. You will practice specific labor positions that open up each level of the pelvis to make as much room as possible for your baby to descend and rotate through. After class, you’ll receive handouts and a special e-companion book to help you review and retain the information you learned in class.

LIVE ONLINE CLASS:

The live online class is up to 2 hours long. Here’s how it works: You reserve your spot for a scheduled class. Some time before the scheduled class, you watch the 2-hour Parent Class on the Spinning Babies website. When we meet online, you’ll be guided through a light and accessible prenatal yoga class to help you balance your body. Then you’ll practice body balancing techniques, such as the Three Sisters of Balance, with your partner or birth support person. You will also practice specific labor positions that open up each level of the pelvis to make as much room as possible for your baby to descend and rotate through. I can offer real-time feedback on the techniques and answer your questions. After class, you’ll receive handouts and a special e-companion book to help you review and retain the information you learned in class.

HOW DOES THE SPINNING BABIES® APPROACH WORK?

The exercises and various techniques taught in the Spinning Babies approach help balance out the soft tissues in your hips. The state of your soft tissues influences fetal position. We believe that fetal positions are not random and that babies fit the space (i.e., uterus and pelvis) available. Thinking of the size of the baby or the pelvis is not enough. Birth anatomy can be flexible. Both the uterus and the pelvis have more available room when the muscles and other soft tissues are balanced. If you have excess tensions in the soft tissues, the uterus might be constricted in a way that reduces room for the baby to be positioned optimally. Fetal malposition or malpresentation often contributes to labor difficulties (e.g., stall, irregular contractions, excess pain, transverse arrest, pelvic floor trauma or tearing, etc.). However, when you release the excess tensions while supporting the excess looseness on a daily basis prior to and during labor, this could result in an easier birth with fetal positioning.

WHY ATTEND AN IN-PERSON OR LIVE ONLINE CLASS?

The major advantages to attending a live in-person or live online class are:

1. If you have pain or tension in a yoga pose or exercise, Cat can work with you to tailor the pose to your individual needs.
2. During the practice of labor positions and partner work in class, Cat can let you know if you’re doing it correctly and offer feedback where needed.
3. Cat can answer any questions you have.

FOR WHOM IS THIS CLASS?

This class is for anyone who is pregnant! The best time to take this class is around 20 weeks gestation, but it is never too early or too late to start balancing your body. The sooner you take this class, the more time you have to prepare and practice the techniques. The more prepared you are before labor, the more supported and empowered you’ll be during labor. Here are examples of people who would benefit from this class:

1. First-time birth
2. Second or third-time birth – No two births are the same.
3. Cesarean Birth – Yes! Everyone deserves support and comfort, no matter what kind of birth. The Spinning Babies approach can improve comfort during your pregnancy and, if you do labor before surgery, help ease labor and recovery. Laboring/contractions are wonderful for helping your baby to produce crucial hormones for breathing better once outside of your womb.
4. VBAC
5. Free birth, home birth, birth center birth, hospital birth

WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS:

1. Wear loose and comfortable workout clothes you can move and breathe easily in
2. Yoga mat
3. Large body towel
4. Bottle of water
5. 2 Pillows

FAQs

• I don’t have a birth partner or birth support person.
  • Let Cat know, and she’ll help you find a partner for the class. She will show you how to do these poses and exercises without a partner. You will still reap the benefits.
• I’m very flexible/I dance/I lift weights/I do yoga/I do the splits. Would I benefit from this class?
  • Yes, you will! If you do a lot of intense body movement like dance, weightlifting, or yoga, or if you SIT a lot, you might have an excessively tense pelvic floor. The myofascial release techniques in the Spinning Babies approach can help balance your soft tissues by releasing excess tension, including in the pelvic floor, to help bring more comfort in pregnancy and ease in birth.
• My last birth was fast and easy. Do I need this class?
  • No two births are the same. A prior “easy” birth doesn’t mean that your next birth will be the same. And the Spinning Babies approach counterbalances the tensions and stress that come with modern life.
• I don’t do yoga. Can I still do the Spinning Babies approach?
  • Yes, you can. Catherine will teach you accessible and simple yoga poses that you can do. She will customize each pose or exercise especially for you.