Online Childbirth and Parenting Class

Lesson 1 • Emotional and Psychological Shifts

Examines mood fluctuations, anxiety, and identity changes during pregnancy. Prepares parents to seek support proactively.

Lesson 2 • Conception and Early Pregnancy Basics

Covers fertilization, implantation, and early hormonal shifts. Establishes the biological baseline needed for all subsequent pregnancy content.

Lesson 3 • Prenatal Care and Routine Screenings

Outlines the schedule and purpose of prenatal visits and standard screenings. Empowers parents to participate actively in care decisions.

Lesson 4 • Common Physical Changes in Pregnancy

Identifies normal maternal body changes from nausea to postural shifts. Helps parents distinguish expected changes from warning signs.

Lesson 1 • Safe Exercise During Pregnancy

Identifies appropriate physical activities and intensity levels for each trimester. Builds on body-change awareness from Chapter 1.

Lesson 2 • Building a Balanced Pregnancy Diet

Translates nutritional requirements into practical meal planning. Addresses common dietary restrictions and food aversions.

Lesson 3 • Managing Common Discomforts

Provides evidence-based strategies for heartburn, back pain, and swelling. Connects physical changes from Chapter 1 to actionable relief techniques.

Lesson 4 • Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

Details macronutrient and micronutrient requirements unique to pregnancy. Directly supports fetal development knowledge from Chapter 1.

Lesson 1 • Creating an Effective Birth Plan

Guides parents in documenting preferences for labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. Reinforces provider communication skills introduced in Chapter 1.

Lesson 2 • Recognizing the Signs of Labor

Distinguishes true labor from Braxton Hicks contractions and identifies when to contact a provider. Builds on third-trimester knowledge from Chapter 1.

Lesson 3 • Birth Settings and Care Team Options

Compares hospital, birth center, and home birth environments and care provider roles. Helps parents align setting choice with personal values and risk profile.

Lesson 4 • Stages of Labor Explained

Details early, active, and transition phases of the first stage through delivery of the placenta. Provides the framework for all pain management and support content.

Lesson 1 • Cesarean Birth Preparation

Covers planned and unplanned cesarean procedures, recovery expectations, and support strategies. Ensures all parents are prepared regardless of birth path.

Lesson 2 • Coping with Unexpected Labor Changes

Prepares parents for stalled labor, fetal monitoring concerns, and rapid escalation. Extends birth plan flexibility concepts from Chapter 3.

Lesson 3 • The Role of the Labor Support Person

Defines the partner or doula's active role in physical and emotional support during labor. Translates birth plan goals from Chapter 3 into real-time support actions.

Lesson 4 • Medical Pain Relief Options

Explains epidurals, spinal blocks, nitrous oxide, and IV opioids including benefits and trade-offs. Equips parents to make informed consent decisions during labor.

Lesson 1 • Maternal Physical Recovery

Addresses perineal healing, uterine involution, lochia, and cesarean incision care. Extends cesarean recovery content from Chapter 4 to the full postpartum period.

Lesson 2 • Recognizing Newborn Warning Signs

Identifies symptoms requiring immediate medical attention including fever, poor feeding, and color changes. Empowers parents to act quickly and confidently.

Lesson 3 • Newborn Physical Characteristics

Normalizes common newborn appearances such as vernix, molding, and jaundice. Reduces parental anxiety by distinguishing normal from concerning findings.

Lesson 4 • Essential Newborn Care Skills

Teaches diapering, cord care, bathing, and safe sleep positioning through hands-on practice. Builds the daily care competence parents need before discharge.

Lesson 1 • Formula Feeding Safely and Effectively

Covers formula types, preparation, sterilization, and responsive bottle feeding. Ensures parents who formula feed have equal skill and confidence.

Lesson 2 • Breastfeeding Physiology and Benefits

Explains milk production, let-down reflex, and nutritional composition of breast milk. Provides the biological foundation for all breastfeeding technique content.

Lesson 3 • Pumping, Storage, and Combination Feeding

Teaches breast pump use, milk storage guidelines, and transitioning between feeding methods. Supports working parents and those with complex feeding situations.

Lesson 4 • Common Breastfeeding Challenges

Addresses sore nipples, engorgement, low supply, and mastitis with evidence-based solutions. Prepares parents to troubleshoot before problems escalate.

Lesson 1 • Safe Sleep Guidelines

Details evidence-based safe sleep recommendations to reduce infant sleep-related risks. Reinforces safe sleep environment setup from Chapter 5.

Lesson 2 • Establishing Early Sleep Routines

Guides parents in creating age-appropriate bedtime routines and distinguishing hunger from sleep cues. Builds on feeding frequency knowledge from Chapter 6.

Lesson 3 • Managing Parental Sleep Deprivation

Provides strategies for adults to maximize rest and share nighttime duties equitably. Addresses the mental wellness dimension introduced in Chapter 2.

Lesson 4 • Newborn Sleep Biology

Explains sleep cycles, REM patterns, and normal wake windows in the first months. Provides the scientific basis for all sleep strategy recommendations.

Lesson 1 • Parental Identity and Role Transition

Explores matrescence, patrescence, and the psychological shift into parenthood. Helps parents integrate new identity without losing personal sense of self.

Lesson 2 • Relationship and Partnership Adjustment

Addresses communication shifts, intimacy changes, and conflict patterns after a new baby. Extends partner emotional content from Chapter 1 to the postpartum context.

Lesson 3 • Postpartum Mood Spectrum

Distinguishes baby blues, postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis by symptom profile and timeline. Builds on emotional content from Chapters 1 and 2.

Lesson 4 • Seeking and Accessing Support

Identifies screening tools, treatment pathways, and community resources for postpartum mood disorders. Empowers parents to act without stigma or delay.