Welcome to Powerful Mamas® Online Natural Childbirth Course!
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Welcome to Your First Childbirth Class!
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A Letter From Jacquelyn: Here's What's Coming!
Courtesy of HearthMagic, Used with Permission
I am thrilled that you have allowed Powerful Mamas® to join you on your pregnancy and birth journey! Please be aware that this course is designed in a way that is intended to make you feel like you are actually participating in the live version of Powerful Mamas® Natural Birth Course. Picture yourself sitting in childbirth class right along with us, only from the comfort of your own home!
So, What Exactly Is the Format of the Course???
This course is designed to progress in order, beginning with Unit 1 and finishing with Unit 8. All of the lessons can be found under the Course Portal, which you can access once registered via the Log In button on the main menu at PowerfulMamas.com. You are welcome to skip a lesson and come back to it if you'd like, but just be aware that some of the lessons will "build" on knowledge learned in previous lessons.
We suggest you start at the top of each lesson and work your way down... For example, read the "Introduction" and "Learning Goals" first so you understand where we are headed with the lesson. Then print your Focus Guide for the lesson. Answering the questions in the Focus Guide as you work will help you gather the main points from each lesson. Next I suggest you scan the materials in the "Resources" section BEFORE watching the class videos. By becoming familiar with the articles and materials listed in the Resources section before watching the videos, it will be easier for you to find the necessary materials when you are requested to do so. You'll notice that in the class videos I often refer to the "student binders". For online students, these materials are already listed for you under the "Resources" section. Just picture that section as your virtual "student binder"! Similarly, you'll hear me mention in the videos to pull out your "purple book". That is the childbirth education manual from "Prepared Childbirth: The Family Way", which you should be receiving shortly in the mail. This manual is included in the price of your registration. It is an excellent place to jot down notes and store your completed Focus Guides from each lesson!
Please be aware that at times you will be asked to watch segments from two popular birth documentaries - The Business of Being Born® and Orgasmic Birth®. Due to copyright restrictions these videos MUST be purchased, viewed online or borrowed from your local library directly by you, the viewer. The good news is that the price to stream these videos online is minimal! Thank you for understanding these legal restrictions. There are also many free birth videos included under the "Birth Videos" tab and the Bonus "Birth Bingo" activity. I highly encourage you to watch these birth stories so that you can become more comfortable with the noises a woman makes during labor, as well as the process of birth in general!
Under the bonus "Dive Deeper!" sections, you will find more options to further explore topics discussed during the lesson, should you choose to do so.
Finally, each lesson ends with ""Reflection Opportunities", which will double check your learning and help you interactively process the information using polls, quizzes and journal entries. You may choose to do the journal questions on your own, or you may respond and interact with other students within our online forum. You'll be amazed at how much you can discover and learn just by reflecting on these questions! When applicable, it is important that you and your partner become familiar with each other's thoughts and wishes for this birth, so be sure to complete these questions together when appropriate. (Please note that the student forums are located at the bottom of each lesson and can be a bit tricky to see prior to logging in to the forum. Should you wish to participate in the forums, you must login to the forum at the beginning of each online session, even after you have already logged into the Course Portal. I apologize that this can be a little repetitive, but alas, technology!)
How Will Students Get the Most Out of Their Online Learning?!?
Treat this course just as you would any other commitment you've made! Assign time each week to work through your lessons. Be sure to pause the video when necessary to complete any suggested activities, readings or exercises. You will notice that there are many articles, pictures, PDF handouts, supplemental YouTube videos, and even infographics based on the whiteboards seen within the videos. All of these extra resources are intended to appeal to various styles of learning. Check them out!!! And remember, you'll get as much out of this course as you put in, I promise!!!
You will notice that some of the lessons will be faster to complete than others. If you need to pause and come back to a lesson, that is perfectly fine - just one more benefit of being online! Once you have completed each lesson you are encouraged to go back and review any lessons you would like more practice with, particularly the exercises under Relaxation Techniques, Active Labor Positions, and Coping With Normal Labor Challenges.
Don't forget - as a member of this course, you have exclusive lifetime access to the Facebook Group, “Powerful Mamas Private Portal" on Facebook! Please request to join this dynamic community as soon as your registration is complete. Updates to course material, registration links for video conference calls, and many valuable resources are posted in this private forum!!! Also be sure to follow and “like” Powerful Mamas Business Facebook page and sign up for our newsletter if you haven't yet to get important updates from Powerful Mamas.
It is my sincere hope that by participating in this series everyone on your birth team will feel better prepared and excited for the amazing journey to come. Remember - if a question remains or needs to be privately addressed, students are encouraged to email Jacquelyn directly at [email protected]. My personal goal is that no question goes unanswered!
Now let's get started preparing for your best birth ever!
Sincerely,
Jacquelyn Duke, M.Ed., CCCE, CLD, CIES(FCEC)
President of Intrinsic Birthing LLC, dba Powerful Mamas
CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator, Labor Doula, & Labor Doula Faculty Trainer; Full Circle Certified Placenta Encapsulationist
PS - *Please note that the volume on the videos has been enhanced in order to make them audible across multiple platforms. Please feel free to turn it down if needed!*
So, What Exactly Is the Format of the Course???
This course is designed to progress in order, beginning with Unit 1 and finishing with Unit 8. All of the lessons can be found under the Course Portal, which you can access once registered via the Log In button on the main menu at PowerfulMamas.com. You are welcome to skip a lesson and come back to it if you'd like, but just be aware that some of the lessons will "build" on knowledge learned in previous lessons.
We suggest you start at the top of each lesson and work your way down... For example, read the "Introduction" and "Learning Goals" first so you understand where we are headed with the lesson. Then print your Focus Guide for the lesson. Answering the questions in the Focus Guide as you work will help you gather the main points from each lesson. Next I suggest you scan the materials in the "Resources" section BEFORE watching the class videos. By becoming familiar with the articles and materials listed in the Resources section before watching the videos, it will be easier for you to find the necessary materials when you are requested to do so. You'll notice that in the class videos I often refer to the "student binders". For online students, these materials are already listed for you under the "Resources" section. Just picture that section as your virtual "student binder"! Similarly, you'll hear me mention in the videos to pull out your "purple book". That is the childbirth education manual from "Prepared Childbirth: The Family Way", which you should be receiving shortly in the mail. This manual is included in the price of your registration. It is an excellent place to jot down notes and store your completed Focus Guides from each lesson!
Please be aware that at times you will be asked to watch segments from two popular birth documentaries - The Business of Being Born® and Orgasmic Birth®. Due to copyright restrictions these videos MUST be purchased, viewed online or borrowed from your local library directly by you, the viewer. The good news is that the price to stream these videos online is minimal! Thank you for understanding these legal restrictions. There are also many free birth videos included under the "Birth Videos" tab and the Bonus "Birth Bingo" activity. I highly encourage you to watch these birth stories so that you can become more comfortable with the noises a woman makes during labor, as well as the process of birth in general!
Under the bonus "Dive Deeper!" sections, you will find more options to further explore topics discussed during the lesson, should you choose to do so.
Finally, each lesson ends with ""Reflection Opportunities", which will double check your learning and help you interactively process the information using polls, quizzes and journal entries. You may choose to do the journal questions on your own, or you may respond and interact with other students within our online forum. You'll be amazed at how much you can discover and learn just by reflecting on these questions! When applicable, it is important that you and your partner become familiar with each other's thoughts and wishes for this birth, so be sure to complete these questions together when appropriate. (Please note that the student forums are located at the bottom of each lesson and can be a bit tricky to see prior to logging in to the forum. Should you wish to participate in the forums, you must login to the forum at the beginning of each online session, even after you have already logged into the Course Portal. I apologize that this can be a little repetitive, but alas, technology!)
How Will Students Get the Most Out of Their Online Learning?!?
Treat this course just as you would any other commitment you've made! Assign time each week to work through your lessons. Be sure to pause the video when necessary to complete any suggested activities, readings or exercises. You will notice that there are many articles, pictures, PDF handouts, supplemental YouTube videos, and even infographics based on the whiteboards seen within the videos. All of these extra resources are intended to appeal to various styles of learning. Check them out!!! And remember, you'll get as much out of this course as you put in, I promise!!!
You will notice that some of the lessons will be faster to complete than others. If you need to pause and come back to a lesson, that is perfectly fine - just one more benefit of being online! Once you have completed each lesson you are encouraged to go back and review any lessons you would like more practice with, particularly the exercises under Relaxation Techniques, Active Labor Positions, and Coping With Normal Labor Challenges.
Don't forget - as a member of this course, you have exclusive lifetime access to the Facebook Group, “Powerful Mamas Private Portal" on Facebook! Please request to join this dynamic community as soon as your registration is complete. Updates to course material, registration links for video conference calls, and many valuable resources are posted in this private forum!!! Also be sure to follow and “like” Powerful Mamas Business Facebook page and sign up for our newsletter if you haven't yet to get important updates from Powerful Mamas.
It is my sincere hope that by participating in this series everyone on your birth team will feel better prepared and excited for the amazing journey to come. Remember - if a question remains or needs to be privately addressed, students are encouraged to email Jacquelyn directly at [email protected]. My personal goal is that no question goes unanswered!
Now let's get started preparing for your best birth ever!
Sincerely,
Jacquelyn Duke, M.Ed., CCCE, CLD, CIES(FCEC)
President of Intrinsic Birthing LLC, dba Powerful Mamas
CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator, Labor Doula, & Labor Doula Faculty Trainer; Full Circle Certified Placenta Encapsulationist
PS - *Please note that the volume on the videos has been enhanced in order to make them audible across multiple platforms. Please feel free to turn it down if needed!*