What's in a Name?

It's a tough thing to name a baby.  Their identity is wrapped up in his/her name forever.  The responsibility is huge.  If you missed the post from last week, I've given birth!  Our baby's name is Birth Boot Camp!

A brief recap:  Birth Boot Camp is a 10-week online childbirth education course and we'll also be training instructors to teach live classes.  The curriculum is modern and relevant, no matter where you are planning to give birth.

There have been a lot of questions this week about where the name came from.

First, we wanted a name that let people know this is not a fluffed up class.  It will be hard work and you'll come out stronger on the other side of it. 

Second, we wanted dads to know this class is for them too. Our branding and color schemes were created with him in mind.  He plays a crucial role in the pregnancy, labor, and birth -- even if he doesn't know it yet!

And third, this course is about natural birth.  In fact, after many hours of debate, the Birth Boot Camp Board established the importance of an instructor having had a natural birth in order to teach others how to have a natural birth. 

Rest assured, there are no whistles or push-ups involved, although we did run with the military theme for the names of the classes:

Defining the Mission:  Why Natural Birth?

P.T. & Chow:  Physical Training and Nutrition

Setting Up Camp: Choosing Where to Birth

 Chain of Command:  Who is in Charge of Your Birth?

Countdown to "D" Day

Deployment:  Baby on the Move

Supporting Arms:  Mom's Most Important Ally

Cadence:  The Sights and Sounds of Natural Childbirth

The Fog of War:  Keeping a Clear Head in Labor

The Plan of Attack:  Establishing Your Priorities and Making a Plan

Mission Accomplished!   The Immediate Postpartum Period

Life With a New Recruit

Check out more about the classes here.  While we like to think the names are catchy, there is so much more behind them besides being wickedly clever.  

If you want a natural birth, we will help you get there.  We'll do our part and you do yours!  Welcome to BIRTH BOOT CAMP!

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Bye-Bye Bradley (TM)! Hello BIRTH BOOT CAMP!

I've been writing this post in my head for weeks, deciding how I want to share this exciting news.

 If you read my blog, you probably know that I have taught Bradley (TM) classes for nearly a decade.  It's given me a great foundation and I am so grateful for the opportunities I've had to teach hundreds of couples over the years about natural childbirth.  It is well known that I had my classes on DVD and had couples all over the world participate in my extensive class.  In my humble opinion, the class was thorough, but not professionally filmed or edited.  The information got out there and met a very real need for couples around the world.  Each year, my DVDs have gotten more popular.  I've been to the post office nearly every day for the last couple of years.   It was time to move on and make classes more accessible.

I have no interest in tearing down The Bradley Method (TM), but simply, things need to be updated.   I must admit, I longed for updated videos, workbooks, and handouts, just like my students.  My class evolved over the years into something that was uniquely my own.   Frankly, it was time to leave and write my own curriculum.

I am incredibly blessed with a team of women to work with, each having a unique skill-set and having an appreciation for each others' strengths.  We have created a new childbirth education program called Birth Boot Camp.  It includes online classes and also live, instructor-led classes.  I'm dying to tell you all about it:

First, the online classes are what inspired the program in the beginning.  I hired a professional videographer, Ceci of Ceci-Jane Photography (you've all seen her birth videos) to record and edit my newly written curriculum.  My live classes are peppered with birth stories that illustrate my points on various topics.  Instead of me telling the stories, you'll hear from the couples themselves, as it's all edited into the classes.  We also interviewed several professionals on various topics, including chiropractic care, doulas, massage therapy, fitness, and you'll hear from several midwives throughout the 10-week series.  It's childbirth education -- documentary-style!  These professionals, and many more, have contributed to the completeness of the Birth Boot Camp curriculum.

As I shared the curriculum with select individuals, there was excitement.  Some of these women had been searching for a good, solid curriculum and organization to certify with, but for numerous reasons, they didn't feel like a good fit.  Until Birth Boot Camp.   Sparing you all the details, we decided to give women the opportunity to certify with Birth Boot Camp and become natural childbirth educators themselves.   The response has been overwhelming and we are humbled -- and excited!  If you would like to bring Birth Boot Camp to your community, the above link will tell you everything you need to know.

I roped in some pretty great people to help me, including someone you might recognize.  Sarah Clark, author of Mama Birth, has been an integral part of the program.  In fact, she even wrote all the relaxation exercises!   She will be at the workshops, teaching new instructors tips and games for their classes.  Our Board is diverse and well- rounded.

Together, we created a 130-page Field Manual that comes with each class. In addition, every couple that takes a Birth Boot Camp class -- live or online -- will receive a Breastfeeding DVD, recorded by lactation consultant, Mellanie Sheppard, entitled "Breastfeeding:  The Ultimate MRE". 

Oh yeah!  And we have current birth videos! 

For more information, check out the Class Descriptions to find out more about what Birth Boot Camp teaches.  We are running an introductory offer until May 1 (Tim McGraw's birthday) of $200 for the online classes.

Currently, live classes are being booked in CA, OK, and TX.  Check with your instructor on her prices.

Keep up with what we are doing at the Birth Boot Camp Facebook page.  If you would like more info about Birth Boot Camp, visit our website or contact us here. 

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