This empowering and practical workshop was evolved by Janet Balaskas and goes into important aspects of labour that are often overlooked in hospital and other birth preparation classes.
This day focuses on the ways women can use their bodies during labour and birth to make the process as easy and safe as possible, and will give you plenty of time to explore ways of responding positively to the body's urges using a variety of positions, movement and breathing, and other strategies for coping with contractions with less reliance on drugs. You will learn about the part the baby plays in its own birth, how to optimise the cocktail of hormones that orchestrates the whole process, and how to avoid the things that can be a hindrance.
Your birth partner will gain a greater insight into how the womanís body works in labour, and be a lot more effective and confident in the ways they can help and support you, including massage.
The workshop is ideal for anyone planning to give birth at home or in a midwife-led birth centre, and is also an excellent refresher for parents expecting a second or subsequent baby. N.B. This day does not go into medical complications or interventions in great depth; these are covered fully in the Complete Active Birth Preparation weekend course.

What some people have said about the workshop :-

Everything you taught us was invaluable.....I used the breathing techniques, making lots of sound and swaying/circling in different positions (standing, leaning, kneeling, hands and knees) for contractions all the way through and Sam massaged my lower back pretty much constantly. I didn't have any other pain relief other than water - I was really in the zone and although it was gruelling I didn't really consider other pain relief options at all. Sam was a star on the day and the best birth partner I could have wanted. The session with you really helped us both ..... so thank you so much

"A big thank you .... L's birth was the most uplifting, satisfying and amazing experience. You have been an extremely positive influence and have given me invaluable knowledge and, more importantly, confidence about labour and birth."

"We learnt more in one day than through a whole series of antenatal classes, and the tutor's positivity had a profound effect on my attitude to the birth. As well as the physiological knowledge of how to assist labour and delivery, the workshop provided us with a confidence we would otherwise have lacked which was very important on the day."

"As an expectant father I found the workshop a truly enlightening experience. From the beginning it felt relevant and absolutely crucial knowledge to have - like unearthing the lost art of natural childbirth. I really loved the class and it also complemented the NCT classes very well."

"It was a pretty full on labour, 36+ hours .... she was nearly 9 pounds, but I did it, and am... feeling pretty proud of myself. I wouldn't have got through it if it wasn't for my partner, who was just amazing, so supportive, confident and encouraging. In the latter stages I began to loose faith in the process.... (but) he talked me back down, told the midwives to go and sit at the back of the room, turned off all the lights and got me in a place where I was able to push. All testament to how much he took in during our day with you at the Active Birth Centre so thank you so so much for your help, support and fabulous advice!"

"We had a successful and relatively peaceful home birth, getting in the birthing pool after about a 12 hour labour that I "breathed through"! .... I was very focused and calm during the whole labour (although) the second stage .... was hard work and took a lot more pushes than I envisaged. I do remember having a clear thought at one point that I was making the wrong noises and that you'd said they are much deeper. The midwives later told me my groans through the last two pushes were textbook!!"

"I taught my sister everything I learnt from you about birth, and she had her baby kneeling on her kitchen floor with only breathing and homeopathy. No stitches or anything. Amazing, given that her first two children were both hospital epidural births!"

"This has made me feel so excited about giving birth and having gone through all the positions together, rather than just reading about them, I feel so much more confident now."

"This fantastic workshop was interesting, instructive and empowering and AliceŪs positive energy was a pleasure to be around .. Even though the birth of our daughter ended up with more medical intervention than we had hoped, the techniques we learned from Alice enabled us to have a drug-free, active birth (and) various obstetricians and midwives commented on the fact that my husband and I were managing particularly well and seemed to be working as a team through the whole process. Many thanks for a great workshop led by an inspiring teacher."

"I just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the workshop - it was so useful to have such a practical, hands-on session to learn positions and exercises for use during labour - it's actually left me looking forward to putting them into practice when it's time! ..... We came away feeling informed, supported, confident about - and ready for - the birth and parenthood itself; pretty much the total opposite of the way we were left feeling after our NCT course! At that course, we were given lots of rushed information ...... and were just generally left feeling deflated, unequipped for the birth - very disappointing! So thank you so much for restoring our confidence, speaking to us like adults (!) and giving us much more sensible, calm and balanced advice and preparation ....

Cost £175 per couple/£90 per person
(some concessions available)
See Calendar and Bookings for upcoming dates