This class is taught in-person by Mabel Teerlink at her home in Salem, Utah. Object lessons, guided notes, discussions, and hands-on practice keep the curriculum engaging and fun.

The class consists of six weekly lessons, 1.5 hours each. If you need to miss any of the lessons, we’ll do our best to fill you in later.

The class costs $300 per couple. You can attend the first lesson for free before you decide whether to pay and attend the rest. Although it’s more expensive than a hospital class, it’s also more engaging, in-depth, memorable, and fun!

The curriculum includes principles from childbirth books, recent research findings, and real parents’ experiences. Over six weeks, we’ll cover all these topics:

• Week 1: Birth physiology
• Week 2: Pregnancy
• Week 3: Labor
• Week 4: Pushing
• Week 5: Caring for the baby, including breastfeeding
• Week 6: Caring for the parents

Students will learn about the process of birth and strategies that can improve their birthing and postpartum experience. We teach about the benefits and risks of birth interventions so you can make more informed decisions.

The class will also highlight connections between birth and musical concepts like harmony. Whether or not you’re a musician, this class will help you get in tune with your body and mind so you can have a better childbirth experience.

Some of the sources for the curriculum include:

• Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Rachel Reed
• Birthing from Within by Pam England and Rob Horowitz
• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
• Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way by Susan McCutcheon
• Hypnobirthing by Marie Mongan
• Evidence Based Birth (blog and podcast)
• Recent obstetric research articles in scientific journals

Hospital classes are often more focused on hospital policies and procedures than on evidence-based practices. They usually teach about the available options for childbirth, but not about all the benefits and risks of those options. And they tend to be lecture-based and impersonal. By contrast, the Harmony Birth Class provides up-to-date, unbiased information in an engaging, personalized way so that expecting parents can make more informed decisions and have a better birthing experience.

Online classes are also typically lacking in hands-on practice and interactive engagement. Learning about childbirth in a small, in-person group (like this class) is ideal for learning more deeply, forming real friendships, and being truly prepared for childbirth!

Natural birth movements such as the Bradley Method (introduced in 1947), the Lamaze Method (introduced in 1951), and Hypnobirthing (introduced in 1989) have helped many families have better birthing experiences, but they also have drawbacks such as limiting their teachings to one approach and sometimes promoting practices that aren’t evidence-based.

Instead of teaching a “one-size-fits-all” method, this class includes a broad variety of evidence-based approaches. You’ll be able to discover which strategies work best for you so you can give birth in harmony with your unique personality and circumstances. This class is also more affordable than most independent birth classes!

You’ll have a better birthing experience if you have a birth partner—spouse, parent, sibling, friend, etc.—who attends the class with you and supports you throughout childbirth. If needed, you can attend the class alone, and we’ll do our best to help you find adequate support (such as a doula).

Doulas are non-medical professionals who are employed to provide support to birthing women. If your birth partner attends the class with you, they’ll receive enough training to be able to support you without needing doula services. However, more support throughout pregnancy and childbirth can be very beneficial, so you may still want to consider hiring a doula or asking for additional help from family members and friends.

You’re welcome to take the class at any point during your pregnancy, but ideally you’ll complete it about a month or more before your due date. For example, you could start the class when you’re around 24–30 weeks pregnant and finish around 30–36 weeks. But please feel free to join no matter what stage you’re at!